Moment of Beauty April, 2015
"Koi with Goldfish and Roses"24" x 30", Oil on Canvas
Dear Friends, Collectors, and Art Enthusiasts~
Seven months ago I sent out my most recent Moment of Beauty, in which I mentioned my new-found passion for painting flowers, my deepening fascination with underwater scenes, my evolving aesthetics which embrace modernism and abstraction, and my collaborations with artist Nansi Bielanski. All of these things were still relatively new directions for me at that time, and now are becoming more and more the essence of who I am as an artist.
Nansi and I have moved to a new home-studio in Newbury Park, abundant with birds, fish (in a pond) and Flowers Everywhere. So, fish, flowers, and birds continue to find their way onto our canvases, and we have also done some much deeper explorations into collaborative paintings, in which we take turns painting on one painting, sometimes even scribbling in unison side-by-side, in finding a way to express a shared vision which expresses the sum of our knowledge and experience as artists.
"A Deeper Love"38" x 32", Oil on Mounted Canvas By David C. Gallup and Nansi J. Bielanski
This new method of working is both exciting and rewarding. Our first major collaborative painting, "A Deeper Love" was exhibited at the California Art Club's 104th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition at the Fisher Museum at USC this year. It sold on opening night, and received American Art Collector Magazine's Award for Artistic Excellence. In an exhibition featuring 180 juried paintings by some of today's most recognized artists, we were truly honored to be singled out for this award.
Working with Nansi is thrilling, not only for the bold brushwork and color she brings to the canvas, but because of the way we have been working together on Concept. We spent seven months on this painting, not counting the time spent diving the tropical reefs of the Caribbean. Much of that time was spent discussing the idea of Experiential Painting (our new "ism", I suppose), in which we are attempting to bring to the canvas not an illustration of things below the water, but the feeling of the memory which lingers after the dive. How many fish were in that school you were swimming with? Nobody would be able to answer that after a dive, and we wanted to do a painting in which the viewer is equally unable to answer the question.
To deepen the challenge, we wanted to incorporate motion and a passage of time into the piece. It has been the desire of artists for centuries to accomplish this, but few have had much success. The Cubists, in particular, were obsessed with the idea that "traditional" representations in Western art were mere icons, views of the subject from a fixed point in time and space, and sought to break free from that restraint. I suppose, then, that you could call our philosophy an outgrowth of a Cubist idea.
"A Deeper Love, Detail"
In this detail, you can see where fish and coral coexist simultaneously on the canvas, allowing the viewer to experience both the view of the coral, and then the fish in front of it, and then coral again before it once again becomes a fish, depending on the interpretation of the moment. Fish out-swim their stripes, and flickering light takes precedence over static form as motion trumps anatomy; memory trumps photography. The conversations between Nansi and myself which helped us to crystalize these ideas took place during the months that we collaborated on this painting, and have affected both of our personal painting philosophies and techniques.
If I may brag about Nansi for a moment, she was named Guest Artist in Residence at the Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard early this year. The honor allows her to use the Carnegie Art Museum Studio Gallery for her work, and for a solo exhibition of recent works. In addition to many of Nansi's beautiful paintings, she will be exhibiting several of our collaborative paintings in which we each contribute our own visions and abilities. The exhibit is currently being installed, with an opening reception for the artists on April 11 from 6-8 P.M. I hope we see you there. The CAM Studio Gallery is located at 329 N. 5th St., Oxnard, CA. Hours are Thursday - Saturday 11-5, Sunday 1-5.
"Lazy Afternoon"Oil on Canvas, 10" x 10"Collaboration between David C. Gallup and Nansi J. Bielanski
"Lazy Afternoon" is just one of the new collaborative florals and seascapes which will be on display at the CAM Studio Gallery on April 11. You will see that we are both finding ways to integrate boldness with harmony, drama with serenity, and looseness with naturalism.
If you are interested in taking my "infamous" Color Theory Workshop (possibly the last time I'll offer it) in Carmel this July 7-10, please let me know. Email me at [email protected] for details.
I am still offering a full list of classes at the new Studio in Newbury Park. Monday thru Wednesday is Master Class, with a Design Class on Thursdays. I hope you'll consider joining us for some super-charged learning this summer in a friendly, intimate environment. If you can't make it in person but want to learn more, check out all the free demos and videos on my website at www.dgallup.com. (Go to "more..." , then "Teaching Tools", then click the link "Videos" near the top of the page). I'm putting more videos up every week there and on my Facebook Page and Youtube Channel (search David Gallup Artist on either page).
