Oil Painters of America

Oil Painters of America’s 19th Annual National Juried Exhibition was held this year at the prestigious Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. This year's Gold Medal Award, valued at $22,000, was won by Mary Qian with her painting titled, "Model on Break". Mary also won last year's Dorothy Driehaus Mellin Fellowship for Midwestern Artists award. We congratulate her on her exceptional work and support of OPA, whose joined efforts continue to promote representational artwork in the 21st century.

The success of this year’s exhibition was further bolstered by a strong contingency of OPA Master Signature members that included: Thomas S. Buechner, William T. Chambers, Nancy S. Crookston, Dan Gerhartz, Albert Handell, David Hettinger, Doug Higgins, Quang Ho, Ramon Kelley, Steven Lang, David Leffel, Jeff Legg, Ruo Li, Huihan Liu, Calvin Liang, Paul Mullally, Neil Patterson, Joyce Pike, Zhiwei Tu, Jeffrey Watts and William Whitaker. Joining this illustrious group were new Master Signature artists: Kenn Backhaus, Michael Mao and Warren Chang.

Details

Nancy Crookston

One of the leading painters of our time, Crookston has gained a broad following over the years creating images that evoke the warmth of family and the restfulness of a time less complicated than our own. Crookston’s early training includes five summers studying with Russian artist Sergei Bongart in Thornton, Idaho.

Her history of perseverance and determination, along with distinguished artwork and training are beautifully coupled together with humility. "I'm always learning, and I can't tell you how thrilling it is when I realize I'm just barely touching the tip of the iceberg."

Scott Eubanks

Scott has advised a number of museums on Russian art acquisitions and has guest lectured throughout the United States on Soviet/Russian art. He has also served as a trustee for the Scottsdale Artists’ School. Prior to entering the art world, Eubanks served as top economic advisor to governors of Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Virginia and Arizona.

About Gallery Russia: Founded in 1997 by Scott and Paul Eubanks as a subsidiary of Fire Sky Art, Inc., an Arizona corporation. Specializes in original oil paintings from the former Soviet Union and nations that once comprised the USSR. Also carries works by two Chinese artists and two American artists.

Scottsdale gallery home to four members of the Oil Painters of America:

Marci Oleszkiewicz
Timur Akhriev
Kevin Beilfuss
Shuqiao Zhou.

About Paul Scott Gallery: Established in 2008 in Scottsdale. Represents artists from 14 nations, including numerous American artists. Styles range from photo realism to abstract. Art also includes works by award-winning ceramitists, sculptors and glass makers.

Scottsdale gallery home to three members of Oil Painters of America:

Melissa Hefferlin
Scott Freeman
Elizabeth Pollie

Beth Lauterbach

Scottsdale Fine Art gallery owner Beth Lauterbach began her career as a commercial interior designer. While raising her two daughters Beth kept her creativity in tact by attending art classes whenever possible, including Scottsdale Artist’s School where she took classes from many notable oil painting artists. She continued her business career part time by continuing to practice commercial design and owning and running a small advertising agency.

As her family grew more independent, Beth started looking for an outlet which would tap her passion for creativity and her business knowledge. An opportunity in the gallery business presented itself and Beth’s new career was launched. Through hard work and perseverance, she was able to secure a prominent space in the heart of one of the largest art markets in the United States. Now, Scottsdale Fine Art is one of the most prestigious galleries in the Scottsdale Art market. The gallery’s reputation for personalized service and sterling customer care is their hallmark.

Scottsdale Fine Art

Located on Main Street in the heart of Scottsdale’s Arts District, represents international, national and local artists. The gallery features one-of-a-kind original artwork with offerings for new and seasoned collectors alike. The gallery’s philosophy is to present a diverse selection of subject matter in styles from traditional to contemporary in a variety of price ranges. Oil paintings, pastels, watercolor, drawings, bronze and ceramic sculpture adorn this spacious viewer-friendly gallery.

Harley Brown

Harley Brown was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1939. He was raised in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and Calgary, Albert. He now resides in Tucson, Arizona with his wife Carol and seven spoiled dogs. Harley is a member of the Tucson Seven group of fellow artists who admiration and friendship has continued for decades. Harley is an artist/member of the Cowboy Hall of Fame, in Oklahoma. He is also a member of The Northwest Rendezvous Group in Montana, and he is honored to have won a number of awards given by these two organizations.

His first book, "Harley Brown's Eternal Truth's for Every Artist", is an international best seller published by International Artist Publishing. Harley has also written numerous articles for International Artist and Pastel Artist International magazines.

Harley's early career consisted mostly of commissioned portraits, including an official portrait of Winston Churchill, done in 1965, and President Ronald Reagan, officially painted for his second Inauguration. Now, Harley travels the world and portrays its inhabitants. He says that he's pretty busy because he has about six billion more people to paint.

