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Tomasz Alen Kopera

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Santa Fe New Mexico

“Perched high in the foothills of the southern Rocky Mountains, Santa Fe, New Mexico is unparalleled in its richness of history, arts and culture. Signature adobe architecture and Old World charm combine with culinary sophistication and a creative flair to make the city one of the country’s most fascinating destinations.”

North America was visited by explorers more than 400 years ago but 1607 was the start of a land rush to settle the New World. The founding of Jamestown by the British in 1607 was quickly followed by the French establishing Quebec in 1608 and the Spanish settling Santa Fe in 1609. With a population of 70,000 Santa Fe is located at an elevation of 7,000 feet. On average, Santa Fe attracts 1.4 million visitors annually. Founded in 1610, Santa Fe is the second oldest city in the United States and is considered both the highest capital city in America. Santa Fe is commemorating its 400th Anniversary throughout 2010.

There are four distinct seasons in Santa Fe including snow during the winter in the city. The sophisticated travelers who subscribe to Conde Nast Traveler magazine have

voted Santa Fe one of their favorite travel destinations in the U.S. Santa Fe was selected as the third most popular travel city in the country after San Francisco and Charleston, SC and ahead of New York, at #4, “Everyone in Santa Fe plays a role in delivering on Santa Fe’s promise of a rewarding visit,” Santa Fe Mayor David Coss said. “There is no way the city could continually appear at the top of this list without Santa Fe’s retailers, lodgers, restaurants, artists, musicians, performers, attractions, service businesses, and citizens all providing a quality experience.”

Santa Fe was designated a UNESCO Creative City in 2005, the first U.S. city to be so honored and currently one of only a handful of Creative Cities in the world. This has sparked a city-wide effort to elevate the profile of Santa Fe’s many cre-

ative sectors. In 2009 the National Trust for Historic Preservation named Santa Fe one of the Trust’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations.

The city has consistently appeared in the top 10 of Travel + Leisure’s “World Best Awards” (#5 in 2009), the top 10 of American Style’s best small art towns in America and in a variety of other polls including as one of AARP Magazine’s Top 10 Healthiest Cities to Live and Retire.

The National Trust recognized Santa Fe for both its extraordinary past and the city’s ongoing commitment to historic preservation.

The city’s efforts to safeguard the authentic sense of place found in its old neighborhoods, winding streets, historic buildings, and cultural traditions has led to Santa Fe’s reputation as one of the most original and authentically-preserved cities in the country.

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Museums Santa Fe has a museum for just about everybody, toddlers and teens included. With more than a dozen state and private museums to choose from, you can experience the rich blend of history, arts and cultural heritages that make our city so distinctly different. The Palace of the Governors, the country’s oldest continuously occupied building. This 400-year-old structure on the Santa Fe Plaza has played a part in Spanish Colonial, Mexican, Territorial and Statehood eras of New Mexico’s history and its collections and exhibitions vividly bring the past to life. A visit to Museum Hill on Santa Fe’s southeast side takes you to two outstanding museums devoted to Native American art, culture and traditions as well as a museum housing the world’s largest collection of international folk art.

New Mexico History Museum

The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

The doors of the newly created New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe opened to the public for the first time May 24, 2009. The museum’s multi-media environment explores the early history of indigenous people, 400 years of Spanish colonization, the Mexican Period, and travel and commerce on the Santa Fe Trail. The exhibition also details the flourishing of New Mexico’s worldrenowned arts communities and the coming of the Atomic Age. “The New Mexico History Museum is the starting place for the New Mexico cultural experience,” says New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. The new museum is located directly behind the Palace of the Governors; the oldest continuously occupied public building in the U.S., right on the Santa Fe Plaza. The Palace incorporates into the 96,000 square foot expansion as the signature, and most important, artifact for the History Museum. In addition to the Palace, the museum complex includes the Palace Press, and the Fray Angelico Chavez History Library and Photo Archives. Contemporary art, such as the works of Paula Castillo and Kumi Yamashita, is also a part of the museum’s permanent collection.

The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, opened to the public in July 1997, eleven years after the death of the artist from whom it takes its name.

Welcoming more than 2,225,000 visitors from all over the world and being the most visited art museum in the state of New Mexico, it is the only museum in the world dedicated to an internationally known woman artist. One of the most significant artists of the 20th century, Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) was devoted to creating imagery that expressed what she called “the wideness and wonder of the world as I live in it.” She was a leading member of the Stieglitz Circle artists, headed by Alfred Stieglitz, America’s first advocate of modern art in America. These avant-garde artists began to flourish in New York in the 1910s. O’Keeffe’s images—instantly recognizable as her own —include abstractions, large-scale depictions of flowers, leaves, rocks, shells, bones, and other natural forms, New York cityscapes, and paintings of the unusual shapes and colors of architectural and landscape forms of northern New Mexico. The Museum’s collection of over 3,000 works comprises 1,149 O’Keeffe paintings,

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drawings, and sculptures that date from 1901 to 1984, the year failing eyesight forced O’Keeffe into retirement. The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is the largest single repository of O’Keeffe’s work in the world. Throughout the year, visitors can see a changing selection of these works. In addition, the Museum presents special exhibitions that are either devoted entirely to O’Keeffe’s work or combine examples of her art with works by her American modernist contemporaries.

Santa Fe Museum of Art

The New Mexico Museum of Art building dates only to 1917, but its architects looked to the past, and based the design on the 300 year-old mission churches at Acoma and other pueblos. It shares the graceful simplicity of pueblo architecture and the sense of being created from the earth. In turn, the building established the Pueblo Spanish Revival style of architecture, for which Santa Fe is known. It was built to become the art gallery of the Museum of New Mexico, which had been founded in 1909 by archaeologist Edgar Lee Hewett. He had begun holding art shows in the historic Palace of the Governors, and then realized that an art gallery would be needed to effectively promote art throughout the region.

The architects, Rapp and Rapp, had built the wildly successful New Mexico pavilion for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in San Diego. They enlarged and modified that design and proposed it for the new art gallery. The Art Gallery of the Museum of New Mexico opened in 1917, and many of the works that were exhibited at the opening remain in the collection today.

The early Art Gallery’s “open door” policy encouraged artists working in New Mexico to exhibit their work, since Santa Fe’s commercial gallery network was years away. That welcome, mixed with the excitement about New Mexico that was generated by the tourism industry, enticed artists with formal training from other parts of the country. The resulting blending and crossinfluences of Native American, Hispanic, and European-based cultures created a unique body of work that is the basis of the New Mexico Museum of Art collection.

The museum changed its name over the years, as it grew and redefined its mission. The current name, The New Mexico Museum of Art, was adopted in 2007 to reflect the breadth of New Mexico art. Its previous name, “The Museum of Fine Arts” had been adopted in 1962.•

The Art Gallery of the Museum of New Mexico opened in 1917, and many of the works that were exhibited at the opening remain in the collection today. www.worldartfoundation.org

Santa Fe Ranked Top Art Market Gains in Global Recognition

For the fourth year in a row the art-loving readers of AmericanStyle Magazine have rated Santa Fe the top small city for art in the country. In fact, Santa Fe has appeared in the magazine’s Top 25 list of American art cities since the poll began. With a history of art dating back to its Native American origins and carried on in numerous styles right through today, Santa Fe has evolved as one of America’s most important art towns, regardless of size. Santa Fe’s artists’ enclave since the middle of the 20th century, Canyon Road alone, a one-mile walk encompassing about 100 of the area’s 240+ galleries, one can find: 12th century Anasazi pottery, 19th century Plains Indians moccasins, abstract expressionist paintings, handmade jewelry of various precious metals, Tibetan Buddhist arts, kinetic sculpture, Ming Dynasty urns, traditional cowboy art and sculpture— and much more. Art can be purchased for $25 or $250,000 (or more) on Canyon Road.

Canyon road’s restored adobe buildings garnered a nod from the American Planning Association, which named it one of the 10 Great Streets for 2007. ‘The town is unintimidating,’ agrees reader Jamie Winslow, perfect for ‘days of friendly conversation, easy walking to the galleries and, most importantly, fantastic art and artists.’ Santa Fe seems to inspire the artist in everyone while everyone seems to be inspired by the art of Santa Fe. Its natural beauty, clear light, and creative spirit have spoken to artists over the centuries, just as these same qualities speak to modern day visitors. The city has more than a dozen museums; a calendar filled with art events and markets, a population rich with artists, and is ranked as the second largest art market - in terms of sales - in the U.S Art in New Mexico, however, was being produced many years before the 20th century.

The first artist community in the Southwest was actually at the Hopi pueblos. The community started around the potter Nampeyo in the 1890s and expanded to include basket makers and weavers, and these goods went into outlets of the Fred Harvey Company and venues along the Santa Fe Railroad.

Many of the European-American artists, writers and expatriates who came here in the early part of the 20th century decided to remain, drawn by the region’s natural beauty and cultural richness. Santa Fe’s beginning as a center for 20th-century contemporary art coincides with the opening of the Museum of Fine Arts in 1917. New Mexico’s most famous contemporary artist, Georgia O’Keeffe, began painting her desert images in the late 1920s, but, ironically, little of her work was displayed in Santa Fe until the opening of the O’Keeffe Museum in 1997.

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Today, Santa Fe is recognized as one of the most important art centers in the United States with a global presence and an ever changing kaleidoscope of artists, galleries, art fairs and museums —all contributing to the rich arts and culture economy of New Mexico and its capital city.

Santa Fe’s visual arts market has shown a growth in contemporary art, especially in the high-end, serious contemporary art market. Browsers and serious collectors alike can view and purchase masterpieces of black-and-white photography, historical images and photogravure, as well as digital art

Santa Fe offers a visual feast for art lovers of all sorts, whether you’re a serious collector or a fan who finds joy in just viewing the work. With more than 250 galleries to explore, you’ll be astonished by the city’s array of art, including traditional and contemporary painting, photography, pottery, sculpture, textiles and more. Santa Fe’s Native American and Spanish Colonial roots are reflected in many of the galleries, but plenty of the world’s other cultures are represented, too. Get a chance to meet some of the artists at Santa Fe’s famous Friday evening gallery openings, which take place year-round but with more frequency during the summer months. As you walk the city discovering one gallery after another along the legendary Canyon Road, around the Plaza and downtown, and in the developing historic Railyard area, you’ll agree: art lies at the heart of Santa Fe.

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La Posada Gallery Collection SARA EYESTONE, ARTIST AND ART CURATOR The Gallery Collection at La Posada de Santa Fe “I never run out of ideas. Only time.”

Artist Sara Eyestone has spent a lifetime not only creating her own art, but also paving the way for others.

“I was born artistic, and I have spent my lifetime developing my talents. As a child, once I started to draw, first with a pencil and then with pens, I never stopped. I learned early that it is not as much a matter of talent as it is interest, and that by doing what you love, you develop your talents.” In the 1960’s, as she was embarking on a true career as an artist, she consistently found herself running up against the idea that female painters were more often than not were not taken seriously as artists and instead were considered “hobbyists or Sunday Painters.” Because of this, while she created and sold work, she was asked to sign only her last name to those pieces. It was a request to which she begrudgingly complied while at the same time fighting to prove through that same work that artist of all stripes deserved equal consideration. It would take twenty years, twenty years of determination and perseverance, for her to finally achieve the professional recognition she deserved. In the 1980’s the New Jersey State Senate named her one of their business People of the Year. She was the first artist of any gender to achieve this honor. While it was appreciated, it really just highlighted what most of the art world already knew – there was a powerful artistic force in our midst.

