Bonnie loves that she now has time for her Passion…..Painting. As a young girl, Bonnie grew up around a family of artists. Bonnie’s grandmother and aunt (established juried artists) were always painting and this greatly influenced her love of art. Bonnie started drawing as a young child, and her first oil painting class was with her grandmother at the age of 8. She was hooked on painting from that point on. Following high school, she pursued her desire to become an artist, attending Downtown Portland Commercial Art School. While working at Nordstrom to pay her way through school, she took a detour to the world of fashion. After 31 years and living in 3 states she ended her career with Nordstom as Vice President within Women’s Apparel. Bonnie retired in 2005 to spend more time with family and to pursue her lifelong desire as an artist.

Bonnie says, “As an artist you look at everything through an Artists perspective. When you look at clouds you think about shape color and light.” This attention to detail is evident in her work, whether it’s a cityscape or landscape, includes people animals, or not. There is a connection with the subject that the viewer cannot miss.

Recent achievements
2011 Sunriver Music Festival Poster Artist (poster/magazine cover/all media)
2011 featured artist Avalon Art Gallery
2010 Magazine Cover “Country Pleasures”

Currently living in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son, Bonnie attended the Downtown Portland Commercial Art School (Bachelor of Arts Degree). She then studied watercolor and drawing classes through Portland Community College. Currently she is painting with a group of women under the direction of fine art instructor Edi Olson.

[Show as slideshow]

Primarily self-taught, Thomas began his professional art career in 1991 after sixteen years with a major advertising agency. In his studio, the artist creates his unique paintings that tell their “stories.” Thomas says, “I never consciously ponder elements of design or principals of design…I rely on my sketches to refine a value scheme as a starting point. They also help me visualize the completed painting and consider light, painting technique, subject or object importance, and other considerations. The viewer’s eye-path is a big influence on the composition at this point and all through the painting process.” Thomas’s style has been compared to Russell and Remington, and artist says he also has been influenced by Howard Pyle, Richard Schmid, Norman Rockwell, and others.

Many of Thomas’s historical images have been used in books and as book covers, and his various paintings also have been featured in numerous magazines. The artist’s original works are in many private and corporate collections and also in the permanent collections of museums around the country.

Thomas exhibits in several shows annually, the most recent being the 2006 C. M. Russell Art Auction where he sold eight original paintings. The artist also enjoys judging art shows and teaching children and adult painting classes. He is a talented writer and published a book containing over 100 color images of his work, along with stories written by him.

The artist is a member of the famed Salmagundi Club in New York, The Portrait Society of America, and other art organizations. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Missouri Southern State University with a BS in Marketing Management.

View Andy Thomas’ complete portfolio…

Artist description courtesy of Somserset Fine Art.

The artist’s talents were evident as a child and he began painting at an early age. Luckily for the budding painter, acclaimed Western artists James Boren and Melvin Warren had settled in the same area while he was in school. With excellent guidance from James Boren, a full-time artist was born in his early twenties. Since then, Grelle has studied and traveled widely to seek subject matter for his work. Working primarily in oils on canvas, the artist’s figures and landscape become one in a painterly style rich in vibrant color and narrative.

For more than 30 years Grelle has made a career of his art, and has won awards of both regional and national importance. In 1995, he was elected to the Cowboy Artists of America, and he is one of the younger active members. He is currently serving his second term on the board of directors for that organization, and participates in the Annual CAA Exhibition and Sale at the Phoenix Art Museum each October. Grelle won the CAA People’s Choice Award in 2002, for his painting Monarchs of the North, and the Ray Swanson Memorial Award in 2008, for his painting Newlyweds. He has also been privileged to participate in other major juried shows across the United States. Included in that list are the Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition and Sale at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, which he has participated in each year since 1995, the Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition & Sale at the Autry National Center, and the inaugural Quest for the West Exhibition & Sale at the Eiteljorg Museum. Awards of merit include the Prix de West Purchase Award, which he won in 2002 for his painting Teller of Tales, and again in 2005, for his painting Two Coups, making him one of only 6 artists to have won the top award twice. Grelle has also won twice the Nona Jean Hulsey Ramsey Buyer’s Choice Award at Prix de West, first in 2004 with Signs Along the Snake, and again in 2006, for Dust in the Distance. The artist is represented by Overland Gallery of Fine Art, in Scottsdale, Arizona, where a one-man show is held for Grelle each March. The 2008 show marked Grelle’s 20th anniversary one-man show with the gallery.

