American Realist More Art

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"Perfection is what comes to mind when looking at the work of the Almighty," says artist Jo Galang. "I found these captivating, perfect beauties at the grocer...

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Artist Onelio Marrero displays a stunning koi pond in mesmerizing shades of deep blue and green. Part of his series of paintings exploring ponds, waterlilies,...

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Growing up in the early 60's, Kent loved to listen to music on the transistor radio. Yes, transistor! The Kingston Trio had a big hit 26 Miles across the Sea...

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Artist Jo Galang says this piece was inspired by a lovely bouquet she received from her son and his girlfriend on Mother's Day. "It was so beautiful, and the ...

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In this piece, artist Laura Browning explores the subtle shifts between light reflecting on top of the water's surface, and the ...

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Artist Kent Sullivan expresses a marshland drenched in a warm sunset. "In the Evening crickets start to chirp and the glow of lat...

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"A late morning on a Malibu beach finds the tide nearly at its peak and the usually broad sands founder in a creamy froth," says artist Jesse Aldana. Sunlight...

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A delicate portrait of a Canada goose against a pastel backdrop. "Spending time alone in nature is something I take advantage of whenever possible," shares ar...

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"These two friends were at the Santa Fe rodeo grounds, early in the morning, just after they were fed," shares artist Heather Foster. "They were relaxed toget...

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The area in northwestern New Jersey where the artist lives has a large deer population. This painting is a scene revealing a portion of the yard in the home o...

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"Hope is the belief that things will work, most especially when it seems otherwise," says artist Jo Galang. "Deep, never wavering hope is what we need to clin...

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"Traveling in England's Cotswolds region, I sought out a number of impressive gardens designed by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown," shares artist Mandy Main. "This estate, Croome Court, has a colorful history, including its 1979 purchase by John Lennon for use as a Hare Krishna...

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A pair in a kayak glides through the ocean under a clear blue sky in this realistic piece by artist Jesse Aldana. Calmer waters in the open sea promise a great day under the warm sun as the light glistens on the crashing waves near the shore. A gentle haze glows where mountains peek through the mist. "The bright horizon hints at a future of limitless possibilities."

About the Artist
California artist Jesse Aldana uses the ritual of sunrise and sunset to capture the spirit of the west. Using a hybrid of realist brushwork and an almost surreal absence of humans, Jesse documents residential neighborhoods, main thoroughfares and coastal scenes across the great city of Los Angeles. Reminiscent of Ed Ruscha, Jesse’s work acts as both a record of the current landscape as well as a metaphor for the openness and sense of opportunity that continually draw settlers to the west coast. Jesse says of California, “the sky is an overwhelming presence.” He frames his big sky compositions with narrow palm trees and low-slung buildings at the periphery of the canvas to illustrate the scale of the scene. In doing so, the viewer can begin to appreciate the sentiment of the final frontier. Jesse works from a home studio in Los Angeles using photographs that he takes of the surrounding area as source material. He holds a BA from Brown University and an MFA from The New York Academy of Art. He regularly exhibits at the Beverly Hills Art Show.

Words that describe this painting: kayak, ocean, wave, nature, sports, realism, water, seascape, sea, horizon, boating, oilpaint, seascape, realism, oil painting

Big Blue...

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Artist Guigen Zha displays elegant lotuses with broad fleeting leaves. He paints the poetic piece with his unique style dubbed virtu...

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Artist Jesse Aldana paints a dramatic shoreline view of the Santa Monica Bay. A surfer lines up a final ride as evening deepens under heavy blanket clouds. In...

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Besides having an affinity for ravens, artist Sally Adams shares her admiration for the band, Counting Crows. A combination of b...

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"Common Ravens are a friendly lot, hanging around in large groups at an abundant food source or pairing off to wander as a couple," ...

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"The shadow of evening flows over a sandy beach and pauses before scaling the cliffs to meet the moon over Santa Monica's waterfront," shares artist Jesse Ald...

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Artist Shuxing Fan exhibits a picturesque sunset from a neighborhood park in classical painting style. He captures the last rays of...

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Two geese turn to regard the viewer along the grassy bank of a quiet lake. "Growing up with my older sister, my mom would always dress us in the exact same clothes," shares Jo Galang. "With the same haircut and similar looks, people would always mistake us for twins since we were almost the same size and height. It was fun back then but as we grew up, we each evolved into our own distinct personalities."

About the Artist
Artist Jo Galang expresses a quiet nostalgia in her airy interpretations of the landscapes and waterways of the Pacific Northwest. Her soft oil paintings capture the meditative sounds of rivers and waterfalls flowing past her easel. During the summer, she spends as much time as possible outside creating plein air sketches and studying the light on the landscape. As a young art student in the Philippines, Jo was privileged to study with the renowned painter Danilo Dalena, who she says encouraged her to be the artist she is today. "I believe my art looks simple enough that people have no idea how much time I have spent working on it," she says. When she is not painting, Jo and her husband enjoy taking road trips, playing cards and finding creative ways to spend time with their granddaughter.

