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Artist Brian McCarty depicts a quiet rural home behind a red barn. Surrounded by a field of grass and autumnal trees, a car sits on the winding dirt path. "Everyday life is caught in a moment," says Brian. "Arriving home, or getting ready to leave home. A lazy afternoon." Just the type of subject Brian loves to paint.

About the Artist
Artist Brian McCarty paints idyllic landscapes and bucolic architecture. “Growing up in rural New Jersey, I’ve always found old houses, barns, and the countryside interesting subjects,” says Brian. Influenced by his mom who was a self-taught artist and art teacher, she encouraged Brian to pursue anything artistic. After graduating from Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art and earning his BA in Art from Thomas Edison State College, he worked professionally as a graphic designer in New York for the largest publishing houses in the country. A career that spanned thirty-six years. Brian has done comedy and sketch writing with the Groundling Theater, and worked in a few major feature films as an actor. To begin his process, Brian takes photos of his references with an iPad, crops the images to his liking, and paints directly on his canvas with a quick oil wash. Recently returning to painting full time, he converted a room in his house into a working studio. “I get lots of natural light, and listen to music and podcasts while I paint.”

Words that describe this painting: country, house, home, barn, farmhouse, farm life, country living, road, architecture, impressionism, autumn, oilpaint, architecture, impressionism, oil painting, green, brown

House and Barn...

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Artist Pat Doherty displays an adorable white labrador puppy staring longingly at a mint frosted vanilla cupcake. Batting its sparkling puppy dog eyes. Part of her series pairing dogs...

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Tara took the reference photo of this sage filled desert landscape while living in New Mexico. To prepare the canvas, she used a warm peach color as her underpainting and layered swatches of a deep blue collage...

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Artist John Jaster paints an impressionistic painting of two White Mandarin ducks. He displays them with their reflections swirling in the water. With intricate...

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Part of artist Onelio Marrero's ongoing series featuring museum interiors and gallery-goers. In this piece, Onelio depicts a woman sketching in the Baroque coll...

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Artist Onelio Marrero painted this scene en plein air soon after a snow storm engulfed the woods in his area. Yellowing grass triumphantly emerges from the thic...

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"The sun is shining brightly, and its playful, beaming rays are bathing in the puddles along with the sparrows," says artist Tatiana Iliina. Strong and tall tre...

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Artist Kajal Zaveri presents a heavily textured meadow filled with red and orange blooms. "I was inspired by the bounty of wildflowers sprouting up at so many p...

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A monochromatic winter forest with warm tones of beige, brown, and yellow by artist Tatiana Iliina. With her swift and precise strokes, Tatiana captures the gen...

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A glowing depiction of a cold winter evening by artist Claudia Verciani. Figures stroll down a snow-covered sidewalk illuminated by inviting restaurant lights...

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"I was excited to be able to stay in the garden after closing time to paint the sunset over the marsh," shares artist Sherri Aldawood. She painted this view en plein air at Middleton Place...

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"Free form shapes, thin lines, and blocks of color are juxtaposed to give this painting a contemporary feel," states artist Nancy Jadatz...

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"Whether it's fall, winter, spring, or summer it's always time for some colorful birch!" exclaims artist Lisa Elley. Golden yellow leaves leap off the canvas in...

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"The winter season highlights the houses and farms by accenting everything with snow," says artist Brian McCarty. Amongst the crisp winter landscape, a three-story barn stands prominently. A trail makes its way towards the edge of the structure's door and continues to carve its path to an unseen destination. "The reds on country barns become that much more colorful when surrounded by snow."

About the Artist

Words that describe this painting: country, country life, farm, farmhouse, rural, barn, building, architecture, windows, door, winter, snow, trees...

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"My intention is to draw the viewer into the scene and create a sense of tranquility," shares artist Nancy Jadatz. Seawater meanders...

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A brisk winter day in the Chicago Loop area. Cool gray clouds hang low in the sky and reflect off of the buildings and street. "Cities are charming places even though they can be cold and indifferent sometimes," says artist Yangzi Xu...

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A young girl sits at a park on a late summer's day in August, lost in a story of a compelling book. The strong afternoon sunlight highlights her hair and back. "I saw this girl sitting by the reflecting pool in Washington, DC", shares artist Faye Vander Veer. "I wanted the painting to be about her, so I obscured surrounding details and kept the brushwork loose. What was her story, what was she reading?”

