Barbara Summers Edwards: Featured Paint the Parks100 artist.

SUSAN BLACKWOOD
JURORS AWARD
"Birth of a Nation"
Wind Cave National Park
Barbara Summers Edwards
Oil, 30" x 20"

After graduating from Utah State University in Illustration and working as a freelance illustrator, Barbara evolved as a fine art, oil and watercolor painter. Commonly portraying figurative imagery, her painterly realistic paintings have received numerous awards as they have been exhibited in international, national, regional and state juried, invitational, group and two person exhibits. Two of her paintings were purchased by The Utah Arts Council as part of the State of Utah's Permanent Collection. One of those, "Gotcha!", hangs in the First Lady of Utah's State Office.

Barbara had the honor of being juried into prestigious International 2002 Arts for the Parks Top 100 Exhibit and she was awarded the Yellowstone National Park Purchase Award and the Arts for the Parks Wildlife Award of Merit. In that same exhibit, in 1996, US Art Magazine selected her painting for its Award of Excellence. Other exhibits and awards include: Oil Painters of America National Exhibit 1995, 2001-2003; Award of Excellence 1995; Regional Award of Excellence 1999; Utah Watercolor Society-Award of Excellence and Inter-mountain Society of Artists-First Place Painting Award. In 1999 Barbara's painting, "When I was Child", was published in the North Light Book, The Best of Portrait Painting.
A native of Idaho, Barbara lives in Smithfield, Utah with her artist husband, Glen.

"My subject matter, color and style are a very personal, intuitive part of who I am since I discovered art at the age of twelve. I enjoy working with figurative imagery although more and more I am examining landscape and often combine the two. I love watching people, especially children as I wish to see the world of wonder anew through their eyes. I am most interested in small everyday moments often missed or seemingly unimportant compared to the social and headline grabbing events of the world.

In a very painterly and vigorous approach I brush in shapes of broken color, defining the form and composition I have in mind. I work mostly from photographs I have taken either on one of many research trips, hire models or both. I build the surface with color and textural subtleties in contrast to the strong light and dark patterns I am fond of using. Thus my love of quilts and flowers inherited from my mother and grandmother.

Although a great admirer of impressionism, I do not consider myself a true impressionist. I enjoy working with the impressions of light and color, but also want to narrate a story or idea to capture a moment of life. My intention is for those who view my work to not only see the color, value, composition and all the other requirements of a good painting but also to share a definite feeling or memory of the timeless human drama represented.

Someone once asked me how I made my paintings appear so powerful and yet at the same time feel so gentle. I'm not sure how to answer the question, but, I consider the question a great compliment."

Paint the Parks100 national touring exhibit is at SouthWind Gallery until July 15, 2010.
Paint the Parks is a national touring exhibition of contemporary representative paintings depicting America’s National Parks. The exhibit is organized by PaintAmerica, a Topeka-based, national non-profit organization, created  to support and promote the visual arts. As one of the leading traveling art exhibitions in America, it features the works of many of the country’s most recognized contemporary artists, as well as several talented emerging artists. The exhibit is created annually from an international juried artists’ competition, and includes the highest juror-scored pieces from nearly a thousand total submissions. The show can also be viewed online at www.paintamerica.org


Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. SouthWindArtGallery.com

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Offer Ends August 15, 2010 _________________________________________________

Framewoods of Topeka Gift Certificate Cards make the perfect gift for any occasion!  Gift certificates are good as cash for anything in the store — custom framing, gifts and even artwork at SouthWind Gallery Gift cards may be purchased online or at the store in denominations of $25, $50, $75, or $100. 

Stan Herd Biography Film Wins Best Feature Prize!

SouthWind Gallery's very own Stan Herd, featured in an award wining biographical independent film. 

 


‘Earthwork’

"Ordal’s 'Earthwork' is based on the true experiences of Kansas artist Stan Herd, who uses rocks, dirt and vegetation to creative massive works of art that must be viewed from aircraft. “Earthwork” picked up the audience award and special jury prize at this spring’s South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas.

