Great Russian Snow Paintings, Part 2
They weren’t just painting the land – they wanted to reveal its inherent character – and the way it made them feel. The greatest Russian and Ukrainian landscape paintings of the mid 19th to early [...]
We Paint to Connect
Tony Pro was born in Northridge, California, in 1973. He grew up in Southern California under the guidance of his father, Julio Pro (1929-2013), a successful Southwest wildlife painter. Pro received his Bachelor of Arts [...]
What Makes a Painting ‘Expressive’?
It’s natural to assume that the subject of your painting (what it’s a painting of) is what affects your audience and gets feeling across. For example, you might expect a vase full of flowers to [...]
Thresholds of the Divine
It's a dark, Symbolist masterpiece depicting the legendary moment when a hunter sees a glowing crucifix between a stag's antlers, symbolizing a divine calling. Franz von Stuck’s “The Vision of Saint Hubert” (1890) presents the [...]
Of Light and Air: Homer’s Watercolors
“You will see, in the future I will live by my watercolors.” – Winslow Homer Winslow Homer’s watercolors are rarely shown en masse because they’re vulnerable, as are all watercolors, to fading from exposure to [...]
Norman Rockwell in Vermont
Norman Rockwell’s work will be the subject of a 2026 exhibition at Vermont’s Shelbourne Museum June 20 – October 25, 2026. Norman Rockwell: At Home in Vermont will explore how Rockwell (1894–1978) shaped an idealized [...]
Accustomed to the Dark
At this time of year, as the Winter Solstice approaches and night comes sooner for us than before, we in North America are obliged to “grow accustomed to the Dark” in the words of Emily [...]
Best of the Best: Meet the Virtuosos of the Oil Painters of America
“Virtuosos of the OPA (Oil Painters of America)” has long been one of the most prestigious art competitions for traditional representational art in America. Leading OPA member Daniel Keys judged this year’s top painters. Daniel [...]
Beating Imposter Syndrome
It’s one of the most poisonous enemies artists at level face over and over again – Imposter Syndrome: the feeling that you're a total fraud and it's just a matter of time before you're found [...]
Brighten Up!
Better a bright painting than a dull one, yes? Who doesn’t like a painting full of light and vitality (although don’t get me wrong, there’s a place for somber and melancholy work too, I hasten [...]