SERVICES
FEATURED ARTISTS
(We invite our Resident Artists to feature here each month)
LIA CHECHELASHVILI
My statement:
My works mainly are the result of thinking and my own interpretation of life. When idea appears, then I begin to think about best possible realization, whether it should be in colors, or just white lines on dark background, and if in colors, what color range is most appropriate to express the emotion properly. When I already keep in mind all details I start painting. My preferred technique is oil. But when painting linear compositions I mainly use gouache.
Artistic
education : selftaught
Exhibitions :
Group
exhibition “New Colours“, International company “Anima“ presents
self-educated painters in Modern art gallery, Tbilisi, November 1993.
Solo exhibition in Old gallery, Tbilisi, March 1995.
Solo exhibition in Old gallery, Tbilisi, January 1999.
Solo exhibition “Interactions” in Art-Domain.com gallery, Port d’Andratx, Mallorca, Spain, September 2003.
Group exhibition in World Fine Art gallery, New York, Chelsea, February 2004.
Group exhibition “Urbanscene” in Primo Piano Living gallery, Lecce, Italy, June 2004.
Group exhibition “Summer2004” in Galeriazero.com, Barcelona, Spain, June 2004.
Salon International de St Jean de Monts at Palais des Congrès de St Jean de Monts, France, July 2004.
Group exhibition “A History of Conflict-A future of Hope” in Frazier Museum,
Louisville, Kentucky, USA, September 2004.
Group exhibition at Sala Barna, Barcelona, Spain, October 2004.
Group exhibition at Galerie Natalie Boldyreff, Paris, France, July-August 2005.
Publications :
Article in « Vecherni Tbilisi », weekly newspaper, Tbilisi, 8 March 1999.
Article in ArtisSpectrum Magazine, volume#12, New York, February 2004.
Article in « Ouest France », dedicated to the painters who participated in Salon International de St Jean de Monts au Palais des Congrès de St Jean de Monts, France, 26 July 2004.
Awards: KaraArt Silver Award, March 2004.
Finalist of online juried fine art competition “No Limit 2004”, at Artrom gallery,
www.artrom.com, June 2004.
Artmajeur Silver Award, www.artmajeur.com, July 2004
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CARMEN TYRRELL – Artist Profile
Short Biography
I was born and educated in Bucharest, the capital of Romania. I had shown an early interest in painting and I was encouraged to study Art. As a teenager, I took private tuition in artist studios. There was where I began my training and hard work in the academic way. I drew from casts, still lives, from models, figure painting and analysing the works of other famous artists. I took a 3 year course in a School of Art and 4 years in The Academy of Art. I was involved in artist’s organisations and took part in different art competitions being awarded with important prizes.
Since arriving in England in 1994, I have continued my artistic career developing and extending my techniques. I take part in different exhibitions whenever possible. Some of my works can be found in private collections in Romania, England, Scotland and Canada. Thanks to Internet, I have the opportunity to show my works online through high quality art galleries.
Brief History
Before I learned to write, it was a huge pleasure for me to draw things that I could see or imagine. I drew princesses, family and friends on street pavement, walls, papers, notebooks and books. It could be a reason why not everybody encouraged me to become an artist. Drawing or painting is fun but requires devotion, perseverance and hard work.
Growing up I knew that Art was part of me and will always be. I was born with the talent but I was told that this is not enough; hard work was needed in order to be an artist. I have built through years a solid foundation in atelier style training alongside well known Romanian artists and I followed this by a lifetime of experimentation.
Artist Statement
I do believe that people are born artists in a way or another or… in many ways.
I do believe that anyone can learn to paint and draw if they have the interest and the dedication.
I believe that not all artists are famous and rich but they all are unique in their works.
And…
I would like to believe that we buy the work of art, which we love with our heart not with our mind.
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Ivan P. Dobranic
Dobranic was born in Nice, France in 1960. He moved to Chicago a year later with his parents, at the age of 6, he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, and has spent most of his life in a wheelchair. He continued to develop his artistic talents and majored in art with three years at St. Xavier college. His first two one man exhibitions were at St. Xavier college and the Beverly Art center in 1987. His work was then shown on the muscular dystrophy telethon in 1988, 1989 and 1990.
In 1990 the family moved to Sarasota, Florida to better accommodate the progressive nature of his disease. He now requires a ventilator to breathe, and has only limited movement in the wrist and fingers of his left hand. Despite all this he continues to overcome every setback with his unfailing optimism and the caring support of his family.
His determination and creative spirit shine through his painstakingly crafted oil paintings and drawings. Dobranic as filled his life with paintings; he favors realistic landscape genre, and succeeds in imbuing them with a peaceful serenity. Each painting is characterized by rich color harmonies, sometimes somber and brooding, sometimes bright and cheerful. His work speaks of a focus of energy, a spirit that will not accept limits.
In Florida, Dobranic has exhibited in several one man and group are shows:
Dobranic has been recently chosen to represent Florida at the Art and Soul Festival in Los Angeles CA.
"Dobranic over comes disability to paint with a passion... His landscapes are expert, even haunting... His control in picture making is remarkable".
Joan Altabe, art critic, Sarasota Herald Tribune.
"It was such a pleasure showing your beautiful work at my gallery" Gale Fulton Ross, artist and gallery owner .
"Dobranic conveys a sunny optimism in his work" Roberta Nelson, Herald features writer.
"Dobranic's paintings are remarkably beautiful in their own right, and incredible when seen in the context of his special strength". Brent wall, art instructor, St. Xavier.
