Visual Language Magazine Vol 4 No 4

Visual Language 

contemporary fine art 

• My Bad Boyfriend . Sara Genn 

• All in Vain . Barry Scharf 

• Passion and Gifts . Kathleen Dunphy 

• Leap of Faith . Nancy Medina 

• Wide Eyed . Jasmine Becket-Griffith 

• 36 International Artist Profiles 

VL April 2015 Volume 4 No. 4

VL 

visual language 


VisualLanguageMagazine.com 

Subscribe Free Today. 

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March 2015 Vol 4 No 4 

©GraphicsOneDesign1998-2015

Annie O’Brien Gonzales 

Painter . Writer . Teacher 

Annie O’Brien Gonzales studied painting and art history at Oregon State University. Proficient in 

oil, acrylic, and mixed media, she is a colorist who creates expressive images inspired by nature. 

She has appeared in numerous shows throughout the West and her work is in private collections 

across the country 

VL Cover Artist 

http://www.annieobriengonzales.com/ 

VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 3

Niki Gulley Contempor

ary Impressionist 

VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 5 

NIKIGULLEY.COM

VL 

Visual Language Magazine 


Visual Language Magazine Staff 

Editorial 

Editor -in-Chief Laurie Pace 

Contributing Editor Lisa Neison-Smith 

Consulting Editor Nancy Medina 

Feature Contributor Sara Genn Painter’s Keys 

Feature Writer Dave Justus 

Feature Editor Art Reviews Hall Groat II 

Feature Contributor 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 Magazine Vol 4 No 4 

http://www.strangeling.com/ 

http://www.kathleendunphy.com/

content 

Cover Artist Annie Gonzales 3 

Painter . Writer . Teacher 

Painter’s Keys - Sara Genn 8 

My Bad Boyfriend 

Barry Scharf 16 

All in Vain. 

Of Vanity Galleries and Paid Competitions 

Kathleen Dunphy 28 

Plein Air Painting . Passion and Gifts 

Nancy Medina 48 

Floral Painter 

Leap of Faith 

Jasmine Becket-Griffith 62 

Whimsical 

Wide Eyed 

36 International Artists Profiles 90 

8 Represented Countries 


Painter’s Keys: Letter from Sara Genn 

My Bad Boyfriend 

On last night’s flight from New York, I read 

Amy Poehler’s memoir, “Yes Please. “An 

actress, writer, director and producer, 

Amy describes the distinction between 

that thing you do as an artist and your 

career as one. “Creativity is connected 

to passion -- that light inside that drives 

you.” On the other hand your career, 

writes Amy, is simply a series of opportunities 

and jobs, and should be treated 

with some ambivalence. “Learn to let go 

of wanting it. Treat your career like a bad 

boyfriend.” 

I’m pleased to report that I am the top 

earner of rejection letters amongst my 

peers. My early twenties were spent painting, 

writing impassioned cover letters and 

compiling slide packs for galleries of international 

repute. In theatre, this is called a 

“cold audition.” I had misinterpreted what 

it meant to take responsibility for how my 

brilliant ideas would be shared with the 

world. On top of this, somewhere along 

the line I’d taken on board the idea I had 

some control over the design of it all. 

Instead, something else happened. I call 

it, “Organic Plodding with Joy.” I learned 

that the healthiest relationships are mutual, 

and the best galleries are as equally 

invested in finding you as you are in being 

with them. Amy writes that people don’t 

want to hear about the fifteen years of 

doing small shows while you work hard to 

improve your craft. Add to this that there 

are better ways to stick your neck out 

than dropping your script on a famous 

person’s lap while on the train, or building 

a vision board to hang above your workless 

desk. Cold auditions of any kind most 

often amount to not very much. “Almost 

every job I have ever gotten was due 

to someone knowing my work and seeing 

me in something else,” writes Amy. 

Better just to keep busy while waiting for 

something to happen. 

“It likes it when you don’t depend on it. It will reward you every time 

you don’t act needy. It will chase you when you act like other things 

(passion, friendship, family, longevity) are more important to you. 

If your career is a bad boyfriend, it is healthy to remember you can 

always leave and go sleep with somebody else.” (Amy Poehler) 

8 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

I filed my rejections and went to my 

easel for real. When I emerged some 

years later I found I truly had something 

to love, something to do, and 

somewhere to be. Amy was teaching 

improv at the Upright Citizens 

Brigade and bringing her comedy 

sketches to the table readings at 

her new job at Saturday Night Live. 

I was delivering my paintings to a 

new neighbourhood, the Park Avenue 

moon smiling down on another 

grateful hustler. Some days I even 

had a little walking around money -- 

slip through the hole in my pocket to 

jangle around in the hem of my coat. 

Sincerely, Sara 

Esoterica: Letting go and caring less about that thing you want so badly is a tricky 

feat. Amy sums it up like this: “Care about the work you do but not about the result. 

Care about how good you are, but not how good people think you are. It’s a hard one, 

but organic plodding with joy might just get you where you really want to go. Mix in 

public opinion and past regrets. Add a dash of future panic and a whole lot of financial 

uncertainty. Career is something that fools you into thinking you are in control and 

then takes pleasure in reminding you that you aren’t. Career is the thing that will not 

fill you up and will never make you truly whole.” Creativity, however -- and that light 

inside that drives you -- is the love of your life. 

The Painter’s Keys 

Robert and Sara Genn 

www.clicks.robertgenn.com 


olorado Homes & Lifestyles 

BEST ART GALLERY, 2010 & 2012 

- 5280 

TOP 24 GALLERIES IN THE USA, 2012, 2013 & 

Artwork (l to r): Laurie Justus Pace, ‘The Gathering One’- Original Oil on Canvas, 3 

miradafineart.com 

Svetlana Shalygina, ‘Silhousettes De Versailles’ - Mixed Media on Canvas, 36” x 36” 

Bruce Marion, ‘The Adventure Begins’- Original Acrylic on Canvas, 36” x 48”; Allen

Magazine 

A ‘STYLE-MAKER’ 

- Luxe Magazine 

‘STUNNING’ 

2014 - American Art Awards ‘ART LOVER’S ESCAPE’ - Denver Life 

5490 Parmalee Gulch Rd. 

Indian Hills, CO 80454 

(only minutes from Denver) 

www.miradafineart.com 

303-697-9006 

info@miradafineart.com 

2” x 48”; Larisa Aukon, ‘Continental Divide’ - Original Oil on Panel 24” x 36”; 

; Dominique Samyn, ‘Sage’- Acryilc & Venetian Plaster on Panel, 40” x 32”; 

Wynn, ‘Joy Ride’ - Mixed Media Sculpture, 26” x 32” x 9”

Jonelle T. McCoy 

“Splish Splashed my Paint” 18” x 24” Gallery Wrap 

Playful free flowing textural lines, dots and splotches help create a 

fun and whimsical dual eye colored pinto paso fino horse portrait. 

jonellemccoy.com

“The Guardian" 

Oil 16" x 20" 

www.caroljosmidt.com 

carol@caroljosmidt.com

Aspen S P A C E S 

Moonlit Sanctuary 48 x 36 (c) Lelija Roy 

Lelija Roy aspenspaces.com aspen.spaces@gmail.com

Sanda Manuila 

sandamanuila.artspan.com 

“Ghost Series, Jessica” Mixed Media, Pastel and Gouache 14 1/4 in x 14in

Barry W. Scharf 

All in Vain 

Of Vanity Galleries and Paid Competitions 

As Artists we all need to have our work 

seen; we need to share our visions with 

others; we need to communicate our 

ideas to see if we can impact change and 

influence the thinking of society. We artists 

need to feel that we are relevant and 

can generate a living from the fruits of 

our labors. We spend resources on our 

education and skills we buy materials and 

paint to support our venture. We spend 

countless years developing our skills to 

improve the meaning and content of our 

artworks. We are honest and kind; we are 

passionate and caring; we are dedicated 

to our artistic life and eager to hear feedback 

and so we are also gullible. 

