The first full weekend in November each year is time for Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival, one of the best-regarded, most popular arts festivals in America. The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival is a three-day, juried art show in Pensacola’s Seville Square. Each year, it draws more than 200 of the nation’s best painters, potters, sculptors, jewelers, graphic artists, craftsmen, mixed-media artists and others who have been gifted with the ability to turn thought into beauty. They’ll be competing for your attention and $25,000 in cash awards.
]]> The Festival also features a special area set aside for Heritage Arts: demonstrations of crafts of the past, including blacksmithing, engraving, spinning, weaving and other skills.The Children's Arts Festival is next door in Bartram Park, featuring numerous hands-on artistic opportunities provided free of charge. Projects include face painting, clay play, a flower shop, button creations, sand art, sidewalk art, and a balloon man. There will be glitter, glue, sequins and the likes for children to make things like masks, crowns, magic wands, and jewelry. The Children’s Festival is open Friday for children with special needs from selected schools and is open to everyone or Saturday and Sunday.
Also in Bartram Park is the Student Art Show, which showcases the talents of both private and public school students of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. Over 2,000 pieces of art from elementary, middle and high school students will be displayed
Live musicians hit the right notes from two stages with sounds ranging from Zydeco, Cajun, jazz and blues to classical. The performing arts stage showcases theater, folk and ballet dance.
Food and beverages will be available from a variety of vendors, including some of Pensacola’s best-known restaurants.
Admission to the festival is free, as are programs and maps. Posters and t-shirts are available. Festival hours are 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday (November 7 and 8, 2008) and 9 a.m. until 4 p.m on Sunday (November 9, 2008.) More information is available at www.ggaf.org.
Windberg was conducting one of his workshops in Salado, Texas. About 20 or so mostly middle-aged, aspiring painters sat in folding chairs taking notes as a picturesque Texas hillside materialized in front of them.
]]>"Unbelievable," one woman said sotto voce to no one in particular. "Amazing," whispered another.
Painstaking attention to detail is one of 75-year-old Windberg’s hallmarks and is one of the reasons why his work has fetched prices as high as $75,000.
"I observe everything," Windberg says later over a chicken-fried steak. "Like when bluebonnets are blooming, oak trees are pollinating and are golden, not green."
Rendering foliage, waves and animal life with near-photographic accuracy, a three-by-three-inch square of canvas is a full day’s work, which explains why he only paints 10-12 smooth-brush paintings a year.
Even if you think you’re not familiar with Dalhart’s work, you probably are. His paintings adorn living rooms, dentists’ offices and doctors’ waiting rooms across the country.
"Any place you need to be de-stressed, you’ll find us," jokes Chris Schmidt, who for more than 20 years has worked closely with Windberg at his print-making company, Windberg Enterprises Inc. Windberg’s landscapes have been featured on the interior sets of TV soaps and in an episode of Seinfeld. (Inside a funeral home, of course.)
Woodland Reflections, his "Mona Lisa," as Schmidt refers to it, has sold more than two million prints, making it one of the most reproduced images in America.
It’s a heady time at Windberg Enterprises, as recent digital-scanning technology has allowed Schmidt and his staff to make color-correct, high-resolution prints of Windberg’s works. Owners of Windberg classics, such as Gulf Seascapes Catching a Morning Breeze and End of the Run, are ordering vibrant replacements of their faded prints.
Despite his work’s ubiquity and the success of Windberg Enterprises, the artist emanates gentle modesty. Bespectacled, neatly dressed in black pants and black collared shirt, with a full head of silver hair that he combs every half hour or so, he refutes the artist-as-wild-man cliché. He keeps disciplined hours, working 9-to-5 each day, and his studio is a study in organization. Reference books are neatly shelved, the thousands of slides he’s taken on his many road trips across America are divided by subject, and the jars of paint brushes and pigments are labeled in plastic lettering. It’s the habitat of a focused artist. Art, it’s safe to say, is Windberg’s life.
"If you go out to lunch with him," Schmidt says, "you better be ready to talk art!"
While proud, Windberg and his staff are candid about his artistic accomplishments. No one pretends he’s Van Gogh.
"His work is like penny loafers," explains Schmidt. "Not trendy, but always in style."
Growing up in Goliad, Windberg began painting when he was in grade school. When his teacher noticed him drawing instead of taking notes, his mother arranged to have him take painting classes at a nearby Catholic school. Windberg later studied under acclaimed artist Simon Michaels who became an inspiration and long-time mentor to the budding artist.
