Visual Language Magazine Contemporary Fine Art March 2014 Vol 3 No 3

VL 

V I S U A L L A N G U A G E 

contemporary fine art 

features 

Jeanne Illenye 

Mary Jane Q Cross 

Rebecca Zook 

David Francis 

Alejandro Castanon 

Suzanne Stevenson 

VL 

March 2014 Volume 3 No. 3 

Alejandro Castañón 

Vino Dipinte Art Gallery 

VisualLanguageMagazine.com www.AlejandroCastanon.com 

- VL Magazine | 1

VL 

VISUAL LANGUAGE 

Contemporary Fine Art 

VisualLanguageMagazine.com 

Subscribe Free Today. 

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March 2014 Vol 3 No 4 

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Born in Torreon, Mexico in 1983 Alejandro soon moved 

overseas and spent most of his youth in Spain and 

Germany. His interest in art began at an early age and 

grew into a passion in his late teens. A self-taught artist 

he has explored many styles and mediums of art such 

as realism, abstract and use of graphite and charcoal. 

After serving eight years in the U.S Air Force he chose to 

move to San Angelo, TX to be present in his daughter’s 

life. In less than a year he opened the Vino Dipinte Art 

Gallery and began his artist career. 

His current body of work can be described as figurative 

and explosive with color. 

http://www.alejandroCastanon.com/ 

VL Cover Artist 

VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 3

Connie Dines 

Artful Exposures One Frame At A Time 

A Pilgrims Friend on the Camino de Santiago 

ArtfulExposures.com 


content VL 

Cover Artist Alejandro Castanon 3 

Contemporary Realism 

Painter’s Keys - Robert Genn 11 

VL Artist Features - 28 

Melissa Doron, Sandra Manuila, Tatiana Roulin, M. Allison 

CFAI Colors on My Palette 42 

Kristine Byars 

Read the up close and personal interviews from CFAI.co 

Find out more about the artist, their inspirations and how 

they approach their work. 

ARTSPAN New Works - 48 

VL Studio Interview with Jeanne Illenye 50 

At first, my thought for this studio visit and interview was to share 

my Biography with you, which is exactly that, an overview about 

how I began painting in oils by my mother’s side at the wee age of 

four, my utter delight at discovering Nature by intimately studying 

every flower petal, rock, dewdrop and bumblebee I could touch, to 

a developing maturity with regular museum visits in New York which 

inspired my large, classical still lifes reminiscent of the Dutch masters, 

and through my 25 year series of Little Gems later sold online. 


VL Artspan Studio Visit Mary Jane Q Cross 68 

Born in 1951, Mary Jane Q. Cross’s life was a life full of questions 

and a yearning for order. This was the underpinning of Cross’s 

future career as a Classical Realism painter whose large body of 

work is marked by logic, cohesion, and an aura of storytelling that 

is poetic and consoling. 

VL Hall Groat II 84 

Lessons in Collecting Art 

Entry level stock investors may not have the funds 

to buy the blue chipst, therefore they must wait for 

the market dip to build a portfolio that may grow. 

Buy low and sell high takes patience although the 

bottom is illusive and the risks are always there in a 

volatile economy. Lets talk about taking a different 

tack and a way of elevating your lifestyle while still 

building equity. 

VL Studio Visit with Rebecca Zook 90 

Peace. Beauty. Light 

Three aspects that Texas artist Rebecca Zook consciously incorporates 

into her acrylic paintings. Though she portrays a variety of 

subjects, natural landscapes are a personal favorite. Viewers often 

comment that they feel as if they could step into her paintings; as if 

the frame were a window to another world. 


content VL 

ARTSPAN Spotlight with David Francis 110 

When did you realize you loved art and wanted to be an artist 

It sounds cliché, but it seems like I have always loved to draw. One 

of my earliest memories is waiting for my father to finish the Sunday 

newspaper, so that I could sit down and start copying the funnies. 

VL/AOT Studio Visit with Alejandro Castanon 126 

I never intended to be a professional artist. Like many artists, I drew 

constantly throughout my childhood. Although my lack of formal art 

education has not been a hindrance for me, had I known I’d become a 

professional artist someday I probably would have chosen 

to focus on art in school. 

VL Artspan Photographer Suzanne Steveson 146 

Art has always been a large part of my life, drawing, painting, mixed 

media; the need to create is ever present in my daily life. Photography 

came to me later in life; the gift of a camera and macro lens 

opened an entire new way to create and expand my artistic creativity. 

The camera gave me the opportunity to see all of the incredible 

beauty that surrounds me every day. 


Artist of the Day 

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” ― Edgar Degas 

Sign up today. 

Lesley Humphrey 

“I believe that we can all learn how to paint, but it is in the silent, authentic, beautiful recesses of our 

hearts and souls where a true masterpiece is born. True artistic skill, the courage to interpret the 

images of that place and bring them into the world for you to experience is my goal.” 

http://lesleyhumphrey.net 

artistofthedayvl.blogspot.com 

If you want to be featured as an Artist of the Day, contact Visual Language Magazine. 

VisualLanguageMagazine@gmail.com 


Carol Jo Smidt 

www.caroljosmidt.com 

carol@caroljosmidt.com 


VL 

VISUAL LANGUAGE MAGAZINE 


Visual Language Magazine Staff 

Editorial 

Editor -in-Chief Laurie Pace 

Executive Editor Lisa Kreymborg 

Consulting Editor Nancy Medina 

Consulting Editor Diane Whitehead 

Consulting Editor Debbie Lincoln 

Feature Contributor Robert Genn Painter’s Keys 

CFAI Contributor Kimberly Conrad 

Feature Editor Art Reviews Hall Groat II 

Feature Writer Barry Scharf 

VL Sponsor ARTSPAN Eric Sparre 

Advertising 

Contact: VisualLanguageMagazine@gmail.com 

Marketing and Development 

Executive Director Business/Management Stacey Hendren 

All Artwork is Copyrighted by the Individual Artists. 

Visual Language Vol 3 No 3 

http://www.mallisonartist.com/ 

http://www.loganbauer.com 


Painter’s Keys 

with Robert Genn 

Dear Artist, 

Robert Genn’s 

Studio Book 

During a bumpy period a few years ago in New York, I had a small revelation about how to thrive when things 

aren’t going as expected. It occurred to me that when we’re in school we seldom question the curriculum but 

instead merely show up for class. After all, semesters end, allowing us to move on and refine our area of study. 

In the meantime, we might pick up some unexpected knowledge. 

Pema Chödrön is a Buddhist nun, author and Shambhala teacher. She lives at Gampo Abbey, on Cape Breton 

Island, Nova Scotia.Pema Chodron -- watercolour painting 9 x 12 inches by Lynn 

Beth Cornish 

Pema Chodron watercolour painting 9 x 12 inches by Lynn Beth Cornish A New York rocker friend introduced 

me to The Wisdom of No Escape , a book Pema wrote on meditation. (It was either that, or a trip to the Russian 

bathhouse for a whipping with veniki bundles, so I took the book.) My rocker friend thought I could use 

some new insight. 