“I live my life from a creative point of view. My personal and www.worldartfoundation.org

professional lives are intertwined, but it is my art that keeps a roof over our heads. Artistically, my preference is to create a continuous thought.”

time they are ready to do something with their lives.”

It’s advice that she has not only tried to live everyday herself but that she passes down to everyone she can. As she ex-

During her long career, Sara has seen her work grace mu-

plains “There is such truth to knowing you can be anything you

seums and galleries across the country. A high point to this

want to be if you develop your interests and follow your heart’s

aspect of her career occurred in 1986 when she was named the

desire.”

Statue of Liberty artist. This was the same year that the State

She has recently parlayed this advice and her years of expe-

Museum of New Jersey held a retrospective of her work. (As a

rience into a new realm as Art Curator at La Posada de Santa

note - Some of the art represented there can now be seen hang-

Fe Resort & Spa. It’s a position that she virtually willed into

ing at the National Women’s Museum in Washington, D.C.)

existence and the benefits of it have been great for the local

During such a long and varied career, Sara has had one

artists involved. In this role she has an opportunity to culti-

constant inspiration. As a child she had the good fortune to

vate emerging artists, and those artists in return have an op-

spend time in the studio of Pansy Stocton. “I was at her Santa

portunity to display their work in a public setting.

Fe studio, fascinated by the way she organized her bins of yarns

With so much happening, how deep does the passion for art

by color groups, and I was impressed with the order in her

and the desire to create flow through her? To find out she was

workspace. I told her that when I grew up I wanted to be just

given this question – What does being an artist mean to you?

like her, and she said, “Sara, the only trick about doing that is to

The answer was a simple, yet powerful – “Everything.”

remember it. Most grownups forget what they like best by the

View more of Sara’s work at www.saraeyestone.com -www.worldartfoundation.org

C h a l k Fa r m G a l l e r y My wealth is in my dreams. “l have always simply followed my heart.”

Suhana Gibson was a vital participant in the London art scene in the 1970’s. She was General Manager of a number of fine art shops that started in a single space in London and quickly grew and started to spread across Europe. In 1978 she had a life changing moment and needed to get away. Needing to be anywhere but there, Suhana closed her eyes, pointed to a map and found herself booking a flight to Santa Fe. That initial stay was a short one but it changed her life forever.

“Santa Fe!! Oh, the smell of the pinion, the beautiful light, the HUGE skies, it was an amazing place that l recognized as home the moment l saw it. I stayed three weeks and cried all the way home.”

A return trip would be waylaid, but by good fortune. When Suhana returned to London she was approached by a man who wanted to open a gallery, and he wanted Suhana to run it. Opening in 1981, the gallery attracted visitors and artists from around the world. It was four floors filled with glass, jewelry, sculpture, and wall art. Prince, the Rolling Stones, and The Kinks were just some of the famous faces who spent time there. Suhana remembers fondly the time Cher came by and then took her to a Bon Jovi concert later that night.

In 2001 after a number of personal trials and tribulations Suhana closed her gallery, much to the chagrin of the London art community. (It is said that on the day the doors to the gallery were locked for the last time, a large stone angel that hung from the building fell to the ground.) The reason for the closing though was a joyous one - Suhana was returning to Santa Fe. Suhana opened a gallery in Santa Fe but immediately were faced with a number of hardships including the aftereffects of the September 11 attacks and the collapse of the US Stock Market. Nearly ready to quit, a friend suggested that they move their gallery to a new location on Canyon Road. As soon as they saw the site they were hit with the immediate feeling that this is where they were meant to be. They purchased and moved into the location and have been running the Chalk Farm Gallery ever since.

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Suhana Gibson with “Fury Path” by Michael Cheval

Some of Suhana’s Quotes: “The way I show my art has to be the whole experience. The sounds you hear encourage the experience in my gallery. Tinkling water, living foliage, beautiful light and soothing imaginative music. It is the whole experience that triggers the viewer to join the artist in his journey on the canvas.

My Dad was very handsome and l was very proud of him. He was a good artist and was certainly my inspiration. One day he took me to Bayswater Road where every Sunday artists displayed their paintings for sale. The next week l was there with some of my Dad’s art.

To my utter joy we sold everything very quickly. I was twelve years old. That was my very first experience of the “art world”.

I am a leader by example not delegation.

The art that l show opens the viewer’s mind and l have had many people burst into tears as they connect with one of my artist’s visions.

I cannot show art that lies still and motionless like a bowl of picked fruit.

When people leave my gallery they are forever telling me that it was an “experience” they will never forget. Not everyone was born with a vivid imagination. I am grateful that l can open the minds, or remove the blinkers to so many people.

It is still difficult for many people to “invest” in art that simply moves them to tears, or joy, rather than art that they can lock away like stocks or bonds because the artist has either died and been promoted as an investment by “art Critics”.

My gallery is known as one of the most important surrealist/magical/visionary gallery’s in the world l guess because for one it has been created over 28 years and l have always simply followed my heart.

Followed my vision.

A new chapter is about to begin.

The featured artists on the following pages are available at Chalk Farm Gallery.

I cannot wait.

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Bru v el Born in Sydney, Australia, in 1959, Gil Bruvel’s French-born parents moved the family back to the south of France when he was 4 years old. While taking drawing lessons at age 9 and learning sculpture basics, Gil made the decision to spend his life creating art. There he found himself inspired by the light and landscapes in this region. He began working with oil paint at the age of 12 and the local environment had an enormous and lasting influence on his palette –giving him luminous colors he continues to use today.

Gil’s father, being a cabinetmaker, introduced the budding artist to the inner workings of a wood workshop including furniture design, its practical function, and every aspect of hand crafting each piece. Taking this knowledge and experience with him, Gil began studies at an art restoration workshop 1974, spending the next three years learning the techniques of the Old Masters and modern Masters of fine art. Thereafter he set up his studio in St. Remy de Provence until 1986 when he first made his way to the United States, making it his permanent residence in 1990.

At that time he started to experiment more with sculptures in bronze, stainless steel, mixed media and digital modeling as well as continuing to learn about creative processes in artistic expression.

He is currently creating functional art, sculptures, and paintings.

Gil Bruvel has been exhibiting his work since 1974 in various places around the world and including: Denmark, Dubai, England, France, Hungary, Japan, Monaco, The Netherlands, Singapore, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Texas. He has received numerous awards including those from museums exhibitions as well as nationally and internationally juried competitions. His collectors span the globe.

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Sa dowsk i Jeff Sadowski was born in 1962 in Racine, a small town in Wisconsin, USA.He was known locally for his fantastic art since his early childhood. His ability to draw unreal images from his imagination has been a gift. He always amazed his viewers with the unexpected. Relishing in any art project given out during his school years, he won numerous art awards.

Jeff left Wisconsin for the San Francisco Bay Area in 1982. While there, he had the pleasure to work with some of the best-known artists in the psychedelic and lowbrow art world. In California, he specialized in huge stage sets for major recording artists, and special events, like a tour to America from the Dalai Lama. It was there that he was able to learn hands on, all of the techniques necessary, to match the many different and challenging styles of art that he was requested to reproduce. Jeff mastered the airbrush during his 20 years in the studio, and reproduced an estimated 3,000 6’x6’album covers.

In 2002 he returned to Wisconsin, taking with him all the experiences that the west coast had to offer. He added those experiences to his own surrealistic vision for creating new and exciting works of art.

“I don’t know where this art journey is going to lead me.”

Jeff Sadowski might best be described as a “practical artist.” That is, he is not unwilling to take his talents in a new direction or pick up with an experimentation if it can further his growth. This is not as much a financially motivated decision as it is one driven by self growth. As he says, “That is how I thrive as an Artist.”

A practical artist is what he has always been. As a child he was as equally interested in the process of becoming an artist as he was in creating the art. He explains that he used to wonder “Could I have been a milkman during the day and

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an artist at night?” It was part of a standard line of questioning for the budding young artist.(“I have always wondered, how people who are not artists choose their professions-- what could I have been?”)

Jeff has always led his life in line with his personal convictions on art. In his eyes, art should be a vehicle that is used to trigger an emotion.”be it good or indifferent,” he explains, “it will succeed as art by doing so.”

He uses that logic-based thinking today in his search for inspirations.”Something I see reconnects my mind in that brief second, opens a door, and connects my imagination with an idea. That is where the inspiration begins. He finds inspiration every where, from “a dragonfly face, or something as common as a marshmallow in a bowl of cereal.” His ideas are captured like fireflies in a mason jar. These ideas swirl around in his mind, randomly collecting others, until an image is formed for a painting. Jeff sees this collection, and then creation, as surrealistic time capsules from certain moments in his life.

Jeff sees this collection, and then creation, as surrealistic time capsules from certain moments in my life. He goes on to elaborate that this is a perfect way to not only see into the artistic process but also hear its results. Perhaps the greatest drive behind his work, is the desire, yet inability to truly know art. “It will always be an intangible mystery to me, one that I have not the authority to try and explain.”

Perhaps the greatest drive behind his work, is the journey and anticipation of just how all those different images will connect to create his next painting. Jeff compares his creative process to the most direct of Surrealistic techniques, “automatic writing”, but producing images instead of words.

His modus operandi is a blank sheet of paper and a number two pencil with absolutely no direction in mind. Immerse yourself in the images-- rediscover a faintly familiar and wondrous neighborhood you passed through once before. Let the art evoke a response, an emotion or memory, be it pleasant or adverse, and maybe, that is all that should matter.

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Sa dowsk i

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Koper a The talented artist Tomasz Alen Kopera was born in Poland in 1976. His artistic workshop testifies to his high susceptibility. His art is of the highest artistic level, and he is well known for his accurate drawing and his unique perception of colours.

“I have never stopped painting.”

Tomasz Alen Kopera sees his position in art as a “fulfillment.” It’s a way, or perhaps the only way, of life he could ever envision. He does it because of a strong feeling, a desire to fulfill a “need for creation.” While art is most certainly his life, he has an interesting relationship with it “Sometimes I think that art is some sort of a curse or disease.” He goes on to explain that “The artist has to cope with his thoughts, emotions, with his susceptibility with which it is so difficult to function in a real life. And the only cure for him is the creation.”

Tomasz finds inspiration for his art in the everyday world around him. “I think” he says “that the most inspiring thing for me is…everything which relates to the human nature, (the) feelings, (and the) inter-human relationships.” He also finds inspiration in that great muse of artists across the centuries – “Nature,” he looks at the natural acts of good which truly “…rule the world…its’ infinity and depths.” www.worldartfoundation.org

“I have been painting for as long as I can remember. The subject matter of my paintings springs from my fascination for human nature, as well as for all that is dark and mysterious. Through my paintings I want to affect the subconscious. I want to attract the spectator’s attention for a longer moment, and arouse the thoughtfulness and contemplation in him.”