After attending Rockport School of Arts, Windberg joined the army and while in Germany received a graduate education from the Old Masters, spending his R&R wandering the halls of the great museums of Europe, gazing at Rembrandts, Caravaggios and Vermeers.
Windberg was in awe. How did they achieve such soft detail? How did they make their canvases so smooth? While the complex canvas preparation processes of the Old Masters may have been lost to time, Windberg set out to find a way to prepare a canvas so that it would be smooth enough to achieve the detail of a Ruisdael. The search would take him 18 years.
When he returned from his military service, he worked as a sign painter while also teaching, painting in his spare time and raising a family. Married to his high school sweetheart Evelyn, the couple had two sons, Michael and Richard. Evelyn runs the business end of Windberg Enterprises, assisted by Richard. Mike has recently taken up painting. For the Windbergs, painting is a family business.
In August of 1966, Windberg made what he describes as the "toughest decision of my life." He became a full-time artist, a decision he’s never second-guessed.
A few years later, he finally concocted the "Dalhart Technique"—a complex method of preparing the canvas that involves the application of multiple layers of acrylic modeling paste, then sanding it down to achieve an extremely fine-grained texture to which his tiny brushstrokes will adhere.
Windberg's canvases always reward a closer look. At first glance Woodland Reflections is a depiction of two deer drinking from a creek in a sun-lit clearing. Hidden within the foliage, however, are 26 different "critters," to use Windberg’s term. In much of his work, there is more than initially meets the eye.
Kent was born in Sweden in a fishing village and his love of the sea came early as he spent time on the boats with his grandfather who was a commercial fisherman. His first real job was as a deck hand on a trawler bound for South America. While he loved the marine life and the water, his grandfather warned him to look beyond fishing for his livelihood. Commercial fishing was becoming harder and more congested as increased numbers of boats traveled farther and stayed out longer to find their catch.
]]> His love of art must have begun in the womb when his mother attended classes before his birth. She was studying metal sculpture and one of his favorite pieces still is the small metal casting of his hand as an infant. After art school, she set up her studio and pursued a career as a textile designer while young Kent played among the looms and the yarn. His father earned his living as a musician and as a painter and often Kent traveled with him to jobs, where he saw the grand sculptures adorning public buildings and parks. By the time he was twelve, he knew every inch of every sculpture in every public space in Sweden.Kent’s love of animals began early in life as he constantly studied the drawings and paintings of artist Roger Tory Peterson, whose Field Guides were published and sold all over the world. Kent bought his first Guide at twelve with earnings from his paper route. When Roger Tory Peterson died in 1996, his widow commissioned Kent to create a monument, which now stands outside the penguin display at Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut as a continued reminder of their friendship and the early influence Peterson had on Ullberg. Kent also analyzed the Remington Arms Calendars, which displayed the work of Bob Kuhn and other wildlife artists. At 86, Bob Kuhn lives in Arizona and remains a close friend of Kent Ullberg.
As a young man Kent spent a great deal of time in the local museum and gallery, where curator Björn Wennberg encouraged him to attend art school. Kent also developed an interest in taxidermy as he studied the animal displays and later earned his living as a taxidermist. After studying at the Swedish Konstfack School of Art in Stockholm and at museums in Germany, the Netherlands and France, Kent found a job as a taxidermist and safari guide in Botswana, Africa, with the help of Wennberg. There he studied animals and the people and became involved in designing, building and raising funds for the Botswana National Museum and Art Gallery. He served as its curator for four of his seven years in Africa. Kent could have remained happily in Botswana for the rest of his life, but he had to pursue the art and the career that was within him and he knew that was only possible in America. He remembers, “I left with heavy heart, but my dream was beyond that place.”
Kent always loved sculpture. He developed distaste for stone carving as he polished work for other artists during his early years and began to favor metal. Kent explained, “I love the feel of clay. It is alive in the hands, but clay is infinitely changeable. Over time clay can be removed and replaced to change the integrity of the piece. The same is true of oils. With metal sculpture you begin with clay and translate it into cast metal. You model a piece and then make a mold and cast the metal.”
As an art student Kent says he was “not the best student and not the worst.” He was somewhere “…in the middle. Talent is a small part of it.” But he proudly declares, “I am the only one in my class who earns a living as an artist. I wanted it more than they did. My grandfather always encouraged me to follow my dream and to make it happen. He said to believe in yourself. To want to succeed more than anything on earth and you can have it.”