“You are the sky. Everything else - it’s just the weather.” says Pema. One of her themes is the Tibetan notion of 

attachment, or shenpa. Shenpa is that moment you get hooked into a habitual cycle of response, like the sweaty 

shame-spiral that happens when that thing on the canvas is blaringly bad. Or when a trash-talking interloper 

is allowed to invade the easel space. Shenpa is the emotional go-to when sitting through the dodgier periods of 

life class. Your shenpa can be changed. 

Painter’s Keys - Robert Genn 

I’ve been living as an artist in New York for ten years. My twin brother, James, first visited me while I was away 

on tour in the UK. We arranged to intersect before he flew home to Canada. I climbed the six flights of my 1904 

walk-up tenement and opened the door to find James cross-legged in the only chair, shocked and awed by a 

previous tenant’s home improvement effort of duct-taping all the linoleum, and overcome by a space-hogging 

Baldwin baby grand, bedroom easel, and a quietly rotting ceiling. Then he gifted me with his response: “I get 

it. You fell in love, just not with a person. And you’re willing to do anything for that love.” 

School is in session, and semesters are coming and going with the nonchalance of a Greenwich Village mouse. 

Our creative expectations are in a steady state of disruption and re-adjustment and even satisfaction. Living a 

dream is just a matter of switching up the shenpa. 

Sincerely, Sara 

PS: “Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.” (Pema Chodron) 

Esoterica: Pema Chödrön was born Deirdre Blomfield-Brown in 1936 in New York City. She attended Miss 

Porter’s School for Girls, went to Berkeley, taught elementary school, married and had two children before 

devoting her life to Buddhism. She’s also the same age as my Dad. “We are like children building a sandcastle,” 

says Pema. “We embellish it with beautiful shells, bits of driftwood, and pieces of coloured glass. The castle 

is ours, off limits to others. Yet despite all our attachment, we know that the tide will inevitably come in and 

sweep the sandcastle away. The trick is to enjoy it fully but without clinging, and when the time comes, let it 

dissolve back into the sea.” 


DURNAVICH 

Ron Durnavich 

Ronsscenesiowa.com 


Emotion / Abstraction 

www.ron-durnavich.artistwebsites.com 


Roseanne Snyder 

Diversity in Color and Compostion 

Village 

Trees 

roseannesnyder.blogspot.com 


McCoy’s Gaited Horse Artworks 

Your equine art connection! 

Jonelle T. McCoy 

“Carnaval Ride” 

jonelle-t-mccoy.artistwebsites.com 


REES 

VL Rees 

Tipping Paint Gallery 

311 West Martin Street, 

Raleigh, NC 27601 

tippingpaintgallery.com 


“Contemporary Realism and Beyond” 

vlrees.com 


BITTER 

Gabriele Bitter 

Lady in Waiting 

Fairy Tale 

gabrielebitter.com 


texture vibrant direct 

gabrielebitter.com 

Timeless 


Aspen S P A C E S 

Lelija Roy 

Art on a Whim 

Gallery 

100 N Main Street 

Breckenridge, CO 

227 Bridge Street 

Vail, CO 

artonawhim.com 

(970) 547-8399 

James Ratliff 

Gallery 

671 State Route 

179--The Hillside 

Sedona, AZ 

jamesratliffgallery.com 

(928) 282-1404 

www.lelija.net 

contact: lelija@lelija.net 


Linda McCoy 

www.lindamccoyart.blogspot.com 

Linda McCoy Studio/Gallery 

Fine Art Instruction 

209 S West Street, Mason, Ohio 


Laurie Justus Pace 

Ellepace.com 

Mirada Fine Art. Denver 

MiradaFineArt.com 

Rare Gallery. Jackson Hole 

RareGalleryJacksonHole.com 

Robert Kelly Home. Park City 

RobertKellyHome.com 

South Hill Gallery: Lexington 

SouthHillGallery.com 


Dyan Newton 

Capturing the Light 

dyannewton.com 

Above: Krysta Private Collector 

Left: Texas Tales Private Collector 


Mirada Fine Art 

‘Best Art Gallery’ 

-5280 Magazine, 2010 & 2012 

‘A Style-Maker’ 

-Luxe Magazine, 2010 

‘Best Colorado Gallery’ 

American Art Awards, 2012 & 2013 

‘Art Lover’s Escape’ 

-Denver Life Magazine 2010 

‘Best of Denver’ 

-Westword Newspaper, 2010 

miradafineart.com 


5490 Parmalee Gulch Rd. 

Indian Hills, CO 80454 

(only minutes from Denver) 

www.miradafineart.com 

303-697-9006 

Featured Artiss: 

Andrew Baird, Pablo Milan, Lyndmila Agrich, 

miradafineart.com 

Jeanne Bessette, Svetlana Shalygina, Laurie Justus Pace 

VisualLanguageMagazine.com 

Bruce Marion, Time Howe, 

- VL 

Allen 

Magazine 

Wynn 

| 25

STEPHANIE PAIGE 

ETERNAL FIRE 48” x 48” Mixed Media Made with layered Textured Marble Dust 

STEPHANIEPAIGESTUDIO.COM 

Visit Stephanie’s Representing Galleries 

MIrada Fine Art Gallery . Denver, CO . Ph.303.697.9006 

Calvin Charles Gallery . Scottsdale, AZ . Ph.480.421.1818 

Pippin Contemporary . Santa Fe, NM . Ph.505.795.7476 

Contemporary Fine Arts Gallery . La Jolla, CA . Ph.858.551.2010 

Christopher 

26 | VL Magazine 

Hill Gallery 

- VisualLanguageMagazine.com 

. Napa Valley, CA . Ph.707.963.0272

L A U R A R E E D 

Abstract Collage Paintings 

Life Experiences 

laurareed.artspan.com 


VL Melissa Doron 

http://artistdoron.com 

Passion and Color 

Melissa Doron has kicked off another great year in art starting with a stunning series of animals. 

She is preparing pieces for the Wine and Art festival coming the last weekend in March in Old 

Town Spring, Texas. Melissa’s new collection will be part of a new gallery opening in Old Town 

Spring. She will be there in person to share her art with collectors. 

Melissa is an active member of the Artists of Texas, and a featured artist in Visual Language Magazine 

last year for her fifty trees in fifty days. She is currently represented by several galleries in 

the Houston area, as well as co-owner of Davis & Company Contemporary Fine Art Gallery in Old 

Town Spring, Texas. 

“Art is subjective. Not everyone will like your work but if you love it then everything else will fall 

into place.” - Melissa Doron 

Bait Buffet 


Top Right: Three Flamingos 

Top Left: Charming Beauty 

Bottom Right: Dinner 


VL Sanda Manuila 

http://www.sandamanuila.artspan.com 

From the Outside In 

Very early in my life I realized that I had the perspective of an outsider. Because I was born in a 

Romanian family in Geneva, Switzerland, the eccentric tendencies of my relatives often clashed 

with the principles of the Calvinist society we lived in. My friends called me “Paprika Feet”. Later 

on and yet in another place in California, while studying Magic Realism in Latin American fiction 

I experienced instant recognition. Raised in a Cartesian society where only a pragmatic attitude 

was acceptable, I succumbed to the irrationality of the reality described by Latin American writers. 