The artist has been profiled in a number of publications, including the magazines Art of the West, Western Art Collector, Southwest Art, Western Art & Architecture, Persimmon Hill, American Cowboy, Western Horseman, Wild West, and InformArt. His work has also been showcased on the covers of many of these publications.

Grelle says humbly, “I thank God for the ability and the opportunities He has given me, and I hope I can continue to grow and learn more with each finished painting. I am honored by everyone who collects my work, and I will always strive to create artwork worthy of their attention, and their investment.”

Artist description courtesy of Somerset Fine Art

Chase is acknowledged as a master of breathtaking scenes depicting our country’s natural and historical treasures. He has painted images of such famous landmarks as The White House, the Capitol, and the Supreme Court building to name a few. As a naturalized citizen, he felt honored as well as professionally challenged to paint these subjects.

Chase also paints magnificent foreign landscapes. His travels in Italy inspired him to paint St. Peter’s Basilica and the romantic canals of Venice. The artist’s outstanding talent in his use of light is evident in “The Glory of San Pietro” and “The Mists of Morning.” Without traveling to these world-famous locales, the viewer is able to feel as if the scene is unfolding before them in person.

Rising early to photograph the dramatic light of sunrise or awaiting the soft, moody glow of sunset, Chase captures the emotion and direction in which he will paint his subject. The artist will continue to create elegant, awe-inspiring scenes by combining antique and modern photographs with just the right touch of artistic license.

Rod Chase is published exclusively by Somerset Fine Art and available at Heritage Gallery.

Chase, a native of Canada, and his wife live with their five children in the Texas Hill Country. In 1999, he became a United States citizen.

Artist description courtesy of Somerset Fine Art.

Cassandra Christensen Barney was born and raised in Orem, Utah. She received her Master’s degree in Fine Arts from Brigham Young University in 2000. “I’ve had a passion for the craft of the portrait since I was a child. As a young girl, I visited museums around the world with my father, collecting postcards adorned with 16th century art. Exploring these simple images captured my imagination, unlocking a world of discovery. I love the art of storytelling, the layers of symbolism, and would create my own stories of these quiet women, making the paintings my own. Today I paint portraits that share my passion for storytelling while revealing my personal journey of transition and discovery.”

As a child, I loved that the characters in art of the 16th century were not always pretty, but looked like regular people playing dress up. They find strength in their femininity. They are not vain, not beautiful and maybe some are melancholy and even show some sadness. We might wonder what they are thinking.

- Cassandra C. Barney

Christensen Barney’s images capture the souls of heroines, everyday women who have found strength and personal victory in their diverse experiences. Her portraits carry a range of emotion reflective of the events that have shaped their character. Ambiguous and poignant, Cassandra’s women find strength in their femininity. “They are beautiful and strong, because of the complexity of their feminine nature”

“My portraits may not always feature the outwardly pretty or majestic, but they all share a quiet beauty that asks us to listen and to feel. My work reflects my personal narrative, yet my intent as an artist is to create an experience that will allow the viewers to bring new interpretations to the symbols, creating their own narrative and own sense of understanding and place.”

Christensen Barney and her father, James C. Christensen, delight in working together. “My Dad inspires me to experiment with my own style, media and interpretation. Painting together in his studio, we have developed a wonderful synergy, critiquing each other and encouraging each other to experiment with colors, surfaces and textures.”

Life is truly art at Christensen Barney’s home as her husband is also an artist and teacher. Her three daughters enjoy creating along side their parents. In addition to her children, Barney encourages many others to explore the world of art. She taught at The Waterford School for four years and part time at BYU. The Barney family will relocate to Vancouver, Canada this fall where her husband Dan will pursue his doctorate in curriculum studies at UBC.

Artist description courtesy of The Greenwich Workshop

Harley Davidson is the bike of choice and Dave Barnhouse is one of the few painters officially licensed by Harley Davidson to depict their bikes in his images. You’ll want to hit the open road after you spend a few moments viewing his art, prints and posters.