Even with such time honored inspiration, the actual creation process differs continually. For some pieces an idea holds from the beginning to the end of the creation process. Other times the idea undergoes a metamorphosis (or two) as it is painted and in some, rare cases, just as a painting nears completion, he will reassess it and paint over it and start all over again.

“Through my paintings” Tomasz ruminates, “ I want to affect the subconscious.

I want to attract the spectator’s attention for a longer moment, and arouse the thoughtfulness and contemplation in him.”

His art, which is well known for its

I want to affect the subconscious. I want

technical drawing skills and strong understanding and use of colors, also has a

to attract the spectator’s attention for a

strong level of symbolism. Tomasz ex-

longer moment, and arouse the thought-

viewer to hold on a painting a little longer,

fulness and contemplation in him.”

plains that the reason for that is to get the to extend the audience/art “moment” while prompting an additional level of contemplation and reflection. www.worldartfoundation.org

Koper a

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Koper a

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P in to It’s a trick question in that there is no real right or wrong answer – “What does being an artist mean to you?” Claudio Sauza Pinto answers not with his feelings on being an artist but on the responsibilities of accepting that mantle. As he sees it, artists have an inherent responsibility to bring “sensibility and positive energies” to the world. It’s an important responsibility because in his estimation, art “…contributes, and will continue to be a reflection of the actual social values (of mankind).” With this in mind, the responsibility of the artist becomes a social one in that artists need to not just be just “the people who paint, but to be concerned with the human being.”

Claudio started painting at a young age after falling under the influence of his uncle. It was the uncle’s “persistence, desire of life, and love of all beings.” This uncle put his passion into painting which led Claudio to the works of Dali, Bosch, and Magritte. “I believe that surrealism was part of my life. This form of artistic expression was similar to my language, a criticism of the human values. I paint the costume of a human being because the society values the appearance. I recreate daily situations using a surrealistic filter that express fantastic images with a touch of humor.”

This feeling tempers his creative process and “transports” his feelings. He www.worldartfoundation.org

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Pinto

equates his painting to creating a visual language which he can use to communicate his thoughts on reality vs. fact.

This native Brazilian has attempted to stay true to his heritage by incorporating the native colors of Brazil along with some of the base joy and sadness that is pervasive in the country.

Of course the question must be asked again as to why he is driven to create art.

The answer is not the standard “out of a desire to create” or ‘to tell a story” because for him, art has a greater purpose. “We live in a failed system of false moral values and masqueraded values, where the most important is what you have and how you look and not what we are as a being. The world needs more love, more balance and more equality!” So in the end, what truly drives Claudio no matter what type of project he is working on is one simple personal directive “Art is Love.”

Coming up, Claudio’s work can be seen at the Romero Britto Gallery and in the Collective Show at the Gagliardi Gallery in London. Claudio Pinto’s work is available at Chalk Farm Gallery www.worldartfoundation.org --

Gabriela Garza Padilla

At these galleries: Collection Privee Gallery Miami Beach, Florida Promo-Arte Latin American Art Gallery Tokyo WWW.Worldartfoundation.org

Michael Cheval

CHALK FARM GALLERY 729 Canyon Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 505.983.7125

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Hotel Laguna, 417 South Coast Hwy. Laguna Beach, California 92651 949-497-4491

Galerie Rue Royale Key West, Florida R&R Bond Gallery Sarasota, Florida Michael Cheval is represented by World Art Publishers Laguna Beach, California

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Hotel Laguna, 417 South Coast Hwy. Laguna Beach, California 92651 949-497-4491 WWW.Worldartfoundation.org

Adam Scott Rote

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Galerie Rue Royale. Key West, Florida Miranda Galleries. Laguna Beach, California Chloe Fine Arts. San Francisco, California Diamond Head Gallery. Maui, Hawaii

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Octavian Florescu

Hotel Laguna, 417 South Coast Hwy. Laguna Beach, California 92651 949-497-4491

EE FINE ART Cambridge, UK

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The World Art Foundation is an organization of professional artists that deals with the characteristics of art, its nucleus being the strength of all its combined elements and principles. Most of the artists in this publication are WAF members.

On October 31st 2008, My father and I created the World Art Foundation (WAF) in Orange County California .

On January 31 2009, we launched WAF’s website to the

in Laguna Beach to benefit the World Art Foundation advertising fund.

World Art Foundation sponsored all but one of the over 400 participating artists by waving the $500 exhibiting fee. Actually besides the shipping expense, the 400 artists did not pay to exhibit at the World Art Expo 09 in California.

During the expo WAF held educational functions at the Fullerton Museum,the Marriott hotel at the Fullerton University campus and the WAF Gallery in Brea.

World Art Foundation, presently with over 50,000

public with the announcement that WAF Expo 09 is scheduled

members in their cyber groups, is considered the world’s

for June 7 thru the 14, 2009. Within 40 days over 3,000 art-

largest art organization. WAF continues to grow with over

ists from all over the world joined the WAF sites.

100 artists joining its ranks each week. In 2010 Expos are

The World Expo 09 was held as scheduled in June 7-14

scheduled in 12 countries as well as many key art cities in

2009 in Brea, Fullerton and Laguna Beach California, with the

the US including New York, Chicago. Los Angeles, Phoenix,

participation of over 400 artists from 53 countries in 5 conti-

Santa Fe and Orange County.

nents.

World Expo 09 became the largest expo of this genre ever held in California. See www.worldartfoundation.org/Testimonial The Mayor of Fullerton issued a proclamation in the name of the city council and the citizens of Fullerton welcoming

The All America Tour 2009 introduces 30 accomplished WAF artists to curators in Ten American Cities. More tours for America and Europe are in the works for 2010.

The WAF Museum Collection is scheduled to travel in 2010 to many expos in 3 continents. See a portion of the Collection on www.worldartfoundation.org/Museum .

World Art Foundation to Fullerton. See copy of the proclamation on www.worldartfoundation.org/Expo_09 A fund raiser was held in June 6th at the Miranda Gallery

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Antoine Marengo Co-Founder of Word Art Foundation

Zoltan Krizsan

Hotel Laguna, 417 South Coast Hwy. Laguna Beach, California 92651 949-497-4491 WWW.Worldartfoundation.org

Mich a el Cheval Pathway to Absurdology Mark Gauchax “The only thing I did was trust the rabbit to open the right doors” Jorane own divine spark – the spark of co-creation. His paintings do pening certain doors is forbidden. Peaking behind oth-

O

ers might be dangerous. There are also doors that are

not grant superhuman abilities to those who possess them. I

terrifying but extremely satisfying to open. These are the

haven’t met anyone who became capable of seeing through walls

doors of imagination where you can let your fantasy roam free.

and move objects (although who knows). But I know of many

Michael Cheval does not have a lock on this door and it never closes for him. Not only his fantasy continuously bursts into our world but he also leaves reality to escape into the world where his fantasy dwells.

Some say that Alice Liddell, who truly existed and inspired

who are happy from the thought that they were able to decipher the idea that the artist crafted into his paintings.

Perhaps, if Cheval did not come to US, it would be worth to invent him, because without him, the history of art would be much duller.

Lewis Carroll’s famous character, was suffering from split personality disorder. Therefore, the description of “behind-

MG: Tell me Michael, all this “Absurdology”, is it for real?

the-looking-glass experience” might be only a psychological

Perhaps you are tricking us? Playing with our percep-

observation of a patient. “Alice” even led to a new term AIWS

tion?

– Alice In Wonderland Syndrome. Those who suffer from it can

MC: Art by itself is a great illusion, a kind of ozone layer above

perceive objects to be considerably larger or smaller then in

the mundane. Playing with perception is the art’s principle.

reality. They can also experience shifts in perspective when an

That’s how it’s established. In this sense, “Absurdology” is a con-

object seems much further or closer than it really is. Time may

venient tool. “Absurdology” – is an attempt to understand our

move quicker for them or slower. Cheval’s door into imagina-

life the way it truly is. Without propaganda, ideology, politics,

tion is both large and small, far and near, fast and slow. That

and imposed tastes. Life in its pure state is beautiful, full of

is why all those who visit his exhibitions begin to experience

logic and meaning. But combined with the above, it is absurd,

Alice’s syndrome. The meanings that visitors perceive in his

illogical. The majority of people became accustomed to such life

paintings fluctuate and twitch like peripheral vision. It seems

and they do not notice this. That is why it is useful, once in a

that one almost grasps the notion when everything jumps and

while, to turn everything upside down, in order to wake them.

rushes further away.

Wake them gently, carefully, like waking a sleepwalker.

Michael Cheval is a man with an absolutely clear vision of

Oh, it is a great moment! I enjoy observing the reaction my

the world and a completely absurd vision of art. No, he does

viewers have when they suddenly understand that the painting

not invent new styles and directions. He simply expresses the

talks to them. That is the best reward for me.

world as it truly is (in reality that he sees).

Is Cheval dangerous? In middle ages he might have been

MG: In all honesty Michael, how long did it take to realize

burned by inquisition for his art. Yet he lives peacefully in

and say to yourself “I am an artist.” Was it hard to choose

New York and allows everyone who is willing to discover their

your door? Did you have other possibilities?

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MC: A child, an adolescent always has choices. Sometimes it

MC: You are probably right about duality. But this is not the

becomes a problem, even a conflict with grown-ups. For me,

unhealthy split of personality. Rather, it is similar to actors who

even though I knew from childhood that I would be an artist,

enter their characters and leave them to be themselves. This is

there were also other choices. To be more precise, these were

natural for me – I am Gemini according horoscope. I don’t feel

explorations of different artistic directions. I understood

any discomfort from my duality.

that there are many mediums for expressing myself. There are plenty of ways to realize fantasies. But one’s talents are

MG: What does a spark of idea look like? What’s the ap-

not distributed evenly. There’s more talent in something and

pearance of inspiration? Are there moments when the idea

less in something else. So after trying different paths, I came

comes at an inconvenient moment and there is no possibil-

back to painting, because I understood that is what I do best.

ity to sketch it? What do you do in such moments?

Yet I do not regret devoting several years to music and litera-

MC: You want to know how inspiration looks? From the outside,

ture. It all became handy and without it, I would not be able

it looks like a horse. A white, elegant horse. Sometimes red col-

to realize what I do in painting now. I believe that balanced

ored, but rarely. This horse has enormous wings on its back, some

development, especially for a person of arts, is indispensable.

seven-eight feet each. Its eyes are wise, its tail is long, its mane

Without it, it is impossible to “fly.”

is hard to take your eyes off. And the name of this horse is – Pegasus.

