Colette Pope Heldner

"Matador Vs. Bull" Abstract Impressionist Painting

Artist Comments
Artist Sharon Sieben presents an expressive portrait of a woman in warm tones of red, maroon, beige, and ochre. With her eyes closed and head tilted forward, sh...

Artist Comments
Artist Gail Ragains depicts a woman standing in an attitude of strength. The figure gazes out at the viewer with the ocean behind he...

Artist Comments
A mother embraces her child in artist Diana Elena Chelaru's tender expressionist portrait. "We all know as children and later on, as parents how much we love be...

Artist Comments
In artist Gail Ragains' figurative piece, a woman takes a breather on the beach. She reclines comfortably on a green chair, in a mix of gestural marks within a thought-out composition. The muted color combination allows the warm and cool shades to play off each other.

About the Artist
Artist Gail Ragains paints abstract figurative works defined by strong color combinations and intuitive mark-making. "I approach each creative process as an open-ended improvisation," says Gail. "It is an evolving journey without preconceived plans for a predictable outcome. I react to the materials at hand, stripping away the non-essentials to give a loose interpretation of form, movement, and human expression." Inspired by the physical gestures and emotions of people, the human figure dominates Gail's art. As a young person, Gail was active in dance, ice skating, and gymnastics and competed in triathlons in her 20s. While pursuing a career as a massage therapist for 25 years, Gail simultaneously attended art classes through community colleges, the local Art League, and workshops with artists she admires. Having lived in California her entire life, Gail is influenced by the California colors—golden hills, clear blue skies, swimsuits, and swimming pools. Today, her studio is in her backyard just a few steps away from the home she shares with her husband. “In this workspace, I have everything I need. Good light, music, fresh air, and my studio mate, Sadie, the cutest 14 lb. mixed-breed rescue pup.”

Words that describe this painting: figure, figurative, people, Richard Diebenkorn, gestural, expressive, colorful, beach, sand, paper, acrylicpaint, portrait, expressionism, people, acrylic painting, beige

Beach Chair...

Artist Comments
As part of her series of diverse family portraits, artist Diana Elena Chelaru demonstrates an expressionist portrayal of a mother and her two young children. She affectionately embraces them with tenderness. Diana represents the figures in a triangular composition to create a sense of visual unity. "I chose to represent the mother with closed eyes to symbolize the challenges of being a single parent," says Diana.

About the Artist
Artist Diana Chelaru paints colorful expressionist interpretations of human emotion. “Art is a means of communication, it is how I express my thoughts, hopes, regrets, and joys,” says Diana. She experiments with working on large-scale paintings using the visual language of form, lines, and color to create compositions that exist only in her imagination. Growing up in Romania, she draws inspiration from Byzantine mosaics as well as Gustav Klimt’s subject matter and use of decorative patterns. She received her BFA in Painting from George Enescu Art University and finished her MA in Art History from Queens College. Diana simply goes with the flow rather than dwelling on the formulaic process. It all depends on how and what she feels at the moment. She indulges in music while she creates her work.

Words that describe this painting: mother and child, figurative, figure, expressionism, movement, pattern, people, geometric, modern, woman, motherhood, acrylic paint, love, family, flowers, face, profile, eye, expressionism, people, acrylic painting, blue

Deep Love...

Artist Comments
Two women take a refreshing dip in the pool in artist Benjamin Thomas' expressionist piece. He paints the pristine waters with repeated swirling semi-abstract e...