We want to know that others approve 

of our work and that they would if they 

could support us in our efforts to achieve 

our goals. 

Now it’s time to get the work out there 

so we search for competitions and calls 

to enter. We see that they offer prizes, 

cash awards and if you are chosen to be 

the top picks they will post your work 

in an online website or give you a show 

somewhere. You will get the exposure 

you seek. You could win a prize of cash or 

equipment being offered by their sponsors. 

It looks promising and on the up and 

up. So go ahead and enter. As you read 

the fine print you find the fee to enter, 

you see that each piece can cost somewhere 

between $10 to $50 or more to 

enter. So instead of 6 pieces you choose 

one and cut your chances. Further you 

see that these types of calls for entry 

are open to every artist worldwide and 

the jury is whom? The kicker is that their 

word is final and soon you get the notice 

that you have been rejected but it was a 

close call…better luck next time. 

Recently I was surprised by an email from 

a big-named New York Chelsea gallery (I 

wont say who). It was a personal email. 

They were looking for an artist of my experience 

and caliber and wanted to add 

artwork just like mine to their stable of 

artists. They told me that they discovered 

my paintings through a recommendation 

to view my website, a collector 

recommended me to them (no name mentioned). 

They are currently building their 

2015 show schedule and would I please 

submit a portfolio for review quickly to 

see if I will be accepted into their gallery. 

If I am selected it will come with a promise 

of a show date, the promotion of my 

wall space in a show and to a vast list of 

collectors that my work will be offered 

to these. “Vanity Galleries” use any reason 

to get an artist interested. It is all so 

promising and tempting, artists are flattered 

and so they send in the resume and 

portfolio with the hope that they will be 

chosen. It isn’t long before the reply that 

we, us, our work is exactly what they are 

looking for. Our work is superb and colorful 

adjectives’ abound and we are thrilled 

by all the flowery words and floating on 

cloud 9. 

http://barrywscharf.squarespace.com/ 


Cactus Creek

Barry W. Scharf 

All in Vain 

Albeit there is a catch… “The bait is taken”, 

you are on the hook and being reeled 

in. At this point it is revealed that there 

is price for this representation which includes 

an up front payment in the thousands 

of dollars for curatorial representation. 

In addition you will be responsible for 

all cost of crating, insuring and shipping 

your work to and from the gallery. Now if 

you live far away (but of course you do 

that’s why you were selected) this can be 

a considerable cost and an investment of 

this magnitude could break most artists 

struggling to get by. 

Is it a scam? Yes and no. There is a remote 

chance that they could sell something; in 

addition you can add a prestigious show 

name in New York to your resume, and 

you can say you belong to a real gallery. 

However, it is more likely and doubtful 

that you will see any return on your investment 

beyond vanity kudos. The let 

down after all the expense, effort and 

wasted energy, can be overwhelming. 

Now not all galleries or competitions fall 

into the category of predator. There are 

many that are good and mean well. I felt a 

need to write this article because artists 

need to be on the lookout not so trusting 

of every promise. We need to ask questions 

about intentions; we need to evaluate 

cost verses outcome. If we do we 

can avoid the web that draws on ego and 

vanity. Just be careful out there. 

Receiving 

http://barrywscharf.squarespace.com/ 



Annie O’Brien Gonzales 

CONTEMPORARY EXPRESSIONIST PAINTINGS 

annieobriengonzales.com 

Red Sky Studios 

1519 Upper Canyon Road #9 

Santa Fe 

New Mexico, 87501-6135

Roses Bloom 

Bouquet and VIolets 

Ivory Tulips 

Daffadils and Mandarins 

Pink Peach Roses and Green Spots 

Annie O’Brien Gonzales

Shirley Anderson 

Painting Landscapes and Florals in Pastel 

Forgotten Bridge 

shirleyandersonart.com

Colorful. Sensitive. Bold. 

Willow 

shirleyandersonart.com 

filomenabooth.com

Corey 

Watson 

facebook.com/coreywatson.art 

coreywatson.art@gmail.com 

phone: 209-352-7943

Kit Hevron Mahoney 

Brushstrokes Studio Gallery LLP 

River’s Bend 68 x 44 

www.kithevronmahoney.com 

www.kithevronmahoney.blogspot.com 

phone: 303-871-0800

BAUER 

Logan Bauer 

Landscapes, Life Drawings, Still Life, Figurative Portraits 

Logan Bauer spent much of his elementary and secondary school years overseas. He took his first 

painting class in London, England, at the age of 13 years old. Upon his return to Arizona, he continued 

to take art classes at Phoenix College, and it was not until recently that painting stopped 

being a part time endeavor or hobby, but became a full time commitment. 

He presently paints out of his studio located in Northern Arizona near Prescott. 

LoganBauer.com

Pastel, Landscape and Figurative Paintings 

RichardLevine.net 

artisanrichard@gmail.com 

The Northeast Corridor 

Pastel 

Davis & CO Art Gallery . Houston 

Richard Levine

Plein Air 

Kathleen Dunphy 

Passion and Gifts 

Kathleen Dunphy’s rapid success in the 

competitive art world was predicted when 

American Artist Magazine recognized her 

as one of the Top Ten Emerging Artists in 

1998, just 2 years after she had closed 

her floral design business to devote herself 

full-time to painting. She is one of 

those rare people who has true passion, 

dedication, and a gift for transposing nature’s 

beauty to canvas. 

Kathleen’s early art education included 

workshops by Kevin MacPherson and Dan 

Gerhartz. In 2000, Kathleen was awarded 

a full scholarship at the renown Academy 

of Art University in San Francisco. She 

maintains strong ties to the Academy, 

where she has been offered a faculty appointment 

and participates in the annual 

Alumni Auction. Further study with Scott 

Christensen and T. Allen Lawson helped 

hone her skills and refine her own unique 

style of painting. 

In 2003, Kathleen designed and built her 

own studio in the Sierra Nevada foothills 

of Northern California, where the pristine 

setting of her new home provides endless 

inspiration for her work. Kathleen’s 

landscape paintings can now be found in 

galleries from coast to coast. Her honors 

are considerable and include important 

juried shows in California, Texas, Georgia, 

Arizona, and Maine; Best of Show from 

the American Impressionist Society; an 

Award of Excellence from the Oil Painters 

of America; ten California Art Club Gold 

Medal Shows; eight magazine articles including 

being featured in Southwest Art’s 

plein air issues in 2009 and 2013; the 

Federal Duck Stamp Competition; Birds 

in Art; Arts for the Parks; Grand Prize at 

the Acadia Invitational Exhibition in Bar 

Harbor, Maine; and many others. In 2014, 

Kathleen’s painting “The Flotilla” was 

purchased by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson 

Art Museum for inclusion in their permanent 

collection. Kathleen has attained 

signature status with the Oil Painters 

of America, the American Impressionist 

Society, Laguna Plein Air Painters, the 

American Society of Marine Artists and 

Artists for Conservation. Her highest 

honor to date came in 2013 when she 

was elected to join the prestigious Plein 

Air Painters of America as one of only 35 

Signature Members. In a short period of 

time, she has earned an impressive and 

growing reputation with galleries, private 

collectors, and art magazines across the 

United States. 