At the last eight festivals at which it was shown, it won the best feature prize. "

Reported by Robert Butler of Kansas City Star:

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/06/26/2042425/selling-is-tough-for-first-time.html#ixzz0sB1wtGr7

Selling is tough for first-time filmmakers - KansasCity.com

Design Studio Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Need a gift that is quick and will allow your loved one to have the fun of framing their memories? "Art Bucks" Gift cards may be purchased online or at the store in denominations of $25, $50, $75, or $100. Framewoods of Topeka Gift Certificate Cards make the perfect gift for any occasion! Gift certificates are good as cash for anything in the store — custom framing, gifts and even artwork at SouthWind Gallery!Framewoods.com

Steven Hileman: Featured Artist Paint the Parks100

 KIM CASEBEER JURORS AWARD
"Sapphirine Cove"
Acadia National Park
Steven Hileman
Oil, 20" x 24"

Through his paintings, Steven Hileman desires to share his personal vision of God’s creation.

Art has been an important factor throughout Steven’s life. Growing up in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, Steven spent countless hours developing his skills through personal study and his various art classes. At Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, Florida, Steven studied under accomplished artists who grounded him in the basic principles of art and encouraged him to pursue excellence through knowledge and discipline. After earning his degree in Communications with a concentration in Commercial Art, Steven spent three years as a staff illustrator for A Beka Books, Inc., a large publishing company in Pensacola. On his own time, Steven continued to develop his painting skills, and also began exhibiting his paintings in juried shows around the country. Leaving his illustration job behind, Steven and his family relocated to Orland, Maine, where he began pursuing painting full-time. Shortly following this transition, Steven’s paintings began receiving more recognition through various galleries and shows, and today, they continue to draw the attention of art lovers and collectors. Consequently, his paintings can be found in numerous private collections around the country.

Considering himself a realist with impressionistic influences, Steven paints directly from his own life experiences, attempting to capture with honesty and immediacy his impressions of the world around him. Influenced by many of the great American, Russian, and European masters of the past as well as various contemporary masters, Steven paints with careful attention to drawing, values, color, and edges. He constantly strives to capture the subtle relationships between these elements to create beautiful and meaningful works of art.


Paint the Parks100 national touring exhibit is at SouthWind Gallery until July 15, 2010.
Paint the Parks is a national touring exhibition of contemporary representative paintings depicting America’s National Parks. The exhibit is organized by PaintAmerica, a Topeka-based, national non-profit organization, created  to support and promote the visual arts. As one of the leading traveling art exhibitions in America, it features the works of many of the country’s most recognized contemporary artists, as well as several talented emerging artists. The exhibit is created annually from an international juried artists’ competition, and includes the highest juror-scored pieces from nearly a thousand total submissions. The show can also be viewed online at www.paintamerica.org


Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. SouthWindArtGallery.com

_________________________________________________

FREE Framing From Framewoods! It's Easy and it's FUN for everyone!
Click Here for Details!

Offer Ends August 15, 2010 _________________________________________________

Framewoods of Topeka Gift Certificate Cards make the perfect gift for any occasion!  Gift certificates are good as cash for anything in the store — custom framing, gifts and even artwork at SouthWind Gallery Gift cards may be purchased online or at the store in denominations of $25, $50, $75, or $100. 

Keri Vanderlaan: Featured Artist Paint the Parks100

REGION III AWARD WINNER
"Jackson Lake Serenity"
Grand Teton National Park
Keri Vanderlaan
Watercolor, 14" x 21"

Keri Vanderlaan is an emerging artist. Her third watercolor painting "Jackson Lake Serenity" has won the coveted Region III award in the 2009 Paint the Parks competition.  She also had great success with her first watercolor painting “A Gift From the Navajos” by winning a Top 100 award in the final Arts for the Parks competition. That painting has since appeared in Splash10, a popular coffee table book by the publishers of The Artist’s Magazine.  She also had graphite pencil and colored pencil drawings of people and animals in the Art-A-Fair Festival, an annual juried show in Laguna Beach, California.

Keri is a naturally talented artist. She is self taught, having studied by reading books and art instructional magazines, and observing masterful paintings by other artists. She has been working in watercolor recently, but is accomplished in pencil, colored pencils, acrylics and pastels. She is also a very talented portrait artist. She paints and draws photorealistic, highly detailed pictures.

 She is a passionate nature lover. The beauty and serenity of nature is her inspiration to paint. She lives in Silverado Canyon, a very beautiful rural area of Southern California which gives her great inspiration as well. She has been to 15 national parks to date and to Alaska. Her goal in life is to see and faithfully depict the beauty of our world and our people for all to appreciate. 



