Chicago - Still-life Drawings and Watercolors

Drawings of skulls are often called vanitas, which often contain collections of objects symbolic of the inevitability of death and the transience and vanity of earthly achievements and pleasures; it exhorts the viewer to consider mortality and to repent. This still life vanitas drawing is matted with a heavy white mat and framed in a bronze toned wooden frame measuring 15.75 x 16.25 inches. John Hrehov Skull and Ornament colored pencil on paper 7h x 8w in 17.78h x 20.32w cm JHR006 John Hrehov Education 1985 MFA-Painting, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1981 BFA-Painting, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH. Solo Exhibitions 2017 John Hrehov, Paintings and Drawings. Tom Thomas...

This color pencil drawing is reminiscent of a John James Audubon drawing with its precision and attention to detail, from the top of its downy head to its craggy feet. A baby heron...

A stunning Cubist watercolor on paper of purple irises by Chicago and New York artist Rita Duis (Astley-Bell). Archivally matted to30" x 24". Artist Rita Duis (Astley-Bell) led an ...

A ca. 1945, Cubist black & white graphite drawing of fruit by artist Illinois and Michigan artist Stanley Bielecky. Image size: 4" x 5". Archivally matted to: 13 1/4" x 16". Stanley Bielecky was an Indiana artist who painted the American scene, from the factories and workers around East Chicago to the bucolic settings of Mackinac Island...

A ca. 1938 graphite on paper, study of a classical drapery by notable Modernist artist Jan Matulka. The image is drawn on the back of a typewritten, folded sheet of stationery, from...

A ca. 1930s graphite on pencil drawing of Surrealist still life of an egg beater by notable artist artist Jan Matulka. Artwork size: 8 1/2" x 11". Archiv...

A 1930s graphite on pencil drawing of Surrealist still life of an egg beater by notable artist Jan Matulka. Artwork size: 8 1/2". x 11". Matted size: 14...

A 1930 graphite on pencil drawing of Surrealist still life of an egg beater by notable artist Jan Matulka. Image size: 8 1/2" x 11". Archivally matted to...

Named for its red fruit that tends to bloom during the Holiday Season, the Christmas Palm is shown here with all its beautiful flowers. Drawn in colored pencil with fine detail, thi...

A scroll and a small lantern depicted in this 19th-century painting suggest the romantic notion of a Chinese scholar painting in the evening hours. Re...

With careful brushwork, this 19th-century painting honors the four treasures of the scholar's studio - paper, calligraphy brush, ink, and inkstone. Essential to his way of life, the ...

An early 1940s fashion study featuring an advertisement for Lilly Daché Perfume. Artwork size: 11" x 8 1/2". Archivally matted to 12". x 16". Provenance: Cornelia Steckl-Jurin...

My work is about something I wish I could have seen, imaginary worlds, a commentary on awe that is inspired by nature, science, and history. Objects in my work are a stand in for the...

My work is about something I wish I could have seen, imaginary worlds, a commentary on awe that is inspired by nature, science, and history. Objects in my work are a stand in for the...

Tina Figarelli is a classically trained artist whose favorite subject matter in her artwork is ideas with a strong narrative. Tina leaves the viewer hin...

Christina Haglid Brick Light watercolor and gouache on paper 11h x 8w in 27.94h x 20.32w cm FRAMED DIMENSIONS 17.25h x 14.25w x 0.75d in 43.81h x 36.20w x 1.91d cm CMH060 Artist's S...