In the spirit of passing on the gifts of her 

artistic abilities, Kathleen began teaching 

in 2005 and is a much sought-after 

workshop instructor. Her engaging style 

of teaching and one-on-one instruction 

garners high accolades from her student 

artists. 

http://www.kathleendunphy.com/ 


http://www.kathleendunphy.com/

Plein Air 


A Private Conversation 

Azure 



Compadres 

Dawning 



Plein Air 


Deep in December 



The Flotilla 



Plein Air 


Lawn Mowers 



Neap Tide 

San Pasqual Valley Overlook 



discover art . inspire collectors 

engage discussion . celebrate life 

Rainer Andreesen 

DAVIS&CO f i n e a r t g a l l e r y 

Home is where the art is. 

dandcgallery.com

dandcgallery.com 

dandcgallery.com

TRAVERS 

Valerie Travers 

Seascapes, Landscapes, Abstract and Floral 

”Splendour” - Oil on Canvas 40 x 30 inches

“Gone but not Forgotten” - Oil on Canvas 30 x 20 inches 

“Heavenly Feelings” - Oil on Canvas 30 x 20 inches

COONTS 

Bob Coonts 

Prancer 

Sugar 

www.bobcoonts.com

“Prancer II”, 36”x60”, Acryllic on Canvas 

Tetons 

www.bobcoonts.com

Title: March Morning, Horseshoe Bay, Southampton, Bermuda 

Size: 30x36” 

Medium: Oil on Linen

John Whitton Bria 

JohnBria.com

Laurie Justus Pace

The Power of Three 

The Spirit of the Paint 

Viewing a Laurie Pace painting is a rich experience 

that drips with color and emotion. Her 

passionate works are alive with movement, 

boldly created with a wide brush and a palette 

knife. She loves working with oils, dramatically 

carving out the paint and transferring 

her energy to the canvas and ultimately 

on to the viewer. 

LauriePace.com 

The Power of Three 30 x 40 Oil on Canvas 

Mirada Fine Art . Denver 

The La Jolla Gallery . La Jolla 

Davis & CO . Houston 

Dutch Art Gallery . Dallas 

Rare Gallery . Jackson Hole 

Texas Trails . Nocona 

Robert Kelly Gallery . Park City

Eric Bodtker 

Les Alpilles and Olive Trees in Saint Remy de Provence 

ericbodtker.com

Vickie REES 

Mint Milk Shake 24 x 12 

Visit my website. 

vlrees.com 

TippingPaintGallery.com

Flowers 

Nancy Medina 

Leap of Faith 

I suspect when we are truly artists, there is really 

no escape from the destiny of making art and 

creating. When I was young and flitting about the 

country trying on different careers, the one thing 

that never changed was a constant need to create. 

I remember quite clearly the day I was deciding 

on a major for College and my parents told me 

not to choose art because I would starve. And so 

I became a journalist. (This is the part of the story 

where all the underpaid journalists in the room 

laugh). 

My parents were speaking out of fear and out of 

a desire to protect me from the big bad world out 

there, but in reality being an artist is a calling, and 

I could only ignore the calling for so long. One 

year ago, at the age of 51, I gave up my job as the 

director of a national magazine to paint and teach 

full time. My boss’ jaw dropped when I told him I 

was leaving this cherry position with its six-figure 

salary and nice office. I would caution, however, I 

didn’t leap off the corporate cliff with no preparation 

into some blissful artistic abyss. I was strategic 

and careful and I slowly but surely built my art 

business over time, balancing two careers until I 

felt fairly certain I could pay the light bill with my 

art. I would get home from work at 5:30 pm, take 

care of the pugs, clean house, and be in the studio 

by 6:30 pm each evening. I would paint until 

midnight and be at work the next day at 7:30 am 

sharp. I did this every day for over 7 years. 

And now, at the end of my first year as a full-time 

artist, I have more than doubled my old salary in 

corporate America. How was this possible? When 

you do what you love, you succeed. 

I wake up each morning and I am filled with happiness. 

Now that I set my own hours, choose my 

own places to teach, decide each morning what I 

want to paint, and basically control my own destiny, 

I understand more clearly the concept of “freedom 

to create.” I can write an article for a magazine 

at 11 pm at night, and not worry about the 

board of director’s meeting at 8 am the next morning, 

for example. My coworkers have four feet and 

leave squeaky toys around the studio. My boss 

tosses a ball at my leg and barks at me when it’s 

time to take a break. I have conference calls with 

videographers and website gurus in my business 

casual bathrobe. Most importantly, I control my 

own success. Strangely, I work more hours now 

than I did when I had two jobs. I work 7 days a 

week, every day and every night. But I love every 

minute of my life. 

http://www.nancymedina.com/ 


Through the Gate Bougainvillea Path 16X12 



Flowers 

Nancy Medina 

An important factor in my motivation to be a successful artist was not to make money, but to 

create. When you open yourself up to the creative force, your artistic calling, that thing out 

there that is much bigger than us all, you eliminate the toxic barriers and distractions between 

yourself and your muse. 

Now, I find myself trying to rehabilitate friends who are unhappy in their careers, by telling 

them to launch their own cottage industry. If you have a hobby, a skill, or something you really 

enjoy doing, I say, find a way to make a side business out of it. Build your business over time. 

If you work very hard, if you are very passionate about it, if you enjoy what you are doing, 

growth and success is inevitable. How do you know when it’s time to take the leap? Life is so 

very short. Don’t give control to someone else; you have the power to paint your own destiny. 

Garden Remnants Geraniums and Pansies 14X14 



“I am pursuing a dream. 

The return on investment is joy.” 

Circle of Friends Tulips 



Flowers 

Nancy Medina 

Life’s a Breeze Peonies 14X14 



A Brush With Summer - Sunflowers 16X20 



Flowers 

Nancy Medina 

Poppy Tango 



Fall Sunday Sunflowers 20 x 16 



Flowers 

Nancy Medina 

Nancy Medina is a master signature artist and instructor 

for the Dallas Arboretum who teaches floral and landscape 

painting across the US, and in France and Italy. Her paintings 

are collected around the world. You can learn more 

about her at www.nancymedina.com 





“Phalaenopsis” Pastel 

Richard Levine 

Pastel Painter Landscape and Figurative 

www.richardlevine.net 

email: artisanrichard@gmail.com 

Davis & CO Fine Art 

dandcgallery.com

Mark Yearwood 

Fire and Rain 48’’x36’’ Mixed Media on Canvas 

MarkYearwood.com 

Select Prints available at Nuvango.com/markyearwood

Barbara Haviland 

Wildflowers 

Barb’s Garden Art 

https://barbara-haviland-art.squarespace.com/ 

www.BarbaraHavilandFineArt.com

Laura Reed 

Horizons 

laurareed.artspan.com 

April 7 – May 4 

The Gallery at Plymouth Harbor on Sarasota Bay 

Reception April 7, 4:30 til 6:00 pm.

Whimsical 

Jasmine Becket-Griffith 

Wide Eyed 

Jasmine Becket-Griffith was born in Kansas City, 

Missouri in 1979. The oldest of three daughters, 

she spent a lot of her childhood reading, drawing 

& painting, and playing with her two sisters. She 

always had a bit of an overactive imagination, 

which no doubt led to her further development as 

a fantasy artist. 