Paint the Parks100 national touring exhibit is at SouthWind Gallery until July 15, 2010.
Paint the Parks is a national touring exhibition of contemporary representative paintings depicting America’s National Parks. The exhibit is organized by PaintAmerica, a Topeka-based, national non-profit organization, created  to support and promote the visual arts. As one of the leading traveling art exhibitions in America, it features the works of many of the country’s most recognized contemporary artists, as well as several talented emerging artists. The exhibit is created annually from an international juried artists’ competition, and includes the highest juror-scored pieces from nearly a thousand total submissions. The show can also be viewed online at www.paintamerica.org


Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. SouthWindArtGallery.com

_________________________________________________

FREE Framing From Framewoods! It's Easy and it's FUN for everyone!
Click Here for Details!

Offer Ends August 15, 2010 _________________________________________________

Framewoods of Topeka Gift Certificate Cards make the perfect gift for any occasion!  Gift certificates are good as cash for anything in the store — custom framing, gifts and even artwork at SouthWind Gallery Gift cards may be purchased online or at the store in denominations of $25, $50, $75, or $100. 

China’s Celebrated Sculptor, Master Ye Yushan

You are invited to attend the historic Dedication Ceremonies for the sculpture titled "Lantern Light" by celebrated Chinese sculptor Ye Yushan. The ceremony is Tuesday, June 15, 2010, at 11:00 a.m., on the Washburn University campus, northwest corner of Henderson Learning Center, in the 1900 block of Jewel. This formal dedication ceremony will be attended by representatives of the U.S. and Chinese Consulates as well as leaders of the Topeka community and the State of Kansas. We hope you will honor Topeka with your presence at this very special event for our city and the arts.
 

"Lantern Light", created by Master Ye Yushan, is one of four sculptures given as a gift to the United States celebrating 30 years of peace and friendship between China and the U.S. Other sculptures were placed in Washington D.C., Atlanta, GA and Newark, NJ.

RSVP on Facebook!

Master Ye was born in June 1935 in Deyang City, Sichuan Province. For his undergraduate degree he attended the Sculpture Department of Sischuan Institute of Fine Arts. In 1962, Ye completed his first major work—the seated white marble statue of Chairman Mao in Tiananmen Square. This piece led to commissions for public monuments throughout China.

To further his studies, he obtained his Master’s degree from the Sculpture Department of Central Institute of Fine Arts in 1963. During the 40 years that followed, a total of more than 100 prestigious sculptures have been completed and displayed in Beijing, Shanghai, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangzhou, Hunan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Xinjiang, Changchun, Heilongjiang and many other provinces and cities. The size of those works range from life size to more than 100 feet tall.

In 1965, Ye directed the creation of “The Rent Collection Courtyard.” (pictured left) A timeless piece, studied in art history books today, this six panel display reveals the misery and political strife of human oppression.  With over one hundred clay figures depicting the fierce class struggle between the Chinese peasants and the ruling feudal landlords prior to the socialist revolution.  The work was a milestone for peasant representation throughout China, giving the people a unique voice caught in time and never forgotten.

In 1978, he returned to the Sichuan Institute of Fine Arts to be appointed as a professor and vice president of the academy. In 1983, he served as the president and dean. Ye left his job at the Academy of Fine Arts of the Sichuan in 1994 and built a studio on Mount Muma, in the southern suburbs of Chengdu.  This forest covered mountain, encircled by the Baishui River proved to be an art inspiring Eden for Ye. Eventually, the Gallery of Art Ye Yushan was founded which was the first private gallery of sculpture in China. The gallery promotes international artistic exchanges which is aided by Ye’s appointments of several government posts including the Department of culture Arts Commission Director, Sichuan Assistant Chairman of U.S. relations, the National Arts Council Executive Director of Urban Sculpture, and the Eighth National People’s Congressional Representative.

World Sculpture Park in Changchun, capital of Jilin province, opened in 2004 and contains both traditional landscape gardens and modern sculptures. The theme of the park is “Friendship, Spring and Peace”, (pictured right) reflected in a 23.5-m high monument designed by famed sculptors Ye Yushan, Pan He, Cheng Yunxian, Wang Keqing and Cao Chunsheng. The centerpiece sculpture won the award of “Outstanding Sculpture” at the 3rd National Exhibition of Urban Sculpture Construction. The park and the museum now have a collection of 439 pieces of sculptures made by 395 well-known sculptors from 212 countries around the world.

On the national level in China, Ye’s additional outstanding contributions include monumental sculpture “Ge Le Mountain Soldier’s Memorial” (collaborated project, pictured right), “The Vast Land”, “Four Seasons”, “Independence – Freedom”, “Liberation – Construction”, and “Du Fu”. These sculptures have all received honorary national awards. Several published literary works include “Ye Yushan Sculpture Collections”, “Ge Le Mountain Soldier’s Memorial”, “Ye Yushan’s New Sculpture Projects”, and “Ye Yushan’s Greatest Sulptures”. Ye has repeatedly traveled to Germany, India, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, United States, Italy, France and Russia for foreign study and learning exchanges.

