Robin Okun

Pensive in Red

2019

Artist Comments
Artist Gail Ragains portrays two gestural figures clad in swimwear on a hot summer day. The piece pays homage to the Bay Area figurative movement yet retains ...

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
A defined portrait of a man in painterly strokes by artist Sharon Sieben. His gaze holds profound contemplation with creased brows low on his forehead. "He is...

Artist Comments
"This painting is another composition that depicts a group of figures with graceful and fluid movements," says artist Nancy Hughes Miller. They sway their hips in unison with bare feet in light tiptoes. Their dresses glow with intricate floral adornments.

About the Artist
Romanian-born painter Diana Chelaru’s paintings are colorful and contemporary interpretations of human emotion. For Diana, art is a means of communication. “It is how I express my thoughts, hopes, regrets and joys,” she says. Though she gets great pleasure from applying paint to canvas, it is the expression of emotions that she finds to be most important. Diana’s style is influenced by Byzantine mosaics as well as Gustav Klimt’s subject matter and use of decorative patterns within his compositions. Each artwork is created intuitively, resulting in paintings that speak to the soul.

Words that describe this painting: dance, music, figurative, figure, expressionism, movement, motion, wind...