Words that describe this painting: animals, birds, Canada geese, geese, lake, landscape, nature, summer, water, waterfowl, grass, classical, wildlife, animals, classical, realism, representational, oil painting, green

Two Peas in a Pod...

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Artist Guigen Zha paints a realistic still life of lotuses in different stages of development. He props them on Chinese ceramic vases against a background of ...

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Artist McGarren Flack paints a pineapple frosted cookie on a solid white background. “Who doesn't like sweets?” asks McGarren. In his Sweets series, he dr...

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"A thick layer of clouds begins to loosen its grip on the Malibu coast as the restless autumn sea besets a pier of stone," describes artist Jesse Aldana. Beam...

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Artist Jesse Aldana paints a dreamy seascape with an accidental guest caught swimming in the background. "At a certain time of year, at a certain time of day,...

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Looking towards the sun and realistically painting the natural elements as the eye perceives them is a challenge. Kent Sullivan enjoys bringing the appearance of that sun-washed eye-squinting moment. He found Charleston Harbor...

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The sky and sea converge in artist Jenn Williamson's arresting panoramic piece. She explores light and darkness, searching for beauty in quiet, unnoticed places, thus creating a spiritual oasis. "I painted this piece during a season of spiritual and personal awakening from a season of trials," shares Jenn. She expresses the peace and tranquility in her soul for which she is genuinely grateful.

About the Artist
Jenn Williamson expertly evokes the scenery of British Columbia in her soft abstract landscapes. She utilizes defining horizontal and vertical strokes, coupled with a skillful handling of color, to create significant depth in each piece. Her paintings, though abstracted, clearly convey the atmospheric attributes of the scene–rain, wind, clouds, fog. Jenn’s muted color palette transports the viewer to the Canadian west coast...

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A minimalist realistic still life of an open pomegranate by artist Christopher Garvey. The tart fruit is cut in three portions with its seeds scattered around...

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Colorado summer evening. A man walks his dog as storm clouds clear overhead. Warm light from the left reflects off of the many wet surfaces. Classical realism...

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Artist Christopher Garvey presents a group of varying glassware in different colors, sizes, and shapes. Set against a tonal background, the focus is drawn to ...

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This piece was inspired by the desire to linger near or in warm tropical waters, watching the mesmerizing patterns of light refractions as they move with the currents.

About the Artist
Laura Browning...

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Artist McGarren Flack paints a twix mix cookie on a solid white background. “Who doesn't like sweets?” asks McGarren. In his Sweets series, he draws every...

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Serenity prevails in artist Jenn Williamson's dreamy and atmospheric skyscape. In her creative practice, she explores light and darkness, searching for beauty in quiet, unnoticed places, thus creating a spiritual oasis. She aims to bring an atmosphere of tranquility to each viewer. "I painted this in the summer of 2022 after I completed a 4-year journey of organizing charity golf tournaments and decided to launch as a full-time artist," shares Jenn.

About the Artist
Jenn Williamson expertly evokes the scenery of British Columbia in her soft abstract landscapes. She utilizes defining horizontal and vertical strokes, coupled with a skillful handling of color, to create significant depth in each piece. Her paintings, though abstracted, clearly convey the atmospheric attributes of the scene–rain, wind, clouds, fog. Jenn’s muted color palette transports the viewer to the Canadian west...

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"Considered symbols of luck, Koi fish are known for their tenacity to swim rushing streams and waterfalls until they reach their goal," says artist Candice Eisenfeld. "They are determined and they never give up. Symbolic in Buddhism, they represent courage and strength."

About the Artist
As an American exploring issues of identity, artist Candice Eisenfeld paints through the lens of the first American art movement, the Hudson River School. Rather than depicting a specific locale, Candice’s artwork evokes a sense of place. These "inner landscapes" are invented, and often reference photographs taken during travels in southern Appalachia and the Blue Ridge and Smokey Mountains. Whether real or imagined, her paintings are influenced by the Dutch Masters, Tonalists, and Chinese painting. Produced on a single wooden panel, the ethereal landscapes are often joined with segments of aqueous color fields which act as commentary for the landscapes, like the chorus in a Greek play. The crisp, hard edges separating the landscapes from the color fields command a sense of order in an otherwise fluid and painterly surface. With two or three sections of the panel competing for attention, the painting creates multiple focal points. Candice's art has been displayed in embassies in Namibia and Belarus, held in the collections of Norwest Bank and Northwest Airlines...

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Artist Guigen Zha pictures a lotus flower in realistic detail. The red mountain beyond renders a crimson glow on the soft green peta...

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"As foggy headlands shift shape on the horizon, redwoods materialize out of a palette of grays and blues in this painting of California's Big Sur," says artis...

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"This painting was inspired by the dramatic lighting and shadows receding into West 14th Street at sunset," says artist Nick Savid...

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A soft burst of pastels paints the evening sky in this delightful seascape by artist Gail Greene. "A setting sun creates a mystic feeling of enchantment," sha...

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Artist Emil Morhardt displays an impressionist portrait of three brown pelicans. The birds sun themselves in the Sea of Cortez against a subtle greenish-blue late afternoon sky. "I hadn't thought about pelicans having a 3D vision like hawks until I was looking over my photos and saw one of the birds staring straight at me," shares Emil. He references his photographs from a National Geographic Zodiac that the pelicans seemed curious about, allowing very close viewing.