Translucent vessels are suspended upon the surface of the water in this surreal landscape entitled "Cloud Lake". This landscape is done in exacting detail with watercolor and gouache down to the smallest water droplet. Layer upon layer of color is added to achieve this impressively detailed painting. The piece is matted and framed in a simple white frame measuring 20.25 x 16.75 inches. Christina Haglid Cloud Lake watercolor and gouache on paper 11h x 8w in 27.94h x 20.32w cm CMH053 Artist's Statement Tiny Sanctuaries There has always been an intersection between the process of writing and the act of painting in my work. It has somehow been my guide. In the last four years, during the making of this work, that connection intensified as I started writing short stories and flash fiction while taking online classes. I find the process of writing and painting so different in almost every way, but there is something freeing and generative in writing which helps my painting process. Or perhaps it's a reminder of what painting is for me - something intuitive that needs to be trusted. And what they do have in common is a desire to encapsulate and distill a single moment, a story, about the complexity of our emotions and experiences. At the heart of my work is the recurring depiction of perseverance, strength of will, and a subtle optimism. Symbolically through the objects, precarious situations depict a moment of possible difficulty, often involving the influence of nature. A paper crane left in the snow. A boat nearly filled to the brim, but not submerged and able to drain its own contents carefully. A slide alone at...

Translucent vessels are suspended upon the surface of the water in this surreal landscape entitled "Cloud Lake". This landscape is done in exacting detail with watercolor and gouache down to the smallest water droplet. Layer upon layer of color is added to achieve this impressively detailed painting. The piece is matted and framed in a simple white frame measuring 20.25 x 16.75 inches. Christina Haglid Cloud Lake watercolor and gouache on paper 11h x 8w in 27.94h x 20.32w cm CMH053 Artist's Statement Tiny Sanctuaries There has always been an intersection between the process of writing and the act of painting in my work. It has somehow been my guide. In the last four years, during the making of this work, that connection intensified as I started writing short stories and flash fiction while taking online classes. I find the process of writing and painting so different in almost every way, but there is something freeing and generative in writing which helps my painting process. Or perhaps it's a reminder of what painting is for me - something intuitive that needs to be trusted. And what they do have in common is a desire to encapsulate and distill a single moment, a story, about the complexity of our emotions and experiences. At the heart of my work is the recurring depiction of perseverance, strength of will, and a subtle optimism. Symbolically through the objects, precarious situations depict a moment of possible difficulty, often involving the influence of nature. A paper crane left in the snow. A boat nearly filled to the brim, but not submerged and able to drain its own contents carefully. A slide alone at...

A 1930s graphite on pencil drawing of Surrealist still life of an egg beater by notable artist Jan Matulka. Artwork size: 8 1/2" x 11". Archivally matted...

A 1951 detailed ink on paper drawing of a still-life in an interior by artist Harold Haydon. Artwork size: 12" x 9". Archivally matted to 16" x 20". Harold Emerson Haydon was bo...

An early 1940s fashion study featuring an advertisement for Elizabeth Arden cosmetics. Artwork size: 11 3/4" x 8 3/4". Archivally matted to 12" x 16". Provenance: Cornelia St...

Matthew Cook Vanitas III (Study) Charcoal & Chalk on Paper 10h x 8w in 25.40h x 20.32w cm FRAMED DIMENSIONS 16h x 14w x 1d in 40.64h x 35.56w x 2.54d cm MLC014 Bio: Matthew Cook ...

My work is about something I wish I could have seen, imaginary worlds, a commentary on awe that is inspired by nature, science, and history. Objects in my work are a stand in for the...

A single bloom is captured inside a paper lantern atop a table in Christina Haglid's "Double Blind". This small, exquisite watercolor is awash in sunlight streaming in through parti...

A paper lantern explodes out of the water, as if propelled by an inner, unknown force. This surreal landscape is done in exacting detail with watercolor and gouache down to the smal...

A small purple vase floats on a dreamy background of pale blues fading into a warm beige. The artist achieves a remarkable delicate quality by multip...

The delicate hand of artist Christina Haglid is apparent in this small watercolor simply titled Stars and Ocean, No 4. The exquisite detail begs the viewer to come in for a closer l...

My work is about something I wish I could have seen, imaginary worlds, a commentary on awe that is inspired by nature, science, and history. Objects in my work are a stand in for the...