This dream has produced an artist whose work has been shown all over the world, including the National Museum of Natural History in Stockholm, Sweden; the Exhibition Hall in Beijing, China; the Guildhall in London, U.K.; the National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C. and more. Membership in prestigious art organizations from which he has received many outstanding awards include the National Academy, the National Sculpture Society, the National Academy of Western Art, the American Society of Marine Artists and the Society for Wildlife Art of the Nations.
During his career Ullberg has produced more than 50 monuments and 250 smaller castings. Among Ullberg’s immense sculptures are “Deinonychus Dinosaurs,” a 25-foot monument in Philadelphia; “American Eagle,” a 21-foot composition in Princeton, N.J.; and a 65-foot high installation for the Swedish Government Tele-Com Center in Stockholm. For the First National Center in Omaha, Nebraska, Ullberg produced an installation of epic size. It involves 58 bronze and stainless steel geese with eight-foot wingspans lifting off from a downtown fountain and entering the urban landscape. The geese are attached to traffic light standards and buildings throughout downtown Omaha, ultimately entering the First National Center’s atrium. In addition, a heroic composition of a bronze wagon train created by Ed Fraughton and Blair Buswell spans a downtown park, driving a charging herd of Ullberg's larger-than-life bison on a journey throughout the downtown area.
Kent and Veerle Ullberg recently celebrated their twenty-eighth anniversary and her birthday during the same week. His gift to her was an award-winning pendant designed by Peter Barr. Peter’s wife Jo wanted to keep it for herself but acquiesced to Kent’s charm and Veerle’s passion for the piece. Kent says he “enjoys buying work from fellow artists.”
Kent had studied only miles from Veerle’s home in Europe, but it was in Denver, Colorado, that they met. Both played Scandinavian folk music with a band started by a mutual friend. They married and opened the first Kent Ullberg gallery in Loveland, Colorado. They dreamed of living near the water, and had searched for a home in California and other places, but at that time could afford nothing they found.
Kent and Veerle drove to South Texas from Denver to visit friends and clients. As so many people do they first saw the breathtaking skyline of Corpus Christi and the bay and then continued across the causeway to Padre Island. It was love at first sight. Surrounded by water, they were even more excited to see a small sign that advertised a house for sale. Immediately they contacted the realtor and found that the house was on the water, had a dock, and according to the realtor had “a little art studio above the garage.” Kent added, “Prices weren’t so much back then. The house had everything we wanted and we could afford it.” Surely it was meant to be!
Kent and Veerle raised their two sons on Padre Island. Son Robert is a nautical architect in Florida, where he designs yachts. Their younger son was killed in an automobile accident on I 37 as he returned from San Antonio several years ago. Their ten-year-old grandson is passionate about animals and wants to be a zoo director. Kent lovingly says, “We have two boys again.”
Not far from the Ullberg home on Padre Island is Corpus Christi's Ullberg Park, dedicated and renamed in March of 2005. There, "Windborne II," a bronze depicting two eagles in flight was installed as a memorial to the artist's long-time friend and neighbor, Joseph C. Ruszczyk, who passed away September 19, 2005.
Also displayed is Ullberg’s bronze "The Journey's End," depicting two endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtles returning to the beach where they were born to mate and lay eggs. The park and sculpture are intended to help educate the public about the struggling species.
Another love that Kent openly admits is seafood. “I love seafood, but my very favorite would be fried oysters from Beulah’s in Port Aransas.” He goes on to explain, “The pan fried oysters with shallot cream sauce are the best oysters in the world.” Chef Guy Carmathan says that when Kent comes into the restaurant, “We have a few drinks and some oysters and a great time. He’s a great guy!” Chef Carmathan and Kent Ullberg joined forces several years ago to raise money for one of the many projects Kent supports. “Kent brought over fifteen or so sculptures and I created a dish to go with each. We had…I don’t like the word buffet. We had a self- serve food offering. We sold all the tickets and raised ten or twelve thousand dollars for a museum.” Kent refers to the pair as “two artists.” Guy says he thinks of himself as “more of a craftsman.”
With galleries in Corpus Christi and Loveland, shows and lectures all over the world, sculptures in numerous private collections and work in every major museum and city in the world, the Ullbergs have access to all the best places. Kent says, “Its fun to go off to New York City or Paris, but of all the places in the world, I’d rather be right at home on Padre Island with the canals, the fishing, the people and my studio. The best thing I could possibly do is work uninterrupted by telephones in my studio. The busier we get the less creative time I have to spend. Yes, I’d like to just work here for eternity.”
