Natalie Featherston and Robert LaDuke 2017 Meyer Gallery Exhibition Catalogue

Natalie Featherston & Robert LaDuke

Meyer Gallery

Natalie Featherston & Robert LaDuke Two Person Show

September 29- October 5, 2017

Natalie Featherston

Artist Natalie Featherston works exclusively in the centuries old realm of trompe l’oeil, creating dazzling paintings that combine the virtuosity of a Dutch master with a thoroughly modern mind. The Chicago Sun Times has described her work as, “Artful beyond just illusion and trickery, they are truly masterful still lifes made with both craft and wit.”

Natalie says, “What inspired me most is the creative voice, whimsy and humor trompe l’oeil allows the artist to express. Unlike portraits or landscape, good still life doesn’t simply exist around us. You have to build the stage for the painting, selecting the color and textures. The end result draws the viewer in and connects with them in a meaningful way.

This is why I’ve always found trompe l’oeil to be a challenge, and although it may qualify me as a one-trick-pony, I can’t imagine painting anything else.”

Natalie discovered her love for painting by accident in the early 1990s after moving from North Carolina to New York City to pursue her master’s degree in music. An accomplished cellist, she has had the honor of performing at Carnegie Hall and across Europe as a soloist and chamber musician. “Although I enjoyed making music, I wanted to do something more creative and unique, something that was altogether mine. I started drawing from the models at the Art Students League and I was hooked.” Classes soon followed at some of New York’s most venerable art institutions: The National Academy of Design, The School of Visual Arts and The Drawing Academy of the Atlantic, culminating in a six-year apprenticeship with Michael Aviano.

Ms. Featherston’s paintings have received numerous awards from some of the most distinguished art organizations in the country, including the Salmagundi Club and the Catherine Lorillard Wolf Club. Her paintings have appeared in The Artist’s Magazine, American Art Collector, Southwest Art, and the Santa Fean Magazine to name but a few of the publications that have featured her work. Ms. Featherston is represented by art galleries in major cities across the country, and her paintings are sought after by notable collectors including Toni Morrison, Danielle Steele, J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Philip Godel of Godel & Co. Fine Arts in New York City. Natalie Featherston is associated with the Museum of Realist Art in Boston, MA.

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Donuts in Dutch Landscape oil 14x18

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Lemons in a Formal Garden oil 18x12

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“I work directly from life and I love building the collages just as much as I enjoy painting them,� says Featherston, who literally pieces together found materials in order to first construct the worlds that exist within her paintings. "Cutting and gluing all the little paper shapes together and choosing all the things that go into making up the story helps me to create a narrative vision that goes farther than simply making a pretty painting. Anyone can do that; I want to tell a story.�

Roma Apples in Roman Ruins oil 18x14

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Hot Stuff oil 18x13

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Paddle Ball Two oil 12x12

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On the Turquoise Trail oil 11x14

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Charity oil 11x14x2

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Greed oil 11x14x2

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In Featherston's playful narratives, mermaids have tea with underwater pirates, dinosaurs steal donuts and wolves howl at desert dreams. Her work evokes humorous and mystified responses as the viewer navigates its deceptive illusions, looking closer at what appears to be crumpled paper, glued beads and taped strings.

