News & Blog – Page 2 – The Christina Gallery

William R. Davis’ Nocturnal Paintings

When you hear the name William R. Davis, his historically accurate marine paintings come to mind. And rightfully so, he is one of the leading contemporary marine painters currently working in this country. His success is attributed to his love of art history, understanding his subject through extensive research, while capturing the light and the teeniest of subtle details.

However, since the late 1990s, Davis has also had an interest in painting plein air landscapes. His friendship with fellow artists, Joe McGurl and Don Demers, both well-known landscape painters brought on this interest. The pair would travel around New England to paint outdoors, and Davis, one for always wanting to challenge himself, decided to give painting outdoors a try. Not only did he enjoy being outside and away from the studio, but he also was very good at capturing in the moment the essence of the landscape.

Lifting Fog by William R. Davis — “Lifting Fog” by William R. Davis

The Christina Gallery welcomes Janet Stapinski Greco to our new home!

We are excited to welcome Impressionist Janet Stapinski Greco to our new home. She enjoys creating oil paintings of her passions – flowers, landscapes, seascapes, and most recently, interiors. Janet began drawing at an early age and has always had a strong desire to create art. Born and raised in Connecticut, she moved to Pennsylvania in her early teens, where she attended the Shadyside Center for the Arts in Pittsburgh.

Janet is now a Signature Member of the American Impressionist Society, as well as a member of the Oil Painters of America.

The Drawing Room by Janet Stapinski Greco — “The Drawing Room” by Janet Stapinski Greco

Exquisite Shells: The Art of Sailors Valentines at the Cahoon Museum of Art

Last week I spent a day away from the gallery and traveled to the Cape, specifically to the Cahoon Museum of American Art in Cotuit, to see their summer exhibition: Exquisite Shells: The Art of Sailors Valentines. I had been there a month ago to deliver a large sailors valentine by our longtime gallery artist Sandi Blanda and knew that I would want to come back once the exhibition was open to the public.

Curated by the Cahoon’s director Sarah Johnson, Ph.D., the exhibition traces the history of this unique seashell craft from its 19th-century beginnings to the current day. One of the first valentines on view is documented from the 1840s and was purchased in 1848 by Captain Thomas H. Lawrence of Falmouth, Massachusetts while he was passing through Barbados. Upon his return home from sea, he presented it to his bride to be, Mercy.

Celebrating our 42nd season in our new home at 5 Winter Street

June has arrived and so has the start of our 42nd season here in Edgartown on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. We are now open in our new home at 5 Winter Street, which coincidentally is the same location we opened the gallery in 1977. We have come full circle and are enjoying seeing familiar faces as they come to visit.

5 Winter Street by David Bareford — “5 Winter Street” by David Bareford

Though our new location is smaller, we like to say “cozy,” we are still very fortunate to represent the most talented group of artists. They have been busy painting for this season, and we are excited to share their new works with you.

We are moving!

After much consideration, we have decided to move the gallery (just two doors over) into another unit in the same building. The move, which will take place after the New Year 2019, is bittersweet because we have taken great delight and honor in occupying the corner of “our little windows on the world” for the last 30 years, but at the same time, we are very excited about this next chapter in the gallery’s extensive life. The space we will be moving into is where it all began 41 years ago!

[Read more…] about We are moving!

Fi Katzler – Provence & Beyond

Fi Katzler was born on Malta, an island in the Mediterranean Sea and grew up in the county of Hampshire on the southern coast of England. In 2008 she moved to Aix-en-Provence with her family and has never tired of the stunning Provence backdrop nor the light that has been inspirational to many artists, including Cezanne and Van Gogh.

2017 Holiday Greetings

2017 Holiday Greeting

Curtis W. Hanson (1949 – 2017)

It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Curtis W. Hanson on October 13, 2017. We knew that he had not been well but it was still inconceivable when we were told of his passing. Our thoughts and prayers have been expressed to his wife, Onwarin and to the rest of his family and friends.

Summertime with Lillia Frantin

Lillia Frantin is a teacher, painter and art historian living on Cape Cod. She first minored in art history before gaining her master’s degree from Pratt Institute in 1968. She was a professor of Painting and Modern Art History for over twenty years, painting and exhibiting professionally in New York, California, New Mexico and on Cape Cod.

While she visited the island to drop off her latest paintings at the gallery, she sat down to answer a few questions.

We started by asking Lillia if her work has changed over the course of her career. Because she has been painting for over 50 years, this was a rather challenging question. Her painting style has remained consistent throughout her career. Her painting style evolves around her use of color and the freshness of her strokes, elements that have always been prevalent in her work. With time, her voice and purpose have developed.

En Plein-Air with Jan Pawlowski

Last week we had the opportunity to observe long time gallery artist, Jan Pawlowski, painting en plein-air or “in the open air” on Chappaquiddick. Pawlowski, who joined our gallery in 1996, was capturing one of his favorite views, the harbor activity near the Edgartown Yacht Club.

Jan Pawlowski painting on Chappaquiddick - July 2017 — Jan Pawlowski painting on Chappaquiddick – July 2017

Congratulations to Aleta Steward!

We are very proud to announce that Aleta Steward was recently accepted into the prestigious Society of Animal Artists art show in Jackson Wyoming’s Trailside Galleries. The Society of Animal Artists was founded in the 1950’s and since then has been presenting the highest quality animal art in all medias throughout the world. Aleta’s painting “Affinity” was one of the 80 chosen, out of hundreds of entries. We are proud of her achievement and the overall quality of the work in which she submitted.

An Afternoon in Edgartown with Kate Tortland

At the end of June, we had the pleasure of talking to the gallery’s youngest artist, Kate Tortland, while she spent a few days here on the Vineyard to paint. This day she was painting the Edgartown Lighthouse from the front lawn at the Harbor View Hotel. She took some time to let us know about the start to her career, her supporters, inspiration and current work.

Kate painting at the Edgartown Lighthouse

When did you start painting?

“I started painting technically when I was about fourteen years old with a woman named Catherine Elliott who was, and still is, a local impressionist landscape painter in Connecticut. She inspired me in many ways, and it wasn’t until then that I had worked with oils, and I found myself painting constantly after that point. I worked with her for many years, and we even ended up going to Ireland together and painting. At first, I wanted to be exactly like her, but eventually after many years of exploring my own methods, I came to understand my own approaches and developed a unique style that is influenced by her, but could never be mistaken for her work. Even though I began painting with her as her student, now we’re colleagues showing in equal level galleries, plein air painting together as friends, and I still am inspired by her every day.