Allan J Duerr

Allan and his wife Elaine live on a small horse farm near Hastings, Minnesota.

Duerr is the CEO and Co-Publisher of ART of the WEST magazine. He as been in magazine publishing for almost 40 years, with the last 30 years specifically in the art magazine area. Duerr was convinced that there was a market for Western art that wasn’t being served by any other existing publication. In July of 1987, along with his partner Tom Tierney, started ART of the WEST. The publication has just celebrated its 23rd anniversary.

Besides publishing the magazine and enjoying Western art, Duerr spends his off time working their horses and enjoying time at their lake home in northern Minnesota.

Jeff Legg

Jeff C. Legg’s artistic interests developed in childhood and by age 13, he was apprentice to a well known regional artist and college art professor Darrel Dishman. This nearly four years of mentoring under Mr. Dishman laid the foundation for his drawing and painting skills which led him to study at the Atelier Lack in Minneapolis and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. The great masters, Chardin, Rembrandt, and more contemporarily the Wyeths are among his artistic influences. It is this nod to the legacy of the old masters combined with his inspired contemporary use of chiaroscuro and subject matter that engage fellow artists and collectors world wide.

Today, Legg’s artwork is represented by some of the nation’s most distinguished galleries coast to coast. He is honored as an Oil Painters of America Master painter and has won numerous prizes including awards at both the 2004 and 2006 National Oil Painters of America Exhibition, and more recently Salon International 2008 as well as the Oil Painters of America Western Regions "Best Master Signature Member". His paintings have been featured in The Artists Magazine, North Light books, Southwest Art, Art of the West, Western Art Collector and American Art Collector magazines. In December 2005, his artwork graced the cover of Southwest Art as featured artist and article.

Currently, Legg resides in the Northern Colorado Rockies. He paints daily in his studio.

Jeffrey R. Watts

Jeffrey R. Watts is a southern California native. Growing up in rural San Diego county with an artist father, Watts demonstrated an early aptitude for the visual arts. But it was competitive sports that held his interest as a teenager. After an injury cut short his budding career in professional cycling, Jeff turned his focus back to art, enrolling at the California Art Institute in Calabasas. Watts was soon asked to teach at the institute and began to work as an illustrator in the movie industry. However, Jeff's goal to become an easel painter would draw him back to San Diego where he started a small life drawing and painting studio known as Watts Atelier of the Arts. ( www.wattsatelier.com ) Jeff's aesthetic sensibilities have long drawn him to the figurative art of nineteenth century Europe and Russia. His Atelier allows him to work regularly from the live model, grounding his work in traditional principles. Recently, Jeff's work has been compared to that of Nicolai Fechin, an influence he is quick to acknowledge. "I never tire of looking at the work of Nicolai Fechin" Watts says, "his work is the perfect combination of control and chaos." In 2008 The Taos Art Museum and Fechin House honored Watts with a Solo Exhibition in the original Taos home and studio of Mr. Nicolai Fechin.

Jeff's oil paintings have won numerous awards including First Place Portrait category and Second Place Landscape category from the Artist's Magazine, two consecutive Second Place Awards at the Salon International Exhibition, an Honor Award and an Award of Exceptional Merit from the Portrait Society of America, 3 Awards of Excellence from Oil Painters of America and 3 Top 100 Awards from Arts for the Parks among others. Watts is a regualr participant in the prestigious Prix de West Invitational held at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

Watts's work has been featured in Southwest Art , American Artist, Art of the West, Western Art Collector, American Art Collector, Drawing and Workshop magazines. Jeffrey R. Watts is a Master Signature member of Oil Painters of America, a Signature Member of both the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association and the California Art Club, and holds membership in the Portrait Society of America.

Ken Cadwallader

A Signature Member of OPA, Ken is a graduate of Kendall College of Art & Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has also attended Royal College of Arts in London, the Palette and Chisel Academy and the Loveland Academy of Fine Art. Ken has participated in many prestigious shows such as the Arts for the Parks, Oil Painters of America, and Portrait Society of America, receiving awards in all. Ken served as the Chair of the OPA Critique Committee from 2006-2008 and is now serving as Chair of the Program Committee.

Kurt Anderson

Kurt Anderson is a painter who works in almost every genre, but his reputation as an artist has primarily been associated with his floral still life and floral figurative paintings. These paintings have won him top honors with the Oil Painters of America, the Salon International and the Open Market National. He also won Grand Prize in International Artist Magazine’s 2004 Floral Painting Challenge. He has exhibited in galleries across the country and his commissions have ranged from painting book covers to portraits of corporate presidents. Articles about Anderson have appeared in The Artist’s Magazine, International Artist, Australian Artist and Southwest Art. He has been featured in seven books and is author of Realistic Oil Painting Techniques (North Light Books).

