Phillip Shore

SENTINEL

Phillip Shore's artwork is informed and influenced by his travels to and the study of the archeological artifacts from Ancient Greece and the relationship between humans and the env...

"I am influenced and gain insights through the exploration of artists and authors who consider the land and our place within it. This information along with my own investigations, re...

Minimal abstract style mixed media work by contemporary artist Toby Topek. The work is signed, titled, and dated on the back. It is framed in a white frame with a white matte. Dimensions Without Frame: H 8 in x W 10 in. Artist Biography: Born in Brooklyn, New York, Topek grew up in Houston. She has studied archaeology, art, architecture, the environment, culture and history in Mexico, the Mediterranean, North Africa, Near East, Adriatic, Brazil and Canada. She lived and worked in Greece and Turkey part–time, 1984– 1988. Her work has been exhibited at the Whitney Bank Museum Branch–Houston, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Fort Worth Modern Art Museum, Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, Galveston Art Center, the International Sculpture Conference Houston, College of the Mainland, Lawndale Art Center, Diverseworks, Women and Their Work-Austin, Transco Gallery and Project Row Houses. In 2000, she completed eleven 10 foot marble mosaic medallion...

Saint John, The Forerunner, after a Russian Icon from the 16th Century. Tempera and gold leave on gesso over a wooden board. Dimensions: (H) 33 x (W) 25,5 x (D) 4 cm. John, The Forerunner, is depicted as an ascetic desert saint with a tousled beard and a coat made from camel hair. The expression that transmits his beautiful face is very intense. This is how the artist sums up the technique used by him to create the icon: “The aim of these steps is to create a durable painting. The icon is eternal. The first step is to choose a support, traditionally made of wood, from the center of the trunk to avoid warping it. For this purpose, two hardwood bolts were often used on the back to give the picture panel additional stability. Often a frame is milled out. Then the image carrier is sanded smooth and now 12 or 14 thin layers of gesso are applied and sanded smooth as well. Then the preliminary drawing is applied and the drawing board is prepared with a special preparation called bolus. This bolus can be polished to a high gloss. Afterward, the gold leaf is "shot" with special brushes. It dries up within a few hours and can now be polished with agate. Gold leaf is real 24-carat gold . Now does the actual process of painting begins. Egg tempera is made fresh from egg yolk, water, and a little vinegar. This is used to prepare the color pigments. Tempera painting is done in numerous layers from dark to light. When the icon is finished, it is left to dry for a few months and varnished with a special varnish called Olifa made from boiled linseed oil and other ingredients”. ABOUT THE ARTIST Oliver Samsinger...