Dave Barnhouse captures every detail in his softly lit scenes. Whatever the subject, Barnhouse takes us on a short journey “home”. Relax and enjoy the trip.

Simon loathed his years at boarding school in Nakuru and at Duke of York in Nairobi, always longing for the freedom of the bush. While managing a 2,000 acre farm when he was seventeen, he was drafted into six months compulsory military training after already applying for appointment in the Kings African Rifles. He was accepted into 4 KAR but having just finished his training was sent to Uganda where one of his duties was to teach basic etiquette and rugby to a young Idi Amin. Sandhurst Military Academy was next and upon return to Kenya joined 3 KAR in time for Kenya’s Independence.

In 1964 he was chosen to train 250 soldiers as Paratroopers. They all attended parachute school UK. Simon translated all the instruction into Kiswahili. When all the men were qualified, he became their first commander in Kenya. Immediately they were involved in the Shifta war in the northeastern province. It was during this time Simon started to draw and paint as a hobby to occupy his spare time. His subjects were the Somali and Boran people and the landscapes of the North. In 1969 he had an exhibition in Nairobi and sold all the paintings. It was then that the idea of painting full-time started. However, he was refused release from the army and was moved to army HQ as staff officer in charge of all operations and training. He was also captain of the army shooting team and vice chairman to the Kenya Rifle Association. He performed the duties of a Lieutenant Colonel. He has been called a “True Kenyan” .by his military peers. Finally, in 1974 he was released from the army and started life as a professional artist. Best known for his stunning images wildlife in the African bush, he achieved worldwide success and acclamation through many prestigious awards. His paintings hang in private and museum collections around the globe.

Simon’s life was rich with great adventures and wildlife encounters. From being lost in a blizzard while crossing the Altai Mountains in Mongolia and flying into the jungles of Venezuela to sketching Bengal Tigers atop a howdah on a swaying elephant in India his experiences and observations led him to develop his exacting artistic style, rendering his subjects with such depth and exquisite detail. Africa & Beyond: The Art and Adventures of Simon Combes, a retrospective exhibition of Simon’s major works, was held at The Wildlife Experience Museum in 2004 to celebrate his great artistic achievements.

Since 1979, The Greenwich Workshop, Inc, have published his works as Fine Art Reproductions on paper and canvas. He always said, if given the time he would rather write than paint. This talent is apparent in his books “An African Experience” and “Great Cats” also published by The Greenwich Workshop, Inc. Simon was also working on a book of Limericks about life in Kenya which reveals his ability to entertain us with his wit and humor.

Simon had a wonderful talent for communication, whether it be in speech, writing or painting. Never self assuming, be gave talks in Kiswahili to the farm staff, to school children in Russia and to many interested groups around the world.
Not only a man of the Arts, but also an avid conservationist Simon was recently appointed Kenya Representative and Project Director for Rhino Rescue Trust. He sat on the boards of several wildlife conservation organizations and raised, through his art, many thousands of dollars for their causes.

On Sunday, December 12, 2004, atop a beautiful ancient volcano near his home in Africa’s Great Rift Valley, Simon’s life was tragically taken by one of the wild animals he so lovingly portrayed in his paintings. He never “gathered moss” and now he as come home. He is survived by his wife Kat, his children, Cindy and Guy, his sister, Jenny all of Kenya and his former wife Susie of England. We shall remember Simon well.

Artist description courtesy of The Greenwich Workshop

Commissioned by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, Stan’s 12 x 120 foot mural of the “History of the Flying White House” is on permanent display in the Air Force One Pavilion. In addition Stan’s painting of the USS Ronald Reagan is hanging in the Legacy Room of the library. In 2005 Stan also completed a painting of our nation’s next aircraft carrier, the USS George H. W. Bush, which is on permanent display at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas.

Stan has also completed several impressive murals for the Palm Springs Air Museum including: “The Tuskegee Airmen” at 12 x 60 feet and contains 51 portraits of the original Tuskegee Airmen. “Dauntless at Midway” at 12 x 34 feet and “Corsair on Approach” at 19 x 55 feet. Stan’s work also hangs in the Air Force art collection, the Pentagon, San Diego Aerospace Museum, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.