Since then, I have been concerned with the disparate interpretations of reality, which displays the 

paradox of two conflicting perspectives, one based on a rational view of reality and the other on the 

acceptance of the unusual as prosaic reality. 

In order to depict the relationship of reality and illusion, I focus my emotions and thoughts to construct 

meaning, applying oil paint and glazes layers after layers. By adding multiple impressions of 

light, I create inner landscapes from which exude an allegorical quality. 

The Presence of the Past 


The Annunciation 

Reality is a Trick 

Left: A Twisted Mind 


VL Tatiana Roulin 

http://www.3dmirror.com 

Representational Fine Art 

Tatiana Roulin is an award-winning, internationally renowned New England representational 

painter whose primary mediums include oil, acrylic and pastel. She is a juried member of the Oil 

Painters of America and Pastel Society of America. She is also a member of many art associations 

in New England. 

Roulin’s approach combines the classic atelier training, largely based on techniques used by 

the Old Masters, with her own personal style expressed through the harmony of design, color 

and light. 

Her art is in many private, corporate and public collections worldwide. A few major collectors 

in Massachusetts include: Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center; The Department of 

Youth Services; and Suportel Portuguese Supermarket Chain. 

Roulin has won many prestigious art awards, has had several one-person exhibitions, and has 

participated in many juried group shows in the U.S. and abroad. Her paintings exhibited internationally 

in America, Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany, England, Brazil and Russia. 

She has appeared on the “Arts in the Spotlight” cable TV show. She has also been featured in 

several magazines such as Art&Beyond Magazine, Visual Language Magazine, Still Point Arts 

Quarterly Magazine, South Shore Living Magazine, and ArtScope Magazine. 

Her art has been published in art books and she is listed in the “Who is Who in Visual Art” and 

“New Faces in Arts & Design” European art catalogs. Currently Roulin’s art is represented by 

the Gina M. Woodruff Gallery in Long Beach, CA, the Hope Gallery in Bristol, RI, and Manhattan 

Arts International in New York, NY. 

“Orange Pepper” 7 x 7 Acrylic 

Available at Gina M Woodruff Gallery 

in Long Beach, CA 

32 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com 

“Yellow Jug With Granny” 9 x 12 Acrylic 

Available at Gina M Woodruff Gallery 

in Long Beach, CA

“Red Hat Ladies” Series is available at Gina M Woodruff Gallery in Long Beach, CA 

“Keep Calm” 14 x 18 Oil on Canvas Available 

“Plums” 8 x 8 Oil on Canvas Available 

“October Oaks” 24 x 30 

“Shades of Autumn” 9 x 12 

“Lemon Tea Cup” 10 x 10 

Oil on Canvas Available 

“Tea Pot and Citruses” 18 x 24 Oil on Canvas 

Available at Hope Gallery in Bristol, RI 


VL M Allison 

http://www.mallisonartist.com/ 

Live Creativity 

I was brought up in a world of creativity; Momma’s gourmet cooking, Bawmaw’s professional 

sewing, Granny’s painting and best of all, my sisters. We traveled in a pack and live 

creativity. Art, always art, in any form. I love it! My self worth, to an extent, is measured in 

what I create. I have to feel productive. I am a productive mother, 4 children, 3 are triplets 

and I’m still in a dream. They will never remember my cooking, but they will remember me 

with a paintbrush in my hand. 

Circus in Town 36 X 48 Oil Graphite 


Electric City 36 X 48 oil 

Texas Oil 30 X 38 Oil 

On the Verge 24 X 36 Oil on Canvas 

Dwelling 24 X 36 Oil Graphite 

Down By the River 36 X 48 Oil on Canvas 


MARK YEARWOOD 

InArt Gallery 

219 Delgado Street 

Santa Fe, NM 87501 

505-983-6537 

www.inartsantafe.com 

MarkYearwood.com 

“Interfusion” 60’’x 84’’ Mixed Media / Canvas 


line . shape . color 

MarkYearwood.com 


Suzanne Muldrow 

“Focus on Art” 

photoartbysuzanne.com 

38 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com vlrees.com

The Legend of 

Aurora Borealis 

Acrylic, 24 x 36 

After the great flood, the planet 

tipped on its axis, plunging 

the North into long periods of 

darkness. In the North there 

lived a group of people who had 

been spared from the flood. But 

when they could no longer see 

the sun or feel its warmth, they 

became sad and afraid; cold 

and hungry. 

The Great Mother felt compassion 

for the People and told 

them to gather their belongings 

and walk south, where the sun 

would shine and provide bounty 

and warmth. But because there 

was no light and little food, 

many of the people perished on 

the dark, cold journey south. 

NANCEE 

JEAN 

BUSSE 

www.nanceejean.com 

www.facebook.com/nanceejeanbusse 

970.261.2028 

In a stroke of genius the Great 

Mother covered the top of the 

world with mountains and 

hills made of ice crystals. The 

ice crystals captured the sun’s 

rays and reflected them into the 

black sky and so illuminated the 

nomads’ path. They could then 

journey south under the 

shifting, humming rainbow of light and became the forerunners of 

many of the great tribes of North America. But the white bear stayed 

in the Great North. 

He stayed because he loved the beauty of the inky darkness, the music 

of whale song and sea birds, and the deep comfort of solitude. 

See Additional Paintings and narratives at www.nanceejean.com 


Laurel Lake McGuire 

Joy in Counterpoint 

laurellakemcguire.artspan.com 


Richard Levine 

Pastel Painter 

Landscape and Figurative 

“Bruges, Homage in The Flemish Style” 

“Bruges, Canal Reflections” 

“The Beguinage, Bruges” 

RichardLevine.net 

Email: artisanrichard@gmail.com 


CFAI.co Colors On My Palette 

Kristine Byars 

http://kristinebyars.com 

http://www.cfai.co/#!colors-on-my-palette-interview/cy2z 

When did you realize you loved art and wanted to be ‘an artist’ 

When I was about seven or eight. My Grandmother painted and 

instructed art classes. During our visits to her farm, she would sometimes 

work with my sisters and I, showing techniques and basics, but 

would then encouragingly leave us to our own creativity. 

Who has been the greatest influence from your past to mentor you to this career 

There are two. My Grandmother, who I mentioned above, and also Richard (Duke) Kruse. Duke is my 

family’s dear friend, and also owned an advertising agency. He offered me a job while I was still in high 

school, which continued through college. He is a terrific artist, with a giant personality. He taught me 

technical graphic design as well as fine art skills. His loving (yet loud) constant reminders to “loosen up!”, 

“use your arms, not your wrists!” and “always keep learning” are obviously still stuck in my head! He is (I 

believe) 90-years-young, and at his solo exhibition two years ago, I purchased one of his self portraits (he 

poses in a jester’s costume). It hangs prominently in my studio! 

Who is your mentor today, or another artist you admire and why 

I recently attended an Edward Hopper exhibit, and fell in love with his work (and his color) all over again. 