About the Artist
Artist Faye Vander Veer seeks out moments with engaging narratives and captures them with an impressionist style. She describes herself as an observer of people living their day-to-day lives. Her goal is to offer viewers a look into her sensory memory while also prompting the beginning of a story. Faye always keeps her camera by her side, ready to capture reference material. "For me, each painting is an opportunity to explore my emotional reactions to the color and light I observe," says Faye. She enjoys being in her glass-walled studio surrounded by nature to inspire her creative process. When she is not putting paint on canvas, Faye can be found in nature, journaling or writing poetry. Her artwork has been showcased in both American Art Collector and Art of the West magazines.

Words that describe this painting: figure, figurative, female, woman, girl, impressionism, impressionist, water, book, Manet, Degas, people, park, book, hair, impressionism, people, oil painting, brown

Young Girl Reading...

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Artist Onelio Marrero paints this piece based on a visit to Rome, Italy. He depicts a scene of Constantine's Arch and The Colosseum on a warm late May...

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"Fall is a transitional time of year," says artist Brian McCarty. Golden leaves dot an evergreen yard and driveway of a quiet home. Strong trees stand tall as t...

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Artist Mary Pratt expresses a beautiful model posing. The subject evokes sensuality and calm, with Mary focusing on the contours of her face and back. "I worked...

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Artist Onelio Marrero paints an impressionist scene of a man painting under a makeshift structure of fallen trees. The idyllic shelter shades him from the sun. ...

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"Year after year, I look forward to having a white Christmas," shares artist Jo Galang. "To my surprise, the first snow came on Christmas Day last year. All tha...

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Using a light and soft palette, artist Mary Pratt paints a figure in a buoyant tulle dress surrounded by contrasting geometric shapes. With a pink rose in her hand, and a palm delicately placed under her chin, the woman exudes elegance heightened by her graceful manner. "I portrayed a scene where the levitating objects create action in an otherwise restful place."

About the Artist
Mary Pratt, a Georgia-based artist, is known for her impressionistic yet modern oil paintings that capture the world with a jovial poise. Her soft, ethereal palette is complemented by the occasional bright pop of color. The artist’s aesthetic choices are intuitive rather than premeditated. Through her gestural brushstrokes, Mary’s paintings summon a joyful, even childlike, emotional response. Her style is nuanced by a range of inspirations, including scenery from the state of Georgia. The personal edge that Mary brings to each painting alters and enhances recognizable subject matter, cultivating an imaginative visual experience.

Words that describe this painting: figure, figurative, contemporary, woman, people, dress, fashion, gentle, flower, soft, pastel, impressionism, oilpaint, impressionism, people, oil painting, pink

Seated In Perpetual Motion...

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Artist Kristen Brown offers an abstracted take on classic landscape painting. She depicts ethereal clouds sweeping across an open field. A delicate blend of lil...

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Artist Yangzi Xu depicts an iconic view of LaSalle Street in Chicago, facing south from the bridge. She rendered this piece in a warm muted palette, setting the stage to highlight sporadic lights and reflections on wet concrete. "My focus was to convey the mood and feeling a rainy day brings to my beloved city," shares Yangzi.

About the Artist
Artist Yangzi Xu captures a nostalgia for Chicago and its dramatic seasonal changes in her expressionist cityscapes. Having a full-time job and being a wife and mother, Yangzi makes a habit of painting everyday to keep her passion exciting and fresh. She keeps a queue of ideas and reference photos that she takes throughout the year. She looks through her references, tweaks and adds elements to them. Once inspiration strikes, Yangzi draws several sketches and begins to work with oils on canvas on multiple pieces at once - to keep each painting spontaneous and new. "I try to capture the paradox of life in the city, where one can be in a crowd and yet feel alone," Yangzi says. "My main intent is not to capture the physical reality of a scene, but to express my own moods and feelings to my audience." In her free time, Yangzi enjoys reading, with her current favorite genres being biographies and memoirs. Yangzi is an alumnus of DePaul University in Chicago.

Words that describe this painting: Chicago, La Salle...

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A stand of trees on the banks of a slow moving stream, silhouetted by the afternoon sun. Artist Kip Decker focused on the rich shades of blue in the scene, em...

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"This oil painting was created for the Southern Alleghenies Museum Ligonier's Annual Fall Paint Out," shares artist Paula Martino. Painted en plein air, Paula along with other artists were welcome to paint while groundkeepers were busy with Halloween decorations...

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An impressionist view of a sunny day on the California coast, with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance. "Being by the ocean instills a sense of c...

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"When starting a work the most overlooked detail is the size of the canvas," says artist Benjamin Thomas. He explains why the size of his canvases has recently ...

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Artist Jennifer Ross paints a portrait of a bay horse in an orchard of flowering cherry trees. The majestic equine frolics under the blooms of spring. Cool blue terrain envelopes the background, giving the painting a sense of peace and composure. She bases the title on the Japanese haiku by Kobayashi Issa. The entire poem reads "What a strange thing! To be alive beneath cherry blossoms."