Jasmine’s favourite artwork early in life mostly 

consisted of book illustrations and animation 

(she’s always been a big Disney fan!). Jasmine’s 

own large eyes and round face often worked their 

way into her many drawings - she has always 

been one to focus on self-portraits. She was also 

drawn to the “big eyed” mass-marketed prints of 

children and “pity kitties” by Keane and Gig that 

were advertised in the back of the old comic books 

she read (there were boxes of old 1960s comics 

in the attic). Jasmine’s father introduced her to 

the surreal worlds of Salvador Dali and HR Giger, 

which probably helped form the “darker side” in 

some of her work. In addition he showed her the 

book “Gnomes” by Wil Huygen and Rien Poortvliet 

and of course “Faeries” by Brian Froud and Alan 

Lee - both of which helped spur an early interest 

in the faery folk and the artwork inspired by them. 

Jasmine began her “professional” career at the 

age of 5 years old, going door-to-door to sell her 

drawings and paintings. 

Three Little Birds 





Whimsical 


Alice and Snow White 



As her style developed, Jasmine began reading 

more fantasy books - anything she could get her 

hands on at the public library - notably the “Dragonlance” 

series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. 

At age 12 she received the book “The Art of 

the Dragonlance Saga” as a gift and thus began 

her interest in contemporary fantasy artwork. Inspired 

by the magical paintings of Larry Elmore 

and Keith Parkinson, she began to consider the 

world of fantasy art as a potential career. 

At age 13 Jasmine won a bunch of money from 

the National Spelling Bee. The vast majority of 

the money was spent on art supplies, as it was at 

that time she began taking her artwork “seriously.” 

Of course in 8th grade that mostly meant buying 

Bob Ross instructional videos. After teaching herself 

the basics of paint handling and realism she 

began incorporating her more “cartoon like” characters 

into her paintings. Her style was further refined 

- a blend of realism and wide-eyed wonder, 

usually featuring the big-eyed characters inspired 

by her own self-portraits. 

As time wore on, Jasmine doodled and painted 

her way through high school and finally finished 

up with that nonsense. In 1997 at the age of 17 

she met her future husband Matt Becket on the 

internet and wowed him with her sketchbooks. 

Or something like that. Matt gave her the nickname 

Strangeling (a combination of “strange” and 

“changeling”) and being the dotcom decade, she 

registered the website www.strangeling.com to 

showcase her artwork. She dipped her toes into 

the professional artworld at age 18 with some online 

sales and galleries. As time wore on she began 

gaining more and more of an internet fanbase 

through her original paintings and commissioned 

works, and by the age of 22 she was able to “quit 

her day job” and support herself fully with her artwork. 

Her name and recognition spread as she 

continued painting non-stop - books were published, 

contracts were signed, hundreds of products 

were licensed, and shortly after her husband 

Matt was able to devote himself to Jasmine’s career 

full-time as her personal assistant while pursuing 

his own writing career. 

As the Jasmine Becket-Griffith brand has grown 

into a multi-million dollar annual industry, the 

company has also expanded to half a dozen employees 

(Jasmine’s two sisters, brother-in-law, 

sister-in-law, mohter, step-sister) who handle the 

production, printing, packaging & shipping of Jasmine’s 

prints and original paintings sold through 

the Strangeling.com website. The team also helps 

set up conventions & art fairs (including Jasmine’s 

personal appearances at conventions such as 

Dragon*Con, MegaCon and FaerieCon), processing 

internet orders, and taking care of the computer 

aspects of the business, leaving Jasmine with 

more time to paint. 



Whimsical 


Bosch Circus 

Right Page: Portrait of Ophelia 





Whimsical 


Jasmine very happy to be able to support herself 

painting what she loves. She paints typically 

between 8-16 hours per day, only breaking for 

travel or personal appearances. She lives in the 

Disney-created city of Celebration, Florida (near 

her primary gallery - Pop Gallery at Downtown 

Disney), and also divides her time between her 

secondary home studios in London, England and 

in her hometown of Kansas City. She has three 

cats, Mama Wolf, Tigrillo, and Sunshine. When 

not painting she enjoys traveling, spending time in 

nature, reading and vegetarian cooking. 

Jasmine’s artwork appears in countless books (her 

books “Gothic Art Now” and “Vampire Art Now,” 

“The World of Faery” with Alan Lee, ‘The Art of 

Faery” with Brian Froud, “Big Eye Art,” “The Fantasy 

Art Bible,” “The Oracle of the Shapeshifters, 

“The Oracle of Shadows and Light”, “Les Vampires 

Oracle,” “Myths and Mermaids Oracle,” “Beautiful 

Creatures Tarot,” “Lowbrow Art,” “Lowbrow Cats,” 

regular issues of the annual “Spectrum,” and Art 

Renewal’s annual ARC Salons, as well as her 

solo art books including “Fairy: the Art of Jasmine 

Becket-Griffith,” “Jasmine Becket-Griffith: Portfolio 

Volume I,” “Portfolio Volume II,” “Portfolio 

Volume III,” and the new “Strangeling: The Art 

of Jasmine Becket-Griffith”, TV shows & movies, 

lines of licensed merchandise products, and very 

notably her co-brands and character contract work 

with the Walt Disney Company. Jasmine’s internet 

and social media presence is one of the highest 

status online of any living artist, with millions of 

internet hits and a Facebook fanpage exceeding 

800,000 fans. 

Jasmine’s paintings are all created the traditional 

way - hand painted acrylic paintings on wood or 

masonite panels. No computers, no airbrushes, 

no digital enhancements. Jasmine’s work weaves 

traditional “Old Masters” style techniques and realistic 

detail with contemporary themes and characters, 

creating a timeless feel that appeals to all 

ages. Her original paintings and fine art can be 

found at the WonderGround Gallery at Disneyland 

in Anaheim, the Pop Gallery at Walt Disney World 

in Florida, and the Disney Marketplace Co-Op at 

Downtown Disney in Florida. 


Right Page: Darling Dragonling 




Roseanne Snyder 

Lavender Sky 

roseannesnyder.blogspot.com

“Yellow and Blue” 

Suzy Pal Powell 

suzypal.blogspot.com 

Bluecanvas.com/suzypal

Phyllis DeQuevedo 

“A Work in Progress” 

Katie 

JP Foucart

mantikstudio.com 

Joy Shared

Nancy Medina 

Painting Under the Tuscan Sun 

A Painting Dream Getaway 

During the Peak of Poppy Bloom Season 

June 6-13, 2015 

Tuscany, Italy 

www.nancymedina.com

“Celebrating the stories and legends of Texas and 

the Great Southwest through original art, prints and books.”

601 E Hwy. 82 - Nocona, Texas 76255 . 940-825-7226 

www.TexasTrailArtGallery.com . Facebook: Texas Trails Art Gallery 

Tuesday through Saturday 10 to 6 . Sunday 1 to 5 . Closed Mondays.