This show is particularly interesting because it’s the painter’s process, from sketches to final paintings. You 

can see what was in his head and how it translated to canvas. I love the work of contemporary artists Paul 

Sheldon, Jack Vettriano and Dennis Ziemienski to name a few. 

What is your favorite surface to paint on Describe it if you make it yourself. 

Canvas. 

What brand of paints do you use 

I like Rembrandt and DaVinci. In oil pastels, I only use Sennelier. 

Do you have a favorite color palette 

Pretty much anything and everything that is bold and bright. 

What is your favorite color in your closet 

My husband will say I look best in dark colors, but I love any kind of white shirt. 

Read more at http://www.cfai.co/#!colors-on-my-palette-interview/cy2z 


Fallen Leaf Lake 

Number Three 

Read more at http://www.cfai.co/#!colors-on-my-palette-interview/cy2z 


Collectors Discover New Art Daily. 

International Voices - Speaking Through Art 

Professional Artists - Join the CFAI Family. 

Membership Includes: 

• Personal Coaching on Individual Art Marketing Strategies 

• Heavy Brand Marketing of CFAI.co Member Artists 

• Promotion of Artist’s Work on Multiple Social Media Sites 

• Promotion of Artist’s Events and Workshops 

• Professional Gallery Page on the CFAI.co Website 

• Over 100 Specialty Art Blogs to Choose From 

• Monthly Art Challenges at a Discounted Rate 

• Quarterly Juried Shows at a Discounted Rate 

• Eligibility for Inclusion in the Annual Collectors Book 

http://www.cfai.co 


H E R T E L 

Oil paintings in 3D Extrusionist Technique 

hertel.artspan.com 

619 Côte St. Jean, St. Roch de Richelieu, Qc.Canada, J0L 2M0 

Phone: 438-871-2356 


T R A C Y M I L L E R 

www.tracymillerfineart.com 


Spectra 15” x 23” Acrylic 

Elizabeth Chapman 

Contemporary Abstract Artist 

melizabethchapman.artspan.com 

Montane 22” x 36” Acrylic 


artspan 

Newest Works 

Mark Gould 

http://markgouldart.com 

The Good Forest: 

Arcadian 938 

The Good Forest: 

Arcadian 935 

Coppice 846 

Calm Light: 

Arcadian 882 


Terry Stanley 

FIne Art, Portraiture & Illustration 

“Yellow Roses and Topaz” - oil 12x12 

TerryStanley.com 

Green Bay, WI 

Email: info@terrystanley.com 


JEANNE ILLENYE 

Nest in Foley Teacup 6x6 inches oil on panel 

50 www.jeanneillenye.com 

| VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

Capturing Nature’s Transient Beauty 

Antique Silver Spoons on Aqua Wood 7x5 inches oil on 

VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 51 

www.jeanneillenye.com

VL Gallery Visit 


Why I Paint 

At first, my thought for this studio visit and interview was to share my Biography with you, 

which is exactly that, an overview about how I began painting in oils by my mother’s side at 

the wee age of four, my utter delight at discovering Nature by intimately studying every flower 

petal, rock, dewdrop and bumblebee I could touch, to a developing maturity with regular museum 

visits in New York which inspired my large, classical still lifes reminiscent of the Dutch 

masters, and through my 25 year series of Little Gems later sold online. However, since 

you can read all the details about my artistic growth on my website, I thought it might be a 

little more insightful and fun to chat with you about a trend that is currently underway on my 

easels...my new direction, far from the dark, classical old world style oil paintings on which 

my reputation is based. These new paintings truly reveal reflections from my heart...the very 

reason why I paint as expressed in my Artist Statement: 

“Capturing Nature’s Transient Beauty: It is the common things that are most often taken for 

granted -- the fruit and flowers of our daily sustenance -- nourishment for body and soul, respectively. 

These are delicate and fleeting gifts. Through my work, I elicit a greater appreciation 

for their beauty by elevating them to the forefront of the observer’s attention. While my 

paintings isolate a particular moment in time, it is through the details -- a browning, torn leaf, 

the curling of a dried petal, a broken stem, bruised fruit, dewdrops -- that I evoke a sense of 

transience in Nature’s beauty. I take the observer through many phases of growth from bud 

to blossom, ripening fruit to withering vine -- life and death and ultimately, rebirth of spirit, for 

within this beauty we find comfort and peace.” 

With that in mind, I’ve chosen to discuss several paintings featured herein, which aspire 

toward this exciting new direction revealing a lighter, fresher palette with subjects from my 

gardens and antique collections presented in varying compositional formats from classical 

still lifes to cropped, zoom in perspectives which are created purely by emotion and intuition 

rather than with conscious thinking or planning. 

Treading Softly 

If I wasn’t a still life artist and had more exposure to vast and dramatically scenic areas, I’d 

no doubt be a landscape artist or perhaps I might have chosen wildlife art. However, since 

growing up in the suburbs of New York City my focus was directed more toward the earth 

beneath my feet. I believe that is where the seed was planted and my passion for still lifes 

began whereby mimicking my childhood curiosity about Nature…when small and close to 

the ground one can pluck a buttercup or clover, ladybug or feather and examine it with great 

fascination. To me still life painting is really doing just that but on a more mature level, yet the 

wonder and enthusiasm is still there. It’s my gift to be able to “see” and to paint is my way of 

sharing the glory…to feel a kinship with all living things. 

www.jeanneillenye.com 


Nest Amidst Wilting Roses 8 x 8 inches Oil on Panel 





Changing a Leopard’s Spots 

Having always enjoyed painting fruit and floral still lifes in the classical style, it wasn’t until I began 

selling online in recent years that I became enlightened by the contemporary work of my peers. 

I briefly dabbled in these retro subjects but found that I just couldn’t bear to paint a cup without 

decorative floral or transferware patterns or a spoon without embellishments such as monogram, 

flower and ribbon engravings. So without realizing it, I was already laying the groundwork for a new 

direction by utilizing this selection process, fine tuning what I chose as my favorite subjects to paint. 

Transitioning from classical to contemporary realism truly caused me to feel like a leopard trying to 

change his spots; it didn’t seem right. It felt like I was changing who I am. However, my draw toward 

the crisp, bright clarity of my contemporaries’ paintings offered such a sense of refreshment that I 

became determined to change my spots, as it were...and so I did. 

Immersed in a New Light 

My emergence did not occur overnight. Rather, it was a long, arduous process of editing my work 

to the very source of energy within each painting then reducing superfluous content, and most difficult, 

brightening my palette. While I continued to mix my own colors from the primaries plus white, I 

chose to eliminate rich backgrounds for a fixed period of time so I would no longer use the depths of 

shadow as a crutch. It was time to let go of the dark ages and bring myself and my work into a new 

light. It wasn’t until I began setting up still life arrangements in my light filled studio, as opposed to 

painting primarily from studies and memory as done with my classical paintings, that I was able to 

take the next truly daring step which resulted in “Shades of White” the platform from which all subsequent 

work is now being created. Join me as I continue my artistic journey…Capturing Nature’s 

Transient Beauty. 