Internationally his works include “Friendly Ocean”, placed in Toronto City Hall in Canada and “A Toast to the Moon—a statue depicting of Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai”, displayed in Seattle Washington’s Chinese Garden and “Chinese Lantern Light” (pictured left) to be dedicated at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas on June 15, 2010.


Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. SouthWindArtGallery.com

_________________________________________________

FREE Framing From Framewoods! It's Easy and it's FUN for everyone!
Click Here for Details!

Offer Ends August 15, 2010 _________________________________________________

Framewoods of Topeka Gift Certificate Cards make the perfect gift for any occasion!  Gift certificates are good as cash for anything in the store — custom framing, gifts and even artwork at SouthWind Gallery Gift cards may be purchased online or at the store in denominations of $25, $50, $75, or $100. 

"Gates of Peace" by Kwan WuChina-United States 30 Year Anniversary Relationship

On May 16, Kwan Wu's 15 ft sculpture "The Gate of Peace" unveiled in Guangzhou of China along with "Kwan Wu Sculpture Exhibition Hall" had an opening ceremony where 70 pieces of Kwan's work is permanently on display in the10 thousand square foot hall. This was another dedication in the "China-United States 30 Year Anniversary Relationship Art and Culture Exchange Campaign" project and Topeka is one of four U.S. Cities to be honored with a gift of sculpture. Kwan played an important role in bringing the sculpture "Lantern Light" by celebrated Chinese sculptor Ye Yeshan to Topeka.


SouthWind Gallery has enjoyed many years of bringing Kwan's work to our patrons in Northeast Kansas. We have hosted several one man shows of his work and regularly carry his work. Many of the pieces permanently on display in the new Exhibition Hall has also graced the walls here at SouthWind Gallery. We are truely excited about Kwan's recognition as a worldwide artist as well as our involvement in being able to bring one of the pieces to Topeka.

One of his most unique abilities is to produce a life size bust of a sitting model in about an hour. Pictured left, Charles Haude, Executive Director of the Johnson Atelier Sculpture Foundation poses after he sat for his own bust. Kwan has displayed this talent several times at SouthWind Gallery even creating a bust of Washburn University's Dr. Farley in 2007 and most recently in late 2009 he did a private commission here at the gallery during a First Friday Art Walk. (See a short video featuring this unique talent on our Facebook Page.) Among his other achievements are "The Bill of Rights", a 14-foot bronze monument at the Federal Courthouse in Kansas City was one of his first. Since then, many commissions have followed including the twelve life-sized bronze baseball players for the National Negro League Baseball Museum; the nine-foot statue of Phog Allen at the University of Kansas; a life-sized sculpture of George Brett at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City; and the Children of the Trails memorial in the Johnson County Courthouse Square in Olathe, Kansas.

The" Gate of Peace" (unveiling pictured above)  is one of the eight sculptures created for the "China-United States 30 Year Anniversary Relationship Art and Culture Exchange Campaign" project. It was unveiled in Kwan's home town Nanhai, of Guangdong, China.  The project includes four master sculptors from the US; and four from China. Seven of eight pieces sculpture have been installed in the cities of Washington D.C.; Newark, NJ; Atlanta, GA, and Beijing; Shanghai; Changchun; Guangzhou in China. The last sculpture "Lantern Light" by Master Ye Yushan of China will be installed in Topeka Kansas in June 15.
Also pictured right are a few photos of the other sculptures from the "China-United States 30 Year Anniversary Relationship Art and Culture Exchange Campaign"
The ceremony at Atlanta (pictured right) had a wonderful article about the events. Click Here to go to that article.

The Topeka dedication ceremony for "Lantern Light" by Ye Yushan is Tuesday, June 15, 2010, at 11:00 a.m., on the Washburn University campus, northwest corner of Henderson Learning Center in the 1900 block of Jewel. This formal dedication ceremony will be attended by representatives of the U.S. and Chinese Consulates as well as leaders of the Topeka community and the State of Kansas. We hope you also will honor Topeka with your presence at this very special event for our city and the arts.

Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. SouthWindArtGallery.com

Framewoods of Topeka Gift Certificate Cards make the perfect gift for any occasion!  Gift certificates are good as cash for anything in the store — custom framing, gifts and even artwork at SouthWind Gallery Gift cards may be purchased online or at the store in denominations of $25, $50, $75, or $100.   