MG: Your fantasies, as I judge them from your paint-

But more seriously, inspiration is like a flash, a push, an electric

ings, have certain logical boundaries? I imagine that

discharge. A certain puzzle suddenly comes together in your mind.

in real life you also constantly invent something inun-

About ideas coming at most inconvenient moments, I would

dating your relatives and friends with your creativity.

say they always do that. Imagine, you are in a train and there is a

Do you often play tricks on them?

white horse flapping her wings outside the window. Feels some-

MC: I believe I am not deprived of a sense of humor and play-

what awkward. Or you decide to take a shower, open a cabin and

ing kind tricks on those who are close to me is wonderfully

there again is a horse.

delightful. But saying that I inundate them with my fantasies

In general, I write all my ideas down, not sketch them. Very

would be untrue. I simply cannot allow myself to do that.

concisely, only what’s most important. This is faster and easier

Perhaps, if I did, I would have been locked in jail, isolated

not to lose the idea’s essence.

from the society a long time ago. People would be pointing at me like they point at those who claim to have seen UFO or at

MG: Tell me, is it fashionable to be an artist today?

ventriloquists. Perhaps I am just not brave enough. Perhaps

MC: What are you talking about! It is fashionable to be an actor,

it’s just a matter of character. But in any case, I treat my fan-

a musician, a doctor, a lawyer. An artist is a loner in life. He sits

tasies, my ideas very carefully. I collect them like diamonds

in his studio, submerged in his world. He is comfortable there.

from a mine. Sometimes quickly and effortlessly, but some-

Everything is familiar and understandable. The world outside

times torturously long.

his studio is alien. It follows different laws. It has the concept of fashion. Perhaps, in times of Leonardo or Vermeer, it was “fash-

MG: You want to tell me that Cheval in life and Cheval

ionable” to be an artist. But present times are different.

in art are two different people? That means you did not escape the mirror duality as well. How do the two of

MG: Thousands of “artists” today can use Photoshop to

you cope together?

distort photographs into a certain likeness of surrealism,

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Mich a el Cheval

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but very few of them will dare to take a brush in their

MC: WAF is a young organization that is continually search-

hands. Do you consider them your colleagues?

ing for and attracting new members, sponsors, curators. It

MC: Among those who can, as you put it, “distort photo-

has great ambitions and exciting plans. But WAF wasn’t built

graphs”, there are many true artists. I would even say in-

as a union for artists. Rather it can be viewed as an engine

genious. I respect them and consider them my colleagues.

that helps artists introduce themselves to the world by ex-

It doesn’t make a difference what means the artist uses to

hibiting them at shows and publishing their catalogs. I don’t

express his idea! If he does it masterfully, if his ideas make

exclude the possibility that in the future, WAF will take on

viewers gasp, even if he made it on the computer, he created

union functions and will be able to offer its members protec-

art. Take Banksy for instance. He turned graffiti into true

tion, legal assistance, grants, learning centers, perhaps an

art. So what does it matter if he made his art on plain bricks

art academy led by best professors. To make this all possible,

with spray paint? Banksy is a splendid artist!

much work is required not only from WAF founders, but also from all its members.

MG: Does art end where business begins?

MC: I am not sure. There was a time when I

MG: Is there something you’d like to tell

would answer “yes” without much thinking.

your WAF colleagues?

But now I believe that if an artist is able to

MC: I only want to say that without strong

find the right balance between art and busi-

belief in the virtue of the undertaking,

ness, he might be very successful in both.

without belief in success, it is impossible to

In the past centuries, art was a business

win the battle or to build a house. WAF is

and many great masters were flourishing in

a common mission and only collectively we

it. Take Rubens for instance. Or even Mi-

can achieve success.

chelangelo. The trick is to find balance so that these two different occupations don’t

MG: Asking about your various talents,

conflict with each other.

I knew how to end this interview. What comes next? Following the path of your

MG: Did the crisis crush the art market

endless play that takes place on your

the way it happened with mortgage

canvases, what new facets of your tal-

business?

ent we will to uncover ahead?

MC: I don’t think that what happened with mortgage busi-

MC: Time will show! There are many thoughts, ideas that I’d

ness happened with art market as well. I haven’t heard about

want to carry out. For example in sculpture. I also have an idea

Van Gogh or Picasso paintings being sold for less. The living

of collaborating with cinematography. But for now these are only

artists are also in no hurry to reduce their prices. Perhaps

ideas that first and foremost require time, which is always cata-

these markets have different mechanisms, different values.

strophically lacking.

MG: When you became a member of WAF, did you receive any protection,insurance, benefits? Paid vacation? Foodstamps? Perhaps some brushes?

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Translated by Maria Logven

Mich a el Cheval

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Adam Scott Rote Adam’s favorite art piece is always the

WAF gives the artist the opportunity to

one he is working on that moment “in this

grow, shine and learn how to maintain

way I am always trying to top my previous

ownership of their career. WAF bestowed

creation”.

upon Adam the coveted World Master status “success leaves clues that allow WAF

Before defining his passion for paint-

members the opportunity to follow the

ing Adam Scott Rote studied fashion at

success of other members to study and

the Virginia Marti School “These studies

share”.

continue to inspire me to turn concepts into collections”. Influenced by artists

Adam is working on an exciting process

such as Gil Bruvel and Alberto Vargas,

called “Unique”. A process that combines

“Varga set the standards for me on how

an original painting and a Giclee whereas

I paint in a fashion sense. I love the way

a portion of the painting is a Giclee, how-

he elongates the legs to give his women a

ever, the subject -let’s say a figure of a

sensual elegant look.” Adam Rote creates

woman-- can be changed in each piece to

art that centers on memories, emotions,

another subject. The collector has a unique

and other life experiences. In addition

piece that can command a much higher

to aforementioned artists he finds inspi-

price than a Giclee and lower price than an

ration in fashion and architecture and

original. The art piece remains always one

especially the images of the Hollywood

of a kind.

of yester-year, particularly those films that were described as “filmnoir.” He has

This process is particularly important in

taken all of these influences and internal-

Adam’s phase of his career because of his

ized them as he taught himself his craft.

association with the Princess Cruises Inc.

The result is elegant and realistic art that

“My art is available on 30 Class A ship’s

features “a high contrast of light and dark”

galleries with potential buyers amongst the

which is further complimented by “his use

ships’ 2 million passengers a year” Adam

of bold colors complements the artistry

joins other distinguished artists such as

from the time.”

20th century masters Dali, Chagall, Erte as well as renowned contemporary artists

One of the first members of the World Art Foundation (WAF) Adam states that

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such as Alexandra Nechita, Howard Behrens, Martiros and Bill Mack who also are a

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A da m

Ro t e

My figures are not ghosts,” he explains “they are transparent rather than opaque for the goal of allowing the whole painting equal measure.”

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part of this venture.

clarity. The work of this award winning artist has been described as being filled with “…strong emotions such as trepida-

Adam’s art centers on representations of the human

tion, recklessness and awe.”

form that is not fully realized but transparent. “My figures are not ghosts,” he explains “they are transparent

On top of the WAF Showcases, Adam’s work can be seen at

rather than opaque for the goal of allowing the whole

the Galerie Rue Royale, Key West, FL. The Miranda Galleries,

painting equal measure. ”Additionally, the opaque-ness

Laguna Beach, CA. Chloe Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA. and

allows the full painting to be seen with equal focus and

Diamond Head Gallery Maui, HI.

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A da m

Ro t e

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O c tav i a n F l or e s c u My studio is my home.

For Octavian Florescu, creating art is about “…the transition from the conscious to subconscious levels.” He works to express this with strong and vibrant colors which he calls upon to help each piece achieve a “dream-like vibration,” and radiate energy and power. It’s a feeling that comes not just from the work, but radiates from the artist. One suspects that Florescu works not as much to have a finished piece, but to be a part of the artistic process. As he explains it, it is “in the development (that is) defining an “artist”.” He goes on to say that art is really the sum of its parts “… it’s everything, it’s a lifestyle; it’s a hobby, work, and way of existence.”

Florescu recently became a member of the World Art Foundation (WAF) because he saw in it an opportunity to be a part of an organization that professionally represents artists while helping to connect

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them with galleries and curators. He believes strongly in the importance of a worldwide artistic community and expresses a wish that arts organizations will join with the WAF to strength and democratize artists everywhere.

A world-traveler, and multi-disciplined scholar, Florescu sees art as a way to communicate his thoughts and beliefs. “Each painting is a story, a rhapsody...” he explains. While he projects his thoughts and opinions into his work, the resulting pieces are not heavy-handed treatises on a subject. Rather, each piece is more suggestive which allows the viewer to be subtly brought in.

For inspiration Florescu doesn’t turn to any particular artist other than himself.

To locate his muse he often turns inward. He utilizes meditation to “…search for an idea which was just a flash in the dark; I catch that idea and then create a psychological outWWW.Worldartfoundation.org

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O c tav i a n F l or e s c u line; an immaterial, mind-only, visual expression.” He then takes the tools and talent at his disposal to take that idea and bring it to life as “a visual image, as a vibration of a different dimension.” It’s a process that he hopes to be able to replicate and continue long into the future.

This former engineering student, who first became interested in art because it offered him an opportunity to freely express who he is, wants viewers of his work to look past the image on the canvas and free their mind to find the motivation, and thus the true understanding of the piece. He sees the “bridge of communication” between artist and viewer, not in the subject of the art but inside the mind of the viewer.

It’s a position that Florescu puts even himself “I am the spectator watching myself acting and paying attention to the upcoming events from the balance of life.”

At the end of the day, the work, the process, the studies, the experiences all come down to one common point “Everything that relates to human consciousness, to “enlightenment.””

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O c tav i a n F l or e s c u

I am the spectator watching myself acting and paying attention to the upcoming events from the balance of life.�

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Zeljko Djurovic As children, each of us have a desire to create and we all act out those impulses in different ways. For Zeljko Djurovic his youthful artistic experiences would become the guiding forces in his life. The first piece of art that he ever created was a drawing in the sand at the seashore.

Djurovic remembers still the deep depression he felt when a wave rushed up and carried his art back to the sea. “I was sad when a wave erased it. Then I promised myself that I will create art that will oppose destruction and oblivion.”

Since that moment he has poured his talents into work that is an extension of who he is, both his experiences and his inspirations. Upon closure inspection one can see in Djurovic’s work an interpretation of his poetics. These are particularly strong in his life expressions of women whom he describes as “the sublime being.”

It has been said that his work has a “… colorful fluorescence…” and “…pastoral charms…” which help express a particular understanding of “…the existence of beauty.” It’s a statement that could describe the artist as well as he is adamant that he does not paint anything that he does not deeply believe in. He hopes that people who are

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Only afterwards, do we discover the artist’s affinity towards mysterious, hidden, fantastic and amazing. From that point this art of painting forces us by its bucolic-pastoral charms into a pleasant journey in the depths of one world whose existence we have already forgotten.

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Zeljko Djurovic new to his work see not only his passion for the subject, but also that they are standing before an artwork that holds in it a “sincerity” and has been created with the intent to “…improve life.”

Djurovic, a member of Association of Fine Artist of Serbia, Belgrade Ex-libris association and international artistic groupe Visionirique Estrange, sees in the World Art Foundation the benefits of a combined, collective mind and power. It’s simply an extension of the timeless adage concerning strength in numbers “…mass movements have more power and can impose to the public and media more easily.”

Currently at work on an exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris, Djurovic keeps his eyes open because he believes that every day, everywhere there are opportunities that can spark an idea. It’s a theory that he shares with his students as a professor of drawing and painting at the Faculty of Arts of Kragujevac.