Shades of White 24 x 24 inches Oil on Canvas 





Pansies in Mustard Jar on Wood Block 10 x 8 inches Oil on Panel 



Orange Glow 18 x 18 inches Oil on Panel 

Estate Sale Silver 8x8 inches oil on panel 



VL 

Gallery Visit 


Peonies in Edwardian Silver Teapot on Lace 12 x 12 inches Oil on Panel 



Delightful Anticipation 20 x 16 inches Oil on Canvas 



Karen Frattali Finearts 


Available to groups 

for workshops, 

demonstrations 

and gallery talks. 

www.karenfrattali.com 

kfrattali@gmail.com 


Davis & Company 

contemporary fine art gallery 

O L I V E T R E E S 

Eric Bodtker 

davisandcompanyart.com 


Pat Meyer 

Signature Member of Artist of Texas, Oil Painters of America, Outdoor Painters Society 

Beauty Show Ready and is 12 x 12 

PatMeyer-artist.com 

PatMeyerdailypainter.blogspot.com 


Clara Johnson 

B O L D R I C H C O L O R S 

artbyclarajohnson.com 


Bold Rich Colors capture the esscense. 

Be enticed...discover the mystery. 

artbyclarajohnson.com 


Tanya D. Bracey 

“ Art that Heals” 

www.pinterest.com/byhispowertb/my-portfolio 


web 

http://www.pinterest.com/byhispowertb/my-portfolio 

Ellepace.com 


VL 

VL Artspan Studio Visit 


http://www.maryjaneqcross.com/ 





VL 

Studio Visit 


Born in 1951, Mary Jane Q. Cross’s life was a life full of questions and a yearning for order. This 

was the underpinning of Cross’s future career as a Classical Realism painter whose large body of 

work is marked by logic, cohesion, and an aura of storytelling that is poetic and consoling. 

As a Worcester Art Museum School art student in the 1970’s, Cross was a ‘closet Realist’ as she 

endured the era’s dominant mantle of Expressionism. Reading of formal artists with her shared 

realism vision – DaVinci, Sargent, Bouguereau, Godward, Mary Cassatt -- was a point of encouragement 

at this time. Studying such painters, among other Masters of earlier centuries, inspired 

Cross in her personal quest to acquire the skills of Classical painting. 

After 40-plus years of this visual journey, Cross continues to produce a body of work that presents 

a sense of needed and appreciated refreshment in the midst of modernity’s fast pace. Cross’s resonant 

theme is of respectfully uncovering the many complex layers of women. Appealing to both 

women and men alike, her work presents women’s beauty as a deep comfort and a restful joy, 

when idealistically and, perhaps, Biblically examined. In a contemporary culture that perceives the 

sexuality of women in an increasingly objectified manner, Cross’s work offers a breath of hope. Her 

work presents a delicate beauty that she believes young women, in particular, are actually striving 

for – a beauty that, in the artist’s opinion, reflects an image of women as God intended them to be: 

Creation’s crowning jewels. 

“If you do not have life, you cannot give life,” states Cross. “If my work has anything, it has an authentic 

response to life. My paintings are stories. They depict the quiet rest that comes to a soul 

only after it has determined to deal with circumstances head-on, with grace and tact instead of 

grumbling and complaining. My paintings reflect and inspire a determination to focus on beauty, 

even in the midst of ashes. This is something I have had to live.” 



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Comforting Hands in Trying Times 



VL Studio Visit 


Main Street Palms 42” x 24” 

Croissanterie 58” x 18” 



artspan 

Above: God is the Anchor of My Soul 28x22 

Left: Gently Letting Go International Guil of Realism Best of Show 





257 42” x 30” 

Sovereignty Purity Nobility Loyalty Liberty Remnant in America Allegory 



artspan 

Sovereign Lord I Trust and Depend on Thee 



VL 

Studio Visit 


Study for The Queen fo Sheba I Serve the God of Solomon 


artspan 

Excalibur Rising 




The Tender Caregiver 28x22 



artspan 

For the past 21 years, a serious right-sided tremor has limited Cross’s ability to hold a brush. Thus, 

Cross paints with her fingers; whatever minimal brush strokes the artist employs are guided by a 

prosthetic device. A documentary titled Q. Cross: The Painter behind the Portraits, on youtube, click 

to view Documentary details her journey back to painting in the after-years of the tremor’s on-set. 

The artist has also compiled a book, Poems of a Painter, Paintings of a Prayer, in which she speaks 

of how she has come to deal with this physical challenge that she cannot change and, yet, has witnessed 

a greater dream come out of what were initially tragic circumstances. 

The simultaneous heartache and joy that Cross experiences daily is seen in her paintings – and it 

is heard in the poems that she writes as an accompaniment to each of her works. The combined 

presentation of painted image and printed word has enriched the meaning of her work. 

The public is a telling barometer of the penetrating resonance of the artist’s work. Cross’s paintings 

are regularly displayed by the Art Renewal Center Salon Exhibitions (where Cross is an ARC Associate 

Living Master), click for ARC Masters Gallery the International Guild of Realism (where she 

was awarded Best of Show in 2013), the American Society of Traditional Artists, the Salmagundi 

Club, and the Allied Artists of America. 

As many as 30,000 people a year also view Cross’s work at outdoor venues. Viewers who cannot 

afford the originals are still enthusiastically pleased to own limited edition prints. Collectors who can 

afford these multi-faceted jewels get to live with a palpable part of Cross’s personal vision, crafted 

with her personal touch. 

Mary Jane Q. Cross www.maryjaneqcross.com builds a body of memorable work in a studio, built by 

her husband and hugged by New England’s quiet countryside, as she threads the fabric that mirrors 

her own life into her work. Her quest is a worthy one. 

The Contemplative 30 x 40 Finalist 

and Honorable 

Mention from 

Art Renew Center Salon Exhibition 



VL 


artspan 


BAUER 

Logan Bauer 

LoganBauer.com 


LoganBauer.com 


VL Hall Groat II 

Lessons in Collecting Art 

Art Collecting Tips 

By Hall Groat Sr. 

IMPORTANT LESSONS IN COLLECTING ART 

Entry level stock investors may not have the funds to buy the blue chips, Therefore, 

they must wait for the market dip to build a portfolio that may grow. Buy 

low and sell high takes patience although the bottom is illusive and the risks are 

always there in a volatile economy. Lets talk about taking a different tack and a 

way of elevating your lifestyle while still building equity. 

COLLECTING ART 101 

Buying direct from an established artist is always better than dealing with a gallery. 

Artists are generally fair minded people and more accessible than you think. 

If you have little to spend and only buy unframed work you may receive a much 

better price and not end up with a glut of framed work and no way to store it. If 

you pay a gallery commission of 40 to 50% you will limit your ability to enjoy a 

profit down the line. Buy low and sell high in art- is smart business! 

COLLECT ORIGINAL ART ONLY 

Avoid buying any art referred to as an original reproduction. This is double talk 

and you will be stuck with a worthless investment regardless of what you may be 

told by a dealer. 

BE A SOPHISTICATED COLLECTOR 

Study everything about each artist you collect and build a file tracking their shows 

and market activity. Obviously, names mean everything. Its much easier to resell 

an artists work with international name recognition than a pretty picture by your 

aunt Minnie- who won a prize on a clothesline sale in Peoria. 

