ORIGINAL PAINTINGS

George Green

A founder of the Abstract Illusionist movement that emerged in the 1970s, George Green is widely recognized for his non-objective paintings that incorporated layered geometric elements which appeared to hold three-dimensional space. Created across the span of his fifty-year career, Green’s work continually evolved, becoming more vivid and multidimensional over time as he ventured ever deeper into the realm of trompe l’oeil. Green's art tantalizes the viewer with references to commonplace wood-worked items such as cornices, finials, crown moldings, frames, finished blocks, and spheres, a curl of planed birch so perfect as to seem idealized. These artifacts appear in the best fool-the-eye style, nested in or erupting from or otherwise punctuating unreal, even impossible spaces, some of which are realistic sea and skyscapes. It's a surreal vision, powerful at-a-glance, yet rewarding upon closer study. His paintings embody a contemplative and intellectual manifestation of trompe l'oeil abstraction. What is left behind is far more explosive, with pictures that burst from their surfaces in breakneck movement and almost violent perspective. Represented by Louis K. Meisel Gallery since 1975, George Green’s work has been highly celebrated. During the course of his career, he had over 65 solo exhibitions, both domestically and internationally, in addition to the hundreds of group shows. His paintings are included in 60 museum collections, which include the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, NY, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, CA, The Denver Art Museum, CO, and the Art Institute of Chicago, IL, amongst others.



Carlos Torres

While studying anthropology at Universidad Nacional Bogota, Torres gained a unique perspective on the energy and spirituality of the human condition which ultimately redirected his ambitions. No longer content to merely study the past, he desired to influence the present and contribute to the future and subsequently graduated with a Degree in Fine Art. This unique background and his intimate exposure to the artifacts of the ancients have inspired Torres' unique use of textures, tones and the energetic magnetism that is so palpable in his works. Each of his artistic creations evokes an emotional response from the viewer, a sense of spirituality from deep within, perhaps even the same type of spiritual feeling that Carlos himself experienced at dig sites in his native Colombia as a student. His work has been exhibited in many galleries and museums throughout all of South America and California. Carlos Torres was awarded First Prize honors, establishing him as “The New Master of Painting”, at the Salon Alzate Avendano in Bogota, Colombia (the most significant art competition in Colombia) and went on to represent Colombia in a prestigious art competition held in Cuenca, Ecuador and then was among only thirty artists who were selected to participate in a second competition in Madrid, Spain.

Joan Colomer Valls

Born in the Catalonia region of Spain, Colomer was intimately shaped by the pastoral countryside of deep forests and rolling hills that lent its name to the Olotina Landscape School, founded by painter Joaquim Vayreda over 125 years ago. Colomer learned to paint at a young age alongside of his two brothers under the tutelage of his father who was also an artist. He painted steadily mastering complicated techniques quickly. After receiving a degree in philosophy and liberal arts, Colomer based himself in Madrid and traveled extensively to study the styles of master painters while developing his own extraordinary talents. For Colomer painting is primal. “I live to paint,” he says. This consistent and driving force in his life led him to constantly self-analyze. “If I paint a landscape, it is because it has brought to my mind some remembrances and associations that I have to express urgently. I never know which way the painting will go while I’m working because sometimes the painting comes to life and develops its own destiny.”

JB Berkow

JB is an accomplished artist who has shown all over the country and has her work in many prestigious permanent collections. She has had great success in several art genres. For example, her modern art pieces garnered a one person show in a gallery on Madison Avenue, which lead to Gerald Tsai purchasing the 17-foot painting “Acid Rain” that hangs at his performing arts center at Boston University. Another one of her 17-foot abstract paintings grace the walls of the West Palm Beach International Airport. She is mostly well-known for her romantic realistic works of European landscapes and cityscapes. One such painting is part of the permanent art collection of the Vatican Museum in Italy. She has shown her work in galleries all over the country and has had several one-person museum exhibitions. Over a thousand limited edition prints of JB’s works has been sold on the Princess Cruise Ships. She has also published four books: “Shades of Love,” “What They Didn’t Teach You In Art School,” “Confessions of a Coffeeholic,” and “Painted Poetry.” The last one is a monograph covering the European period of her work plus poetry created for each image.