Djurovic is inspired to create because he has a need to express. He isn’t particular about the format of his work; rather he allows his subject and message to dictate the medium it will be expressed in. He humbly understands that he has been endowed with a talent and feels grateful for the opportunity to be able to utilize his gifts. He laments “. If such desires WWW.Worldartfoundation.org

were suppressed…And it happens in a great number of cases.” But just as quickly, the smile comes back to his face “To my pleasure, my creative impulse has been growing more and more.” In fact he goes on to credit that impulse even more than his talent for his success.

“Art is a game, but a very serious one. If that game becomes your life then you’re on the right track and there is no way back.”

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Zeljko Djurovic

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Aleksander Balos

Renown art critic Lisa Kelly Stein describes the work of artist Aleksander Balos in this way: “Despite their lack of clothing or worldly pretense, the well muscled, impressive figures in Aleksander Balos’ largescale paintings are shrouded in mystery.

While Balos masterfully depicts the bodies’ twists, glances and gestures, he leaves their underlying meaning open to interpretation. The scenes seem to be lifted out of context, working as individual pieces in a giant puzzle. “ She goes on to say that in his most recent work he highlights the ambiguity found in his art through the “…symmetry and taut elegance of his composition.” This didactic she believes is used to illustrate the themes that often can be found in Balos’ pieces, the everlasting struggle between evil and good.

These opinions are echoed by Chicago art critic and Illinois Editor of dialogue, John Brunetti. He states that Balos’ “Actions and reactions dominate his works.

These exchanges refer to both Balos’ struc-

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Aleksander Balos tured formal rhythms established through dramatic uses of light and shadow, space and mass, as well as the exaggerated movements of his figures.”

Born in Poland, Aleksander Balos moved to the U.S. in 1989. His father was an amateur painter and his worked permeated Balos’ childhood. Still though, Aleksander didn’t look at art as a serious career path until he moved to the United States when he began studying at Stritch University and then at the School of Representational Art. Currently his work is being represented through the World Art Foundation (WAF) and can be found in collections throughout the city of Chicago.

First time viewers are often immediately drawn to the “fiery” nature of Balos’ pieces. Finding his inspiration in the Renaissance and Baroque schools, his figures “…overlap and intertwine within beautifully spare backgrounds, staging tales of human struggle” says gallery owner Ann Nathan.

Burnetti continues on about Balos “Actions and reactions dominate his works.

These exchanges refer to both Balos’ structured formal rhythms established through dramatic uses of light and shadow, space and mass, as well as the exaggerated movements of his figures.”

He continues to share an examination and critique of one of balos’ pieces “Geometric lines created by the bodies of four

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Aleksander Balos

athletic people (three men and a woman) convey the strain of physical movements that, ultimately, reflect their indecision.

Balos uses these lines to deftly lead our eye at a downward angle through the work. The movement starts with the head of a standing man who strains on a makeshift harness. Supported by this rope is a man who is oblivious to what is occurring.

Turning away and bent over in anguish is the third man, shielding his eyes. It is the unknown woman’s body which visually overlaps and, consequently, symbolically unites this otherwise fractured group.”

“Just below his polished surfaces, which are full of idealized physiques and classical settings, human beings struggle with mortality.” - Lisa Kelly Stein

First time viewers are often immediately drawn to the “fiery” nature of Balos’ pieces. Finding his inspiration in the Renaissance and Baroque schools, his figures “…overlap and intertwine within beautifully spare backgrounds, staging tales of human struggle” says gallery owner Ann Nathan.

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Gabriel a Gar za Pa dill a The Beauty of Gabriela Garza Padilla Exploring love, light and connectedness Time stops when Gabriela Garza Padilla is in her studio painting. She sees and feels painting as a form of meditation, a pathway to nirvana. She believes art as a reflection of ones individual being, and being true to oneself resonates with their unique artistic creations.

Since Gabriela was a little girl, she has admired the Renaissance painters. She grew up reading art books, visiting museums and listening to classical music. It’s clear she’s been inspired by her experience throughout her life.

But what inspires her painting most is human expression and human emotion. She’s equally as inspired by beauty, light and animals and often uses a combination of these three things in her work.

Light reflections inspire her to create, sometimes with an unexpected twist. “I sometimes include a large object or being to break the uniformity, something that doesn’t seem like it belongs in the painting, almost as a joke. I love to laugh!” she says.

Gabriela’s ideas come from deep within her soul. The ideas enter her mind while asleep or in a meditative state. Once she gets an idea, she starts painting on canvas as quickly as possible. “I see images dancing in front of me,” says Gabriela. She recalls the same dream over and over, she’s at a temple that offers a rack of cards that resemble postcards. On these cards are images that she memorizes subconsciously and then translates to the canvas during her waking hours. When these ideas come to WWW.Worldartfoundation.org

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mind, they are often already a complete painting so there’s no need for sketching. “Sketches are boring, as if the passion is diluted in the process of doing the sketch,” she says.

One of her most memorable works of art was her first, a still life piece, which she painted when she was just fourteen years old. She arranged an old copper pitcher that belonged to her grandmother on a wooden table with colorful, fiery flowers and a blue ceramic box. Upon completion, she signed the painting, anticipating this was the first of many to come. Though this first painting was stolen from her parent’s house almost two decades ago, she remembers every detail as if it were yesterday. “I don’t have a favorite piece,” she says of her work.

“I love them all! In fact I would re-buy most of them, if not all!”

Gabriela is currently working on what she calls a “joyous exploration of light,” a painting on the decomposition of a pearl hat collection. She’s completing four other works that explore the mystery of love and soul connections.

All of her work is in close-up format to establish a greater connection with her characters. A main focus is the eyes where the ultimate reality lies, she says. “The eyes are full of life and full WWW.Worldartfoundation.org

Gabriel a Gar za Pa dill a

...works that explore the mystery of love and soul connections.

All of her work is in close-up format to establish a greater connection with her characters.

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of awareness. We are all the same being dancing in many bodies on this earth.”

She often paints faces with eyes looking to the viewer, or as enormous, brilliant features. Gabriela’s sanctuary is her studio, which is located in the center of her home. While she’s often juggling life’s day-to-day responsibilities including tending to her three children, there’s always time for painting, which is like heaven on earth. “I’m surrounded by brushes, oil and canvas. I live for my creations,” says Gabriela.

A recent member of the World Art Foundation, Gabriela aims to share respect for art and artists, to meet others in the industry and to celebrate art. She believes that artists are magicians and by interacting with each other, artists are nurtured and inspired, and create a very powerful universe together. She says that being part of the World Art Foundation and Expo has inspired her to create, as if she has an exploding sun inside her soul. “Painting has brought me a lot of joy, and it still does,” she says.

“I want to live forever! Maybe that’s why I paint, my paintings will outlive me.”

She often paints faces with eyes looking to the viewer, or as enormous, brilliant features. Gabriela’s sanctuary is her studio, which is located in the center of her home.

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Gabriel a Gar za Pa dill a

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Yuri Yurov “To comprehend and to feel this infinite calmness of Universe being — is the ultimate task of an artist, because only in contiguity and in harmony with it can Art be born — to live in time and beyond it.” Yuri Yurov

Yuri Yurov was born in 1961, in Voronezh, Russia. He began his formal training as an artist at the age of 12 and finished it in The Academy of Arts in Moscow, Russia. The range of techniques he uses includes oil on canvas and wood, oil over acrylic paste, graphic works on paper and many others. He also works in sculpture and photography.

Yuri does not remember the moment he realized his passion for painting “it was always the way of being to me”. He states “My parents allowed me to draw on walls anywhere in the house and so I did”.

Yuri’s process of inspiration is difficult to describe. “Sometimes it begins with the piece I am currently working on, and sometimes it is triggered by some moment of life going on around me. I feel that it is a constant flow of real life events, emotions and influences, as well as the logical progression of my work in art, that creates inspiration for the next piece” says Yuri.

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The best and most memorable work experience occurs when he is so engrossed in the process of creating that he feels completely as one with the work.

“As I step back from the easel and look at the painting I realize that I am not even able to explain exactly how it all happened”.

Yuri joined the world Art Foundation last year “I was very glad to become part of the World Art Foundation and I am thankful to my friends, Sergei Aparin and Michael Cheval, for introducing me to the organization. I see the huge amount of effort and energy that Jojo and Antoine Marengo invest in it daily, and I believe that the results will not take long in coming’. Yuri have just finished participating in a Rockaway Artists Alliance Exhibit “Art Splash 2009” where he was awarded the Best of Show title”.

Yuri Yurov’s work is represented in numerous public and private collections around the world. To explain his paintings Yuri offers the viewer some thoughts to contemplate: Have you ever climbed a mountain and looked from a bird’s–eye view at the landscape below?

Waves raffle a lake’s surface, but it seems to you peaceful and smooth like a mirror.

Life seethes in the town at the foot of the mountain, but you see neither details

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Yuri Yurov

nor bustle, neither motion nor people just toy–like

and worries, everyday problems and often vain ado,

tiny buildings of different shapes and sizes with

but now they are passing in a slow train in his mem-

cozy lights glowing in their tiny windows‌

ory, importance of some and insignificance of others is clear, faces are distinct sometimes, but sometimes

An old man spends his time contemplating the past. The days of his life were filled with agitation

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Being distant in space is similar to being distant in time — it presents an opportunity to eliminate details...

Civilizations of the past vanished never to return, but they left their cities behind. Sometimes half–destroyed, changed beyond recognition, they proudly stand on, tranquil and dignified in their oblivion. It is not becoming them to have their buildings restored and utilized, they are beautiful as they are and will continue existing as long as Time lets them, caressing and destroying their features as it passes…

Being distant in space is similar to being distant in time — it presents an opportunity to eliminate details and look upon the world in its uncluttered calm eternity. Time always moves with the same pace, but only epochs later one is able to perceive Its true motion. Cities in my paintings do not need concretization, association with any certain era — you see them from a far — spatial and temporal. They are part of that calm and eternal Global where Universe exists and moves in time.

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Yuri Yurov

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M a rcel o Sua zna b a r Artist Marcelo Suaznabar is driven by a passion, a “passion of the art and music.”

Marcelo Suaznabar was born in Bolivia, in 1970, in the mining city of Oruro, located in the mid-western part of the country. He is the youngest of six brothers, and is the son of Nestor Suaznabar and Ana Maria Solari. From an early age, he had a passion for drawing, motivated by his uncle Enrique Suaznabar, a professional photographer who lived in the same city. Focusing solely in drawings as the main motor of his creations, he showed a great interest in color form an early age and began exploring watercolors, pastels, and colored pencils Marcelo’s art, which he describes as “the language of the image,” is filled with imaginative scenarios which play with symbols. These symbols work as transformative objects between humans, animals, stationary objects, and various background elements. Separately they are artistic flourishes but taken together they allow the artist to play within the narrative of the image.

Marcelo’s artistic bent has undergone a number of stages. In his first period as a pure artist he counted artists such as Bolivian Master of Calamarca, Peruvian Melchor Peres de Holguin, Italian BerWWW.Worldartfoundation.org

Marcelo’s art, which he describes as “the language of the image,” is filled with imaginative scenarios which play with symbols.