I love to hear your feedback and comments, and I hope to hear back from you and to see you soon as we travel together seeking out Moments of Beauty.
David C. Gallup(805) 657-5385
P.S. If you live in southern California, there are Four Shows you should NOT miss this month:
J. M. W. Turner at the Getty MuseumArmin Hansen at the Pasadena Museum of California ArtThe California Art Club's Gold Medal Exhibition at the Fischer Museum at USC, and...
"A Shared Vision" - Recent Paintings and Collaborations by Nansi Bielanski at the Carnegie Art Museum Studio Gallery
This new method of working is both exciting and rewarding. Our first major collaborative painting, "A Deeper Love" was exhibited at the California Art Club's 104th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition at the Fisher Museum at USC this year. It sold on opening night, and received American Art Collector Magazine's Award for Artistic Excellence. In an exhibition featuring 180 juried paintings by some of today's most recognized artists, we were truly honored to be singled out for this award.
Working with Nansi is thrilling, not only for the bold brushwork and color she brings to the canvas, but because of the way we have been working together on Concept. We spent seven months on this painting, not counting the time spent diving the tropical reefs of the Caribbean. Much of that time was spent discussing the idea of Experiential Painting (our new "ism", I suppose), in which we are attempting to bring to the canvas not an illustration of things below the water, but the feeling of the memory which lingers after the dive. How many fish were in that school you were swimming with? Nobody would be able to answer that after a dive, and we wanted to do a painting in which the viewer is equally unable to answer the question.
To deepen the challenge, we wanted to incorporate motion and a passage of time into the piece. It has been the desire of artists for centuries to accomplish this, but few have had much success. The Cubists, in particular, were obsessed with the idea that "traditional" representations in Western art were mere icons, views of the subject from a fixed point in time and space, and sought to break free from that restraint. I suppose, then, that you could call our philosophy an outgrowth of a Cubist idea.
"A Deeper Love, Detail"
In this detail, you can see where fish and coral coexist simultaneously on the canvas, allowing the viewer to experience both the view of the coral, and then the fish in front of it, and then coral again before it once again becomes a fish, depending on the interpretation of the moment. Fish out-swim their stripes, and flickering light takes precedence over static form as motion trumps anatomy; memory trumps photography. The conversations between Nansi and myself which helped us to crystalize these ideas took place during the months that we collaborated on this painting, and have affected both of our personal painting philosophies and techniques.
If I may brag about Nansi for a moment, she was named Guest Artist in Residence at the Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard early this year. The honor allows her to use the Carnegie Art Museum Studio Gallery for her work, and for a solo exhibition of recent works. In addition to many of Nansi's beautiful paintings, she will be exhibiting several of our collaborative paintings in which we each contribute our own visions and abilities. The exhibit is currently being installed, with an opening reception for the artists on April 11 from 6-8 P.M. I hope we see you there. The CAM Studio Gallery is located at 329 N. 5th St., Oxnard, CA. Hours are Thursday - Saturday 11-5, Sunday 1-5.
"Lazy Afternoon"Oil on Canvas, 10" x 10"Collaboration between David C. Gallup and Nansi J. Bielanski
"Lazy Afternoon" is just one of the new collaborative florals and seascapes which will be on display at the CAM Studio Gallery on April 11. You will see that we are both finding ways to integrate boldness with harmony, drama with serenity, and looseness with naturalism.
If you are interested in taking my "infamous" Color Theory Workshop (possibly the last time I'll offer it) in Carmel this July 7-10, please let me know. Email me at [email protected] for details.
I am still offering a full list of classes at the new Studio in Newbury Park. Monday thru Wednesday is Master Class, with a Design Class on Thursdays. I hope you'll consider joining us for some super-charged learning this summer in a friendly, intimate environment. If you can't make it in person but want to learn more, check out all the free demos and videos on my website at www.dgallup.com. (Go to "more..." , then "Teaching Tools", then click the link "Videos" near the top of the page). I'm putting more videos up every week there and on my Facebook Page and Youtube Channel (search David Gallup Artist on either page).
I love to hear your feedback and comments, and I hope to hear back from you and to see you soon as we travel together seeking out Moments of Beauty.
David C. Gallup(805) 657-5385
P.S. If you live in southern California, there are Four Shows you should NOT miss this month:
J. M. W. Turner at the Getty MuseumArmin Hansen at the Pasadena Museum of California ArtThe California Art Club's Gold Medal Exhibition at the Fischer Museum at USC, and...