Created in 1994 by Patrick Richards, Architectural Details is a company of fine artists and craftsmen that engender the visual enhancement of all forms of architecture. Founder and owner Patrick Richards got the idea as an apprentice for the famous muralist Richard Haas. Primarily working on external projects Patrick had a vision of bringing murals to the interior of people’s homes.
The trip to Corpus Christi inspired them so much they moved their studio permanently. The transition became a match made in heaven. After helping La Bahia Mexican Restaurant in downtown Corpus Christi get a new start, Patrick was inundated with offers to perform his services. In the past few years Corpus Christi’s hospitality has kept Architectural Details close to its new home. You can see some of Architectural Details work at the Omni Bayfront, Small Planet in Lamar Park, Dr. Kennedy’s Dental Practice on Saratoga and at Grant and Kaffie Middle Schools. Architectural Details mastery also adorns many local residences notably on Hewit and Ocean Drive, in King’s Crossing and at the Great Lakes. Now Patrick and Architectural Details have found a way to travel without leaving the Corpus Christi area. The newest innovation, Wallcanvases, provides the same quality and beauty of murals but can be produced in Architectural Details Studio and shipped anywhere for installation.
Architectural Details is not just Patrick Richards. Along the way Patrick has recruited other talented artists to help him with his vision. Working from his studio, lovingly nicknamed the ArtPharm, at 513 S. Carancahua St., Corpus Christi, Patrick and his team continue to delight those who appreciate the finer touches in their lives. The other artists currently residing and working from the ArtPharm are: Kathryn Jones who honed her skills in Florida, internationally known artist Darren Evans who hales from Wales in the United Kingdom and has created murals and decorative finishes worldwide and Billy Culver, a woodworker/musician from right here in Corpus Christi.
Architectural Details has developed some of its own processes for beautifying homes and businesses while keeping to a tight budget. Some of the most popular include hand painted floors for around $5 a square foot, customized switch plates to match tile backsplashes and marble countertops, and conversion of brick fireplaces into stone and marble finishes at a fraction of the real cost of construction. These add to their normal repertoire of faux finishes, Parisian plaster, glazing and murals that have made Architectural Details what it is today. Please take a look at our pictures and visit our website for more examples of our work.
* *A.D.Wallcanvases can also be commissioned through Architectural Details or local interior designers.
*We invite you to invite us to be a part of creating your personal vision of beauty that the attention to details should reflect.
Over 50 years of combined experience in concept design and execution of Murals, Trompe l’oeil, and Faux Finishes.
Contact Architectural Details at (361)-563-1769
On the net at ADETAILS.com
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One might wonder how two exceptional artists manage to co-exist in close proximity. “It is essential for us to have our private studios,” said Al, “but, our support for each other is invaluable. Nanci is my in-house critic on my art, along with other matters.” With creative energy running rampant, the two artists maintain their individuality. “Painting is intellectual and mental,” said Nancy, “and, ceramics is more peaceful and soothing. Each of our studios has its special aura of energy.”
]]>A renowned painter, Al has deep roots in South Texas. From Cuero to Port Isabel, his family has left their footprints. After growing up in Long Island, New York, Nanci, a ceramic artist, found herself in Texas when her father acquired land near Alice. The talented duo met while attending the University of Texas in Austin, and their life together has been an artful journey of collective and individual accomplishments.
Al began his career as a commercial artist in Dallas, but in the late 60’s he followed his impulses and committed his life to painting. “An artist can live anywhere,” he said, “but, being close to the water serves as an inspiration. I was drawn to the Texas coast.” Originally, Al and Nanci purchased a small beach house at Ingleside on the Bay. After Hurricane Celia blew it away, they gravitated to Rockport. “The birding and fishing is world class,” he said, “and, the abundant wildlife offers endless subject matter.” Al’s exhibitions and one-man shows throughout the nation necessitate travel, but he is always happy to return to the shore.
When Al embarked on a full-time career as a painter, he focused on coastal scenes, seascapes, the boats that ply the waterways and the bountiful wildlife. Later, he expanded his scope to include works of sporting art. “I view my work as environmental art depicting the coast and the Hill Country,” he said, “and, Nanci and I enjoy spending time in both places.” Tucked away between Johnson City and Fredricksburg, the Barnes’ cabin retreat is surrounded by 17 acres, with a creek running through it. In these surroundings, Al recently completed 5 new paintings. His interest in the area has prompted him to participate with members of the National Western Art Foundation, in an effort to raise funds for a new museum in San Antonio.