This year, join Kurt as he presents, "Moving beyond the receipt shoebox: Practical Accounting and Administration for Artists."

Moving Beyond the Receipt Shoebox:

Practical Accounting and Administration for Artists

Like it or hate it, you still must face it -- Organization is essential to the well-run business (Even the one-person enterprise of the self-employed artist). It’s a sad irony that right-brained people are especially loath to accept, but being better organized actually frees up more time for painting. And it’s a money maker, since it is only through good bookkeeping that you can take advantage of every tax deduction available to a small business. A successful artist and OPA signature member, Kurt’s day job for eight years was working as a data analyst for an accounting firm. Drawing on his quirky love of business plans and spread sheets, Kurt provides step by step, no-nonsense tips on how to get better organized for long term success.

Here’s an sneak peek of the content:

Filing Statements and Receipts

Organizing an Accordion File

Income and Expense the IRS Way

Breakdown in Handout Sheet

Home Office Expense

Determining Percentage Use and Expenses

Vehicle Expense

Documenting Mileage

Non Business Tax Credits
Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments
Using an Accountant vs. a Tax Program

TurboTax Online

Recording Income and Expense in a Spreadsheet

Printing an Income and Expense Worksheet

Keeping Inventory of Art
The Well Organized Bulletin Board
The Well Organized Calendar
The Well Organized Desk
Address and Email Lists
Making a Business Plan

One Year, Five Year and Ten Year

Gallery and Customer Relations

Contracts and Consignment Sheets

Maintaining Goodwill and a Thick Skin

Doug Higgins

His work is in permanent collections in colleges and museums. The subject of numerous articles in art publications, he was recently included in a book on marine painters and was given a six page article in Art of the West magazine and an eight page article in American Artist magazine including his second appearance on the cover, December, 2007 edition.

Located in the heart of Arizona’s historic arts district, Scottsdale Artists’ School offers enrichment and inspiration in an ideal environment for emerging and professional artists.

Scottsdale Artists’ School exists to develop the capabilities of artists and aspiring artists at all levels, so whether you are a beginner or a professional, we have workshops for you.

www.scottsdaleartschool.org

The "Must Read" monthly magazine specially written for collectors, galleries and painters of traditional art.

Articles emphasize mainstream art by today’s favorite living artists.
See what galleries are showing nationwide each month.
Compare prices for work in upcoming shows in a specific art destination.
Find new artists to collect in a specific art destination.
Read what’s happening at the auctions.
Keep in touch with what’s happening in the market.
Follow up on sales in our "Sales Results" section.
Read regular monthly columns by industry experts ... Appraisers, Art Dealers, Insurers and Collectors.

www.americanartcollector.com

Carol Swinney

Wyoming artist Carol Swinney paints with a palette knife instead of a brush. "A palette knife gives incredible depth, like you're scuplpting a painting." Swinney is winner of numerous awards and honors for her work as well as many solo shows and group exhibitions over the past several years. She has appeared in many articles and on the cover of various magazines for her work with landscapes, instructing and technique. Hosted in many galleries, we are proud to have her part of this year's exhibition.

Carol will be demonstrating palette knife painting, and more specifically how she starts her landscapes by painting the most distant areas first and then moving forward to the areas closest to the viewer. She will also show hot to use all edges and surfaces of the knife to create interesting textures that you see in nature.

Michael Mao

Michael Mao was grown up in Shanghai, China. He began teaching himself drawing and painting at the young age of seven. He also learned painting through many workshops during the weekends when he was in middle school and high school. In 1992, Michael moved to the United States to advance his architecture career by pursuing his Master of Architecture. Later, he was fascinated by 3D computer animations. Michael went to pursue his Master of Science in Visualization at Texas A&M University in 1997. Because of his traditional painting skill and computer graphics knowledge, he was hired as a Matte Painting Technical Director for Oscar winning film "Shrek" at PDI/DreamWorks. Michael is currently working as a Digital Artist at PDI/DreamWorks. Michael's paintings display an artistic mastery of color, lighting, perspective, technique, and vision. His paintings cover subject matter ranging from landscape, portraits, and figures. Michael's painting has exhibited in many National and international Juried Exhibition, and won many Awards.

