American Realist Paintings

Artist Comments
"The still life is simple, but the combination of red and gray gives it sophistication," says artist Nikolay Rizhankov. A well-worn table stands against a muted background with cracks on the wall. A basket, a few apples, and a red mug...

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A lotus flower sways in the breeze among the high and low leaves. Artist Guigen Zha pictures a cultural symbol of purity in a poetic interpretation. "It is li...

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In this provocative hyperrealist painting, artist David Shepherd uses honey and leaves as symbols of health, well-being and sexuality. "By only showing a part...

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Artist Pamela Hoke displays a monochromatic portrait of a highland cattle. She captures the serenity of a majestic yet gentle and b...

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Classical still life of red lilies and nasturtiums. Artist Nikolay Rizhankov placed the flowers against a linen drape to highlight...

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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 quiet riverside scene, with lush greens and leisurely moving water. Just above the treeline, billowing clouds linger before revealing a soft blue sky. "I fi...

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"This painting shows live-action role players under a bright early evening sky as the day's story wraps up," describes artist Jesse Aldana. "The women in the ...

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A closeup of a radiant bouquet of yellow, white and red roses. Artist Jo Galang received this floral arrangement as a gift from her children on her birthday. "Small and simple things can inspire and spark happiness," says Jo. "I decided to immortalize this gift so othe...

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Part of David Shepherd's latest series of hyperrealist paintings focusing on women's faces. A sensual portrait rendered in extremely precise painting. Among o...

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I saw this pair zooming around my house, cawing wildly on some crow mission," says artist Emil Morhardt. "One would think that Common Crows are black, but in ...

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A quiet, peaceful meadow near Lime Ridge on Mt. Diablo in California. Catherine explains that at one time, this area was bustling with mining activity. She fo...

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Artist Guigen Zha pictures a plump red lotus blooming opposite a developing bud. He paints in his distinct style of realism that pres...

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Artist Marie-Eve Champagne features a realistic image of beautiful yellow ore in mesmerizing crystalline clusters. An entry to her series of still-life minera...

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Artist Emil Morhardt depicts an Elegant Tern and a Forster’s Tern hanging together in the winter shallows of the Santa Barbara beach in California. Their evening reflections ripple above the water highlighted in gold, silver, and copper leaf. "While the Elegant Terns show up in huge flocks, the much smaller Forester’s tern is uncommon in Santa Barbara, and so a treat to see."

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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"These raucous birds arrive at my Santa Barbara feeder in flocks," shares artist Emil Morhardt. "They shoo away sparrows and hous...

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"No matter what season it is, where it is, whether it’s in the woods, by the water, or up above the sky, there is harmony within the elements in nature," sa...

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Artist Marie-Eve Champagne paints a gold ore on a pale teal background. The subject opposes the contrasting hue, putting each aspect o...

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Artist Marie-Eve Champagne shows a realistic depiction of aquamarine crystal clusters on a coral-pink background. The subject opposes the contrasting hue, put...

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After arranging the composition for this floral still life, artist Nicole Lamothe was immediately attracted to the soft warm lig...

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Part of David Shepherd's latest series of hyperrealist paintings focusing on women's lips. A sensual portrait rendered in extremely precise painting. Among ot...

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Artist Emil Morhardt paints a glaucous-winged gull lifting off Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska. He paints the bird splashing the crystalline water in detailed realism. "These big gulls are unafraid of brown bears, dodging between their legs to grab morsels," says Emil. He highlights the piece with a silvery edge reflecting a dazzlingly sunny day.

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...

Artist Comments
Artist Nick Savides demonstrates a realistic view of Rivington and Forsyth's corner in the Lower East Side. The piece features an ...

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A hyperrealistic painting of a close-up view of an eye framed by glistening white and pink flower petals. Part of artist David Shepherd's series investigating...

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Artist Nick Savides presents a realistic scene of Sara D. Roosevelt Park on the Lower East Side. Kids play ball in the background as Nick focuses on the empty...

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Inspired by how the sunlight illuminated the petals of a rose, artist Sherri Aldawood paints a portrait of her model Alana holding a freshly cut bloom. She paints her enveloped in a warm glow, revealing her and the flower's ethereal beauty. The model poses tenderly in a white dress with a Bardot neckline. The colors of summer shimmer vibrantly in the background.

About the Artist
Sherri Aldawood didn't intend to always paint flowers, but over time her love of gardens started to permeate her art. She focuses on the light and color of the flowers on the canvas. Sherri prefers alla prima, working with wet layers of paint instead of letting them dry. She keeps the paint as wet as possible by using walnut and clove oil to extend the drying time.

Words that describe this painting: woman, female, people, portrait, face, figure, figurative, John Singer Sargent, rose, garden, Joaquin Sorolla, Susan Lyon...

Artist Comments
"The Galapágos hawk (Buteo galapagoensis) is the same genus and size as the North American Red-tailed Hawk, but a little darker," explains artist Emil Morhard...

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In this hyperrealistic painting of a close-up view of an eye framed by delicate white flowers, artist David Shepherd investigates taking people out of gender....