At the Barnes’ Rockport home, Al’s studio is a haven with walls of glass overlooking the wooded grounds, generous light and a cozy woodburning fireplace. Works created here have won acclaim at exhibitions in Wisconsin, Dallas, Mystic, Connecticut, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the Cincinnati Museum of Art, the Waterfowl Festival in Maryland, the American Museum of Fly Fishing in Vermont, the Anguilla International Arts Festival in the British West Indies and the Society of Animal Artists in Denver. His works are represented by The Sportsman’s Gallery in Atlanta and Beaver Creek and the prestigious Meredith Long Gallery in Houston, where he recently had a one-man show. Among the awards received from State and National organizations, Al has been honored as the Texas Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year, as the Bill Fish Foundation Featured Artist, the Coastal Conservation Stamp Artist and as the International Game Fish Association Featured Artist.
When he accepts a private commission, he first paints a landscape. Once in place, a bird, a boat or a group of hunters might begin to appear. “Wildlife art is fun,” he said, “and, like all art, it is a constant learning experience.” He shares this philosophy with young artists and encourages them to continue to strive and be honest and true. “Most importantly, I urge them to do what they love to do.”
On the other side of the Barnes’compound, a path through the garden leads to Nanci’s studio. Initially Nanci was a painter, but she later became captivated by the beauty of ceramics. “Earth, air, fire and water are the basic principles of physical presence in the world,” she said, “and, working with ceramics encompasses all of that.” Nancy equates the earth to clay, the air as energy for the fire and water as the mover of the clay. It is a theory to which she subscribes and deeply respects. Her spiritual connection to the earth is prevalent in her art.
After years of working in functional ceramics, Nancy turned her attention to other forms. She has won acknowledgement for her large vessels, using imagery to provide insight into nature. “The color is extremely important,” said Nanci, “and, it must have depth, richness and movement.” In residences throughout the Coastal Bend, she is noted for architectural enhancements such as door surrounds, ceramic house number plaques, artistic transoms over doorways and fireplace surrounds. Her signature Blue Herons often embellish a home’s design. Nanci has accepted commissions to create magnificent wall fountains, and her artistic works are designed to withstand the elements for all time. She was honored to be included in the Architectural Ceramics for the Studio Potter, by Lark Publications, for a slab and relief sculpture she created for a home on Aransas Bay. Locally, Nanci’s works are on display at The Gallery of Rockport on Austin Street.
Though they work in separate studios, the bonds between Al and Nanci Barnes are far reaching. They cherish their relationships with their son Collin and his wife Indu, their son Thad and his wife Robin and grandchildren Nelson and Charlotte. They are united in their belief that the imagery in art is a powerful tool to influence the collective unconscious; and, the passion they feel for their art is only rivaled by their devotion to preserving the natural environment.
During the first week of March, I will be setting up an exhibit of The Katrina Collection on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi in Long Beach. The Katrina Research Center is sponsoring the exhibit, and will host an opening reception for the exhibit on June 5. On March 27 and 28, I have been invited to Copley Square in Boston by the Episcopal Dioceses of Massachusetts to join them in a presentation of The Katrina Collection. I will be giving a public presentation about the work and the storm experience, and a benefit will be held to aid the dioceses in their ongoing efforts at hurricane recovery along the Gulf Coast. In August, Sumner & Dene Gallery in Albuquerque will host another show of my work.
My friend and fellow artist Gara Gillentine has set up a website for me, which I hope will make it easier for people to locate the various blogs which exhibit my different collections of work. I am now exhibiting at Caboose Art Gallery in Long Beach, Ms. and continue to exhibit at Gallery 220 in Bay St Louis, as well as at Sumner & Dene in New Mexico and Brown's Fine Art in Jackson, Ms. On another note, I am proud to announce that my brother Jon Gordon's cutting edge program "Future Tense" on Minnesota Public Radio can now be heard in Mississippi, as well as on other public radio stations around the country. For those of you who are not already fans, please turn on that radio or find Jon on the web.
]]>How did you get involved in photography? Taking photos of my children as a young wife and stay-at-home mother in the eighties. Took a community-college class at Del Mar Community College on basic black & white photography in 1985 and I was hooked.