DONT PLASTER YOUR WALLS WITH ART 

Wall to wall paintings do not mean you are an art collector. It means you are a 

dust collector. Nothing worse than a glut of unorganized stuff when you have no 

idea of origin or value. The best idea for a serious collector is to build a storage 

rack in a dry place in your home. Label each piece of art so it will be accessible. 

HallGroat.com 


ROTATE YOUR ART COLLECTION 

When you begin to enjoy being a collector of fine arts, you will find yourself rotating your work to different 

locations in your home or place of work. Your friends and business associates will know you 

are a serious collector and you may become the go -to-guy when they are looking for a new painting 

for their home. And that’s when you begin to turn a profit. 

“Niagara Falls” 36 x 48 Oil on canvas, Hall Groat Sr., $7000 

HallGroat.com 


C O N N I E C H A D W E L L 

“A Little Glitz” 5 x 7” Oil Pastel 

conniechadwell.com 

email: conniechadwell@hotmail.com 


Marti Leroux 

Art That Heals by Marti 

MartiArtStudio.com 


Valerie Travers 

Captivated by the textures 

of nature. 

Working in Acrylic, Oil, Pastel, 

Mixed Media Landscapes, 

Seascapes, Abstracts, and Florals 

ValerieTravers.com 

Spring Walk 18 x 24 inches

BYLINE

Rebecca Zook 

http://rebeccazook.com

http://rebeccazook.blogspot.com

VL Rebecca Zook 

Peace. Beauty. Light. 

Three aspects that Texas artist Rebecca Zook consciously incorporates into her acrylic paintings. 

Though she portrays a variety of subjects, natural landscapes are a personal favorite. Viewers often 

comment that they feel as if they could step into her paintings; as if the frame were a window to another 

world. 

“I’m drawn to Texas’ plentiful wild grasses in particular. Watching the wind weave patterns through 

them and the gentle swaying provide me with a much needed calm. I stand among them and am 

reminded of the ocean. Great waves roll across the fields. Seed heads catch the sun and glow like 

breaking spray. This connection with nature is something that’s been a part of me since childhood 

and is a subject that helps me cope with life’s challenges.” 

For Rebecca, the beauty of nature and the peace it brings offset the emotional and physical challenges 

of dealing with multiple chronic illnesses. A rare immune deficiency requires regular antibody 

infusions derived from plasma donations while secondary autoimmune conditions flare at unpredictable 

intervals. Because she is forced to limit her physical activities, Rebecca paints mainly from 

photographs that she has taken of her subject matter. 

“I have a camera with me always. You never know when the light is going to be just perfect or when 

you are going to happen upon a unique scene worthy of painting. Sometimes it’s difficult for me to get 

to my intended destination when driving because I keep seeing “paintings” along the way.” 

Rebecca’s acrylic technique often involves many overlapping layers of thin washes of color. She 

finds this better conducive to capturing the unique qualities of light. She prefers to paint mainly 

smaller works 18” x 24” and under and uses gessoed masonite boards she prepares herself. Follow 

Rebecca on Facebook to view the in progress photos of many of her paintings. She is represented 

by “Dutch Art Gallery” in Dallas, Texas and “Your Private Collection Gallery” in Granbury, Texas. 

facebook.com/RebeccaZookFineArtPaintings 

rebeccazook.blogspot.com 

rebeccazook.com 

Right Page: 

Spring Blanket - 24” x 18” - Acrylic on Masonite 

Bluebonnets are not my favorite Texas wildflower. Though beautiful, they are short-lived and a bit finicky; 

needing a certain level of rainfall to be at their best. These blanket flowers appear after the bluebonnets 

and revel in the blistering Texas summer sun. They represent the hardiness of true Texans. 

http://rebeccazook.com 


http://rebeccazook.blogspot.com 


VL 

Rebecca Zook 

Autumn Glow - 7.75” X 10” - Acrylic on Masonite 

Soft wild grasses swaying in the cool breeze, glowing with the colors of Autumn. 

Right Page: 

Grasslands II - 14” x 10.5” - Acrylic on Masonite 

There’s a plateau that overlooks the town of Granbury called Comanche Peak. It’s privately owned, but 

is on rare occasions opened to the public for special events. This is one view at the top. 

Following Pages: 

Boardwalk - 24” x 16” - Acrylic on Masonite 

Everyone thinks they know the location of this scene and it stirs happy memories of summers past, but 

no one has gotten it right yet. It doesn’t matter, though. It’s how the piece makes you feel that does. 





VL 

Rebecca Zook 

Like Her Momma 6” x 8” 


4 OClock 8” x 10” 




VL 

Rebecca Zook 



Calm - 12” x 16” - Acrylic on Masonite 

What was it that Dorothy learned “If I ever go looking 

for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further 

than my own back yard.” Many artists travel far and 

wide to find inspiration for their work, but I often find 

the most compelling scenes are truly in my own back 

yard or in this case, an empty lot just up the street. 



VL 

Rebecca Zook 

Texas Textures - 12” x 16” - Acrylic on Masonite 

The tall, blue wild grasses that grow in the open fields are a favorite of mine and the tangle of vines are a 

common sight on fence posts and barbed wire. 



Wind Dancing - 14” x 10.5” - Acrylic on Masonite 

I wish I could capture sound in my paintings. The rustling of the seed pods as they dance in the wind says 

“Fall is near” to my ears. 



VL 

Rebecca Zook 

Lazy Day - 12” x 16” - Acrylic on Masonite 



Studio Shot 2: 

A recent room addition in the loft provided the benefit of a long gallery-style 

wall to display paintings that are not currently in gallery locations. 



Kyle Wood 

kwoodfineart.com 

kylewoodfineart.blogspot.com 

ARTIST 


kylewoodfineart.blogspot.com

ART 

Contemporary 

kwoodfineart.com 


Shirley Anderson 

Painting Landscapes and Florals in Pastel 

Colorful. Sensitive. Bold. 

Mountain 18 x 22 

Carole’s Lilies 

shirleyandersonart.com 

email: sranderson0930@sbcglobal.net 


Janet Weaver 

PERSIMMONS II 11x14 Oil 

JanetWeaver.com 

email: jweaver642@embarqmail.com 


Kimberly Conrad 

Contemporary Artist 

“Red Sky Warning” 30”x40”x1.5” Acrylic on Canvas 


http://KimberlyConradFineArt.com

“Pouring Color Into Your Life” 

Red Sky Warning III 30”x30”x1.5” Acrylic on Canvas 

KimberlyConradFineArt.com 


ARTSPAN Artist Spotlightartspan 

David Francis 

http://www.defrancispastels.com/ 


Blood Money 24 x 30 Oil on Canvas 




David Francis 

When did you realize you loved art and wanted to be an artist 

It sounds cliché, but it seems like I have always loved to draw. One of my earliest memories 

is waiting for my father to finish the Sunday newspaper, so that I could sit down and start 

copying the funnies. 