About the Artist
Artist Jennifer Ross creates intimate portraits of birds, nests and horses. Jennifer grew up surrounded by the art of her mother and grandfather. Her attempt to follow in their footsteps presented detours, however, and she ended up working in art galleries selling other's work. But her desire to paint continued to grow throughout the years. In 2008, a gift certificate...

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Artist Lisa Elley takes inspiration from the Dutch post-impressionist painter, Vincent van Gogh and combines it with Monterey Bay's vibrant color palette as the...

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Artist Valerie Berkely offers a dreamy, light-filled atmospheric scene in soft gradient hues of purple and orange. She captures the glowing twilight with a glim...

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"I admire pelicans. They are really sensational birds," shares artist Andres Lopez. "Being lovers of the sea, these birds are not usually seen in any other part...

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Artist Elizabeth Garat paints a dramatic view of the sky above the vast ocean's choppy waters and distant coastal islands. The brilliant rays of the sun illumin...

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Artist Faye Vander Veer paints a fine summer day in Tuscany. Figures emerge onto a sunlit alley making their way about the city....

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A close-up view of cherry blossoms against a colorful garden by artist Colette Wirz Nauke. Inspired by the beauty found in nature, Colette focused on these seasonal flowers and their rich and captivating colors. Part of a series, this painting depicts different shades and light found in an abundant garden in the late evening.

About the Artist
Colette Wirz Nauke gathers inspiration from her surroundings and memories and fuses them with her imagination. She has been greatly influenced by Impressionism...

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Light slowly filters through branches and leaves as the sun gradually rises. "It was early morning, the birds were singing, the light falling on the road was cl...

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Artist Jerry Salinas observes many people in cafes. "There are those who are socializing and others who come alone," says Jerry. "Being in a crowded cafe but wanting to spend time alone either on your laptop or reading a good book is an easy thing to do while enjoying the time with a glass of wine or a cup of coffee." By highlighting the main subject with the glow of her laptop, the viewer's attention is first drawn to the left and then invited to survey the rest of the room.

About the Artist
Artist Jerry Salinas paints light-filled impressionist portraits of travelers in Europe who are enjoying art, food and culture. Jerry studied illustration and painting at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. After graduation, he went to work as a commercial illustrator for several advertising agencies, which he credits as keeping him in fine art. In the early 2000s, Jerry made a fortuitous move from Chicago to Phoenix. With the help and encouragement of his wife, he transitioned to a career as a full-time painter. Today Jerry works from a bright studio space with surrounding views of Phoenix Mountains Preserve. “You’re welcome to visit, but you may have to sit for a portrait,” he says with a smile. Jerry’s artwork has been exhibited at the Museum of the West in Scottsdale and in gallery shows throughout the United States with the Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society. When he’s not working, Jerry and his wife run a medical mission that brings doctors, nurses and volunteers to northern Mexico.

Words that describe this painting: cafe, coffee, winebar, nighttime, wine, alone, solo, study, coffeehouse, people, interior, cuisine, restaurant, laptop, computer, chairs, impressionism, people, cuisine, representational, oil painting, brown

Late Night Cafe...

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A fall landscape at sunset, with golden clouds rushing across the expansive sky. "Northern New Mexico is known for mythical light, sculptural land forms and d...

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Vibrant green cacti stand tall as they reach for the sky on a bright day. "Mild blue of the sky and warm shades of the ground together outline the beauty of these legendary plants," artist Suren Nersisyan says of the big saguaro cactuses in the Arizona desert...

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A bright trio of ripe pears fills this composition by artist Sharon Sieben. Opting for a close-up view, Sharon presents a fun and playful take on still life. Cr...

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An impressionistic image showing the intensity of foundry work captured by artist Onelio Marrero. Three men busily work at pouring multiple molds with molten br...

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"This painting depicts a typical sunny afternoon in Paris," shares artist Faye Vander Veer. "The long shadows coming in from the...

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A panoramic view of the sunset falling on a quiet lake. Artist Elizabeth Garat captures the calm moment with soft billowing clouds and shadowed trees reflected ...

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Artist Brian McCarty lived in rural New Jersey and has visited many areas of the state. "This particular painting is from the Cape May area," says Brian. From a...

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"This property is located on one of my walking routes where I live in Del Rio, Texas" shares artist David Forks. "I often walk past it in the late afternoon. An...

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Artist Julia Hacker's work reflects her encounters with people and nature. "My love of color and texture is evolving constantly," says Julia. "It definitely mir...