Lisa McKinney 

Had I Known 


Lisa-McKinney.com 

lisamckinneyartprints.com 


PROFILES 

36 

INTERNATIONAL 

ARTISTS 

f r o m 8 c ou n t r i e s 


01 

Yelena Dyumin 

13 

Andrew Baird 

25 

Anton Zhou 

Australia 

United States of America 


02 

Slav Krivoshiev 

14 

Kimberly Conrad 

26 

Clayton Gardinier 

Bulgaria 



03 

Brian Croft 

15 

Isabelle Gautier 

27 

David Blow 

Canada 



04 

Angela Hardy 

16 

Jeanne Illenye 

28 

Debbie Grayson Lincoln 

Canada 



05 

Michal Askhenasi 

17 

Diane Whitehead 

29 

Denise Bossarte 

Israel 



06 

Alejandro Castanon 

18 

Elaine Vileria 

30 

Deran Wright 

Mexico 



07 

Aixa Oliveras 

19 


31 

Felicia Marshall 

Puerto Rico 



08 


20 

Tigran Tsitoghdzya 

32 

Ray Maines 

United Kingdom 



09 

Vincent Wray 

21 

Mark Yearwood 

33 

Barry Scharf 




10 

Gerald Barnes 

22 

Lisa McKinney 

34 

Mary Jo Zorad 




11 

JoAnn Peralta 

23 

Robert Huckestein 

35 

Roberta McGowan 




12 

Morgan Weistling 

24 

Anthony A. Gonzalez 

36 

Laurie Pace 





01 

Australia 

Yelena Dyumin 

Paper Pigeons 

Art is, by its nature, a reflection of the way we think and feel. My paintings express my 

thoughts and emotion blended with an interpretation of our physical world. Vibrant colors 

and a strong design sense co-exist with humor and compassion to create varied pieces 

with a universal and timeless appeal. I’m most passionate about painting and drawing 

and have been involved with the two since childhood. I’ve always loved the experience 

of losing myself in thought and diving into the world of art and imagination. This creative 

introspection allows me to produce art that is not only beautiful, but one-of-a-kind. I’ve 

been told again and again that this uncanny ability to illustrate the exceptional beauty of 

everyday life is what makes my artwork lovable. 

dyuminart.com 


Bulgaria 02 

Slav Krivoshiev 

Who Stole the Fairy Tales 

Style: mythological constructivism. I define art that is created as a social myth. Constructive 

basis is the mythological story, a fragment or a reference to certain mythological hero, 

passage or detail, but considered in the problems of the modern social environment, resulting 

in a new mythological experience, a new reflection, the result of a new social environment, 

where a person lives, seeking and developing. Or the environment in which 

man is obliged to live, according to the circumstances, are obviously controlled social 

power but he often monitor and control them (the circumstances). Psycho-social myth of 

modern man. Art which has claim does not give the answer, and asks precise questions to 

the problems of modern life. 

slavkk.in.gallerix.ru/ 


03 

Canada 

Angela Hardy 

Metamorphosis 

angelahardyart.com 

Angela Hardy’s portrait and figurative paintings have been widely published, graced covers 

and featured articles of many international magazines and can be found in collections 

in both North America and Europe by Prestigious Collectors such as Howard Tullman, Internationally 

Famed photographer, Dr Andy Gotts MBE MA FBIPP and Canadian Collector, 

Bob Buckingham. “Angela Hardy’s work is simply breathtaking. It oozes depth and feeling 

and gets under the skin of her subjects. Each brush stroke adds another layer of passion 

and feeling from this amazing artist and I am proud to have her work in my collection.” Says 

photographer Dr .Andy Gotts. Bob Buckingham, Lawyer, collector: “Angela’s pieces, whether 

they be a soft, sensuous still life or bold portraits of her avant-garde friends all reflect 

the magnificent colors she was infused with as a child raised under the aurora borealis of 

Labrador.” 


Canada 

04 

Brian Croft 

Theatre Row, Granville - 1962 

Brian Croft is a former fighter pilot with the Canadian Forces. Today he is a widely recognized 

artist whose work emanates from the beautiful locales surrounding Vancouver, 

British Columbia, Canada. He has introduced a historical and heritage perspective into 

his work and this has become the focal element and trademark of his various collections. 

Brian’s major works are now rendered on canvas and his meticulous research and paint 

process continues to produce highly detailed and evocative paintings of our past. He 

resides in Langley, B.C. and has created over 380 works. 

briancroft.com 


05 

Isarel 

Michal Askhenasi 

Metamorphosis 

Michal Ashkenasi was born in the Netherlands and immigrated to Israel after World War 

II. She graduated from her art studies at Haifa University in 1983 and worked for several 

years with different artists. Ashkenasi moved to the Artist Colony in Sefad, Israel in 1990 

and became a member. She is a member of the Israeli Association of Painters and Sculptors 

since 1987. From 1987 she did one-man shows almost every year in Israel and Europe, and 

participated in groups exhibitions as well. Many private art lovers all over the world have 

purchased her works. She currently works at her home in the center of Israel and was accepted 

to the “Salon Des Artistes Francais 2003” for the juried International Show in Paris, 

France, where she received the Medaille de Bronze 2003 for her work and was awarded the 

Grande Medaille d’Or in the juried International Art Festival 2004 in Cannes , France. 

michalsart.com 


Mexico 06 


Magnificent 

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 

secret to acheiving such an incredible pace of success: “I don’t stop dreaming even when 

I’m awake, every event is an opportunity and every obstacle a new door waiting for me 

to walk through it. Attitude is everything and there is no such thing as a prayer answered 

without hard work”. 

alejandrocastanon.com 


07 

Puerto Rico 

Aixa Oliveras 

Ascension 

Aixa Oliveras is a Puerto Rican artist who has participated in several group exhibitions in 

venues such as Foro Galería, Galería Peroni and OBRA Galería Alegría. Also, one of her 

paintings is included in the Reyes-Veray Collection. Born in Bayamόn, Puerto Rico, Aixa 

graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Escuela de Artes Plásticas in 2007. She has studied 

traditional drawing and painting techniques in a scholarship program with the artists Luis 

Borrero and Amber Lia-Kloppel. She lives and works in Old San Juan, PR. ”My paintings 

center on the space between the conscious and unconscious self. I juxtapose the human 

figure (conveyed in a figurative, realist style) against a dreamlike narrative, which in turn 

conveys a sense of unreality, mystery and displacement. Through my paintings I endeavor 

to express the idea of the extraordinary amidst what may seem ordinary.” 

aixaoliveras.com 


United Kingdom 08 


Romance 

Painting is a massive part of my life and I work in the studio for several hours each day 

if possible. Surrounded by sea it is natural to be touched by such changing beauty and 

this I aim to capture in my work. Seascapes and skies have moved me for as long as I 

can remember, forever changing, and always inspirational. Sometimes soft, gentle and 

almost childlike. Other times fierce, strong and dramatic. “I love the creative process from 

beginning to end, seeing a creation emerge and grow often with quite surprising results. I 

try not to be too rigid in my approach and let the creative juices flow and develop. I paint 

what gives me pleasure, pure and simple but at the same time it makes me happy when 

I know that what I create is also giving pleasure to others. It is impossible for one’s work 

to be liked by everyone, we all have preferences, so I tend to follow my instincts and paint 

what comes naturally. 

valerietravers.com 


09 


Vincent Wray 

Bunny Boom 

My Art, my passion. Acrylic on wood panel with stair varnish (oil based) and flame. 

The stair varnish was a gift from someone who saw a guy wondering around the neighborhood 

trying to sell it. The varnish burns really well once dry. I tried burning it whilst still wet 

and nearly burned the house down. The varnish allows the heat to effect the layers of paint 

below before liquefying. I still have a lot to learn about the process but it is a lot of fun, as 

long as you don’t touch the panel while it’s hot. I have done it so many times with blistered 

fingers as the result. 

facebook.com/theartofvincentjwray 


United States of America 10 

Gerald Barnes 

Steadfast 30” x 48” x 1.5” Canvas 

Numbers Series No. 34 

Like many artists, my career was interrupted by the realities of having to make a living. 