Stan has had the pleasure of meeting and working with many of his boyhood aviation heroes, including the late General Jimmy Doolittle, the lae Pappy Boyington, Chuck Yeager, and many many others.

A true aviation history buff, Stan often spends more time pouring over research materials for his paintings to assure their accuracy to the smallest detail than he does behind the canvas. Noted for his incredible detail and strikingly realistic illustration, Stans’ canvases have a life-like three-dimensional effect that often leaves viewers spellbound. Today his work encompasses not only aviation and space but also portraits, landscapes, ships, classic cars and his new collection of cat-related fine art paintings. Stan particularly enjoys the tough assignment. During his 37 years as a professional artist, he has been asked to produce literally hundreds of paintings documenting historical events, people and places.

Although Stan has logged many hours flying his own airplanes, in recent years pleasure flying has had to take a backseat to the artistic demands of his backlog. Stan was commissioned to paint more than twenty original paintings for an aviation museum being in the Philippines. Since the mid-1980′s NASA has also tapped Stan’s talents from time to time and he has completed more than fifteen paintings ranging from the space shuttles to the SR 71 Blackbird. Stan has also painted numerous works for the cutting edge genius in aviation and space design, Burt Rutan.

To quote Stan’s publisher, “Stan is a workaholic who really loves what he does for a living, and is constantly trying to improve.” It is this constant pursuit of excellence that explains why Stan Stokes is as good as he is at what he does, and is highly sought after by museums and collectors alike.

Artist description courtesy of The Stokes Collection

John was a successful illustrator for 31 years, working in Detroit, Cleveland and finally Pittsburgh where he met and married a cute receptionist named Noralee. During this period, Buxton worked for several advertising studios but in 1983, he formed John Buxton Illustration, Inc. On of his clients was the National Geographic Society (book division and World magazine) where John developed a fascination with their dedication to documentation and research, insuring that all artwork was as correct as possible. This impressed on him the realization that most of his adverting illustration had been “throw away art” and perhaps there was another type of art that may be held in higher regard. Thusly, in 1994, Buxton put aside the requests of Art Directors to begin painting subjects more to his interests and hopefully of more validity. He wasn’t quite sure, however, with so much to choose from, just which subject matter he was going to paint.

John soon began exhibiting his new oil paintings, placing two works in the Birds in Art Show at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. These two paintings were later reproduced in The Best of Wildlife Art, Volume 2 by Rachael R. Wolf, published by Northlight Books. John also tried the National Park Service’s annual competition, Art for the Parks placing in their Top 100 and included in their traveling show. The Society of Animal Artists elected him to membership and invited him to exhibit in their national snows. He also exhibited with the American Academy of Equine Artists before settling into his true niche-Historical Art.

Buxton’s historical images of the 18th century depicting scenes from the birth of our Nation, allowing “witness” to momentous events or experiencing everyday life on the frontier allows American history to come to life. His compassion and enthusiasm for historical accuracy has propelled him to great heights of recognition. Numerous museums and historical sites permanently display his extensively researched paintings. Several documentary files have chosen his art to enhance their programs. A program, using John’s paintings to inspire students with our heritage, was developed on disc to be distributed to schools and teachers.

John’s paintings have been featured within scores of genre magazines. Feature articles have appeared in US Art magazine, Westsylvania magazine, America’s First Freedom and more recently, Art of the West magazine in its January/February 2006 issue featuring John’s paintings and insight into their creation. The Artists Magazine’s annual Art Competition awarded Buxton’s painting, How Many Beaver? first place in the 2005 Portrait/Figure division from over 4,000 entries. It was featured on the cover in December.

In the part, most of John’s art was painted as private commissions. He endeavors to produce more paintings each year for select shows, such as The Masters Invitational at the Autry Museum in Burbank, CA, the miniature show at the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa and the miniature show at Settlers West Gallery in Tucson. This year, John will also exhibit in the Eiteljorg Museum’s Quest for the West show in Indianapolis.

He was recently accepted into membership of The Oil Painters of America. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife Noralee. They have two children, Bryan and Megan and will soon be blessed with two new grandchildren.

Visit John’s Official Homepage at: www.buxtonart.com

Artist description courtesy of The Greenwich Workshop