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Artist Crystal DiPietro shares a spectacular mountain desert view from a camping and hiking trip to the Desert National Wildlife Refuge. Rendered en plein air, Crystal captured the sierra's golden summit as the sun sets, its rays melting into the west. "The late afternoon light lit up the dramatic peaks with a warm glow."

About the Artist
Many artists work with the landscape, but Crystal DiPietro sees her works as different from most in the genre. "I tend not to see landscapes as soft and pretty, but as rugged, dramatic and colorful." Many of her works depict wild storms and moody sunsets. She spends a lot of time in remote spots and uses layers of color to create her compositions. Her work hovers between a brief impression of a scene and a pure dream. Crystal's landscapes of southern Utah seem to undulate and continuously change. What's interesting, though, is that these mountains and valleys seem to do the same thing in person. In these areas, the view changes constantly throughout the day as the light shifts, throwing shadows of faces, mazes and alien patterns across the cliff faces. Crystal impressively captures what's there, and what seems to be but isn't.

Words that describe this painting: mountains, desert, peaks, sunset, landscape, southwest, west, western, plein air, Mojave, Joshua Tree, shadow, impressionism, oilpaint, impressionism, landscape, western, oil painting, blue

Sunset Glow...

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"I've painted this contemplative piece when the pandemic started and the world started changing around us," shares artist Claudia Verciani. An elderly woman gaz...

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Winter in an aspen forest, blanketed in snow. The trees stand proud on elevated ground. "The amazing fact about an aspen grove is that the root system is all connected," says artist Heather Foster. "The trees that are off-shoots are genetically identical to the parent trees. It is intriguing to think about this connectivity that lies under the surface of what seems separate above ground."

About the Artist
Artist Heather Foster captures an enduring image of the West. She paints the dramatic landscapes and stalwart animals she encounters on her adventures to ranches and rodeos. Heather says she has always known she wanted to be an artist. As a child, she spent her weekends and summers riding the bus into Philadelphia to attend art classes at Philadelphia College of Art, Moore College of Art, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Over the years, she's moved around the country quite a bit and done many jobs - everything from driving a pedicab (a giant tricycle that transports passengers) to art restoration and conservation (for one project, she unstretched and then restretched a $17 million painting that would not fit through the door of the buyer's house). The one constant though, no matter where she lived or what side jobs she held, she always made space and time to paint. Today, she works from a home studio in Santa Fe, painting from thousands of reference photographs she shoots on her travels. Her artwork has been featured in the magazines Southwest Art, American Art Collector, and Western Art Collector, and published in the books Art Journey New Mexico and The Book of the Horse.

Words that describe this painting: winter, snow, aspens...

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Artist Hadley Northrop takes inspiration from a blurry, usually passed-over background image of a restaurant. "The abstract streaks of red, viridian, and white forms over time revealing recognizable objects. Perhaps an orchid, napkins, a coffee samovar...

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Artist John Jaster presents a vibrant still-life of delectable fruits and dainty daisies. Luscious red apples and plump strawberries sparkle on the deep gray ba...

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A radiant still life with blooms of pastel pink and yellow against a periwinkle backdrop by artist Mary Pratt. "Painting from life, I created a neutral glass va...

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"This horizontal landscape glows in the rich amber tones of late autumn," describes artist Elizabeth Garat. "It features a warm sky and a treeline reflected in ...

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Artist Yangzi Xu depicts a rainy afternoon on La Salle Street, Chicago. Yangzi shares her fascination with painting rainy scenes. Warm ...

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Artist Janet Dyer paints white cottages dotting a soaring cliff. Calm waves crash below, faintly audible above the cool wind rustling the tall palm trees. Janet utilized a palette knife with layers of acrylic. The dark greenery creates a cool contrast to the blue of the ocean. "This was inspired by a TV show set in California."

About the Artist
Janet Dyer doesn’t like to spend too much time talking about her art, as she’d rather be creating it. She doesn’t have an artist statement, the traditional statement of purpose crafted by visual artists to explain their method. On becoming an artist, Janet simply states, “I picked up some crayons and pencils and brushes and kept using them.” She believes the process of creating art is equal in importance to the final product. The artist enjoys relinquishing control of her paintings to find delightful surprises in her so-called “mistakes.” Janet's expressively gestural yet bucolic landscapes are a testament to the success of her method.

Words that describe this painting: seascape, ocean, water, houses, California, dusk, sunset, cliff, sea, sky, coast, acrylicpaint, panoramic, impressionism, seascape, acrylic painting, blue

Cliff Houses...

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"This painting is one in a series that explores the bustle of backstage dance recital preparations," states artist Onelio Marrero. He paints a captivating image...

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Artist Nancy Jadatz presents a refreshing water scene with a contemporary touch. A variety of shapes, lines, and shadows recede into...