How it all got Started! Chinese Lantern Sculputure to be dedicated!

On Tuesday, June 15th, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. the Dedication Ceremonies for the sculpture titled "Lantern Light" by celebrated sculptor Ye Yushan, which was given to the City of Topeka by the Peoples Republic of China takes place on the Washburn University campus. The public is invited to attend, and we suggest you do all in your power to attend this historic event for our city!

Learn more about the Artist >>

You may be interested in knowing how Topeka was chosen to receive this wonderful gift; so let me give you a little background. It was part luck, part artist/gallery relationship, and part hard work by a committee of people and city officials. It started with a casual conversation between Kansas City artist Kwan Wu and Gary Blitsch, owner of Topeka’s SouthWind Gallery.

Kwan and Gary first became friends several years ago when SouthWind represented his work Kwan is an internationally-known sculptor and painter. SouthWind was happy to act as the exclusive U.S. representative of this exceptionally talented artist. Kwan’s work has been shown at SouthWind in several one-man exhibits as well as group shows. Gary also has managed a number of sculpture commissions for Kwan in Topeka, including a bronze bust of Washburn University president, Jerry Farley, and a large outdoor sculpture (pictured below left) for CoreFirst Bank and Trust (at the bank’s 37th and Wanamaker branch.)

Okay, so here’s the story behind the story-making Topeka-Chinese sculpture connection: Somewhile ago Gary and Kwan were discussing the monumental work that Kwan was commissioned to do for the Chinese government, when Kwan mentioned the U.S.- Chinese Friendship Sculpture Exchange program, three sculptures created in the United states were being sent to China and the three sculptures from Chinese artists were being given to the U.S. The Exchange program was undertaken to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Friendship and Trade pact completed during the Carter Administration. we should mention here that Kwan was born and educated in China, but became an American citizen in the 1980s.

During their conversation, Kwan told Gary that sculptures were being given to Washington D.C, New York City, and San Francisco. Gary suggested that he thought Topeka would also be a good candidate also since Kwan was a Kansas artist and Topeka being the Capital city whose work is represented by a Topeka gallery, and there that he has publicly displayed art here.

A few days later, fate stepped in when for unknown reasons San Francisco didn’t complete the paperwork needed to receive the gift of the Chinese sculpture. Kwan was in China at the time working with the U.S. – Chinese Friendship Sculpture Exchange committee, and said he knew of a U.S. city that wanted the sculpture. With Kwan’s recommendation, the Chinese government agreed to give Topeka a shot at getting the sculpture. Kwan emailed Gary and explained the situation. Gary was a bit shocked about the turn of events, but excited and confident that Topeka could do what was needed to be chosen as the recipient of this fabulous piece of art. Gary went to work contacting city officials and putting together a topnotch committee that could handle the myriad details involved in obtaining the necessary approvals, paperwork and funding for transporting and installing the sculpture. The rest, as they say, is history.

The committee members are: Co-chairs Gary Blitsch and John Fager, Core First Bank & Trust; April Chaing, Kansas Dept. of Commerce; Cheryl Logan, Downtown Topeka Inc.; C J Wei, Kansas City Chinese American Association; Garry Cushinberry, Core First Bank & Trust; C.T. (Fred )Hsia, Retired; Greg Inkman, Washburn University, Campus Beautification Committee; Gary Jones, Jake Huyett, Alissa Sheley, and Tracey Stratton, Jones Huyett Partners; Jim Ogle, WIBW TV; Olivia Simmons and Tamra Scheid, Visit Topeka Inc.; Kathy Smith, ARTSConnect; Curtis Sneden, Collective Brands Inc.; Glenda Taylor, Baili Zhang, Dena Anson, Rugena Hall and Kraig Stahl, Washburn University; Larry Wolgast, City of Topeka; Mike Morse, KS Commercial Real Estate Services; and Scott Gales, Architect One.

The full funding for the sculpture and transportation was provided in the gift from the Chinese government. Funds needed for installation of the sculpture, landscaping and for the Dedication events was provided by grants Collective Brands, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. and Core First Bank & Trust.

See the progress on our Facebook Fan Page!

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Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. SouthWindArtGallery.com

Framewoods of Topeka Gift Certificate Cards make the perfect gift for any occasion!  Gift certificates are good as cash for anything in the store — custom framing, gifts and even artwork at SouthWind Gallery Gift cards may be purchased online or at the store in denominations of $25, $50, $75, or $100.   