"A Shared Vision" - Recent Paintings and Collaborations by Nansi Bielanski at the Carnegie Art Museum Studio Gallery
"A Deeper Love, Detail"
In this detail, you can see where fish and coral coexist simultaneously on the canvas, allowing the viewer to experience both the view of the coral, and then the fish in front of it, and then coral again before it once again becomes a fish, depending on the interpretation of the moment. Fish out-swim their stripes, and flickering light takes precedence over static form as motion trumps anatomy; memory trumps photography. The conversations between Nansi and myself which helped us to crystalize these ideas took place during the months that we collaborated on this painting, and have affected both of our personal painting philosophies and techniques.
If I may brag about Nansi for a moment, she was named Guest Artist in Residence at the Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard early this year. The honor allows her to use the Carnegie Art Museum Studio Gallery for her work, and for a solo exhibition of recent works. In addition to many of Nansi's beautiful paintings, she will be exhibiting several of our collaborative paintings in which we each contribute our own visions and abilities. The exhibit is currently being installed, with an opening reception for the artists on April 11 from 6-8 P.M. I hope we see you there. The CAM Studio Gallery is located at 329 N. 5th St., Oxnard, CA. Hours are Thursday - Saturday 11-5, Sunday 1-5.
"Lazy Afternoon"Oil on Canvas, 10" x 10"Collaboration between David C. Gallup and Nansi J. Bielanski
"Lazy Afternoon" is just one of the new collaborative florals and seascapes which will be on display at the CAM Studio Gallery on April 11. You will see that we are both finding ways to integrate boldness with harmony, drama with serenity, and looseness with naturalism.
If you are interested in taking my "infamous" Color Theory Workshop (possibly the last time I'll offer it) in Carmel this July 7-10, please let me know. Email me at [email protected] for details.
I am still offering a full list of classes at the new Studio in Newbury Park. Monday thru Wednesday is Master Class, with a Design Class on Thursdays. I hope you'll consider joining us for some super-charged learning this summer in a friendly, intimate environment. If you can't make it in person but want to learn more, check out all the free demos and videos on my website at www.dgallup.com. (Go to "more..." , then "Teaching Tools", then click the link "Videos" near the top of the page). I'm putting more videos up every week there and on my Facebook Page and Youtube Channel (search David Gallup Artist on either page).
I love to hear your feedback and comments, and I hope to hear back from you and to see you soon as we travel together seeking out Moments of Beauty.
David C. Gallup(805) 657-5385
P.S. If you live in southern California, there are Four Shows you should NOT miss this month:
J. M. W. Turner at the Getty MuseumArmin Hansen at the Pasadena Museum of California ArtThe California Art Club's Gold Medal Exhibition at the Fischer Museum at USC, and...
"A Shared Vision" - Recent Paintings and Collaborations by Nansi Bielanski at the Carnegie Art Museum Studio Gallery
"Lazy Afternoon" is just one of the new collaborative florals and seascapes which will be on display at the CAM Studio Gallery on April 11. You will see that we are both finding ways to integrate boldness with harmony, drama with serenity, and looseness with naturalism.
If you are interested in taking my "infamous" Color Theory Workshop (possibly the last time I'll offer it) in Carmel this July 7-10, please let me know. Email me at [email protected] for details.
I am still offering a full list of classes at the new Studio in Newbury Park. Monday thru Wednesday is Master Class, with a Design Class on Thursdays. I hope you'll consider joining us for some super-charged learning this summer in a friendly, intimate environment. If you can't make it in person but want to learn more, check out all the free demos and videos on my website at www.dgallup.com. (Go to "more..." , then "Teaching Tools", then click the link "Videos" near the top of the page). I'm putting more videos up every week there and on my Facebook Page and Youtube Channel (search David Gallup Artist on either page).
I love to hear your feedback and comments, and I hope to hear back from you and to see you soon as we travel together seeking out Moments of Beauty.
David C. Gallup(805) 657-5385
P.S. If you live in southern California, there are Four Shows you should NOT miss this month:
J. M. W. Turner at the Getty MuseumArmin Hansen at the Pasadena Museum of California ArtThe California Art Club's Gold Medal Exhibition at the Fischer Museum at USC, and...
"A Shared Vision" - Recent Paintings and Collaborations by Nansi Bielanski at the Carnegie Art Museum Studio Gallery
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