PALITHA GUNASIINGHE
Wielding the brush to create a wonderful world of watercolours – Palitha
Gunasinghe
Palitha Gunasinghe has already built a sound identity with the medium of watercolour. The vital energy that runs through his blood veins is watercolour.
Palitha Gunasinghe was born at Meegahatenna, in the Kalutara District, Sri Lanka. It was a beautiful village dotted with paddy fields, rubber estates across which row gravel roads, and many a stream and brooklet went dancing down making the surroundings enriched with lush green vegetation. These surroundings, and the villagers with their simple life style encircled Palitha with a sense of fascination.
Right from his childhood he was an aesthetic minded person who had a flair for creative work. He contributed to various newspapers and periodicals with articles, short stories, verses, cartoons, etc., which not only got published but also won him many prizes, in competitions. Talent coupled with dogged determination propelled him forward. Always he cherished the advice and blessing received from his father, and the backing of his teachers were a strength behind him.
He had received one year training Graphic Designing and Planning in the Netherlands. He had already won many awards in art and stamp designing competitions at local and international level. Five previous exhibitions of paintings and no less 80 stamps of his own designing go to his credit as his accomplishments in the past.
He has an unusual flair for choosing themes and concepts for water colour paintings. He observes his surroundings from a novel perspective. To give you a few examples, he sees some aesthetic beauty in seemingly insignificant uninteresting objects like a dilapidated building, an ancient rock temple or any place of historical ruins.
Ordinary things that we see in the environment such as fauna and flora, misty mountains, when recreated through his brush evoke lovely feelings in us. We feel as if we go through the tangible perception of a cool shade of a forest grove and the scorching heat of the high noon sun. The miserable and hopeless existence of the poor folk and the vignettes of their real life always create an idolize experience in us when represented on paper in the form of water colour paintings.
His paintings have a calming effect on the viewer, infusing into him feelings of the beauty that exists in the world we live in. They also reflect the sympathetic understanding and humane commiseration at the sight of man incessant struggle for existence. They consistently remind us of our heritage instilling in us a sense of the value of those historical ruins while motivating us to preserve that precious heritage.
Having begun life as a commercial artist, he climbed up the career ladder to become an Art Director in an Advertising Agency. But he eventually gave up the job so that he would be able to commit himself totally to creative art. Watercolour is the chosen medium for his dedicated service. He has already displayed an astounding mastery over the medium.
You are invited to visit this gallery and absorb a pleasurable experience in exchange of a few moments of your precious time. Address: Palitha Gunasinghe, 439/1G1, Neduna, Ganemulla, Sri Lanka, tele: 0094-1-0332260139, e-mail: palitha60139@yahoo.com
Exhibitions Held: 1998 - 1st solo at Alliance Francaise de Colombo
2000 - 2nd solo at Alliance Francaise de Kandy
2001 - Paintings Exhibition at Kandalama Hotel, Dambulla
2002 - 3rd solo at Alliance Francaise de Colombo
2003 - 4th solo at Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo
· Awards won at the all island competitions:
1989 – State literary Festival all island stamp competition
1991 - Sri Lanka Anti Narcotics Association Poster
1992 - Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation, Blood Donation Poster
1992 – National Insurance Corporation 12th Anniversary Poster
1993 – National Institute of Business Management poster(1st & 2nd prizes)
1993 - Prevention of Aids Poster, Red Cross Society
1994 - National Transport Day Poster
1995 - G S Fernando Memorial Award for the best Political Cartoon
1996 - All Island Temperance Youth Organisation poster
1998 – CTC Eagle Insurance Co Ltd poster
1998 - Poster competition organized by Health Education Bureau
1999 – Technology Poster completion organized by Ministry of Science & Tech.
2000 - Dawn of a Millennium – all island stamp competition
2003 - Western Province Ministry of Industries Handicrafts Exhibition(Art) - 2nd Place
2003 - State Award for the Best Watercolour painting
2004 - Best watercolour painting- Lanka Art Society’s 116th Paintings/Scultptures Exhibition
2004 - First Place & two merit certificates – Western Province Handicrafts Exhibition organized
by Western Province Ministry of Industries (exhibited on Oct 30 & 31st & 01st Nov 2004)
2004 - SHILPA 2004 Held at BMICH – Art Section – First Place – Presidential Award
Awards received - International Stamp Designing contests
· Awarded a Merit Prize in International Postage Stamp Design Contest organized by Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications, Japan (over 19,000 designs from Japan & overseas) in 1997
· Awarded as Honorable Mention of World Heritage Series Postage Stamp Design Contest organized by Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications, Japan (over 10,019 entries both from Japan & overseas)
ERIC NII ADDY JNR.
Eric Nii Addy Jnr is an artist with an inborn talent. Born on April 1977 in Ghana West Africa. He is one of the
Nii, as mostly called, means a "chief" in a Ga tribe of Accra, the Capital city.
AND COMING SOON AT GOLDEN TULIP ,ACCRA GHANA IN JUNE 2004.
Enjoy Nii's work. It will provide you with a tangible and unmistakable connection to Africa and Ghana.
Phillip Curtis. Later, Mr. Bendheim
studied art with Joseph Piasentin at Pomona College and with Roland Reese at The
Claremont Graduate School. He has had numerous one-person shows and his works
are in collections world-wide. His commissions include two fountain sculptures
for Frank Lloyd Wright buildings and paintings for some of the finest hotels in
the world. As well as painting, he has made: drawings, prints, collages,
sculpture, illustrations for William Blake’s The Tygre, and has written
numerous articles about art for the British journal The Lancet. Although
his travels have taken him throughout the world, simply working in his studio
everyday has been the greatest adventure. He is married to the set designer,
Sarah Edkins, and they have a daughter, Gemma.