Now that I am retired, I have finally come back to making art and moving in quite a new direction. 

My past work consisted mainly of acrylic narrative paintings on artboard and canvas 

30”X40” while my current work is in mixed media on wood panels and wooden forms. 

geraldbarnes.artspan.com 


11 


JoAnn Peralta 

Girl with Flowers 

JoAnn Peralta, as a very young girl, was inspired by paintings that sparked her creative inner 

spirit. Peralta found Vincent Van Gogh paintings affected her in such a deeply aesthetic 

way that she began to pursue oil painting and drawing on her own. “There was never anyone 

really encouraging me to do this. I just knew I had to do it.” Peralta adds, “As a teenager 

I would hang out at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena and take in the beautiful fine 

art while studying my favorite pieces”. Peralta didn’t receive artistic training until her early 

20’s when she received a full-scholarship to Art Center College of Design, in Pasadena, California, 

which she attended for four years as an illustration/fine arts major. 

jperalta.com 



Morgan Weistling 

Steadfast 30” x 48” x 1.5” Canvas 

The Vineyard Girl 

After being art-directed for years, Morgan Weistling decided to paint for himself. He took 

time out to produce a painting of two children and brought it to Scottsdale Arizona on 

the advice of long time friend, Julio Pro . The first gallery he walked into signed him on 

the spot, Trailside Galleries. Co-owner Maryvonne Leshe was quick to spot new talent. 

She was soon proven right. “He would send his paintings to us un-framed and before we 

could get them hung, they would be sold,” quips Maryvonne. Soon a “draw” system for 

Weistling’s paintings became necessary. His first one-man show had 26 paintings and all 

were sold opening night. Since then, Morgan has had five more one-man shows and they 

sold -out opening night as well. Also interested in depicting his Christian faith, Morgan 

has portrayed the life of Christ in many of his paintings. Those images can be found in the 

best selling book, The Image of Christ, with paintings and text by Morgan. 

morganweistling.com 


13 


Andy Baird 

Scarlett 

Andy Baird’s large drip-painted portraits are especially entertaining because of their dynamic 

palette and controlled use of color values, pulling together a subject that is startlingly 

recognizable. 

Says Baird: “Each time I visit the painting, I drip paint either to lose the image or strengthen 

it. I build layers of color until I see in the painting that perfect quality that I’m looking for. 

The process is intriguing to me, especially when each painting takes on a life of its own, and 

the end result surprises and fascinates me.” 

Bairdstudios.com 




A Song from the Gulf Gull 

“Art and music are to my soul, as food and water are to my body. I believe that they are 

two of God’s most precious gifts to His children. As the author and giver of creativity, 

through these gifts, He has given us a portion of Himself. He created the very first canvas, 

magnificently painted it, and brought it to life.” I am a full-time artist, dividing my time 

between painting and teaching in my Colorado studio. Having painted on most every 

surface imaginable, at this time I work primarily on canvas, board, and paper. Though my 

style remains quite diverse, I believe I have the heart of an Abstract Expressionist, or even 

more accurately, an Action Expressionist, as I am most definitely an “action painter”. My 

preferred application, used in my landscape, seascapes and aspens is to “pour” my paint, 

manipulating the flow with water and body movement.” 

kimberlyconradfineart.com 


15 


Isbelle Gautier 

Before the Snow 

Isabelle Gautier was born and grew up in Normandy, just a few miles from The Mont Saint 

Michel in north-western France. Her early artistic development was inspired by a love of 

nature, color and design. Her extensive travels across all continents have left a lasting impression 

on her oeuvre, making her artwork both personal and universal. Influenced by the 

French impressionist artists of the 19th century, Gautier also has a strong passion for 20th 

century expressionist painters as well. Represented by Muse and Co in Atlanta, she was 

selected by HGTV as the main artist for their Smart Home in 2013. In 1991 she attended 

l’Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, but is mostly self-taught. Working as a professional artist over 

the past twenty years, she has paused long enough to raise her children. Isabelle Gautier 

moved to Atlanta in 1999 with her husband and two sons where she lives and works today. 

Isaabellegautiersart.com 



Jeanne Illenye 

Blossoms with Bluebirds 

Jeanne has begun to periodically lighten her palette and occasionally alter the perspective 

on her subjects, yet always relying on her classical roots such as employing the Hogarth 

Curve in varying forms within her compositions, sensitivity to light and shadow, a base 

of earth tones applied in thin glazes, to ultimately produce larger, fresher paintings. It is in 

these newest works where simplification of format and intensification of focus continue 

to reveal lighter, more emphatic paintings that simultaneously retain a delicacy of touch 

and sensitivity of spirit for which Jeanne is recognized. Perennial inspiration from her 

bountiful gardens, a reverence for nature and an acute awareness of the effects of time 

upon her subjects are what identify Jeanne Illenye’s work as both endearing and enduring 

as she captures nature’s transient beauty. 

jeanneillenye.com 


17 


Diane Whitehead 

Moose 

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. 

I am drawn to the natural beauty and coloring of an animal and am aware of how it must 

adapt to it’s surroundings, to become invisible to the hunter, visible to the same species 

to mate, and powerful enough to scare off predators. The bold color I see is like an animal 

aura, with such energy and emotion, it is difficult for me to ever tone down my color palette. 

dianewhitehead.com 



Elaine Vileria 

Celestial Reincarnation 

Elaine received her Masters Degree from Nazareth College of Rochester, NY. She has been 

an art teacher for students from pre-K, through high school, as well as adult instruction. 

She has coordinated and curated numerous art exhibitions. After facing breast cancer in 

1996, she coordinated three art shows for cancer survivors. 

Her artwork has been exhibited throughout the United States, as well as in France, and 

has been published in “Quilting Today Magazine”. She has also written and illustrated a 

children’s book, “The Legend of Old Mr. Clarke”. 

eleainvileria.artspan.com 


19 



Whoopi 

New York and all my travels provided a life so far from where I came from and full of inspiration 

and adventure. My modeling career was going very well working for the top designers 

such as Armani, Valentino, Zegna and Gucci. I ended up with a contract with Saks 5th ave 

in New York while working for J.Crew, LL. Bean and Eddie Bauer and many other catalog 

companies. Eventually I found myself missing the actual painting of portraits, although I 

kept a sketch book throughout my travels, nothing was as satisfying as painting for me. 

After six years in New York, I took a break from modeling and moved to Los Angeles with 

my partner Victor Garber and concentrated on my paintings of portraiture. With all my adventures 

and inspiration from my travels, the brush became my guide to paint what I had 

built up inside me. 

rainerart.com 



Tigran Tsitoghdzyan 

Mirror Series 

Tigran Tsitoghdzyan was born in 1976 in Yerevan, Armenia. Since he was very young he 

passed his days painting and drawing. He found his universe when he discovered the oil 

paints at the age of 5. Very soon he was noticed by Henrik Iguitian, an art critic, founder 

and director of Modern Art Museum and Children Art Museum in Yerevan. He organized 

Tigran’s first personal exhibition with one hundred works when Tigran was ten years old. 