Sebastien Levigne

Sebastien Levigne was born in Rocheford sur Mer, France in 1975. Whilst studying for and ultimately gaining a PHD in Bio-Chemistry, Levigne at the age of 20 discovered the work of Jean-Claude Roy who left a big impression on him. For seven years he spent his evenings and weekends researching art and finding and refining his own artistic style. He has taken part in numerous exhibitions in Brittany and outside France and has shown his work in galleries all over the world. Sébastien Levigne uses a mixture of paint and collage to explore urban topics. His work focuses primarily on walls and the traces left on the walls by man. Letters and symbolic elements are the major characteristics of his work: figures and everyday/familiar colloquialisms, references to evolution and achievement such as ladders, stairs or the hopscotch. The subject of his work is anecdotal and at the edge of abstraction.

Giovanni Manzo

The painter Giovanni Manzo (born in Naples in 1966) is internationally known for his innovative style blending harmoniously three artistic techniques: photography, graphic art and painting. The photography reveals the reality and the movement, the graphic art gives the image a modern contemporary touch and the painting sets it all in a romantic view that belongs to the Italian cultural tradition. The artist prefers to paint the cities, revisiting them with a modern point of view like no other artist has ever done before. His technique draws a break with the traditional figuration: the most typical streets are reproduced from a contemporary perspective projecting a completely new image of the cities to the world.

Sabzi

Sabzi was born in Ahwas, Iran and the strong influence of his culture can be seen in his work. His paintings resonate with both Eastern and Western cultures, finding inspiration from his native Persian culture and his western role models, Cezanne and Matisse.Sabzi started painting at the age of twelve and was encouraged in his talents by his parents and inspiring teachers. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering at the University of Jundi Shapur. His inspiration came at an early age, enamored by the Persian rugs his mother designed and weaved herself.His paintings reveal a seldom paralleled sensitivity. Captured moods and delicate faces are immortalized in vibrant splashes of colors. Sabzi’s subjects are almost always women inhabiting dream like states.

                                                             "Sedona Moon" by Sabzi Oil on Canvas 30"x24" Value: $3,200/Opening Bid: $850


LIMITED EDITION PRINTS

JB Berkow

See previous bio. JB Berkow has created many Limited Edition Prints that have sold out in large editions. However, the large print shown below is part of a highly limited edition of only 25 giclee prints on canvas which has been embellished with a special gel coating that gives the feel of brush strokes.

Andrew Artshenko

Born in 1965 in the City of Pokrovsk, Russia, Andre became part of a gifted child program at the Children’s Art School there and was later accepted at the St. Petersburg Academy of Art, one of the world’s most prestigious art schools. In 1999 Andrew spent the entire year in the U.S.. He was invited by the “Bay Arts,” a New England based group, to take part in their exhibitions. According to Andrew, “The year in America gave me more as an artist then all eight years of my formal studies.” After seeing Royo and Pino at Art Expo 2000 in New York, he chose the direction that his art would take. Since then Andrew has worked with dealers from Western Europe and the U.S., exhibiting and selling his paintings in galleries in Carmel, Scottsdale, Palm Desert, Las Vegas,n Hawaii, and Oregon.

                                                                   "Sedona Moon" by Sabzi Oil on Canvas 30"x24" Value: $3,200/Opening Bid: $850


M.I. Garmash

An Art Love Story – Michael was born in 1969 in Lugansk, Ukraine. He began painting at the age of three and by six started his formal education at the Lugansk Youth Creative Center. In 1987, he graduated valedictorian from the Lugansk State Fine Art College and became an art teacher there. He later graduated from St. Petersburg Academy of Art at the head of his class. Michael Garmash exhibited his works throughout Russia and France, adding stained-glass to his list of talents.