Awards and Recognition

2007, "Third Place", 2006-2007 RayMar Fine Art Competition.
2007, "Award of Excellence", Oil Painters of America, Western Regional Juried Exhibition
2007, Finalist of 24rd Annual Artist’s Magazine competition, "Figurative and Portrait" category
2007, Finalist in April, May, June, and July 2007 RayMar’s 2nd Annual Fine Art Competition
2007, Grand Prize Winner for Artist’s Magazine Online Competition
2007, Winners for both Categories in "People And Life" and "Land and Seascapes" for the first Masterpiece Elite Salon Art Contest
2006, "Honorable Mention", Salon International 2006, International Museum of Contemporary Masters, Greenhouse Gallery
2006, "Award of Excellence", Oil Painters of America, 15th Annual National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils
2005, "Award of Excellence", Oil Painters of America, Western Regional Exhibition

Website
www.michaelmaoart.com

Scott Jones

General Manager
The Legacy Gallery

I’m an art addict. I admit it. I purchased my first painting at age 16. Collecting artwork and studying artists has been a life long obsession since then. I am the former President & COO of Saddleman, Inc. – an automotive accessories company based in Logan, UT, with manufacturing plants in SC, OH, AZ, UT, Mexico, China, and Indonesia. I traveled extensively and usually tied my business trips to gallery shows and museum events.

Years ago I told my daughters that they would know I was retired when I was in Jackson Hole, WY selling artwork. That opportunity came a little earlier than I expected when my favorite gallery became my employer nearly three years ago. How great is that! I’ve been fortunate to attend the last five National OPA Exhibitions, and we look forward to being the host gallery of this one.

A number of educational events were held in conjunction with the opening weekend of the exhibition. Headlining this year’s program was also this year’s Juror of Awards; Master Signature member and internationally acclaimed artist Nancy S. Crookston OPAM. In addition to judging, Ms. Crookston provided a 3-hour painting demonstration on Friday morning, April 30.

Afterwards, Scottsdale’s most experienced gallery owners and directors gave sage advice on putting together a winning portfolio. Attendees heard from Scott Jones, Legacy Gallery; Scott Eubanks from Gallery Russia; and Beth Lauterbach from Scottsdale Fine Art. This event was moderated by OPA Program Committee member Elizabeth Robbins.

Taking center stage as this year’s Distinguished Artist was renowned Master Signature artist Harley Brown. Mr. Brown spoke with Allan Duerr, co-publisher of Art of the West Magazine about his long and successful career in the arts. "It is a rare opportunity to be able to listen and learn from someone of his stature," said OPA President Neil Patterson. "We are extremely honored to have him joining us in Scottsdale."

Three of OPA’s most distinguished artists: Nancy S. Crookston, Jeff Legg and Jeffrey R. Watts formed a panel to answer a number of art related questions posed by our moderator Signature member and Program Chair Ken Cadwallader. This was an opportunity to learn more about how other successful artists approach marketing, gallery relations, pricing, and other day-to-day business issues

Following "Meet the Experts" on Saturday was OPA Signature member Kurt Anderson presenting, "Moving Beyond the Receipt Shoebox: Practical Accounting and Administration for Artists." A successful artist in his own right, Kurt’s day job for eight years was working as a data analyst for an accounting firm. Drawing on his quirky love of business plans and spread sheets, Kurt provided the audience with step by step, no nonsense tips on how to get better organized for long term success.

Also on the docket, was a session devoted to "Choosing, Fixing, and Shipping" your frames. Attendees learned what’s important in selecting the right frame; how to make simple frame repairs, and the best way to pack your paintings safely at minimum cost. Dave and Jim Fidler, from Classic Gallery Frames and OPA President and Master Signature member Neil Patterson hosted this worthwhile, informative session.

On Saturday afternoon, Master Signature member Doug Higgins was available to demonstrate his painting expertise. From his home in Santa Fe, NM, Doug travels extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe painting landscapes and seascapes on location. He exhibits his work throughout the country and is represented in many prominent collections both here and abroad.

OPA is pleased to have partnered with the Scottsdale Artists’ School, offering OPA members the chance to participate in a week long Plein Air Wet Paint Sale. In addition, Scottsdale Artists’ School opened studio space for Indoor Studio Painting. Participants had the opportunity to display and sell their paintings at the Scottsdale Artists’ School over the opening weekend of the show. All OPA members were eligible to participate.

OPA members wrapped up an exciting week of events by attending American Art Collector Magazine’s Closing Party on Saturday evening, May 1. Headquartered right in the heart of downtown Scottsdale, American Art Collector Magazine - one of OPA’s long-time supporters- showed us a fun, memorable late night extravaganza. OPA members attended free of charge.

Sunday wrapped up the week long activities on a high note with a morning of free painting demonstrations by some of OPA’s most seasoned Signature and Master Signature members: Jeffrey R. Watts OPAM, Michael Mao OPAM, and Carol Swinney OPA.

19TH Annual National JuriedExhibition of Traditional Oils