Landscapes 2016 Show

This show will run October 1-31, 2016. Artists from around the world were called to submit their work. There were 119 accepted entries came from 23 different states in the USA, plus Washington D.C., and 12 other countries: Armenia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. A variety of styles and mediums were entered including, acrylic, digital, gouache, illuminated text, Knifed Watercolors®, mixed media, mosaic, oil, pastel, pencil/graphite, photography, tempera, watercolor, and weaving. The judging criterion was originality, interpretation, quality, demonstration of ability, and usage of medium. Other factors, such as the clarity of the images provided and their ability to be viewed online, also contributed to our decision. “Best of Show”, “First Place”, and “Second Place” winners received a monetary award in addition to special recognition.

We were very happy to donate 10% of all entry fees from this show to the Global Food Initiative. Since 1983, GFI (formerly Global Food Crisis Fund) has raised over $8,000,000 for community development projects in numerous countries around the globe. For more information about them and how to donate, please visit http://www.brethren.org/gfi/. Colors of Humanity Art Gallery, LLC is not affiliated with the Global Food Initiative. It is our hope that this small act of kindness will blossom and grow to help someone else.

Thank you to all the artists who participated! Your talents and skills gave us a diverse body of work to create this attractive show.

Buyers- Please contact the artists directly for sales. Colors of Humanity Art Gallery does not handle any part of the sale or collect any commission, it is solely between the buyer and artist. You may find a link to the artist’s website or email address below their work.

I started photographing as a hobby back in the 1980’s, but became serious about my photography in the late 1990’s. Most of my photography skills are self-taught, with numerous one day classes and workshops added over the course of the years.

Initially, my photography started by photographing men’s basketball leagues in the Charlotte, NC area. From there my photography gravitated to landscape, wildlife, and capturing what I call American nostalgia….old factories, structures, automobiles, trains, etc.

Having an aesthetic eye, as one of my mentors taught me, is the ability to create images that capture expression, have excellent composition and are unique is some way. This only comes with education and practice, something I try to do every day.

Understanding the technical side of photography is about understanding light and how light forms the basis for capturing a great image. That is why I am always learning about the technical aspects of photography, be it through formal classes or reading photo blogs or photo magazines......I learn something new every day! So for me photography is a form of personal expression I hope will evoke a sense of joy, or a discussion, or a lasting impression on those who view my work.

This work, “Sunrise at Grandfather Mountain” was taken during the Grandfather Mountain Nature Photography Weekend. The morning was unfolding with a dense cloud rising up from the valley floor below. For most of the early morning this fog obscured the sun, but as luck would have, the fog cleared at the right moment to capture a concert of the morning sun glowing through the distant clouds as the fog from the valley floor ascended over Grandfather Mountain. Grandfather Mountain is located along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

My website can be found at www.ronsantiniphoto.com

My name is Parfene Gina, I am 51 years old and I was born and raised in Romania. My profession is that of an engineer, but I have been drawing ever since I can remember. I do not have any art studies, thus, I am a self-taught artist.

Painting is my passion and my souls dearest way of evading the present.

I am fascinated by nature and everything it has to offer...landscapes, flowers, people, places, light and shadow...

The same entity, nature, inspires me and leads me to explore various subjects, according to my state of mind. The painting "Deep Forest" has granted me the chance to play with light and shadow in order to create a vaguely surreal and tale-like atmosphere, and I do hope that I managed to render that in the slightest.

I live in Moscow, Russia. My home is that place where my family lives. Birds Know No Boundaries. I have always loved that expression. Birds fly south in the winter and we are waiting for them and with them we are waiting for spring and warm. This cycle is infinitely and so beautiful.

Art can make us birds, superheroes, or who and where we want to be. This is the real magic. I was born in Shostka of Ukrainian SSR in 1973. In this year, my parents moved to the Ukrainian city of Donetsk. There I remember when I was in kindergarten I all the time was sitting at the desk. I was always drawing. I have a twin sister. She asked me to paint different pictures. She always helped me. She gave me pencils, brought water for paints. She cleaned a pencil. We come up with different stories. We were always together. Later, our parents separated us. They sent me to learn to paint in the art school and her to learn to play piano in the music school. She always was playing the piano I was drawing. From her was more loud noise and from me more garbage. It also remains today.)

Later, I entered the Donetsk Art College, where I studied for 4 years. Because of good study, I was invited to Kharkov Academy of Design without examinations. I moved to the city of Kharkov. I studied at the faculty of easel graphics for 6 years. Studied doing engravings and etchings. But I always knew that painting is the most important to me. Graphic art and drawing - are under the painting. Painting is over. This is similar to the layers. This is for me….

During my studies, I had my first solo exhibition in the city of Kiev. It was devoted to painting in my heart. When I was educated, my six-year-old daughter and I moved to Moscow in Russia. It was in 2001 year. I worked in the architectural firm, and created paintings in the evening. I participated in different exhibitions in Russia and sent my art works in European galleries. In 2009, I became a finalist in the Italian Art Prize “Сelesteprize” The first major exhibition was ANIMAMIX in Taiwan. Later I was invited to the Venice Biennale where I invited in the group exhibition Future Pass from Asia. Later were many group exhibitions in museums of contemporary art in Europe and Asia.

I cannot imagine my life without drawing, without painting. I and art - these are things that cannot be divided. I draw all my life. I sometimes think that I breathe - I draw. You ask: - «Why do you create? What inspires your work? " I do not know why I create, I just get up every morning and think all day and look at the world through art. The world around me is that I can pass on to the canvas. I walk down on the street or rest at party I am always looking for ideas. Everything inspires me. I see things that I would like to draw everywhere.

For me, this process is the same as I walk or I sleep. I think that all people do the same. I am truly surprised when somebody speaks- "I cannot draw." I am surprised because I do not understand how it is not to drink or eat. Painting is for me the same thing. Painting…. I hear her smell. I want to create something new every day. I know that my best works is still ahead. This process is endless. This process allows me to live and develop. This is the meaning of my life.

Colors of Humanity Art Gallery

Landscapes 2016 Show

Best of Show

First Place

Second Place

Honorable Mention

Noteworthy

Landscapes 2016 Show