During his stint in the army, Michael returned to his former school on a two-week vacation. The last day of his visit he met Inessa at a bus station; the next day Michael didn’t return to his division. Inessa woke that day to her image painted all around the city surrounding her house—on the road, on the walls of buildings and the walls of her apartment staircase. Michael had spent the night painting; he was arrested first by the city police, then handed over to the army MP’s, but he was not punished. (Even military personnel can sympathize with true love!) One year later, Michael and Inessa returned to the same bus station. Michael hung a bouquet of flowers on the station sign to commemorate the place where they met; the beginning of their “at-first-glance” love story. Michael and Inessa have worked together creating paintings, stained-glass windows, mosaics and drawings. They have exhibited in Sweden, France, Russia, Ukraine, Belgium and Finland. They continue working with their daughter Polina as a model and occasionally include themselves in their compositions.

Brian Davis

Known for his special attention to light and detail, Davis's primary subjects are florals and landscapes. He states, "The light is the real subject of my work. The flower is the stage, the light is the dancer." He believes that the process of creating a wonderful work of art is an inspiration meant to be fun in the doing. Although magnificent flowers and landscapes are the main choice for his compositions, Brian Davis explains, "The actual job of making an arresting piece of art has nothing to do with what the thing is." Brian transforms exquisite blossoms like roses, calla lilies, and dahlias into romantic, compelling images with sharpness, color, movement, edge and light.

George Tsui

George Tsui was born in Hong Kong, and moved to New York in the late 60s, studying first at the School of Visual Arts and later majoring in oil painting at the Art Students League. Included in Tsui's works of that period are some movie posters, several paintings chosen for the 1984 Winter Olympics poster series, as well as limited edition art prints for the 1985 and 1986 Night of 100 Stars event for a tribute to The Centennial of The Actor's Fund of America. Tsui went on to work at NBC where he was awarded the prestigious 1997 Emmy Award for Best Individual Art and Craft. After twenty years in the New York art scene, Tsui embarked on a creative journey into China in the pursuit of reaching the next level in his artistic career. Always fascinated and attracted to the rare and exotic, the Chinese themes filled his imagination. His models always dressed in exquisite silk gowns from the artist's personal collection of 20 authentic imperial dresses.



Kashley

Kashley is an artist known for his stellar realistic cocktail paintings that are both striking in detail and have a unique ability to set the mood. As someone who appreciates a good cocktail, Kashley wanted to paint scenes celebrating moments simply enjoying a favorite spirit. As an artist searching for what drives his realistic style, he became captivated by transparencies and color variations in glass. His following is quickly growing and his cocktail series works can be found in galleries across the southeast and soon beyond.


Volker Kuhn

German artist Volker Kuhn was born in 1948 and studied Sculpture at the Bremen Academy of Arts, where he was honoured with the Young Advancement Award, given by the Bremen Senate.  He is well known for his series of ‘Art in Boxes’ three-dimensional wall pieces populated by small "findings", miniature figures and animals. His sculptures are informed by ‘object art’ and the work of assemblage artist Joseph Cornwell. References to Dada, Surrealist and Pop Art can also be identified within his vibrant and humorous wall sculptures.

GLASS ART

GartnerBlade Studios

Danielle Blade:

Originally from the Isle of Wight in the UK, Danielle is the daughter of British glass artist Martin Evans. After an apprenticeship at the Isle of Wight Glass, Danielle moved to the US in 1985. Prior to establishing GartnerBlade Glass, Danielle studied with prominent American and European glass artists and was employed as a glasshouse gaffer and a glassblowing instructor.

Stephen Gartner:

Born in 1964 in Phoenix, AZ, Stephen grew up near Charleston, SC and also spent a few years living in Naples, Italy. I began my glass making career as a lampworker in 1993, making animal figurines, paperweights and floral sculptures. I met Danielle in 1996 and a year later we opened our first glass shop in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. We relocated to Ashley Falls, Massachusetts in 2000.