Dan Stouffer: Featured Artist Paint the Parks100

REGION II AWARD WINNER
"Last Light"
White Sands National Monument
Dan Stouffer
Watercolor, 27" x 18"
$3,000

Born in Ohio and educated at the Ohio State University, Stouffer's early professional career was in book design and production management. His first years in NM were spent at the University of New Mexico Press. During that time, lured by the mystique and beauty of the land, he began painting. He eventually turned his part-time painting into successes in local and regional art events, and in 1979, he left the Press and became a full-time artist.

Since that time, Stouffer has built an impressive list of credentials. His work has been shown in several museums and is in corporate collections throughout the country. He has won 60 national and regional awards along the way, some in such prominent competitions as Watercolor U.S.A., Rocky Mountain National and Arts for the Parks.

In addition to exhibiting in most of the top art events in the Southwest, Stouffer has been a board member and juror for several shows. He is currently a member of Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Society and Watercolor USA Honor Society, and is listed in Who's Who in American Art and Who's Who in the West. His work has also been featured in various newspapers and magazine articles, including Watercolor Quarterly, Southwest Art, and Watercolor Magic.

Dan Stouffer currently resides in Bosque Farms, NM, with his wife Jean and their two canine buddies, Julie and Angel P. Stouffer.



Paint the Parks100 national touring exhibit is at SouthWind Gallery until July 15, 2010.
Paint the Parks is a national touring exhibition of contemporary representative paintings depicting America’s National Parks. The exhibit is organized by PaintAmerica, a Topeka-based, national non-profit organization, created  to support and promote the visual arts. As one of the leading traveling art exhibitions in America, it features the works of many of the country’s most recognized contemporary artists, as well as several talented emerging artists. The exhibit is created annually from an international juried artists’ competition, and includes the highest juror-scored pieces from nearly a thousand total submissions. The show can also be viewed online at www.paintamerica.org


Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. SouthWindArtGallery.com

_________________________________________________

FREE Framing From Framewoods! It's Easy and it's FUN for everyone!
Click Here for Details!

Offer Ends August 15, 2010 _________________________________________________

Framewoods of Topeka Gift Certificate Cards make the perfect gift for any occasion!  Gift certificates are good as cash for anything in the store — custom framing, gifts and even artwork at SouthWind Gallery Gift cards may be purchased online or at the store in denominations of $25, $50, $75, or $100. 

Mel Grunau: Featured Artist Paint the Parks100

REGION I AWARD WINNER
"Rock Ledges"
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Mel Grunau
Oil, 31.75 " x 13"

What Mel says about his work. "My work in general reflects my personality. My family and friends tell me that I am usually reserved and prefer to listen rather than talk. My paintings do not shout. My palette is infused with subdued colors. I paint realistic as well as abstract images. When I portray realistic images I hope to convey not only the image itself but also the subtleties of light, sound and smell surrounding the image. The colors I choose are often soft shades of gray, blue and green.

Work I hope to draw the viewer into the painting. In the case of realism there is less left to the imagination but the sense of the viewer experiencing the painting is the goal. In abstract works my hope is that the viewer will find elements as they relate to his or her own interpretation. There is great satisfaction when a viewer will indicate that each time a painting is viewed, new elements reveal themselves. This is certainly a tribute to the actual involvement of the viewer with the work and is most rewarding to me as an artist."
 
Paint the Parks100 national touring exhibit is at SouthWind Gallery until July 15, 2010.
Paint the Parks is a national touring exhibition of contemporary representative paintings depicting America’s National Parks. The exhibit is organized by PaintAmerica, a Topeka-based, national non-profit organization, created  to support and promote the visual arts. As one of the leading traveling art exhibitions in America, it features the works of many of the country’s most recognized contemporary artists, as well as several talented emerging artists. The exhibit is created annually from an international juried artists’ competition, and includes the highest juror-scored pieces from nearly a thousand total submissions. The show can also be viewed online at www.paintamerica.org


Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. SouthWindArtGallery.com

_________________________________________________

FREE Framing From Framewoods! It's Easy and it's FUN for everyone!
Click Here for Details!

Offer Ends August 15, 2010 _________________________________________________

Framewoods of Topeka Gift Certificate Cards make the perfect gift for any occasion!  Gift certificates are good as cash for anything in the store — custom framing, gifts and even artwork at SouthWind Gallery Gift cards may be purchased online or at the store in denominations of $25, $50, $75, or $100.