Gregory Sumida

Branches

1971

A watercolor by Gregory Sumida. "Approaching Storm, New Branches" is a watercolor on watercolor board, executed in dark browns, greens and blues and depicting a tree trunk with bare ...

A watercolor by Gregory Sumida. "Tree Trunk and Barn" is a watercolor on pressed board executed in earthy browns, yellows, whites and blues and depicting a bare branched, tree trunk ...

In paintings, drawings and prints, Michael Rich explores the beauty and irascibility of the natural world through an approach to painting that is visceral, physical and colorful. Of...

Chicago-based fine art painter Bruno A. Surdo is classically trained in drawing and oil painting in the tradition of Renaissance masters. With strong command of the human form, Surdo creates dynamic compositions of people and places that communicate a rich commentary on the world around him. Depicting trees from personal encounters, Surdo’s latest body of work entitled “Tree Spirits” takes us on a foray into the forest, where leaves, branches and burls express something deeply personal. Applying his mastery of figurative realism to the natural world, he experiments with form and texture to uncover the intangible spirits of trees. This charcoal drawing entitled “Memory of Leaves” beautifully illustrates the branching form of a mature birch tree. Loosely drawn with informal, sketch-like linework, the tree is shown in the middle of winter, bare of leaves and white with frost. Surdo’s skillful placement of shadow illustrates the forking branches with incredible texture and effortless realism. The intricate play of light and dark is accentuated by the stark white background, a negative space that isolates the tree in space and time. Restricting the composition to only a portion of the tree trunk, Surdo accentuates the tree’s abstract form, lingering on areas of unusual shape or texture. Seeking to convey the strong emotional response elicited by his initial encounter with the tree, Surdo focuses on the tree’s sculptural form, contrasting the strong trunk...