What’s your professional background? College graduate of Texas A&M University at College Station in business; just always loved photography.
]]> Who are some of your favorite photographers and artists that have inspired you and what is it about them that you appreciate? Of course, French photographer Robert Doisneau (1912-1994). His images of Paris; the everyday people and situations are timeless and so many times humorous. American portrait photographer Annie Leibowitz for her outrageous, cutting edge, witty style. Rosalind Solomon who had an exhibit here in Corpus Christi at the Art Museum of South Texas years ago; I loved her direct journalistic style of portraiture. I wrote to her as a young aspiring artist and she wrote me back (real letters, pre-internet!) — that made a very big impression on me.Of the photos that you have taken, what is your favorite and why? It’s hard to name a single favorite, but I guess it would have to be “Cruel Shoes,” which is a self-portrait of sorts that I created in 1990; of a bride on the side of the road...it has so many layers of meaning for me, both on a professional and personal level. I have recently run into several people who bought a print of it from me way back, and they are still enjoying it and getting comments about it from folks who see it. It was the beginning of my hand-coloring phase that was very successful; it was reproduced in a photography magazine, and in a book on hand-coloring in 1994. I think it works because it always gets a reaction from the viewer. I like to write, so I wrote the story about how I created it, which is pretty funny in itself, and posted it on my website as a “secret” link...you have to find the link on the bride’s dress to find the story...
Anything unusual that you have shot? An off-the-cuff shot I grabbed in Paris last October...in the Robert Doisneau style...I spent 4 days on a bicycle with my camera around my neck - my favorite way to explore a new city. My girlfriend and I were biking to see the Moulin Rouge (a traditional cabaret built in 1889), in the Montmartre District. It was a gorgeous, sunny warm day - a miracle for Paris that time of year. I saw this older couple just sitting together at their open window, on the second floor of a classic Parisian apartment building, with a retail shop on the ground floor below them. Underneath their window was the shop’s sign “Love Shop.” Montmarte is the District known for its sex shops - I hurriedly changed lenses to get the shot without looking up at them - I didn’t want them to notice me - and fired off a few rounds. I entered the best one in a local contest this fall and it won - $500! Also, in a stroke of serendipity, an exhibit of Doisneau’s work opened the week we were in Paris, so I got to immerse myself in his incredible images. He was famous for capturing everyday Parisian life, mostly in a very witty way. You see his work in postcards, posters and books all over the city.
What or who have you always dreamed of photographing? Rock stars...Paris (a dream realized)...famous people of all sorts...exotic places and the indigenous people there ...
Are you from Corpus Christi? No, born and raised in Beaumont, Texas.
How did you get here? Moved here after flailing around the state after graduating from college.
What do you like about living in Corpus Christi? The small size of the city, driving by several friends’ houses just to get to the grocery store or the post office, my circle of friends and being involved in their lives, the wind and the water, the way we think it’s a “long way” to get to the south-side because it’s a 15 minute drive, the beach and bonfires in winter.
What do you like about living and working in downtown Corpus Christi? I love downtown. It’s a secret jewel that just needs a following to enjoy its many assets. I love being able to buy fresh-caught shrimp from my shrimper friends on the Thead. Eating out at the many wonderful restaurants. The karaoke bars with their passionate regulars. The edgy art spaces like K-Space. The wonderful twenties-era building that houses my studio ...
Your studio, West Lights Studio, located at 508 Mesquite in the heart of downtown Corpus Christi, is currently working with “Photo Impressionism.” What is this? This style of “Photo Impressionism” is cutting-edge technology that allows me to create “portraits” from digital photographs using software called Painter. I use a tablet and stylus in place of a mouse to actually “paint” with pixels. To be clear, this is no automatic conversion by the software; it’s a stroke by stroke transformation of a photo into a sort of hybrid of a photograph and a painting. There are all sorts of “virtual brushes” I can use to create different looks but I think it’s smart to stick with a few techniques to create a signature look. I received a great compliment from a friend today; he said that he used to think that portraiture “was really kind of boring,” but that my work changed his perception of it. That’s what I’m after; a signature look to my work that stands out from the usual fare. I’m also hoping to change people’s perceptions about portraiture; photographic portraits as art for their homes — what dearer piece of art is a portrait of a loved one? Large portraits on canvas can make a bold impact that’s both timeless and cutting edge.