Tree roots emerge from a vase to create a forest of trees in Christina Haglid's "Canopy". The artist invites the viewer to take a closer look at nature, to question what is seen and to enter into a newly created world. Meticulous in her execution, Haglid uses watercolor as one might use a colored pencil. Layer upon layer of color is added to achieve this impressively detailed painting. Christina Haglid Canopy watercolor and gouache on paper 11h x 8w in 21.75h x 18w in framed CMH033 Artist's Statement Tiny Sanctuaries There has always been an intersection between the process of writing and the act of painting in my work. It has somehow been my guide. In the last four years, during the making of this work, that connection intensified as I started writing short stories and flash fiction while taking online classes. I find the process of writing and painting so different in almost every way, but there is something freeing and generative in writing which helps my painting process. Or perhaps it's a reminder of what painting is for me - something intuitive that needs to be trusted. And what they do have in common is a desire to encapsulate and distill a single moment, a story, about the complexity of our emotions and experiences. At the heart of my work is the recurring depiction of perseverance, strength of will, and a subtle optimism. Symbolically through the objects, precarious situations depict a moment of possible difficulty, often involving the influence of nature. A paper crane left in the snow. A boat nearly filled to the brim, but not submerged and able to drain its own contents carefully. A slide alone at...

This Korean hanging scroll from the mid-20th century honors traditional calligraphy painting with delicate detail and a refined composition, thought to inspire clear and concise thinking. Expressing the beauty and resilience of nature’s flora, ink calligraphy artists traditionally select plants and flowers as the subjects of their works, each chosen for its auspicious meaning, literary resonance, or scholarly virtue. This particular example depicts a quiet natural landscape of three plants growing side-by-side along a rocky hill. Strong bamboo stalks sway above a branch of delicate prunus branches, while elegant orchids blossom in the foreground. Each painted by a different artist, these sacred plants represent the cycle of the seasons: the plum blossom for winter, the orchid for spring, and the bamboo for summer. Brushed with black ink for a monochromatic expression, the painting relies on value rather than color to convey depth and texture within this simple setting. The collaborative painting is contrasted by a beautiful blue silk brocade border woven with a repeating pattern of blossoms and vines. Each plant is signed individually in ink along with the artist’s seal. Painting has been remounted. Includes a wooden scroll...

A single bud vase, a willow tree seeming to grow inside a confined vessel, all appearing to float upon a sea of moving water are the subjects of Christ...