Who has been your mentor, or greatest influence to date 

I was fortunate that when I started creating art (in my 30’s, kind of a late start) I met three 

people that were very influential in my early art career. The first was Joan Reid who taught 

an adult education art class, she introduced me to Ron Peer, a local portrait and landscape 

artist. He was always very patient with my early attempts, and managed to find something 

good in them while giving me constructive criticism. The third is Trudi Smith. She is a signature 

member with Pastel Society of America and she pushed me to apply for membership 

with the group, even to the point of selecting the pieces that I submitted for jurying. I was 

thrilled and surprised when I received signature status on that first application. 

Who is another living artist you admire and why 

I have several artists that I admire today and follow their work on social media sites. Anthony 

Waichulis for his tromp l’oeil still lifes, Robert C. Jackson for his incredible still life set ups 

and the interplay of his subjects, Teresa Fischer for the incredible still life paintings of old 

toys, my favorite subject matter. I also follow the work of Patricia Tribastone, a fellow pastel 

artist with incredible skills. All of these artists, along with being accomplished painters, have 

the ability to inject a sense of humor and fun into their work, along with telling a story. 

What is your favorite surface to create work on or to work with Describe it if you 

make it yourself. 

My favorite surface to work on is Pastelbord, made by Ampersand. It is a Masonite board 

with a surface of gesso and marble dust. This surface holds a lot of pastel and holds up well 

to blending, and multiple layering techniques. I love the fact that it comes in standard sizes 

from 5x7 to 24x36 and that when a pastel is finished, you can frame it immediately, using 

spacers between the artwork and the glass. 

What are your favorite materials to use 

I have been a pastel artist for the last 30 some years. As most pastellists, I am not brand 

loyal. I look for color, hardness/softness, and availability. So, currently on my work table are 

Rembrandts, Giraults, Unisons, Terry Ludwigs, and Derwent and Conte pastel pencils. 

Do you have a favorite color palette 

I don’t really have a favorite palette. It really depends on the subject matter and it changes 

from painting to painting. I do tend to favor a lot of the earth tones for backgrounds and 

whatever my still lifes are sitting on. 



How often do you work on your artwork How many hours a week 

I try to work a little bit every day. Some days it might only be an hour, other days (and these 

are my favorites) it might be 7 or 8 hours in the studio. 

What is the one thing you would like to be remembered for 

I would like to be remembered as an artist that gave to younger beginning artists the same 

support and encouragement that I received when I was starting out. 

Tah Dah - The Grand Finale 




David Frances 

In The Stacks 



Now Boarding 

Space Race 



There are many culprits that can crush creativity, such as distractions, self-doubt and fear of 

failure. What tends to stand in the way of your creativity 

I find that the biggest obstacle for me is myself. Having a studio in my home it is too easy to be distracted 

by things going on in the house. I have dealt with self-doubt and the fear of failure thing, too. 

How do you overcome these obstacles 

For the around the house stuff, I have tried to set a schedule that from when I get up, (usually around 

6:00 AM) until noon is set aside for my studio time. My wife has gotten pretty good at accepting this. 

For the self-doubt and fear of failure, I’ve made a conscious decision to just keep submitting my work 

to shows and when the rejections come in, I glance at them and toss them out. 

What are your inspirations for your work 

The inspirations for my work are all around me. As I have been focusing on old toys and games, I go 

to a lot of garage sales looking for those little nuggets that get my interest going, but other people see 

as something to get rid of. 

What is your favorite way to get your creative juices flowing 

I love to look at the new work by artists that I follow, I love to go to shows and openings, and in general 

just looking at art gets me going. 


David Frances 

Which work of yours is your favorite 

The trite answer would be “the next one”, but I actually have a couple. One is called “In the Bag”, 

which I’ve entered in several shows, but has never been accepted, and another is my newest one, 

called “To The Rescue”. 

Out of the Bag 



All That Jazz. 




David Frances 

Tall 



A Weighty Situation 




David Frances 

“Evening Surf” 24 x 26 

When Imagination Took Flight 



Getting to know you Q&A 

What is your favorite color in your closet n/a 

What book are you reading this week Game of Thrones (second time) 

Do you have a favorite television show Several, CSI, Criminal Minds, Big Bang Theory, 

Walking Dead, Sixty Minutes 

What is your favorite food All of them, but true favorite Honey Glazed Ham 

What color sheets are on your bed right now n/a 

What are you most proud of in your life My wife of 44 years, Linda, our three kids, Lori, 

Dave, and Dan, and our six grandkids, Paige, Jared, Mina, Alexander, Asher, and Emma. 

Who would you love to interview James Gurney, Anthony Waichulis 

Do you have a passion or hobby other than painting Music, I used to play and perform; 

now I just love listening. 

Who would you love to paint Michelle Obama, any of my artist friends. 

If you were an animal what would you be and why n/a 

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take three things, what would 

they be n/a. 

Share something with us that few people know about you. That I sometimes dance in my 

studio when I’m working. 

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live Sedona, AZ. Beautiful part 

of the country and incredible colores. 



Mary Jo Zorad 

contemporary fine art 

ZoradArt.com 


Cheryl J Smith 

cheryljsmithfineart.com 


Nancy Eckels 

DailyPaintersAbstract.blogspot.com 


D A I L Y 

P A I N T E R S 

A B S T R A C T 

G A L L E R Y 


Barbara Van Rooyan Blue Canyon II 



Studio Visit 


http://www.alejandrocastanon.com/ 




VL 

Studio Visit Alejandro Castanon 

Alejandro is a Mexican born national raised overseas in Spain and Germany. He began 

his journey into art at the age of nine by sketching comic book covers of Spiderman and 

other favorite super heroes. In his teens his art became more focused on portraits and 

he mainly worked in graphite and charcoal. After an eight-year tour in the U.S Air Force 

as a Civil Engineer he came to call San Angelo, TX his home to help raise his daughter 

and opened the Vino Dipinte Art Gallery in 2011. Coming back to art was a reawakening 

for him back to a passion that had been set-aside for several years. Invigorated by the 

mounds of talent around him Alejandro picked up a paintbrush and began his self-taught 

lessons into painting. Like all artists that set out on a new medium there were mistakes, 

but from every painting grew a lesson in tone, perspective, light, and contrast. He found 

inspiration in artists such as Seren Moran, Sarah Stieber, Evelyn Boren, and Leroy Nieman. 

His style became fixated on the use of color to enhance and compliment his subject 

matter. Any beginning artist can agree that jumping into the world of colors on canvas or 

any material is intimidating; there was a challenge and a world of colors that was waiting 

for him. In 2013 he held his first solo show, aptly named the Colorem Art Show, which 

featured over 20 large paintings of pop culture icons. 

For Alejandro painting has changed how he views the world around him. A building is not 

merely a structure but a combination of lines, shapes, and colors. His mind is his canvas 

and colors are the voice he gives his artwork. Each work must not only be an accurate 

depiction of his subject but also an energetic and playful demonstration of his paintbrush. 

His style requires accuracy but also requires a fast pace that frees the painting; lines and 

marks are spontaneous. 