How long does the process take? Usually we can complete a portrait canvas in several weeks. I try to do the actual image work in one or two sessions at my computer. After the graphics are completed, I print the image on canvas. Afterwards, it’s stretched on a frame. I am still a one-woman-show; or a “boutique studio” as they call them these days.
Can a client bring in a printed photograph or does the photo have to be digital? The image I work with must be digital. However, a client can bring in a photograph to the studio and I can scan the image in - thus, converting it to a digital image.
What is the price range? Prices range from $700 to $2,000 - it depends on size. For info call 361-888-5249 or visit www.brendamilesphotography. com
Looking at “Pond Yacht”, anyone who has ever built or owned one of the wooden model boats will instantly recognize all the tiny details Polzin didn’t overlook. The stitching in the sails, the metal rings around the mainmast, the painted waterline mark . . . all there in exquisite detail. In “Polzin Intermission”, the details in the handle of the cheese knife are razor sharp, while the veins of mold in the bleu cheese are muted.
And if there is any doubt whether Polzin is a product of the Gulf coast, look no further for proof than in the details of “Easy Does It”, where two fishermen are stalking in the coastal flats. A ray of light illuminates just the anglers, as one stands on the poling platform inching the boat toward the prey, while the other stands in the bow, bracing himself with the bow line. If you follow the bow angler’s gaze, you can see the dorsal and tail fins of the redfish as the tail in the shallow water.
Where does one learn to paint like that? “Most of my teaching has been self-taught. However, I have spent time with more experienced artists who have helped guide me along,” said Polzin. Finding more experienced artists isn’t hard; Polzin is only 34. He had some formal training in Victoria, Texas at Victoria College under the instruction of Larry Shook. He also received instructional sessions from master painter Dalhart Windberg. “Like a lot of artists, I am drawn to the dramatic lighting and realistic approach of the early Dutch masters like Vermeer and Rembrandt, but I credit the work of Dalhart Windberg for my influence into the field of fine art as a craeer. His work has inspired me since early on in childhood.”
Growing up with family who were artists probably didn’t hurt his development. Polzin related, “My dad is an artist as well, but has not pursued it as a career just yet. My grandfather has been a stained glass artist most of his life. From my earliest memories, I remember drawing something or watching my dad draw, or building something with one of my granddads. I have always enjoyed crafting something from scratch.”
Polzin’s upbringing also influenced his choice of subject matter. He grew up with outdoorsmen who liked to fish the Texas bays and surf near Port O’Connor. “I grew up on the Texas coast and spent a great deal of time fishing and going to the beach with my family, so most of my landscape scenes are coastal. Saltwater is in my blood!”
One of Polzin’s favorite paintings also has a familial connection. “I painted a still life of my grandfather’s old cowboy gear that I titled ‘Grandpa’s Gear’. The painting featured his old saddle, his hat and a pair of spurs. This has always had special meaning to me.”
What else inspires him to paint? “Objects that have lots of character and detail. An old worn saddle, a rustic wood bowl, or even a hand crafted musical instrument such as a violin or guitar. I also draw ideas from the places that I enjoy visiting. Places along the coast or in the hill country. I’ll come across some object that catches my attention. I can pretty quickly see it in some sort of setting in my mind. I’ll take it to my studio, sketch up a rough layout, then set up the scene. Often I need to locate other relative objects to make the scene work. Once I am happy with the setup. I’ll sketch the image to a canvas and begin painting. The painting process can take up to a couple of weeks depending on size and complexity.”
Some artists have routines they follow when they work. Some have traditions or habits. How about Polzin? How does he work? “I listen to all kinds of music but I especially like Willie Nelson. I might pop in an audio book. Lots of talk radio, too. When I am painting, my mind is pretty clear and I like to listen to and learn while I’m working. My schedule is all over the place, but I try and paint for a full three weeks straight and then take a week off. You’ll always find me with bare feet, an old pair of jeans and a t-shirt when I’m painting.”
Before becoming a full time artist, Polzin worked as a commercial artist, web developer, and muralist. His first big break came in Port Aransas, Texas in 1998. “I sold my first painting at the Port A Gallery in February 1998. I was pretty pumped about it. I couldn’t wait to get started on my next one. When I sold it, the idea occurred to me that I may be on to something!”
On to something? Let’s see. Polzin was chosen as Texas Ducks Unlimited’s Sponsor Artist for 2006-2007. His original oil painting titled "Hunter's Heritage" is still available as a Limited Edition reproduction through Ducks Unlimited.