"Steam", by Christina Haglid, is a small, exquisite watercolor. A single nasturtium is suspended inside a paper lantern, floating on turbulent water, the steam escaping from the lantern propelling it forward. The fragility of the environment has always played an important role in Haglid's work. As a child growing up on the East Coast, the ever changing seaside landscapes intrigued her. This fragile balance between nature and her subject matter is as delicate as a paper lantern floating on the ocean. Christina Haglid Steam, 2019 watercolor and gouache on paper 8h x 9w in 18.75h x 19w in framed CMH034 Artist's Statement Tiny Sanctuaries There has always been an intersection between the process of writing and the act of painting in my work. It has somehow been my guide. In the last four years, during the making of this work, that connection intensified as I started writing short stories and flash fiction while taking online classes. I find the process of writing and painting so different in almost every way, but there is something freeing and generative in writing which helps my painting process. Or perhaps it's a reminder of what painting is for me - something intuitive that needs to be trusted. And what they do have in common is a desire to encapsulate and distill a single moment, a story, about the complexity of our emotions and experiences. At the heart of my work is the recurring depiction of perseverance, strength of will, and a subtle optimism. Symbolically through the objects, precarious situations depict a moment of possible difficulty, often involving the influence of nature. A paper crane left in the snow. A boat nearly filled to the brim, but not submerged and able to drain its own contents carefully. A slide alone at night which will return to its purpose during the day. My intention is to not show the failure because I imagine all these objects make it through to better times. Allegories of survival. Someone comes by and finds the paper crane, the rowboat owners return and see their boat undisturbed, and the slide during the day brings joy. EDUCATION 1993 M.F.A., Cranbrook Academy of Art 1991 B.F.A., Maryland Institute, College of Art 1990 Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture EXHIBITIONS 2019 "Tiny Sanctuaries", Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2015 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2014 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2013 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2012 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2011 “Gallery Group” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL "Meticulous Details: Conservators' Paintings" The Architrouve, Chicago, IL 2010 “Art Chicago” Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2009 “Botanica” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2006 “Botanicus” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2006 “Arts Botanica” Loyola University Museum of Art, Chicago, IL 2005 “Blumen: Group Show” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2004-05 “Think Small” Illinois State Museum, IL [traveled] “Christina Haglid: Microworlds” Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville, SC [solo exhibition] 2004 “Art Chicago” Navy Pier, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2003 “Small to Mighty” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2002 “Art of the 20th Century” NY Armory, Ann Nathan Gallery, NY, NY “Art Chicago” Navy Pier, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2001 “Group Fusion” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2000 "Small & Mighty II" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL "Christina Haglid, New Work and Amy Lowry-Poole, Bugs and Buds" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1999 “Small & Mighty” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL “Views II” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1998 “Maleri” Galleri Carl Michael Bellman, Stockholm, Sweden “1987 – 1997, A Skowhegan Decade, Alumni Exhibition and Benefit Auction” David Beitzel Gallery, NY, NY “On and Off the Wall, Gallery Group” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1997 “15 x 15” (Alumni Exhibition), Thesis Gallery, Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, MD 1996 “Small Works” Suburban Fine Arts Center, Highland Park, IL., Special Recognition Award 1994 “Unknown Chicago” Gallery 312, Chicago, IL “15 x 15” (Alumni Exhibition), Meyerhoff Gallery, Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, MD 1993 “Graduate Summer Exhibition” Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI “Graduate Thesis Exhibition” Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI “Michigan Fine Arts Competition” Birmingham Bloomfield Art Association, Birmingham, MI 1992 “Word of Mouth” Forum Gallery, Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI 1991 “Drawing: A Covert and Private Affair” West Gallery, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ “Senior Exhibition” Meyerhoff Gallery, Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, MD 1990 “Fiber Exhibition” Fox Gallery...

"Rainbow", by Christina Haglid, is a meticulously detailed watercolor of a tiny sea shell painted on a blue starry background. The paper had a deckled edge and matted with a heavy w...

Christina Haglid Blue Thunbergia watercolor on paper 7.25h x 4.50w in 16.75h x 13.75w in framed CMH008 Christina Haglid Artist's Statement I used to write a lot of poetry, and it has shaped the narrative process in my artwork. Now painting has replaced writing. Objects in the painting are considered like words placed on a page. I use flowers, manipulated objects, and architecture together in compositions to symbolize the subtle conversations and interactions between them. They are placed in imaginary landscapes that are inspired by actual places and travels. All the paintings are watercolor and gouache on stonehendge paper, and they are made up almost entirely of individual brushstrokes. EDUCATION 1993 M.F.A., Cranbrook Academy of Art 1991 B.F.A., Maryland Institute, College of Art 1990 Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture EXHIBITIONS 2015 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2014 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2013 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2012 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2011 “Gallery Group” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL "Meticulous Details: Conservators' Paintings" The Architrouve, Chicago, IL 2010 “Art Chicago” Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2009 “Botanica” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2006 “Botanicus” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2006 “Arts Botanica” Loyola University Museum of Art, Chicago, IL 2005 “Blumen: Group Show” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2004-05 “Think Small” Illinois State Museum, IL [traveled] “Christina Haglid: Microworlds” Greenville...

