Fall Semester--Week 5 US Artists in the House

This week the US Artist show rolled into PAFA again for it's second annual 4 day show featuring galleries from all over the country bringing the work of top tier artists from the past and present. the event is hosted by the Women's Board of the Academy and it's always a good show and honestly a great opportunity to see lots of great art. As soon as I walked in the show today I was face-to-face with a piece by Norman Rockwell. there were several Rockwell's at the show as well as two painting by Dean Cornwell. From Arcadia to Principle Gallery and more, there was work by Sargent, Koch,Eakins, Mann, Sloan, Hopper and more. After my morning class with Peter Van Dyck along with my buddies Dave and Will we trucked around the show taking in, literally gorging our eyes on art. the show was smaller this year but i think there was just as much good work, maybe less contemporary or abstract work this year, but I saw enough of that last week in Chelsea. We all snapped away with our cameras and just ate with our eyes. Its always amazing and sort of shocking to find some incredible new artist you never even heard of before at an event like this. I was really stunned by this painting by Alexander Bower--it just jumped out at you. It seems 100-125 years ago there were so many great painters working that are out there in obscurity like ships in the sea waiting to suddenly be discovered again. You realize how high the painting skill was in that age.

I think this show being at the school is a great thing for us students and fans of great painting to be able to see so much great work in one space. I also spent time talking to gallery owners and art dealers. I hope I was laying seeds which might sprout down the road for me gallery wise and as I am learning more and more it's vital to meet and greet a lot of people in the fine art field.

I was very excited to see this excellent painting by John Koch who's work i have always liked but until today only seen in reproduction. There were so many great passages in this painting.

A great painting by Sloan. This show and last week's trip to NYC were really big art recharges for me. i have a great collection of books, but nothing beats looking at great paintings in the flesh!

What a great Dean Cornwell painting!

John Innes.

JS Sargent.

Jeremy Mann who's work I came to discover and love 3 years ago at the first US Artist show I attended. They already have the date for the show next year--which happens on my birthday weekend so maybe that will bode will as a good omen for me and the show next year.