The exhibition started in Yerevan, and then continued in the cities of Spain and USA. In 

the following years Tigran had numerous exhibitions in Armenia, Russia, West Europe and 

United States. He was awarded by different governmental organizations and foundations 

in Armenia and Russia. Hundreds of articles were written, interviews and 2 documentaries 

were made. His paintings were included in the catalogues of the modern Armenian artists. 

ttigran.com 


21 


Mark Yearwood 

Infusion 

Yearwood’s fine art is all about line and form, a little geometry, architectural aspects, and 

organic design. He has been influenced along the way by Native American art and culture, 

the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, and the quality of the work of contemporary Santa 

Fe artists. Previously the artist always had to suit his sign and graphic design customers 

and abide by the images they had in mind. Now he wants to work for himself, following his 

own inspiration in its purest form. What is inside is being released in the abstract form; it is 

not representational, allowing for a co-creation of meaning between artist and viewer. His 

goals: to make better and better art, to explore, to evolve, not to be stale nor easily pigeonholed. 

Yearwood is currently known for the interesting texture of his work, one piece even 

containing parts of a salvaged Cello. 

markyearwood.com 



Lisa McKinney 

Morning Dew 

Lisa McKinney is the daughter of an internationally collected wildlife and western painter 

and a renowned biotech director. The mix of the creative and the logical always felt like a 

pull of two very conflicted worlds. As a child, Lisa found the quiet solitude of creating art 

was a welcome reprieve from a rambunctious house with three brothers. Lisa’s drawings 

and paintings were chosen each year to be displayed in the elementary school art shows 

at the local opera house. However, art was soon left behind and replaced by college, 

studying for a career in social work. After a very rewarding time working with troubled 

teens, Lisa realized that the color of creativity was a crucial part of her soul. Searching for a 

path that would lead to the perfect blend of right and left brain culminated in her current 

full time career as a mixed media artist, photographer, and graphic designer. She finds 

her artistic inspiration comes from nature, as well as quiet days spent in her studio in the 

mountains overlooking the rugged, rocky Oregon Coast. 

lisamckinneyartprints.com 


23 


Robert Huckestein 

See and Sew 

I am living my dream as a full-time artist. The paintings and drawings I create are a result 

of all those years spent honing my artistic skills, and studying techniques of past artists, as 

well as contemporary artists of today. My early paintings were experiments of many different 

styles from abstract to photorealism. But, I always returned to drawing and painting in 

a realistic style of which my work is now recognized for. These realistic paintings and drawings 

are of the architecture, and the people of the city and surrounding small towns that 

are distinct of Western Pennsylvania. I also use objects that relate to my life or to things of 

the past that help me to create my still life’s. 

roberthuckestein.com 



Anthony A Gonzalez 

Servant to None 

Anthony takes every opportunity to expand and develop his skills and personal style. He 

draws and paints from life often to continually perfect his skills. He attended The Art Institute 

in Texas and Academia Atrium in Madrid, Spain and taken numerous workshops with 

nationally know artists although much of his technique is self-taught. 

Gonzalez says, “Each women has a uniqueness of her own and with the use of form and 

color my goal is to capture her expression and attitude and convey that to the viewer. 

Their expressions and attitudes present me with endless creative possibilities and this is 

what inspires me to paint.” 

obra-de-gonzalez.com 


25 


Anton Zhou 

House of China 

There are many museums that I have been to, and a lot of them have artworks from famous 

artists such as Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso. Seeing a whole set of their art, especially 

in Europe, inspired me to reach their level of skill, and maybe extend beyond as a young 

impressionist. I didn’t want to be the next Picasso or anything. I just wanted to be me, the 

first member of the Zhou family to reach the ultimate goal - becoming a professional artist. 

antonzhouartwork.com 



Clayton Gardinier 

Abandoned Church . Chappell Hill, Texas 

I am interested in the likenesses we make of ourselves and what it possibly says about us 

as human beings. My work includes abstract, landscape, environmental, black and white 

photography, expressionist, architectural and nature photography. 

claytongardinierphotography.blogspot.com 


27 


David Blow 

Winter Chapel #2 

David Blow is an artist and a photographer from North Texas. He is a Professor, Emeritus, at 

the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. 

David’s photography steps past the given into a realm of story telling and often fantasy. Using 

the basic elements of art and design, his work weaves a story before the viewer’s eyes. 

davidblow.net 



28 

Debbie Lincoln 

White Bull 

I believe that artists possess a talent to soften the heart of a society that seems to be slowing 

losing its soul. I am a very literal painter, but as I paint I always construct stories – not 

only about the painting itself, but also about the type of person who may like it or be attracted 

or touched by it. Art has a way of making people feel not so alone in the universe. 

“Yes! I feel the same way about that subject!” or “I have been in that same place/mood/ 

situation, too!” It’s a way of connecting. 

I simply paint what I love and admire – and in my case, since I am surrounded by farm and 

ranch land, and the people who care for the earth and many of God’s animals, that’s what 

I paint. 

nowornever-debbie.blogspot.com 


29 


Denise Bossarte 

Reflection 

My photography is in the Miksang Contemplative Photography style. Miksang photography 

is a Shambhala Buddhist Contemplative practice that focuses on direct perception of 

the world, without conceptualizations; it is photography that connects the photographer 

with non-conceptual awareness. Often with this type of photography, the photographer 

will be stopped in their tracks by perceptions that completely interrupt the flow of mental 

activity, that freeze them in the moment. The craft is to capture that moment with the camera 

so that people viewing the photographs can then have the same experience. 

With Miksang photography, there is no staging; no altering of the environment, the shot, or 

the images before, during, or after the shot is taken. What you see in these images is what I 

saw at the moment I took the pictures. 

foundworlds.com 



30 

Deran Wright 

Grand Ol Pachyderm 

During a family vacation in New Mexico, my parents ran into a well known western sculptor/painter, 

and asked him to look at my work (the sketchpad was never far away). 

Their question was, should they sign me up for art lessons? His reply was “Certainly not. 

This kid sees 3 dimensionally, you can tell from his drawings, and at this point art lessons 

could only do more harm than good.” 

He gave me a rectangular box, and said, “Here kid. You’ll need this some day.” The box 

contained a strange wooden utensil, and was mostly full of some very mysterious dark 

material. My first sculpture tool and a block of wax. It went under the bed for the next 

7 years. While sitting around on the beach, I decided to make a sand castle. The sand 

was just right, and the castle became a sculpture of a girl. Not a very good one, but good 

enough at the time. From this day forward I live life dimensionally. 

deranwright.com 


31 



Alone 

I am an artist, mom, wife, and teacher. Since 2008, I have undertaken the challenge of being 

a daily painter. I continue to be rewarded by the process. I live in Texas and enjoy being able 

to spend my life surrounded by art. I have always known I was an artist. I was lucky to be 

able to attend a high school that focused on visual arts. There I was introduced to many 

different art materials which included acrylic paint. In college, I had a little bit more freedom 

to choose the materials that I wanted to work with. I found myself naturally drawn to 

the versatility of acrylic paint. I have considered myself a painter ever since. I keep art fresh 

by taking more photographs and pushing myself to make them in a different way or from 

a different perspective. I don’t have any techniques for burnout. I wish I did. I get burnout 

often. It’s mostly about issues concerning time. I get overly ambitious about what I can 

accomplish in the time that I have. 

feliciamarshall.blogspot.com 



Ray Maines 

Tree 

A photographer with a BS degree in Illustrative Photography from Rochester Institute of 

Technology, who studied with fine art instructors such as Minor White, Ralph Hattersley 

and Charles Arnold. My current work is digital format in both black and white and color. 

While most of my work is digital, many film negatives have also been scanned so that 

they might be printed. Images are found where ever travel takes me. My eye tends to see 

images which are abstract or which can be abstracted through the digital process. Fragments 

and details of objects and areas also attract my attention. I am very aware of light 

and try to utilize it to best enhance the effect on the final image. 