"One Potato", by Christina Haglid, is a meticulously detailed watercolor of a potato. The paper had a deckled edge and matted with a heavy white mat. The piece is framed in a white wood frame with a heavy white mat measuring 14h x 10.5w inches. Christina Haglid One Potato watercolor and gouache on paper 4.50h x 2.50w in 11.43h x 6.35w cm Artist's Statement Tiny Sanctuaries There has always been an intersection between the process of writing and the act of painting in my work. It has somehow been my guide. In the last four years, during the making of this work, that connection intensified as I started writing short stories and flash fiction while taking online classes. I find the process of writing and painting so different in almost every way, but there is something freeing and generative in writing which helps my painting process. Or perhaps it's a reminder of what painting is for me - something intuitive that needs to be trusted. And what they do have in common is a desire to encapsulate and distill a single moment, a story, about the complexity of our emotions and experiences. At the heart of my work is the recurring depiction of perseverance, strength of will, and a subtle optimism. Symbolically through the objects, precarious situations depict a moment of possible difficulty, often involving the influence of nature. A paper crane left in the snow. A boat nearly filled to the brim, but not submerged and able to drain its own contents carefully. A slide alone at night which will return to its purpose during the day. My intention is to not show the failure because I imagine all these objects make it through to better times. Allegories of survival. Someone comes by and finds the paper crane, the rowboat owners return and see their boat undisturbed, and the slide during the day brings joy. EDUCATION 1993 M.F.A., Cranbrook Academy of Art 1991 B.F.A., Maryland Institute, College of Art 1990 Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture EXHIBITIONS 2019 "Tiny Sanctuaries", Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2015 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2014 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2013 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2012 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2011 “Gallery Group” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL "Meticulous Details: Conservators' Paintings" The Architrouve, Chicago, IL 2010 “Art Chicago” Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2009 “Botanica” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2006 “Botanicus” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2006 “Arts Botanica” Loyola University Museum of Art, Chicago, IL 2005 “Blumen: Group Show” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2004-05 “Think Small” Illinois State Museum, IL [traveled] “Christina Haglid: Microworlds” Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville, SC [solo exhibition] 2004 “Art Chicago” Navy Pier, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2003 “Small to Mighty” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2002 “Art of the 20th Century” NY Armory, Ann Nathan Gallery, NY, NY “Art Chicago” Navy Pier, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2001 “Group Fusion” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2000 "Small & Mighty II" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL "Christina Haglid, New Work and Amy Lowry-Poole, Bugs and Buds" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1999 “Small & Mighty” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL “Views II” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1998 “Maleri” Galleri Carl Michael Bellman, Stockholm, Sweden “1987 – 1997, A Skowhegan Decade, Alumni Exhibition and Benefit Auction” David Beitzel Gallery, NY, NY “On and Off the Wall, Gallery Group” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1997 “15 x 15” (Alumni Exhibition), Thesis Gallery, Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, MD 1996 “Small Works” Suburban Fine Arts Center, Highland Park, IL., Special Recognition Award 1994 “Unknown Chicago” Gallery 312, Chicago, IL “15 x 15” (Alumni Exhibition), Meyerhoff Gallery, Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, MD 1993 “Graduate Summer Exhibition” Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI “Graduate Thesis Exhibition” Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI “Michigan Fine Arts Competition” Birmingham Bloomfield Art Association, Birmingham, MI 1992 “Word of Mouth” Forum Gallery, Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI 1991 “Drawing: A Covert and Private Affair” West Gallery, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ “Senior Exhibition” Meyerhoff Gallery, Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, MD 1990 “Fiber Exhibition” Fox Gallery...

Sylvia Beckman, b. 1938, Detroit, MI Education University of Michigan, School of Arch. & Design University of Wisconsin, Botany Private apprenticeship in stone sculpture, bronze, ...

