Thanks for another great season of fine art in Scottsdale!

As the temperature rises here in Scottsdale, snow birds retrace their migratory routes heading north. This means things slow down here on Main Street ending the busy season of art shows, baseball and beautiful weather.

We had a good season this year, so we thought we would recap some highlights.

This season we welcomed many new artists including Anthony Ackrill, Frank Balaam, Dean Bradshaw, Fred Calleri, Debra Corbett, Steven DaLuz, Alvin Gill-Tapia, Bernard Katz, Joseph Maruska, Stan O’Neal, Larry Preston, James Randle, Reid Richardson, John Richen and Kimbal Warren. We also received many new works from other extremely talented artists already in the gallery.

Things began picking up in October with the 38^th Anniversary ArtWalk during which local artist James Randle joined us for a painting demonstration. This started the season off with a bang. We brought James back along with local sculptor Jordan Abernethy for the inaugural Scottsdale Fall for the Arts in November. Both participated in the Quick Draw on Main Street and had their pieces sell at the auction.

December kicked off our show season with “The Craft of Copper” opening during Holiday ArtWalk with new works by master metalsmith Thomas Markusen once again gracing the walls of the gallery.

In January we welcomed new sculptures from Zimbabwean stone sculptor Gedion Nyanhongo. He was here chiseling away during the opening of “Unleashing the Spirit of Stone.” He even gave a few visitors a chance to try their hand at his craft. At the end of the month Neil Myers joined us for “Saguaros of the Sonoran Desert” bringing with him several new beautiful fauvist-inspired paintings of the Arizona wilderness.

Debra Corbett, a Massachusetts artist new to the gallery, sent several new paintings for “Abstract Expressions” in February. Her pieces looked fabulous in the front window and new collectors fell in love.

March brought us more fantastic Arizona landscapes with the cubist-inspired works of David Jonason. In total we had twenty pieces for “The Majesty of Arizona,” seven of which pre-sold before arriving at the gallery for the show opening. David and his wife came too and shared with gallery staff his inspiration and story.

“Neo-Luminism” was the season finale bringing new works by acclaimed artist Steven DaLuz to the gallery at the beginning of April. On opening night Contemporary Forum from the Phoenix Art Museum joined us for a special reception with Steven. His paintings radiated in our center room creating new fans of the artist’s self-described style of neo-luminism.

Our success this season is thanks to you! We couldn’t do it without our devoted collectors, talented artists and gallery groupies.

Now, as we roll into the slower months, we’re putting together a fantastic show schedule for our 15^th anniversary season – more details to come shortly. Some artists on the show schedule include award-winning William A. Suys, Jr. OPA, M | L gallery mainstay Ron Richmond, epic oil painter Frank Balaam, and a show just for you glass lovers out there.

There will be new artists and fabulous new works, so keep in touch and watch for more information on our special anniversary season beginning this autumn.

Award-winning Top Master

Oil painter William A. Suys, Jr. racks-up awards, accomplishments

Delafield, WI – William A. (Bill) Suys, Jr. is a world-class painter in oil, creating representational works, and is often categorized as a classical realist. Suys has seen multiple significant accomplishments in recent months. These include:

Designated Top Master by Fine Art Connoisseur

Suys is included as one of “Today’s Masters” in the March/April issue of Fine Art Connoisseur magazine as part of a feature on animal portraiture, one of the specialties the artist is becoming known for. His painting “Soldier” – a full-body horse portrait featuring authentic Civil War (Union) tack – is pictured in the story.

OPA Signature Status Earned

In December, Suys learned that he’d been awarded “Signature Status” * by the Oil Painters of America, allowing him to affix the letters, OPA after his signature, and adding him to an esteemed group of America’s top representational painters in oil.

Prestigious Awards in Oil Painting

For the fourth consecutive year, a painting by Bill Suys has been chosen for the Oil Painters of America National Show and Exhibition. Suys’ painting “Awaiting The Faire” will travel to Insight Gallery in Fredericksburg, Texas for this year’s show, which runs from May 18 to June 17. The OPA National show features top oil painters from the US, Canada and Mexico. Of the thousands of artists’ best paintings submitted to this show, only about 200 are selected for inclusion each year. Suys’ three previous OPA National show paintings: “Mommy” – 2010, “La Danseuse Solitaire” – 2011, and “The Benevolent Master” – 2012.

Suys’ painting “Perceptions” has been chosen to hang in the Salon International 2013 at the International Museum of Contemporary Masters of Fine Art, held annually at Greenhouse Gallery in San Antonio and running April 13 through May 3. This painting was also selected for the OPA’s Eastern Regional show held last fall.

Other Awards

Also in December, Suys’ painting “Curious Calf” won First Place in the Jack Richeson National Animals, Birds & Wildlife Exhibition, and more recently, Suys won Second Place at the Randy Higbee Gallery’s annual 6” Squared show in CA.

The two paintings Suys submitted to the American Miniatures Invitational Show at Settlers West Gallery in Tucson, AZ sold by draw at the show’s opening on February 9^th.

The Marshall | LeKAE Gallery of Fine Art is proud to represent an artist of such skill and reputation.