About the Artist
Emil Morhardt is an acrylic painter from Santa Barbara, California who expresses his passion for birds through realistic acrylic paintings. He paints at home in a studio room that has large windows and a north-facing view of the mountains. He observes the animals from this window, watching roadrunners, foxes, bobcats, deer, and coyote run by. Surrounded by this wildlife, Emil paints bird portraits reminiscent of those by artist John James Audubon. He bases his paintings off hundreds of photographs he takes of birds in the wild and at wildlife recovery centers. Emil captures the freedom and inquisitiveness that birds display in the natural world. Before painting birds, he painted landscapes of San Francisco and the Eastern Sierra. Emil was raised in the high desert of California and learned to paint from his father, who was one of the early California watercolorists...

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In this dramatic seascape, Jesse Aldana describes a stormy evening on the coast near Santa Barbara, CA. A cloudburst races acros...

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Artist Christopher Garvey presents a realistic display of glassware and ceramics set atop a wooden table joined by billiard balls...

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Artist Guigen Zha paints a white horse wading along blooming lotuses in realistic detail. It stands quietly in the shallow waters as the moonlight dreamily glows on the pond. "It seems to have forgotten where it came from and where it is going," says Guigen. He conveys the message of loneliness being a different kind of beauty.

About the Artist
From cross-cultural life experiences, artist Guigen Zha presents conceptual compositions of traditional Chinese art...

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Artist John Jaster paints a realistic still life of a teapot and flowers. White roses blossom, some with open petals and some still in their colorful buds. Th...

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In the style of contemporary realism, artist Guigen Zha paints a porcelain vase of Buddha's head. A bouquet of blue lotus flowers blooms in the oriental still life. Succulent dew drops glaze the delicate petals. Guigen conveys the message of hope and peace for good in life.

About the Artist

Words that describe this painting: healing, lotus, belief, still life, floral, poetic, cultural relics, Tang Sancai, oriental, Asian, Chinese, oilpaint, realism, ceramic, flower, vase, budha, head, vertical, tonal, still life, flora, realism, oil painting, grey

The Buddha...

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"Great horned owls spend a lot of time sitting and intently watching, rotating their heads to look at whatever interests them, including me," shares artist Emil Morhardt...

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A realistic painting of an assortment of glassware set atop a wooden desk by artist Christopher Garvey. A fitting muted back...

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Artist Guigen Zha displays a blooming lotus flower that echoes through the composition. It blooms from a porcelain Prunus vase pain...

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An uplifting, light-filled landscape that combines old world realism with a modern aesthetic. Cumulus clouds gather at the horizon and sweep upward across the sky, enlivening the landscape. The cool blues of the sky contrast with the warm oranges and ochres of the hills. The long horizontal format gives a contemporary feel and a sense of calm.

About the Artist
Mandy Main is an art historian and landscape painter based in the Southern California desert. She has long been passionate about 19th Century American landscape paintings, which has been influential in her artistic practice. Mandy works in series, generally three paintings at a time. Her process begins with a vision of a place she has been, but she takes creative liberties with the aesthetic details. The artist is captivated by light and shadow, and strives to instill her work with moody drama through the representation of these elements. Using layers of paint and glazes, Mandy achieves mesmerizing atmospheric depth, encouraging the viewer to gaze and be still.

Words that describe this painting: landscape, realism, nature, clouds, sky, sunlight, countryside, panoramic, hills , landscape, realism, representational, oil painting, blue

Golden Hills...

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"Togetherness is a wonderful place to be, and what better reflects a bond of love," says artist Jeff Fleming. He displays a touching portrait of a golden retriever mom affectionately posing with her puppy. Jeff begins with a pencil sketch and applies paint with his fingers, brushes, and string. He drizzles paint in random strokes to create an energetic composition brimming with splashes of color.

About the Artist
Artist Jeff Fleming uses fingerpainting to create exuberant portraits of dogs. Growing up in Southern California, Jeff was first introduced to fingerpainting in kindergarten. He painted through high school and college and won several art awards, including Best of Show in a city wide student competition. After graduating with a degree in journalism and advertising, he went to work as an art director. For the next 40 years, he created print, radio and television ads for a number of top agencies. "After retiring in 2019, the clouds of stress and pressure cleared and allowed me to set my creative energy free," says Jeff. He began developing new techniques focused on the excitement and energy of painting. Today, he uses a variety of methods and tools, including fingerpainting wearing nitrile gloves...

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Artist Emil Morhardt captures a sanderling scurrying along the edge of incoming surf. "In a second, he'll turn around and follow ...

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Artist McGarren Flack paints a frosted snickerdoodle cookie on a solid white background. “Who doesn't like sweets?” asks McGarren. In his Sweets series, h...

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A close-up view of two ducks looking astutely at the viewer. "There's something highly engaging, and perhaps a little unsettling, about the way these young fe...

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The Clinton Station Diner is one of New Jersey's landmark diners. I was seated in this particular room that is actually a salvaged train dining car. I could n...