All of the finished work is produced in a digital darkroom. The usual photographic techniques 

are applied digitally. In addition, some of the images are further manipulated in 

Photoshop and other software using techniques only available in the digital format. 

t-r-maines.fineartamerica.com 


33 


Barry Scharf 

Receiving 

Along with a lifetime of personal artwork in painting, sculpture and photographic travels, I 

am an instructor at the Art Institute of Seattle. My focus there is teaching the next generation 

of artists digital imaging theory and practice. 

As an artist who is centered in seeing the spiritual within nature, I am moved to express visions 

by both abstract imagery and narrative reality. In this way my work allows the viewer 

to experience feelings as imagery, sound as color, prayer as a composition. 

barryshcarf.squarespace.com 



Mary Jo Zorad 

Mustang 

Mary Jo now lives live in Olympia Washington, a wonderland of nature and landscape 

scenery. She ventures outside daily with her dogs to explore nature just as she did as a 

young child. She continues to find these excursions enlivening and spiritually inspiring. 

With digital camera in hand she documents the seasons and occasionally the wildlife. 

During these excursions she has encountered wild bears, deer, coyote and the plentiful 

hopping rabbits, observed cougar tracks in the mud and snow, and watched the wildflower 

seasons come and go. Zorad’s paintings step further than the visible eye can see 

bringing in basic spirit. Of all the paintings that Mary Jo creates she explaines that the 

animals are the most exhilarating to paint. She is most fond of the domestic animals such 

as cats, dogs and horses. Additionally, the North American wildlife, such as elk, deer, bears 

and birds warm her heart. 

maryjozorad.blogspot.com 


35 


Roberta McGowan 

Storm Cloud 

Roberta McGowan founded Visual West Photography in 1998 in Colorado following a 

successful career on the US East Coast as a photojournalist, corporate photographer, and 

portrait specialist. Her images of horses, cowgirls, cowboys, and the wild west are photographed 

with reverence for the spirits of the animals and people presented. From her 

earliest years with a point and shoot camera to professional newspaper photographer to 

corporate photojournalist, Roberta has carried with her the joy of capturing those very 

special fragile moments. 

Roberta entered the world of horse photography with the goal of honoring the Western 

spirit. Her interpretive images help define find that rare energy which survives and thrives 

in the Rocky Mountains. 

visualwestphotography.com 



Laurie Justus Pace 

Grazomg 

As splintering light fractions into thousands of colors, Laurie’s journey in life has encompassed 

many careers from runway model to graphic artist, from musician to singer, from 

teacher to artist. She believes the greatest influence in her life is her faith. A degree in Art, 

ten years with an advertising agency, and thirty five years teaching art has come full circle 

to top honors at international art shows and representation from top galleries. Constantly 

pushing the edge, Laurie presses in her work for discovery and celebration. Compositions 

change with color and dimension setting the pace for a unique painting every time with 

a new journey. Viewing a Laurie Justus Pace painting is a rich experience that drips with 

color and emotion. Her passionate works are alive with movement, boldly created with a 

wide brush and a palette knife. She loves working with oils, dramatically carving out the 

paint and transferring her energy to the canvas and ultimately on to the viewer. 

lauriepace.com 


Judy Mackey 

“Patience” Oil on Canvas 

“Patience 2” Oil on Canvas 



www.JudyMackey.com

Judy Mackey 

“No Worries” Oil on Canvas 

www.JudyMackey.com

LADY L 

Colors Make Me Happy 

Small Blessings 24 x 30 inches 

Acrylic on Canvas 

ellepace.com/lady-l-artist 

ladylart.blogspot.com

She began painting at age 2 on small pieces and by age 3 moved up to 

full size canvas. Lady L is the granddaughter of Texas Artist Laurie Pace.

Palette 

Knife 

Painters 

Paletteknifepainters.blogspot.com

Paletteknifepainters.org


“Pouring Color Into Your Life” 

Moving Metals Cerulean B-6 18” x 18” 

KimberlyConradFineArt.com

Moving Metals 

Moving Metals Cerulean B-5 18 “ x 18” 

KimberlyConradFineArt.com

DAILY PAINTERS ABSTRACT GALLERY 

DailyPaintersAbstract.blogspot.com 

Carol A. McIntyre 

“Floating Winds, “ 28x21, Oil on Canvas

DailyPaintersAbstract.blogspot.com 

DAILY PAINTERS ABSTRACT GALLERY

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


www.vinodipinte.com 

Vino Dipinte Art Gallery 

602 Orient St San Angelo, TX 76903

alejandrocastanon.com

Artists of Texas 

artistsoftexas.org

NO WHERE BUT TEXAS 

artistsoftexas.blogspot.com 

dailypaintersoftexas.blogspot.com


“Dressed Up” 

“Alone” 

Left page: “Sunshine on Hope” 

FeliciaMarshall.blogspot.com

ZoradArt.com 

Red Earth Red 

Lyrical #122A Red

Mary Jo Zorad 


ZoradArt.com

Index of Features and Advertisers 

Aixa Oliveras 88 

Alejandro Castanon 87, 132-133 

Angela Hardy 84 

Annie O-Brien Gonzales 3, 20-21 

Anthony A Gonzalez 105 

Anton Zhou 106 

Andy Baird 94 

Art Treks 124-125 

Artists of Texas 134-135 

Barbara Haviland 60 

Barry Scharf 16-19, 114 

Bob Coonts 40-41 

Brian Croft 85 

Carol Jo Smidt 13 

Clayton Gardinier 107 

Corey Watson 24 

Daily Painters 140-141 

Daily Painters Abstract Gallery 

128-129 

David Blow 108 

Davis & CO Gallery 36-37 

Debbie Lincoln 109 

Denise Bossarte 110 

Deran Wright 111 

Diane Whitehead 98, 130-131 

Elaine Vileria 99 

Eric Bodtker 46 

Felicia Marshall 112, 136-137 

Gerald Barnes 91 

Index of Artists 142 

Isabelle Gautier 96 


Jeanne Illenye 97 

JoAnn Peralta 92 

John Whitton Bria 42-43 

Jonelle T McCoy 12 

Judy Mackey 118-119 

Kathleen Dunphy 28-35 

Kimberly Conrad 95, 126-127 

Kit Hevron Mahoney 25 

Lady L 120-121 

Laura Reed 61 

Laurie Pace 44-45, 117 

Lelija Roy 14 

Lisa McKinney 78-79, 103 

Logan Bauer 26 

Mark Yearwood 59, 102 

Mary Jo Zorad 115, 138-139 

Michal Askhenasi 86 

Mirada 10-11 

Morgan Weistling 93 

Nancy Medina 48-57, 74-75 

Nathalie Kelly 143 

Niki Gulley 4-5 

Painters Keys, Sara Genn 8-9 

Palette Knife painters 122-123 

Phyllis DeQuevedo 72-73 

Rainer Andreesen 100 

Ray Maines 113 

Richards Levine 27, 58 

Robert Huckestein 104 

Roberta McGowan 116 

Roseanne Snyder 70 

Sanda Manuila 15 

Shirley Anderson 22-23 

Slav Krivoshiev 83 

Suzy Pal Powell 71 

Texas Trails Gallery 76-77 

Tigran Tsitoghdzyan 101 

Valeries Travers 38-39, 89 

Vickie Rees 47 

Vincent Wray 90 

VisualLanguageMagazine.com 


Nathalie Kelley 

“The Neighbor” 

nathaliekelleyart.com

144 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com 

visuallanguagemagazine.com

Visual Language Magazine Vol 4 No 4

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