In Vino Veritas
Barbara Greensweig
Award-winning artist Barbara Greensweig paints "captured moments in time”. Her work is characterized by bold and brilliant color compositions of vineyards by old barns, flowers cascading from windows and doorways, and porches with sleeping dogs. Greensweig has resided over 20 years in the wine country of Northern California, a favorite subject in her work. The artist also enjoys painting on location “en plein aire”.
Art trips to Southern France early in her career led Greensweig to start painting sunflowers and fields of lavender before each became trendy. Her favorite spots abroad are the hilltop villages of Provence as well as San Miguel de Allende in Colonial Mexico with its rich adobe colors.
Greensweig's work has been featured on event posters, for promotion at Northern California wineries, on telephone directory covers, and used in products by a variety of companies. Her paintings are part of private and corporate collections in the U.S. and internationally. Greensweig paints on commission for private clients and businesses.
Contact Info:
Barbara Greensweig ART
1549 E. Foothill Drive
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
707.525.8437
Website: http://www.bgreensweigart.com/home.htm
Linda Schroeter
Humans love to visit animals in captivity. Have you ever seen the delight on both kids and parents in the petting section of the zoo? But when confronted with an animal in the wild we are too often scared or anxious of any interaction with a wild beast. Yet we have lived with animal imagery since the time the first cavemen depicted them on their cave walls. The ancient Egyptians revered them and many cultures today still worship them. Animals have appeared in the visual arts for centuries from cave decorations to frescoes.
I began painting animals after a trip to Africa. I was in awe of them from the large to the smallest of beasts. When I first arrived I didn't see them as a painting, they only fulfilled my curiosity, but the more I learned and observed them the more I realized their beauty and importance here on earth. I came back with a burning desire to explore the wild animal kingdom on canvas. Over the past five years I have explored, expanded and created a body of work, always striving to understand and control medium, improving on technique and what makes a good wild animal painting come to life.
Constantly, I am evolving and learning with each new canvas. I have become more accute to spotting animals in the wild and taking every opportunity to observe them. They have taught me a lot and helped me to see nature in a different light. Having many interested people such as yourselves follow my work gives me a sense of achievement and fuels my passion to continue to paint what I love.
I am now a full-time painter first studying fine arts & crafts then later commercial art and illustration in South Australia’s College of TAFE. For over 20 years I worked as a graphic designer and painted commissions for private collections part time.
Website: http://lindaschroeter.com/
Peggy Orbon
Peggy Orbon lived in New England, Italy, Scotland, and Texas before settling in New Mexico with her husband. The dramatic colors, fantastic landscapes, and the wonderful weather inspired her to begin painting in pastels soon after moving to New Mexico. She discovered that New Mexico has an active art community and she has taken advantage of the many opportunities to learn and study. Peggy belongs to the Pastel Society of New Mexico and the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico.
Artist Statment:
Painting allows me to focus on a lovely scene for a few hours while I try to capture my interpretation of the view on paper. Alternately, if conditions are prohibitive, I take photographs so that later I can relive the moment of my enjoyment of a scene by painting from the photograph. Creating a painting has become a great pleasure for me.
Website: www.peggyorbon.com
Paula Smith
I paint landscapes to create inner happiness and self-contentment. I respond to the beauty around me, excited by colors, filled with their sensuality like eating a hot fudge sundae. The process is meditative. I meld with the landscape, experiencing the softness of a field of grass, the warmth of the sun, otherworldliness of a veil of valley fog, the motion of the air and water. The energy flows into me and I am but a medium transducing the flow onto canvas. My goal is to share my experience of that time and place with the viewer.
An artists’ hotline exists. We keep track of the season’s highlights. Urgency prevails. “Hurry, the mustard is yellow, the apple orchards are blossoming, the hay is mowed and bales are scattered in the field, the lavender at Matanzas Creek is popping purple, the coast is sunny and calm.” I head where the fleeting feature awaits. I lug my supplies and paint there, on site, “plein aire.” The light changes quickly. I aim to capture it at its peak, like perfect fruit.
Website: http://www.paulasmithart.com