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nardo Bitti, Pastor Berrios, and Leonardo Flores as among his influences. His next phase started when he began experimenting with the power of the “force and language of color.” As he continued, he began to fall under the spell of Pieter Brueghel, Geronimus Bosch, Leonora Carrington, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo and Arturo Borda as he began his most current career “shift.”

Throughout all of these artistic shifts, he has maintained a rather steady regime which has helped keep him focused and allows the creativity to consistently flow.

His process begins everyday at 9 as he prepares his materials and finds the appropriate music. The right music is key because it provides inspiration and motivation. With everything in place and the mood set he can unleash his creativity.

He begins with drawings and then transfers those ideas to the canvas. Unlike his set starting time, he has no definitive “Stop” point, rather he just continues until he tires for the day. It is in this respect that every day is different. This is not to

“I think it’s a most wonderful profession but it’s so difficult…”

on the surreal art with artist with incredible work.” He’s happy to join up with a

say that each day he proceeds in a robotic manner with his work but instead that

tion. “They are,” he explained “focused in

Marcelo joined the World Art Founda-

select group of artists from around the

he has worked to create a structure into

tion (WAF) because he was impressed

world and to have a chance to share his

which his creativity can flow.

with the professionalism of the organiza-

work and ideas with them.

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M a rcel o Sua zna b a r

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He is also excited about the role that technology stands to play in his future as an artist. It is an important tool he feels which allows artists to expand, both artistically and commercially. He works for a number of reasons; chief among them is to be always learning something new.

While monetary success is always appreciated, Marcelo hopes to reach a level of artistic success that would allow him to spend more time in the studio where he could work on projects such as his upcoming exhibitions in Monterrey, Guadalajara, and Toronto. SuaznĂĄbar has exhibited extensively in Latin America, Europe, Canada and the US with 19 solo exhibits and over 85 group shows He continues to progress forward using a surreal and

and examining the elements of uncon-

symbolic language, an aesthetic language

sciousness. This including, universal and

that covers all of the work. In the three

common themes that preoccupy human

series, Apocalyptic, Angels, Archangels

beings: passing of time, death, nature,

and Magical Altiplano, Marcelo finds his

sexuality, beauty, temptations, fear, and

own unique language. Marcelo’s sets his

world religions. These themes are evident

imagination free in his work, exploring

in each of Marcelo’s paintings.

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He works for a number of reasons; chief among them is to be always learning something new.

M a rcel o Sua zna b a r

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Birgi t Hu t t em a nn-Hol z Many artists pick up a crayon at an early age and are

is the case with painter Birgit Huttemann-Holz who

overcome with an intangible feeling of artistic destiny.

didn’t pick up a brush until her late 30s. That late

Other artists find their talent later, after they have had

start though gave her an opportunity to build a wealth

the experience of life to draw upon for inspiration. Such

of memories and experiences, which today fuel her

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Birgi t Hu t t em a nn-Hol z

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art as inspiration: “I paint from memories, burned-in images

nization presents to connect artists who can “communicate,

that are surfacing right before I fall asleep, in my dreams, or

exchange ideas, find inspiration, organize, and develop

while I wait to finally get to work. If every artist visits his or

strong interests.”

her places of childhood then you may say I am very influenced by my European roots.”

For Birgit, a part of the fulfillment comes from the preparation to create. She is in many ways an artist under the

With all of this inspiration, Birgit has become a multi-dis-

DIY aesthetic starting at the beginning “I mix my medium

ciplined painter (she uses beeswax, pigments, fire, and oils)

and paints from scratch.” The process from there is very

of both landscapes and inscapes. Although separate topics,

intensive and inclusive, which allows her to really input

the subjects have a relationship in tone and emotion as Birgit

herself into the finished piece. A passively creative artist

explains “…both are holding nostalgia, mournful tunes, and

she definitely is not. “I paint with beeswax mixed with pig-

lyrics. They are a sentiment.” The way she represents these

ments and fuse each layer with fire (blowtorch). I love the

moods though is quite different. The inscapes are figurative

physical impact of the blowtorch. The evolving mountains

and act as more narrative translations while the landscapes

and valleys, possibilities, lost designs in the mixing, and

tend toward the abstract, acting more as a stage from which

melting beeswax…The use of the razor blade is thoughtful,

she can project her emotions.

thorough, controlled. Scratching away the layers to get to the truth of a feeling, finding the right colors, is my great joy. It

A recently inducted member of the World Art Foundation (WAF), Birgit speaks excitedly of the opportunity the orga-

“I paint with beeswax mixed with pigments and fuse each layer with fire (blowtorch). I love the physical impact of the blowtorch. The use of the razor blade is thoughtful, thorough, controlled. Scratching away the layers to get to the truth of a feeling, finding the right colors, is my great joy.

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opens routes of creation and seeing, you would have never guessed.”

Birgi t Hu t t em a nn-Hol z

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Luong Truong Tho

Over a career that has spanned forty-five years, Vietnamese painter Luong Truong Tho has created over three-thousand paintings. What’s perhaps even more remarkable is that he shows no sign of slowing down, in fact he seems even more artistically charged today: “The best part about being an artist is the ability to share (with) the world your feeling and expression through art. Like a song writer, my artwork can help bring great memories of joy, excitement, happiness, or bring back a special moment in time whatever that might be.” After so much time behind a brush, Luong still finds enjoyment in some of the basics of art creation “The best part about being an artist is the ability to share with the world your feeling and expression.”

Luong was born in Hon Khoi, Vietnam, an area known for the exquisite beaches which attract people year round. These visitors glowed with a romantic beauty that, combined with the natural beauty of the area sparked an interest in Luong to try and capture the feelings the two provoked. It didn’t take him long to achieve success as, at the tender age of eleven, he won a Junior Achievement Award for one of his paintings. It was a revelatory moment and an inspiration to continue the pursuit of his desire to paint.

With so many works of art completed, one may feel that there must be a workman-like, factory creation at play but in truth the artist sees each painting as a way to express his feelings in a way that he can’t do with words.

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“The best part about being an artist is the ability to share with the world your feeling and expression.�

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When he is not painting (which is hardly ever), Luong studies the work of Michael Cheval, Gabriella Gaiza Padilla, Octavian Florescu, Adam Scott Rote, Alex Fishgoyt, Todd White, and Yuri Yurov. His chief inspiration though, comes from his family. He credits his wife and children with being the support mechanism to push him through the struggling times and to temper the successes with reality. They also provide him with an abundance of artistic inspiration “Just like the love I have for art, the love I get and receive from my family and friends is much greater which explains why I never get tired or bored and constantly have new completed pieces each time they come over to visit. “ With a lifetime of experience and work, what is it that Luong saw in the World Art Foundation? He believes that “The WAF is the only foundation…with a great cause for the pure purpose of helping artists to become successful.” Furthermore he has a strong belief that “…the WAF will provide a great education to all artists and the future of the art world. Through the WAF, artist like myself will get the chance to meet and work with some of the top curators of museums, and galleries owners who all are eager to see new artwork from different artists…”

Through it all Luong has one desire: “I would like to be known and remembered as the artist that dares and (has) courage enough to cross beyond the boundaries in order to create some of the most beautiful artworks…”

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Luong Truong Tho

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Luong Truong Tho

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Robert

Cobb

For thirty-five years, Robert Cobb shared his art insights with students in Illinois. Now, thanks to his association with the World Art Foundation (WAF), this former art teacher is sharing his art work with the world. It wasn’t just the exposure that Cobb (who already is a part of over one hundred and fifty collections) was after, it was the opportunity to be ”Associating with some of the best artists in the world, meeting to discuss art, to exhibit work, and form friendships in the spirit of cameraderie.”

After being active in the art world for such a long period, Cobb is still driven by a need to display his creativity. To do this he finds inspiration in nature, travel, poetry (which he also writes), and in his memories.

Those memories include the moment when he first made a connection with painting. He was twelve years old and his parents took him to St. Louis, Missouri to see an exhibition of Van Gogh. As he explains: ”From that time...

I knew what I wanted to do with my life.” He ran home, created his first real ”art work,” a picture of stampeding horses using ”an emulation of Van Gogh’s techniques.” Along with Van Gogh, Cobb has also been highly influenced by Mark Rothko and Andrew Wyeth. Cobb is definately more than an reproducer of styles. As he explains ”To know the artist, know the artist’s work.”

The work of Robert Cobb can soon be seen on the WAF All America Tour and in a 2010 gallery show at The Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Illinois.

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Cobb has been highly influenced by Van Gogh,Mark Rothko and Andrew Wyeth. Cobb is definitely more than an reproducer of styles.

As he explains “To know the artist, know the artist’s work.”

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Eliza beta Novak Elizabeta Novak was born in Belgrade, Serbia. She began drawing at early age following her father’s example. She studied at a prestigious mathematical high school and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Finally she graduated at Belgrade University of Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, Painting Section and began Special Academic Studies at Digital Art Section in 2001. She has been a member of ULUS (The Association of Fine Artists of Serbia) and has a freelancer status since 2003.

In April 2000 she had an exhibition with her father where they collaborated on his kinetic objects at the REMONT Gallery in Belgrade. Her father, Koloman Novak, developed a consistent, challenging and elaborate system of techno-art and techno-aesthetics within the framework of modernist, neo-avant-garde and neo-constructivist practice in the early sixties and he continued to develop a numerous long-term projects until today.

Her last project represented a research on Koloman’s mobile sculptures, 3D illusion paintings and dynamic light and space ambient art. Her interests are focused on new media especially 3D

In her next phase she is planning to

animation and possibilities of virtual

represent her virtual and digital final

representation and variations beyond

results of her research in oil paintings

one’s defined material art work.

on linen.

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Her interests are focused on new media especially 3D animation and possibilities of virtual representation and variations beyond one’s defined material art work.

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M a r i a nna Gua r nier i “I heard that art is a way to get to knowledge, so I took that path” Marianna Guarnieri graduated with a Master of Arts in 1989 at the Monopoli State Institute of Art, This was followed by diploma in Applied Art of Textiles in 1991 and the Academy of Fine Arts in Bari, where she graduated in 1996.

Marianna lives and works in Cisternino (Br) on Itria Valley, where she was born July 19 1972. She likes to merge various techniques together and use different materials as support.” for me art is a continuous and uninterrupted research. I try to combine instinct and reason, dynamism and reflection. When I paint alternating phases of immediate and spontaneous gestures with peaceful and silent steps, in which I dive into my paintings in search of minute and hidden details”.

The result is a set of dynamic and sinuous organic shapes, with patience freed from a dominant background of passion. Behind each surface there is a life and an infinite universe to discover, content behind an image, a feeling behind a color.

For Marianna painting is something deep, that includes intense emotions of life, passion, love and hate.

Art is like a violent storm that painfully breaks all my dead branches, and simultaneously pushes deep into my roots to fill them with life” Her works are found in various art galleries in Italy.

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I try to combine instinct and reason, dynamism and reflection.

When I paint alternating phases of immediate and spontaneous gestures with peaceful and silent steps

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Betzaida Gonzalas “From the nude portraits to the landscapes, I try to express a peace, complacency and recurrences of mystical character that give my works a subtle basic coherence....

It is the fragmented corpus of an inner search”.

