I come from a family that appreciates the value, craftsmanship and personal expression of a thing beautifully made. My formal degree is in painting and drawing but my love of art began early under the tutelage of my Mother. Her artistic curiosity and mastery of the “woman's arts”,instilled in me a love for “The irregular and intimate quality of things made entirely by the human hand.” Willa CatherArt has always been the language I use to translate the world around me. The land is my inspiration and I interpret it through the combination of nontraditional materials and viewpoints with a heavy emphasis on pattern, color and texture. Through all this, I strive to create a vibrant visual vocabulary in hopes that it will inspire an interesting and lively conversation between the artwork and the viewer.
*quote by the American author, Willa Cather

www.artfulhand.org
www.artdesigndine.org

Biography

Artist Sean Fitzgibbon exhibits work on the east coast and throughout the Midwest. He has illustrated books and is currently illustrating a documentary style graphic novel that chronicles the Norman Baker years (1938-1939) of the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

ARTIST STATEMENT

My art is composed of drawn and painted, interconnected images that explore concepts of mystery and perception while incorporating many visuals observed through my travels. Wanderlust inspires much of my art because new experiences thrust me as an observer into the present, and as a result I find myself appreciating the beauty of my surroundings.

In my work, a compilation of drawings often manifests as a loose narrative to draw relationships between the juxtaposed images. I utilize the element of space to propel the viewer into the image so she or he can explore as a participant, and I incorporate various media in my work such as acrylic, color pencil, charcoal, ink, torn paper and other found objects to demonstrate the randomness of human consciousness. I also employ monochromatic, muted or earth-based colors, but occasionally bits of saturated, vibrant color are prevalent depending on the clarity and focus of the image.

Layering of images is also a theme in my work. This method is used to help illustrate the ever-changing landscape of life, the planet and the mind. My images are rendered in various levels of clarity to show the haziness and lucidity of dreams and memory. Blurriness in my work is used to illustrate faded memory, foggy clairvoyance and obscure thought. The indication of diagrams, letterforms and shapes helps bring about the impression of discombobulated images of the past or predictions of the future. Images sometimes repeat throughout the work as reflections or echoes, and horizontal formats encourage the viewer’s eyes to move from left to right, much like a narrative or a time-line.

The passage of time is a major theme in my work because I am intrigued by how chronology and space become disoriented in the unconscious mind. In my work, human figures are often depicted as statues displaying life-like qualities, expressions and emotions, and they frequently become the focus of my compositions. Because of this, the lines between the living, inanimate, dreams and reality blur irrevocably, while the division between the physical self and the natural world recedes. Architectural structures found in my work also help gauge time due to various styles and levels of dilapidation. I juxtapose old and new structures to reinforce the relentless progression of time.

Through the meshing of various environments, eras, imagery and media I explore the interconnectivity of the world, and I hope the viewer experiences the same admiration for our diverse yet kindred existence.

Much of my work is an exploration of milagros, amulets and talisman. The symbols and sacred beliefs share a deep connection in meaning and knowledge across the world and across time. I like the label of 'ethnic merging' rather than mixed media to describe this work, the coming together of influences that draw from the deepest spiritual source that feeds all traditions.
It whispers, "we're only different on the surface".

Watercolor is my medium of choice because of its spontaneity and freshness. Capturing a mood or feeling about a particular place or subject and sharing this impression with the viewers is of primary importance to me.

I am a signature member of the Colorado Watercolor Society and have had my paintings juried into several national shows.

Painting has taught me to be more observant and appreciate the beauty around me.”

“Painting and drawing are another way of keeping a diary.
But although my work is inspired by my life and times, my object is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of equal intensity. In my art, I’m not trying to duplicate external forms, but get to the essence of things.

My interests in art are looking at reality and transforming it, through drawing and painting, into something else. I practice a type of contemporary realism, but I don’t want my work to merely reflect reality. The true value in art is creating something that cannot be explained. In the end, art is not what I see,but what I can make others see. It is impossible for anyone to express anything essentially real by imitating its exterior surface. I begin with an idea, and it becomes something else through the process of transferring to paper and canvas.”

Dwayne's blog can be found at www.dwaynewolff.wordpress.com

Dwayne's Fine Art website is at www.dwaynewolff.com and Dwayne's graphic design work can be seen at www.dwaynewolff.biz.

Rich Stoner's work is well known and highly regarded; his western themes make him particularly well received in Colorado but his reach extends beyond region.

Rick Stoner grew up in Cortez, Colorado and now lives in Longmont where he works as an artist and teaches at the Front Range Community College.

“The subjects in my paintings tend to take their own paths… I start out with a particular setup, then end up putting more objects in or taking things out or moving things around. My paintings sometimes tell me what I need to do.

Painting keeps me sane and calm. While I am painting I am seldom distraught or upset about things. Just the idea of working with my hands, even if I am just doodling or drawing provides a great relaxation for me. Painting is just something that I have to do. I get too crazy otherwise.”

In addition to his work at Firehouse Art Center, his work can also be seen at Abend Gallery Fine Art in Denver.

Mark is from Denver, Colorado and learned his scrollsaw work as a hobby while working in the oilfields of Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota. After 35 years of working his knees have ‘left him’ and Mark has embarked on a career as a full time scrollsaw artist. Mark has a studio at the Firehouse Art Center and works by hand using a scrollsaw. His work is made of hardwood, his favorite being Baltic Birch.

Mark is available to take commissions and can be contacted at montgomery0000@gmail.com or on 307 371 6151.