Treasure Hunters oil 16x20

On the preceding page: The Queen Bee oil 24x28

Best Face Forward oil 7x9

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Brown Paper Parcel oil 7x10

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Natalie Featherston EDUCATION 1995-2001 Michael Aviano, private instruction, New York, NY 1993-1995 National Academy of Design, New York, NY 1991-1993 Art Students League, New York, NY 1985-1991 North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, NC SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2016 The Art of Thinking Inside the Box - Meyer Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2015 New Works- Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2014 Fire Sale! Everything Must Go!- Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2013 Deceptions and Illusions, New Trompe L’oeil- Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2012 Recent Trompe L’oeil- Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2011 New Work- Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2010 Still Life Goes On-- New Trompe L’oeil- Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2009 New Work- Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2008 Too Good to be True- Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2007 The Best Magic Show Ever- Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2006 Trick the Eye, Tempt the Tongue- Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2005 Suitable for Framing- Meyer-Munson Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2004 Just Desserts- Portals Gallery, Chicago, IL 2003 New Work- Portals Gallery, Chicago, IL 2002 Still Life Goes On- Arcadia Fine Arts, New York, NY SELECTED EXHIBITIONS 2016 The Altitude Project- Lovetts Gallery, Tulsa, OK 2015 The Lollipop Guild- Lovetts Gallery, Tulsa, OK The Birds- Lovetts Gallery, Tulsa OK 2014 Miniature Show- Saks Galleries, Denver, CO 2013 Femme Fatale- Saks Galleries, Denver, CO 2012 Caution: Wet Paint!- Lovetts Gallery, Tulsa OK Leslie Levy Fine Arts, Scottsdale, AZ 2011 Flora and Fauna- Arcadia Fine Arts, New York, NY 2010 American Miniatures- Settler’s West Gallery, Tucson, AZ 2009 Trompe L’Oeil Invitational- Meyer Gallery, Santa Fe, NM Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion Small Works- Arcadia Fine Arts American Miniatures- Settler’s West Gallery, Tucson, AZ 2008 Santa Fe Food Fest- Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2007 Big Talent, Small Works- Arcadia Fine Arts, New York, NY American Master’s Invitational- Settler’s West, Tucson AZ Holiday Illusions- Leslie Levy Fine Arts, Scottsdale, AZ 30th Anniversary Show- Leslie Levy Fine Arts, Scottsdale. AZ 2006 Small Works- Arcadia Fine Arts, New York, NY Art LA, Art Miami, Art Boston, Art Philadelphia- Arcadia Fine Arts 2005 Small Works Show- Arcadia Fine Arts, New York, NY Art LA, Art Miami, Art Boston, Art Philadelphia- Arcadia Fine Arts 2004 Meyer Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ Russeck Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2003 Re-Presenting Realism VI- The Arnot Museum, Elmira, NY Trompe L’oeil- Century Gallery, Alexandria VA

2002 New Year, New Talent- Arcadia Fine Arts, New York, NY Images 2002- University of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 2001 Summer Invitational, Arcadia Fine Arts, New York, NY Salmagundi Club, New York, NY Catherina Lorillard Wolfe Club, New York, NY 2000 Salmagundi Club, New York, NY Cooperstown Art Association, Cooperstown, NY First Street Gallery NYC 1999 Cavalier Gallery, Greenwich CT J&W Fine Arts, New Hope PA 1996 Cork Gallery at Lincoln Center, New York, NY AWARDS 2001 The Artists Magazine Annual Art Competition, First Place- Still Life Salmagundi Club, New York, NY- President’s Choice Award Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Club, New York, NY 2000 The Artists Magazine Annual Still Life Competition- Still Life Finalist Salmagundi Club, New York, NY – Art Times Award COLLECTIONS Mr. J.J. Abrams, Alias Television Productions, Burbank, CA Mr. Alex Kurtzman, Universal Studios Mr. Paul Feig Ms. Toni Morrison Ms. Danielle Steele Mr. Graydon Parish, Austin, TX Mr. and Mrs. Robert Krakoff, Boston, MA Mr. and Mrs. Philip Godel, New York, NY Mr. and Mrs. Robert Adorni Ms. Noreen Taylor, Director of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Ontario Natalie Featherston is associated with the Museum of Realist Art, Boston, MA PUBLICATIONS Southwest Art Magazine, April 2010 Focus Magazine, September 2007 Santa Fean Magazine, September 2007 Art Talk Magazine, March 2007 Southwest Art Magazine, “Top Ten Artists to Watch for 2007”, January 2007 American Art Collector, May 2006 Santa Fean Magazine, “The Best of Fall”, September 2005 The New Mexican Magazine Pasa-Tiempo, Weekly Magazine of Art And Culture, September 16-22, 2005 The Artists Magazine, “The Year’s Best Art”, December 2001

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Robert LaDuke

Robert LaDuke’s narrative paintings are a combination of memories, dreams and everyday life. Based on America in the 1930-40s, his art usually includes some form of transportation and features the toys which were popular during that era. He is a painter who uses playful images inspired from childhood memories or dreams to create humorous metaphorical paintings.

LaDuke explains, “Although realism often dominates my work visually, it is in fact, merely providing a means - a frame of reference - to a metaphoric end.” With his use of often absurd and exaggerated scale relationships of cars or trains, he revives our own vividly playful memories as children but invents enough oddities to amuse us today.

Robert La Duke has a BFA from Art Institute of Chicago and currently resides in Huntington Beach, CA.

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Forest acrylic 24.25x20

"Forest" is a piece that was inspired by trips to Yosemite Valley and a particular stone bridge that stuck out in LaDuke's memory. "By painting each stone I feel as if I am building an actual bridge in some way," says LaDuke. "(In "Forest,") I wanted to paint a mood and time of day with a hint of a mysterious feeling, crossing a bridge into the unknown."