Laura Donefer

Laura Donefer has been using glass as her primary medium for more than thirty four years,often in combination with diverse materials. Known for her innovative, colorful blown glass and flame worked “Amulet Baskets”, she also pushes the boundaries with work that explores ideas concerning

memory, assault, bereavement, joy and madness. In demand as an exciting teacher, Laura has taughtworkshops and given lectures worldwide, including Japan, the United States, and Australia. Her work is many public and private collections, the Corning Museum of Glass, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma,and the Museum of Fine Art in Montreal to name but a few. Laura has been honoured with many awards, among them the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Glass Art Association of Canada, the prestigious “Honorary Membership Award” from the Glass Art Society, for her dedication to the glass community at large, and the International Flameworking Award for “extraordinary contributions to the glass art world.”


Cohn-Stone Studios

At Cohn-Stone Studios nature, inspiration, technical mastery and science come together at the hands of artists Michael Cohn and Molly Stone who create transcendent works of glass art that inspire collectors, museums and galleries around the world. The Studio is one of the nation’s foremost producers of award winning hand blown glass art designs, decorative glass pieces and one-of-a-kind works of art. A unique

feature of Cohn-Stone Studios is a garden on-site, where inspiration flows to the minds of the artisans, and glass art finds its way back into the garden. Rare horticultural collections and displays are complimented by ever changing sculptural glass exhibitions.


Collaborative Piece by South Florida Glassblowers

Every December we host the “Great South Florida Showdown” featuring six or more of the top glassblowers working in South Florida. For the piece below, internationally renowned artist, Rob Stern, did the coral center part. Brenna Baker did the top fish, Eli Cecil did the seahorse, Frank Englesby did a starfish on the back side, Jose Ugas did smaller fish, Amber Hauch did the sea anemones on the bottom, Josh Fradis did the shell with Charlyn Reynolds doing the crab coming out of it and James Clarke did some yellow and blue sea urchins.


Dan Alexander:

Dan Alexander has always been interested in art, history, nature, and creating. After seeing glass being made for the first time he knew this was a trade he had to master. He attended Kent State University and received a BFA-Glass Concentration. In college he was able to further explore glass as an artistic medium while being introduced to other materials, art history, color theory, and composition. Post graduation, he studied with some of the top glass artists in the field today and even worked in Murano italy. He spent several years working for the Corning Museum of Glass where he held the Lead Gaffer position traveling the world and educating the public about the science and history of glass art.

Dan has now branched out from his studio manager role and has made a name for himself as an independent artist. In recent years he was awarded an emerging artist residency ath Duncan McClellan Gallery, the AACG professional artist residency at Goggleworks Center for the Arts in Reading Pennsylvania, he was included in The Chihuly Collection “Made” exhibition and was also nominated for the Glass Art Sociecty’s Saxe Emerging Artist Award. His work is on display in fine art galleries across the USA and abroad. He is currently also exhibiting in Istanbul Turkey, Vienna Austria, and Melbourne Australia. 

Davide Salvadore

Dating back to the 1700's, Murano glassworker, Davide Salvadore is the 11th generation on his mother's side, credited with creating glass art. At a young age, Salvadore began following his grandfather, Antonio Mantoan, into the furnaces of Murano, first learning how to build the kilns and later working in the studios of Alfredo Barbini, who is often recognized as the ultimate glassmaker of Murano. Later, he worked as a glassblower in multiple well-known glass studios, learning from each and improving his abilities.


He is one of the most celebrated living glass artists working today. We brought him to Benzaiten as part of the ‘Visiting Artist’ program during which he conducted a 5-day workshop. As soon as we posted the workshop online, it was sold out in one day with three people coming in from the West Coast of the U.S.!!! The pieces below were done while he was at the center.


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