Betzaida Gonzalez was born in San Juan Puerto Rico. At a very young age, she discovered her talent and passion for the arts. She pursued her painting degree at the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña de San Juan, Puerto Rico and later continued independent study at la Liga de Estudiantes de Arte de San Juan.

She has been blessed with the private mentorship of renown master artists: Luis Hernández Cruz, Augusto Marín, Antonio Navia, José R. Alicea and the deceased, Fran Cervoni.

Many of her paintings have become permanent collections in Puerto Rico and the United States and others have found their way to the hands of WWW.Worldartfoundation.org

private collectors of Argentina, Spain, Mexico, the United

thesis of smooth eroticism that pleases itself in its own in-

States and Puerto Rico, to mention a few.

nocence. ”They seem to arise from a flowering spring....In its expression they reveal a state of introspection where prayer

“Throughout my artistic work permeates an aura of mysti-

transmutes itself in desire...I integrate them to offer an im-

cism and spiritual strength...It is an exuberant visual lan-

age of mysticism, purity and sensuality...It is a projection of

guage of deep lyrical resonances”

the ocean of feelings and emotions that flow from my being, presenting a perfect freedom and choosing the best vehicle

Betzaida joined the World Art Foundation “for their com-

to reflect my internal knowledge”

mitment, professionalism and enthusiasm. For their serious and hard work...They’re determined and have a vision. But

She has been awarded first prize by the las Delegaciones

definitely because they have become the most important orga-

Salon International du Val d’Or, Saint Amand Montrond,

nization of art in the world and the magnificent feeling that

Francia - Asociación Internacional Plástica Latina and re-

you are with the right people”. Another aspect of her work are

ceived Honorable Mention in “ Women in the Arts” Museo de

the naked portraits. She describes them as a beautiful syn-

Arte Hispano y Latinoamericano de Florida, Coral Gables, Miami.

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Latife Kahraman Warshawsky Latife Kahraman Warshawsky likes to describe herself as a “visual column” artist.

Inspired by the environmental, social, and political issues of society, she uses her talents to interpret and portray her surroundings.

This gives her work a common reference point for viewers to begin their appreciation and exploration with. This desire to create a common artistic language is one of the reasons that she was attracted to the World Art Foundation (WAF) “(A) true WAF artist can become global - The world we live in other science is becoming global.”

This desire to showcase the world and the inspiration she finds in it has its roots in a slight tragedy - as a child she had an infection that affected her sight. This lasted for several years before gradually clearing up and unveiling the world to her.

She not only found inspiration in this world she was finally seeing, but in other artists as well. Two of her biggest influences are John Singer Sargent and the Father of Realism, Gustave

connection to the canvas and to invest her emotions in a true,

Courbet. She notes that art is a science that should apply

direct fashion. It also helps viewers, who can make a distinction

to everyone. Everyone should have a pleasure of its content,

between the more technical artist and the more emotional.

form, style, and the message it applies aesthetically and creatively.”

Currently Latife is working on a project entitled Portrait of Orange County. These pieces will be exhibited in Laguna Beach’s

Latife is not a disconnected artist, she completely im-

Esther Wells Gallery in 2010. As with all of her work, this work

merses herself in her work, practically “living” in her paint-

was not created in a real world vacuum. All proceeds from this

ings as she works on them. This helps her to create a needed

art work will be donated to a girl’s school in Jerusalem.

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Judy

Cook e

“To create is to adventure and to learn.”

Ask artist Judy Cook who her inspirations are and you’ll find a wide range – from Leonardo Da Vinci (“My hero”) to Boris Vallejo and Frank Frazetta.

And then she mentions Andy Warhol, an inspiration not as much for his art but for his “his ballsiness, his psychology with his images and its presentation to people.”

This cuts to the understanding the Judy has between her work and her work – not only does an artist have to be a creator, but they also have to be a promoter and businessperson.

It’s a delicate balance between the three but one that she has deftly managed through her career. It’s a career that Cook describes with honesty as “temperamental.” She explains that she can have a favorite piece one day and then hate that same piece the very next morning. “I can be in love with the process, and then be in angst over the same thing in the next heartbeat.”

She is currently working on an illustrated book entitled “The Realm of the

“Inspiration is everywhere. The world is filled with wonders if you open your eyes. “ WWW.Worldartfoundation.org

Judy Frog King.” It’s an original fairy tale and like all good fairy tales, it’s emboldened with a message. She is excited by the opportunities in the project to bring the fantasy in her imagination to life. Her goal is to share this imaginative world with a wide audience who will then venture to discover some of her other works. With the success of this book she hopes to create a series of art-based books.

Judy joined the World Art Foundation (WAF) not as much for the opportunities it presents but for the “passion” of those involved.

As she explains, “That to me is the most important aspect of art, the passion for it. I would like people to know that there is a rich, world of wonder and imagination within each and everyone of us, waiting to be discovered and to come to life and be shared with others.”

She ended our conversation with a declaration and a plea: “Inspiration is everywhere. The world is filled with wonders if you open your eyes. “

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Cook e

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C a r ina

Hoi jer

Carina Hoijer wants to spread happiness and joy with her art.

As she explains “I believe art can be a source of joy and pure happiness for people” and she trends toward exploring this in a holistic and natural style.

Carina appreciates the work of other artists including Anna Ancher, Bonnard, Renoir and interior designer Tricia Guild.

She is particularly taken by their use of light and the color choices in their work and often turns to those places in nature for her inspiration: “I look at flowers in my garden and wild flowers when I paint. Natural light is important when I paint so I choose sunny weather to get good energy as well.”

Carina takes this inspiration and puts it toward creating

Carina did more than just join the World Art Foundation

art that spreads light and energy. Of all of her pieces she

(WAF) as a member, she accepted a position as an Officer. It

feels like Brightness is a strong representation of her style

allows her an even greater opportunity to explore what at-

and painterly mode. Her work often depicts representations

tracted her to the WAF to begin with, the opportunity for

of flowers and lights. These are not still life images but more

“Friendship, Support, and (Artistic) Opportunity.” On top

evocations of a mood and generally a pleasant one as she be-

of planning for upcoming personal shows in Paris and Las

lieves that she has to truly be happy to paint. To get into this

Vegas, Carina is hard at work on the 2010 WAF Expo. She is

frame of mind she spends time outdoors, listening to music,

also working on several new pieces for upcoming exhibitions

meditating, and trying to connect with the spiritual forces

in Paris and Las Vegas. It is all part of her personal mission

that help her in her work.

to create “the best art possible.”

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Joh a n Wa hl st rom Johan Wahlstrom =

When a story doesn’t

Story Teller

seem to be working, Wahlstrom turns to artists like

Every piece of art that

Paul Klee, Kandinsky, and

Johan Wahlstrom creates

Basquiat for inspiration.

does more than betray an

He sees every piece of his

emotion or evince a feeling,

though as unique with its’

it tells a story. When Wahl-

own “memory.” While the

strom was seven years old

stories he tells are often

he was living in Stockholm,

broad, his way of portraying

Sweden where he witnessed

them is intensely personal

a car crash. Later that day at home he

and often, when a work has been

made a picture of the scene, adding

completed he feels like there is a little

some details, embellishing others.

piece of him that has been taken and

When looking at it post-completion

placed onto a canvas for all of the

he realized that this was not just “a

world to see.

picture” but that all of the pieces in that drawing were combining to tell a

Wahlstrom joined the World Art

story. It was from that moment for-

Foundation (WAF) because he shares

ward that he used his artistic gifts to

their vision that artists, working

continue telling stories, stories that

together: “…can open doors, commu-

he finds inspiration from “life itself.”

nicate to the art world and the world around us.” He also understands that

He is currently at work on a series

the WAF brings life to the timeless

called Crises What Crises. As he ex-

adage of strength in numbers. “I be-

plains, it is a constantly and evolving

lieve that one man is not so strong,” he

piece because the story it is trying

explains “ but together we can rise our

to capture and tell is continually shifting: “…it was origi-

voice to be heard, to open doors for artists.”

nally only about the financial crises but during late spring 2009 it has taken new directions and I am including all

As for the future, Wahlstrom hopes to be able to continue

kind of crises (small or large) that we have in our lives,

to get better and better in telling engaging stories through his

around us, etc...”

paintings.

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Herw ig

Sta r k

Ask artist Herwig Stark what inspires him and he just smiles - “Every single human that I meet inspires my work, even if it’s just a fleeting acquaintance.” It’s that ability to see the art in everyday life that has made Stark such an accomplished painter.

The inspiration that he finds in people though has less to do with the form and more to do with the psyche. Take for example a piece he is currently working on which offers an examination of the current economic situation and the pending sociological changes for humanity. A heavy subject to be sure, but one that is handled with a deft touch.

Stark has a long career as an artist, but for most of it he was putting his talents toward the creation of fashion. After a point though he could no longer stand the “shallowness” of the business and so he turned his talents to a different medium. He tried painting in a variety of styles and techniques but it wasn’t until he created a piece titled SHROUD that

to put into each of his paintings is not himself but the

he finally found his space.

viewer. “My paintings do not show my own state, but the spectator will find himself therein. My paintings demand

Where some artists have

to deal with them. I was told…that my paintings change

a favorite creation, Stark is

in the course of time, or maybe the owner is changing?

like the kindly father who

Who might know this really?”

loves all of his children equally and who sees in each

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A member of the World Art Foundation, Stark feels

a uniqueness that makes

that this new organization should adopt an old motto –

them special. What he tries

“Art is food for the soul.”

Helena

When she was just a child, Helena Hotzl took a set of acryl-

Ho t zl

to have it framed and ended up selling it to the framer on

ics she was given as a gift and painted several faces. When

the spot. “He was thrilled over it…. That made me happy

she was finished, she put her acrylics back in the box, set

and I got very inspired to make more paintings to show.”

them off to the side, and went back to other childhood pursuits. It would take several years for her to realize that that

While a primary focus in her work is on the face she also

moment was not just one of childhood artistic expression but

finds inspiration in “…human bodies and other things in

a precursor for an artistic life yet to come. “I always found

life. Life, passion, sorrow, different cultures...the fact that

passion in drawing and painting but did not realize how

we are all humans living in a world with different religions

important that would become for me until I was a grown up

that sometimes destroys so many things...I get inspired

woman.”

of nature.... Everything good in life inspires me.” She also finds a special kinship in artists of the past including

Although she took some time to develop her art, Helena

Gustav Klimt, Henri Matisse, and Picasso.

never strayed from her fascination with the human face as she traded her acrylics in for an eyeliner pencil and became a

Helena joined the World Art Foundation because she

makeup artist. She found in the faces she worked on, an in-

saw in it a way to meet other artists and to form a commu-

spiration that could only be expressed through painting and

nity. As she says “I think we can all learn from each other

so she turned again to that medium.

in some way.”

In a moment that marked a profound turning point in her career, Helena made her first sale when she took a painting in

“My goal in the future is to just be able to make people happy with my paintings and to learn even more.”