In November 2007, Southwest Gallery, one of the oldest and largest galleries in Dallas, hosted his first major one-man show, which featured twenty-seven original works. Due to the high interest in the show, the paintings were available for purchase by draw only. The show was an overwhelming success. All twenty-seven pieces sold on opening night.
In April and May of 2008, works by Dalhart Windberg and Kyle Polzin were on display at The Rockport Center for the Arts in Rockport Texas. This major two-man exhibition featured original paintings and a selection of reproductions by each artist. Polzin began the show with twelve original works for sale, and sold all twelve during the first week of the show.
Polzin returned to the Port A Gallery in 2008, which hosted a one-man show on August 16, featuring twelve original paintings by the artist. All twelve sold by draw the night of the show, marking his third sold-out show in 12 months.
Oh, and in early 2008 Kyle signed on with Somerset Fine Art who is now publishing limited editions of his original works. He also will be featured in a one-man show at Southwest Gallery in November of 2009.
On to something? You might say that.
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Unfortunately, his choice of inspiration is getting harder to find. “Much of what I like about the old harbor scenes are quickly disappearing with new development,” he said. “The old shrimp boats and cruisers that I remember as a child are almost all gone. I have a lot of reference photos that I have taken through the years to work from, but seeing a scene in person is best.”
Why is painting a scene is person better than painting from a photograph? Larry describes why, “I think in terms of painting what the eye sees, not necessarily what the photo shows. A person’s eye is so much better than what any camera can depict. There is a lot more information in the shadows and highlights than a photo can show you. I use the photo as a reference to the details, especially the riggings and details I enjoy painting on the boats. I rarely paint the water of my reference photo.”
The water and its reflections are signature elements to many of Felder’s paintings. The reflections are intricate and detailed in the way they bend and warp with the waves, distorting boats and wharfs. The reflections are Larry’s favorite painting step, “My favorite part of the painting process is about the last hour of painting. During the planning stage I can easily visualize how I want it to turn out, so I can’t wait to get to the point where the ‘magic’ begins, in other words, when I paint the reflections on the water and make that look real.”
When asked if every painting had a happy ending, in other words, what happens at the end if you don’t like it, he responded, “I generally don’t stop until I like it. I have been known to completely paint out water and paint it again using a different strategy. Unfortunately, just because I like it doesn’t mean other people will. I have a few paintings at home that have not sold but I like them anyway and will keep them.”
Larry finds one of the best ways to find out what other people think of his work is to observe them in his gallery as they walk around looking at the art.
“The most successful paintings are the ones that demand that the viewer stop and look. I can see it in their eyes. I also enjoy the look on people’s faces when I help hang a piece in their home. Making someone happy makes me happy and I measure the success of my own work in that way,” he said.
One very happy occasion occurred about a year ago. It is a touching story, as Larry tells it, “I received a call from an older gentleman from San Antonio who had been told that if he wanted a boat painted I was his man. He told me that he was very hard to work with and I might not want the hassle. A challenge! I listened as he described his last experience with commissioning an artwork. He thought artists had egos inflated to the heavens and wasn’t sure he could work with one again.
“About a year earlier he had taken a photo of an historic event when the USS Texas Nuclear Attack Submarine was being commissioned in Galveston harbor. The photo showed the tall ship Elissa sailing alongside the sub as it made its way into the bay. He was a retired Navy officer and collected marine art. He just had to have a painting of this contrast between the old and new Navy vessels.
“It wasn’t the subject matter that I normally painted but something inside of me wanted to restore his faith in my fellow artists. To make a long story short, I completed the painting to his satisfaction after several months of sketches and details emailed between us. He was very happy and we had become friends during that time even though we only communicated through emails.
“He retained the original but had three Giclee made. One of those prints now hangs in the Officer’s Mess on the actual Submarine. Another was presented to the WWII Museum in Fredericksburg. And, the other was given to the Galveston Historic Society, which owns and maintains the Elissa.
“It wasn’t the money that I enjoyed in that commission. It was the new friends I made and the joy he received when he shared my piece with his comrades.”
Larry continues to enjoy making others happy. He continues painting his beloved boats and harbors, but takes time for other things, occasionally. He is currently the President of the Rockport Heritage District Association, which works to keep the downtown Rockport area developing in a positive way to preserve its small, beach village charm. He also has started taking vacations, most recently to Costa Rica. Do these outside activities portend another vacation from painting? Not hardly. He’s already started painting Costa Rican scenes. We can’t wait to see.