Color with a Pearl Earring 



Right Page: Church in Truchas 

Breakfast at Tiffany’s 



VL 


Twiggy 



Grease 



VL 


007 



Marilyn 



VL 


Frida in Tears 



Bob Marley 

As the owner of the Vino Dipinte Art Gallery Alejandro has made art his career and handles 

all aspects of managing his gallery most notably marketing. He has created and managed the 

gallery’s website, and social media pages as well as coordinated and promoted three major 

art shows in the past two years. Along side him is Crystal Goodman, a nationally renowned 

Muralist and mentor. Crystal is the Creative Director of the Vino Dipinte Art Gallery and provides 

the much needed constructive criticism a young artist needs to hear from time to time. 

According to Alejandro, “the art world has evolved in the last five years and more people are 

connected to art now than ever before but artists are barely learning how to use that connection”. 

Alejandro also serves as a City Art Commissioner in San Angelo and has helped coordinate 

many community events centered on art. “The typical artist relies on his or her ambiguity, 

and their art is what speaks for them but he or she must join the conversation in order to gain 

the best knowledge about their fans and potential clients”, he has also conducted Art Marketing 

Seminars in order to give artists the tools they need to succeed in the evolving art world. 

San Angelo is a small community with artist in every medium busting at the seams. “The town 

of San Angelo has a tight community of artists and supporters that are ready and willing to 

help, it has been a blessing to begin my art career in such an amazing city”. Private collectors 

as well as the City of San Angelo have commissioned Alejandro for paintings. 

His art can been seen at local bars and restaurants across the city as well as his website 

www.alejandrocastanon.com 




DianeWhitehead.com

Diane 

Whitehead 

“Animals are my muse. The scratch 

of the paw, pounce of a hoof, gesture 

of the head, alert ear, quiet stride, 

powerful shape, ancient wisdom. 

All come to play with the shapes I see 

as I paint. “ 

DianeWhitehead.com 

DianeWhitehead.com 


CFAI.co February Artist Showdown 

“Do you have what it takes” 

Deb Kirkeeide 


“Animal Art” 

www.cfai.co/#!artist-showdown/chic

Lisa McKinney 

New Media Graphic Art 

Sevella 9 x 12 Mixed Media 

Lisa-McKinney.com 

lisamckinneyfineart.blogspot.com 


Lary Lemons 

theartgallerysaintjo.com 


theartgallerysaintjo.com 


Kay Wyne 

Karen Balon 

Jill Saur 

Palette Knife Artists 

Kim McAninch 

Tom Brown 

Marion Hedger 

www.paletteknifepainters.blogspot.com 


Carol Schiff 

Karen Tarlton 

Judy Mackey 

www.paletteknifepainters.blogspot.com 

Noreen Coup 

Nancy Medina 

Mark Bidstrum 


REDHEAD GRAPHICS STUDIO 

Design Services for Artists 

custom art websites 

custom blog design 

event flyers 

workshop announcements 

postcards 

business cards 

brochures 

calendars 

promotional items 

email marketing 

artist newsletters 

professional art books 

social media page design 

digital media kits 

artist videos 

image editing 

http://redheadgraphicsstudio.com 


CFAI.co 

Winter 2013 Juried Show 

“Still Life” 

Closes February 15th! 

Nancee Jean Busse 

$500 in total cash prizes 

Plus much more! 

Open to 2D visual artists worldwide 

www.cfai.co/#!juried-shows/c19ne 


VL 

Photographer Spotlight 


Sunshine in a Cup 

http://www.theartistryhouse.com 


artspan 



VL 



Art has always been a large part of my life, drawing, painting, mixed media; the need to create 

is ever present in my daily life. Photography came to me later in life; the gift of a camera 

and macro lens opened an entire new way to create and expand my artistic creativity. The 

camera gave me the opportunity to see all of the incredible beauty that surrounds me every 

day. Looking through the lens gave me a new perspective; the detail and amazing color that 

was right in front of me became visible in a way I had never seen before. I am greatly inspired 

by the depth of color and the intricate beauty and detail in the simple things that I see every 

day. The color in flowers, fruits, landscapes and the things we are in constant contact with 

but really don’t see. Concentrating on the small details, a texture, a petal, presents an opportunity 

to capture a beautiful image no matter where I am. A photograph gives the chance 

to see the sublime in our everyday lives. My intent is to take photographs that draw you in, 

that you will stop look at, see the complex details and the vibrant color in a flower; the beauty 

in a simple apple. The old park bench or peeling painted door are incredibly beautiful. I love 

color, bright, bold, vibrant color, nature at its best and I strive to capture it in my photographs. 

Apple Basket 



artspan 

Soft Glow Roses 



VL 



Three’s a Crowd 



artspan 

Take Flight 

Restful Retreat 



VL 



Rainy Day Peony 



artspan 

Deep Lilac 

Grand Gerber 



VL 



Twilight Tulips 

Twin Sisters 



artspan 

Sunny Day 



Awakening 82 x 36 

Blue Moon 51 x 50 


C O R E Y W E S T 

Over the Edge 18 x 20 

coreywest.artspan.com 

13849 Mono Way . Sonora, CA 95370 VisualLanguageMagazine.com coreywest.art@gmail.com 

- VL Magazine | 157

www.vinodipinte.com 

602 Orient St San Angelo, TX 76903 


Vino Dipinte Art Gallery


AlejandroCastanon.com 


VL OilPaintingDVD.com 

Step by Step Demonstrations 

OilPaintingDVD.com 

hallgroat.com 


Hall Groat II 

OilPaintingDVD.com 


artists 

of texas 

artistsoftexas.org 


NO WHERE BUT TEXAS 

artistsoftexas.blogspot.com 

dailypaintersoftexas.blogspot.com 


Debbie Grayson Lincoln 

Texas Contemporary Western Illustrator 

NoworNever-Debbie.blogspot.com 

DebbieLincoln.com 


Felicia Marshall 

feliciamarshall.blogspot.com 


The Five Graces 

Lincoln ~ Pace ~ Togel ~ Whitehead ~ Zorad 

the5graces.com 

Diane Whitehead 

Conni Togel 

Mary Jo Zorad 

What makes The Five Graces special/unique 

All members of The Five Graces create bold, vividly-colored artworks with an inspirational flair. Several of the group are excellent 

teachers and writers. They work energetically toward touring exhibitions that showcased their artworks - shows to the US 

and to Europe. All five artists are spread out over the US. 


Who are The Five Graces 

Debbie Grayson Lincoln (the steady grace), Laurie Justus Pace (the heartbeat grace), Conni Tögel (the wired 

grace), Diane Baird Whitehead (the business-minded, directly spoken grace) and Mary Jo Zorad (the quietly 

inspired grace) have as many similarities as they do differences. Their artwork demonstrates a common commitment 

to a high standard of workmanship. To speak with any one of the five women reveals a commonality 

in what inspires them and how they choose to live their lives, with integrity and a commitment to doing their 

work for a higher cause. Each feels her creative inspiration as a passionate and natural calling. 

thefivegraces.blogspot.com for daily updates 

Debbie Lincoln 

Laurie Pace 

the5graces.com 


http://davethepaintingguy.com/podcast/

Visual Language Magazine Contemporary Fine Art March 2014 Vol 3 No 3

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