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Beach acrylic 12.5x22

In LaDuke's storybook-style paintings, fashions, buildings and cars from previous eras populate skillfully structured compositions painted with clean, contemporary lines and sharp, vivid

Visitor acrylic 18x18

On the preceding page: Midnight acrylic 15x20

Coming and Going acrylic 15x15

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Mars acrylic 30x13

Mad Hatter acrylic 15x22

Impatient acrylic 18x18

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Coffee acrylic 15x16

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Faster Than acrylic 10x30

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LaDuke’s paintings are directly influenced by personal experience; he spent a large portion of his childhood traveling around the country with his family visiting national parks. The parks themselves as well as art created around the parks act as inspiration. "I really like the national parks posters that were printed by the government in the thirties and forties," he says. "I wanted to create my own version with elements that hold personal meaning to me."

Sliver acrylic 16x16

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Early Riser acrylic 16x16

His travel-inspired imagery takes us on cross-country road trips past rising skylines, across bodies of water, through peaceful forests and barren deserts.

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Thunder acrylic 27x23

Robert LaDuke BORN 1961 Holyoke, MA EDUCATION 1994 B.F.A., The School of the Art Institute of Chicago SELECTED AWARDS 1995 The Torana Art League, All Media 1995 Peter Frank - Juror, Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, CA 1992 Presidential Scholarship, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL SELECTED EXHIBITIONS 2008 “Meet The Artists VIII” Pacific Art Foundation, Newport Beach, CA 2007 Sue Greenwood Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA Leslie Levy Fine Arts, Scottsdale, AZ Mendenhall-Sobieski Gallery, Pasadena, CA 2006 Leslie Levy Fine Arts, Scottsdale, AZ Mendenhall-Sobieski Gallery, Pasadena, CA 2005 Leslie Levy Fine Arts, Scottsdale, AZ Mendenhall-Sobieski Gallery, Pasadena, CA 2004 Leslie Levy Fine Arts, Scottsdale, AZ Mendenhall-Sobieski Gallery, Pasadena, CA Kidder Smith Gallery, Boston, MA 2003 Leslie Levy Fine Arts, Scottsdale, AZ 2002 Arcadia Gallery, New York, NY Diane Nelson Fine Art Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA 2001 Arcadia Gallery, New York, NY Diane Nelson Fine Art Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA DNFA Gallery, Pasadena, CA 1999 Mendenhall Gallery, Pasadena, CA 1998 Mendenhall Gallery, Pasadena, CA 1997 Mendenhall Gallery, Pasadena, CA Griffin Linton Contemporary Exhibitions, Venice, CA

1996 Griffin Linton Contemporary Exhibitions, Venice, CA 1995 Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, CA 1994 The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL SELECTED PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA 2008 American Art Collector, April. “Toying with Time” by Joshua Rose 2006 Southwest Art, November. “Road Trip” by Bonnie Gangelhoff American Art Collector, March. “LaDuke’s playful images appeal“ by Joshua Rose Juxtapoz, February. “Dreaming with Cars” by Susan Montana 2005 Southwest Art, July. “Art Events” by Bonnie Gangelhoff Hot Chicks and Cool Rides, MSG Gallery 2004 Southwest Art, July. “Pool Party” by Richard Mahler 2002 New American Paintings, Volume 30, March.

2001 Communication Arts Magazine, July.

1999 New American Paintings, Volume 25, December.

Artweek, Volume 30, June.

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Natalie Featherston Donuts in Dutch Landscape 14x18 Lemons in a Formal Garden 18x12 Roma Apples in Roman Ruins 18x14 Hot Stuff 18x13 Paddle Ball Two 12x12 On the Turquoise Trail 11x14 Charity 11x14x2 Greed 11x14x2 Treasure Hunters 16x20 The Queen Bee 24x28 Best Face Forward (With Tacks) 7x9 Brown Paper Parcel 7x10

$6200 $4,200 $5,400 $2,400 $3,200 $4,600 $4,800 $4,800 $6,500 $8,500 $1,400 $1,900

Robert LaDuke Forest Beach Visitor Midnight Coming and Going Mars Mad Hatter Impatient Coffee Faster Than Sliver Early Riser Thunder

24 Âź x20 12 1/2 x22 18x18 15x20 15x15 30x13 15x22 18x18 15x16 10x30 16x16 16x16 27x23

$8,200 $4,600 $4,600 $4,800 $3,600 $5,800 $4,900 $4,600 $3,600 $4,200 $3,900 $4,600 $10,500

Natalie Featherston & Robert LaDuke

Two Person Show September 29- October 5, 2017 Opening Reception Friday, September 29, 2017 5 to 7pm

Meyer Gallery

225 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 505.983.1434 800.779.7387 www.MeyerGalleries.com