Two bud vases seemingly defy gravity as they teeter upon a watery surface in Christina Haglid's "Janus". This meticulously detailed watercolor invites the viewer to take a closer look at nature, to question what is seen and to enter into a newly created world. Intricate in her execution, Haglid uses watercolor as one might use a colored pencil. Layer upon layer of color is added to achieve this impressively detailed painting. Christina Haglid Janus watercolor and gouache on paper 11h x 8w in 21.75h x 18w framed CMH031 Artist's Statement Tiny Sanctuaries There has always been an intersection between the process of writing and the act of painting in my work. It has somehow been my guide. In the last four years, during the making of this work, that connection intensified as I started writing short stories and flash fiction while taking online classes. I find the process of writing and painting so different in almost every way, but there is something freeing and generative in writing which helps my painting process. Or perhaps it's a reminder of what painting is for me - something intuitive that needs to be trusted. And what they do have in common is a desire to encapsulate and distill a single moment, a story, about the complexity of our emotions and experiences. At the heart of my work is the recurring depiction of perseverance, strength of will, and a subtle optimism. Symbolically through the objects, precarious situations depict a moment of possible difficulty, often involving the influence of nature. A paper crane left in the snow. A boat nearly filled to the brim, but not submerged and able to drain its own contents carefully. A slide alone at night...

Chicago-based fine art painter Bruno A. Surdo is classically trained in drawing and oil painting in the tradition of Renaissance masters. With strong command of the human form, Surdo creates dynamic compositions of people and places that communicate a rich commentary on the world around him. Depicting trees from personal encounters, Surdo’s latest body of work entitled “Tree Spirits” takes us on a foray into the forest, where leaves, branches and burls express something deeply personal. Applying his mastery of figurative realism to the natural world, he experiments with form and texture to uncover the intangible spirits of trees. Entitled “Faith,” this small-scale charcoal drawing depicts a tree trunk carved with two deep cuts in the shape of a cross. The carving has healed over, assimilated into the bark as just another interesting detail. Up close, the work is loosely drawn with a heavy hand, but from afar, the natural scene still achieves a sense of realism. The tree trunk is conveyed through chaotic scribbling and aggressive strokes of light and dark charcoal, resulting in a pattern that simulates the rough texture of bark. Light falls softly on the tree, illuminating its form against the dark, atmospheric surroundings. The striking imagery of this work conveys the strong emotional response elicited by Surdo’s personal encounter with this tree. Restricting the composition to only the scarred portion of the tree trunk, Surdo focuses on symbolism of the cross carved into the tree’s side. The carving was inflicted upon the tree by an individual, whether as an act of graffiti or the object of adoration. Despite this wound, the tree persists and grows, adapting and changing until the mark is but another interesting detail. The tree’s spirit endures and speaks to the strength it takes to heal oneself, whether physically or mentally. Charcoal on paper...

"North Sea", by Christina Haglid, is a meticulously detailed watercolor. The single bloom suspended above the vase has translucent water droplets covering its soft peach colored pet...

Chicago-based fine art painter Bruno A. Surdo is classically trained in drawing and oil painting in the tradition of Renaissance masters. With strong command of the human form, Surdo creates dynamic compositions of people and places that communicate a rich commentary on the world around him. Depicting trees from personal encounters, Surdo’s latest body of work entitled “Tree Spirits” takes us on a foray into the forest, where leaves, branches and burls express something deeply personal. Applying his mastery of figurative realism to the natural world, he experiments with form and texture to uncover the intangible spirits of trees. This charcoal drawing entitled “Memory of Leaves” beautifully illustrates the branching form of a mature birch tree. Loosely drawn with informal, sketch-like linework, the tree is shown in the middle of winter, bare of leaves and white with frost. Surdo’s skillful placement of shadow illustrates the forking branches with incredible texture and effortless realism. The intricate play of light and dark is accentuated by the stark white background, a negative space that isolates the tree in space and time. Restricting the composition to only a portion of the tree trunk, Surdo accentuates the tree’s abstract form, lingering on areas of unusual shape or texture. Seeking to convey the strong emotional response elicited by his initial encounter with the tree, Surdo focuses on the tree’s sculptural form, contrasting the strong trunk...