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A nja Et wa l-Nielsen When Anja Etwal-Nielsen was four years old she drew a pic-

She likes that the organization is more then just a listing of

ture of a flower. It was exciting and fun in a childish way but

artists, that the WAF is actively arranging exhibitions and

it was also a life changing moment as from that point forward

matching artists from around the world.

she set on a path of artistic creation. As she explains ”For quite some time I tried to make my art in a way that I thought people

Although her attitude and reasons for creating art may

wanted it to be...but I eventually decided to stay true to myself

have changed over time, one thing that has remained con-

because I simply couldn´t enjoy being creative in any other way.”

sistent from that four year old crayon drawing is the sub-

It was on that day that she went from that four year old mindset

ject – the flower. While not her only subject, this artistic

of painting flowers to becoming an artist.

piece of nature has played a prominent role in her career. ”In a world traumatized every day by war, injustice, and

To help achieve her dream of taking her art to the world, Anja

pollution, I think we need beauty.”

recently became a member of the World Art Foundation (WAF).

Given her signature topic, it’s no surprise that Anja finds inspiration in Georgia O’Keefe. It’s not just O’Keefe’s work though, it’s also her attitudes towards art and the art world that speak to Anja, particularly the ”trust” that O’Keefe had in her talent for painting. The other artist that Anja often finds herself turning to is poet, author, and painter Mary Cecily Barker who ”...had a particular talent at combining natural elements with human pictures.”

Currently, Anja is experimenting with pencils. It’s all part of her continuing pledge to take artistic risks. No matter which of her works that people see though, she hopes that the viewer can feel the passion that was imbued in it and, if but for a brief moment, see the work as an extension of her soul. After all, isn’t that the true goal of an artist?

”In a world traumatized every day by war, injustice, and pollution, I think we need beauty.”

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Sharon Broucek Sharon Broucek refuses to be categorized. Artists, she believes, should be able to go where their expression takes them and not be locked into a particular medium or style. For instance the pieces she is currently working on would fall under the descriptions of Surreal; Abstract; and Photography. The one constant that strings all of her work together is that each piece, whether it portrays a subject concerned with beauty, mystery, sarcasm or mysticism, succeed in its own right. So each creation, be it compiled surrealistically, abstractly or realistically, should stand both on its own and as a part of a larger artistic thought.

Sharon’s diverse output exemplifies an intense desire for expression as well as a base attempt at practicality in the creation of a piece. At its core level though she feels that it doesn’t matter how a piece is produced or what its final out put is, whether it’s an exclusive work or if there are copies across the world. For her the importance lies in the balance of creation and acceptance “Art is creation; whether someone uses a pinhole camera, paint on canvas, or scratches with rocks on the sidewalk. If the results appeal to anyone,

possibilities is being opened up …(and the)… chance to meet

it’s just as valuable no matter how it was produced.”

and actually connect with other artists from all over the globe.” More than anything though, she appreciates the rec-

That sentiment partially comes from a career shift from

ognition of the WAF “If we do good work, we are appreciated

using paints to using keystrokes. Sharon’s more recent

for it. An artist lives for acknowledgment of their creations.

works have been created digitally. In fact she is more than

WAF gives that to us, and so much more.”

just a digital artist, she is a digital art evangelist.

As for her plans for the future she hopes to “Keep creatRecently Sharon became a member of the World Art Foundation (WAF) because she sees within it a “…world of

ing and have outlets for it. Life doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and art doesn’t thrive without being shared. “

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Edouard Heyraud It’s the rare artist whose

After viewing his

work, as a child, can cause

work, it’s not surpris-

friends of the family to

ing to learn that he

suggest the need for psy-

counts among his

chotherapy. Fortunately

influences Fritz Lang,

cooler heads prevailed

Moebius, H.R. Giger,

for if not, the world may

and Tim Burton. The

not have ever been able to

inclusion of so many

experience the dark, grind-

film directors in this

house artwork of Edouard

list is not an accident

Heyraud. Its work that the

and the influence of

world can now, quite liter-

film can be seen in his

ally experience, thanks to his recent association with the

work which has a very

World Art Foundation (WAF).

fluid and theatrical style.

Heyraud joined the WAF because

It may be his training as an industrial de-

of the way it links the public with

signer that helps Heyraud’s work to come off so

the work of young artists. As he ex-

well. That training also points to what we can

plains “I’ve always wanted to share

expect in the future. He has expressed a desire

my passion with a lot of people, and

to build on his training and combine his art to

go international. The WAF provides a

develop products (furniture, home equipment,

fantastic opportunity to show what

industrial fixtures). One hopes that he follows

I am doing.” And what he is doing is

up on this impulse as the results would be sure

creating work that draws you in while

to be intriguing.

at the same time slowly putting you off balance. This work comes under

“At first sight, people think my sculptures are

what he refers to as the “Bionic Art

provocative, but they soon build a meaningful

Concept” - a combination of sculpt-

relationship with them, based on the recogni-

ing and the visual arts which, when

tion of familiar and sometimes forgotten objects

combined, create “fiction in three

which evoke personal and intimate memories.”

dimensions.”

And the piece that Heyraud created as a child, the one that “I want to give rise and curiosity, to surprise myself

got all of his parents friends worried about his mental health.

because that’s what my audience is expecting. The various

That piece was sold to a kindly older woman. There’s no word

characters I give life to haunt my mind.”

on what the neighbors thought.

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Marina Mourão Some artists specialize on a particu-

(literally) a sensorial connection

lar subject while some focus on a color

with the work through touch

while others pull inspiration from a dedi-

and in that touch, she hopes that

cated period of their life. Artist Marina

they can even feel the music that

Mourao does all of that, and more. ”I

is one of her essential working

believe that my work is a mixture of all I

tools.

have ever touched, looked at and heard, throughout my life. I try to capture all of

While she has created many

it in my canvas, and the mix technique

works of art, her favorite re-

gives me a lot of possibilities.”

mains “SORTILÉGIO” primarily because of the reaction it elicits.

Starting as an artist of six (she still

She explains ”...on a close look, it

remembers her excitement over her first

seems the image wants to leave

box of crayons), in just four years she was

the canvas and communicate. It

already earning money for her work. The

is very intense and you cannot be

teachers in her school were in need of

indifferent to it.” She also feels

new educational materials and the young

as if this piece has been her good

artist willinglly volunteered to paint

luck talisman ”When this work

posters of religous figures, plants, ani-

was finished, a lot of things hap-

mals, and geographical maps. While the

pened in my life...”

pay may have not bought her more then a candy bar, the recognition and encour-

Marina’s upcoming schedule is filled

agement that she received was enough

with many of those ’good things’ bal-

to propel her forward. As she got older

anced across creation and exhibition.

she came to study and appreciate other

She is currently at work on My Dream

artists and soon found herself under the

and I while at the same time prepar-

influence of Leonardo Da Vinci, Botti-

ing for exhibitions in Marbella, Spain;

celli, Gustav Klimt, Gil Elvgren, and even

London; and the Portuguese Academy of

Andy Warhol.

Dressage. She is also excited about the opportunities involved with the World

In her work, Marina emphasizes tex-

Art Foundation (WAF) – ”They listen to

tures which invite the viewer to take an

their member’s opinions and ideas, with

active participation in the finished piece.

the purpose to better promote and show

These textures allow viewers to have

the works.”

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K im

Artist Kim Rahal has had the same

R a h a l

way to expand this communication, Kim

styles. This style allows her to extend

aspiration since she was a child “I want

recently joined the World Art Foundation

herself into her work while at the same

to leave my mark on the world and I

(WAF). She became a member as a way

time invites different responsive from

want my children to have a legacy. I

to broaden her base and make connec-

the viewer. Viewers walk away from her

want them to be able to say when I am

tions with artists, galleries, museums,

paintings with varying understandings

gone that I left something for them to

and collectors all over the world.

of the work and experiences with the

be proud of.

art. This is exactly the experience she is Kim finds inspiration for her art by

looking for: “I will never tell you what to

combining her emotions and the natu-

feel. I was once told that good art makes

from the moment she could hold a brush.

ral world. As she explains “My father

you feel or have a reaction. I think I

As she grew older so did her determina-

recently passed away and I am painting

achieve that.”

tion to be an artist. As a teenager, she

a series of seascapes because I associ-

realized that she could not just create

ate the ocean with my father. It is my

these pieces of “art” but she could infuse

way of memorializing his life and what

who she is and where she is going “I am

that creation to make a statement and

he meant to me.” These seascapes are

an artist who is not afraid to take risks,

express her emotions. She explains: “I

a combination of both realism and ab-

experiment with new mediums and to

used to use art to hide from the world.

stract philosophy; it’s not technically

totally emerge myself into what I am

Now I use art to talk to the world.” As a

surrealism but her unique twist on both

doing.”

She’s been working on this dream

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As an artists, she has a clear vision of

J u d i t h D ’A g o s t i n o

If you are not familiar with the work of Judith D’Agostino, you should be prepared to experience the artistic expression of a passionate and committed artist who is dedicated not just to her work, but to her profession. For her, to be part of the sisterhood of artists is the culmination of a lifelong dream. She was a fourteen year-old living in Italy and recuperating from a childhood illness when to help while away the time, her mother gave her a pile of oil paints and a canvas. From the moment her brush, oil, and canvas mixed in her hand she was hooked. At that moment, in that setting, she knew what she was going to do with her life. And she hasn’t looked back since.

Today she has been concentrating on several series of landscapes, some of these are being done in preparation for an upcoming gallery exposition at the Tansey Gallery in Tuscon, Arizona while others have been painted simply becaus the muse grabbed her.

Her landscapes have become the centerpiece of her catalogue. She has gravitated towards them in an attempt to capture a place of beauty and to catalogue environments that she believes will “soon be gone.” While that is part of her inspiration, in her figurative work she invites the viewer to find their own interpretation: “I set a stage and the message is there to receive if the viewer is open to it or they can create their own scenario and participate in the journey.”

D’Agostino, who finds inspiration in the works of Rembrandt, Carot, Gauguin, Villard, Sargent, Picasso, Wendt and most recently, Michael Workman, has recently become a member of the World Art Foundation (WAF). She joined the organization because she believed in its ability to bring artists together to “move mountains.” Furthermore, she is excited by the benefits provided by the “group interactions with artists from all around the world. She believes this is an opportunity like no other she has seen before.

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P i na r Sel i mo glu Vl a di sl ava K r s t ic

pinar.selimoglu@gmail.com www.pinarselimoglu.net

www.worldartfoundation.org/vladislava_krstic

Veron i k a L o g a r www.worldartfoundation.org/list_watercolor_art

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A l l i son P rou l x www.worldartfoundation.org/allison_proulx

Fl or a Edwa r ds www.worldartfoundation.org/flora_edwards

L ei f R a sm ussen www.worldartfoundation.org/leif_rasmussen

K a r en Sa n d ova l www.worldartfoundation.org/karen_sandoval

A dr i a na Gu i di www.worldartfoundation.org/adriana_guidi

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Da n i el e L a nc

i

www.worldartfoundation.org/daniele_lanci

M i t ch el Ba r r et t www.worldartfoundation.org/mitchel_barrett

Gu y P eron www./guyperon.free.fr/

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C l au dio M en eg a z z i www.centrocasatani.com/galleria/menegazzi/menegazzi

Gil Bruvel

Jeff Sadowski

Michael Cheval Claudio Sauza Pinto

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