Harry Thompson graduated from the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida in 1971 and, after touring North America, worked as an architectural renderer and then creative designer. He ended his commercial career compelled by a strong desire of freedom to pursue his artistic expression. He has received many awards for his work, which has been exhibited throughout the eastern United States and has been purchased by numerous private and corporate collectors. 

Jill is a self-taught painter with a love for the architecture and style of New England. Though now a studio painter, she has also worked extensively with photography. The viewer can see that influence in how she captures lighting and character in her intimate portraits of rural and coastal details of New England life. Jill is working deliberately with contrast and color to create pieces which engage the viewer and invite quiet nostalgia. Her work preserves moments of captured time, and the time she spends on her paintings is a meditation on each moment. 

Laura Weyl is a self-taught painter residing in Kennebunkport, Maine. She originally studied ceramics at the University of Denver and University of Southern Maine. A concentration in porcelain translucency allowed her time to explore how light interacts with the natural world, and this study of light and texture is evident throughout her paintings.

Laura creates ocean inspired abstract art primarily using liquid mediums such as alcohol ink and epoxy resin. Her aim is to capture the mercurial nature of the elements using the spontaneity of free-flowing materials.

"Creating a painting requires so much more than the mechanics of working a brush on paper...talents given or developed, to go beyond the simple illustrating of a subject or an idea. You have to draw from all available resources, one's emotions, dreams, environmental influences, bringing all parts to fruition in a concrete form without losing the passion that compelled you to create in the first place.
Most often the settings of my paintings are purely fictional, props to set the desired mood, yet highly reflective of the people, places and experiences that have most influenced my work. Each painting creates a new challenge, new discoveries in my mediums, rekindling a spirit within that makes art more than a rewarding, satisfying profession...it makes art a way of life."

"Dry brush is the technique I use in most of my watercolor paintings. I lightly draw my composition on either 140 lb. or 300 lb. cold press Arches paper and begin painting thin layers, creating the desired balance of lights and darks.  I often feel that I'm drawing with the brush rather than painting.  Using less water allows me greater control of the medium making it easier to reach the level of detail I like".

Born in 1957, Antonia grew up in a creative household and was encouraged by her mother, a painter, and her father, a photographer, to pursue painting; she started taking lessons from local artists in her home state of Connecticut at the age of ten. She continued her studies after high school at Eastern Connecticut State University and Silvermine Guild Art Center in New Canaan, Connecticut.

To quote Antonia:

“Water is a never ending source of inspiration for me. Each day, one painting after another, I seek an ever deepening understanding of its essence. The more I observe, the more it seems there is to discover. The surface designs, deep waters and shore breaks offer an infinite array of beautiful complexity. Ever changing and omnipresent, the ocean is such a universal part of our existence. There is a certain feeling of connectedness when sitting by its shores. The endless rhythm, power and mystery of the sea course through our very veins. Choosing to explore water and its visual language through my paintings has been an enlightening  and uplifting gift that I enjoy sharing. Thank you for taking the journey with me.

JIM WESTPHALEN

Photographer Jim Westphalen has an affinity for America. The vanishing structures of the rural landscape have long been his muse, as have been our country’s majestic coastlines, open prairies, and all things that speak to the character of our beautiful nation. A professional photographer for over 30 years, his work is inspired by such painters as Andrew Wyeth, Edward Hopper, and A. Hale Johnson, as is clearly seen in the painterly light, composition, subtlety of tone, and remarkable detail of his photographs. Jim creates his dynamic images, often in large scale, using a vintage 4x5 view camera that has been adapted for digital capture. Largely self taught, Westphalen’s photographs have been exhibited in galleries and museums across the country. Born and raised on Long Island, New York, in 1996 he moved to Vermont to be closer to the rural landscape that he loves. He lives in Shelburne with his wife Kendra, where he also runs his studio.

About the prints - Jim offers each of his images in various sizes, all of which come in small limited editions. He typically presents his work much like a painting. His archival pigment prints are made on 100% acid free rag papers and then coated with an optically clear varnish, doing away with the need for glass. The print is then mounted and framed in a canvas float frame. Westphalen also offers his prints unframed if the collector should prefer a different framing style.

The Vanish Film: Written, Directed and Produced by Jim Westphalen four years in the making, Vanish - Disappearing Icons of a Rural America is a feature length documentary film that pays tribute to America’s heritage and the rapidly vanishing structures and culture of our nation’s rural landscape.

A remarkable story of past and present, the film chronicles the “visual preservation” adventures of Westphalen as he travels across the country seeking out and creating stunning imagery of America’s disappearing rural structures. Equal parts art, history, and seat of the pants storm chasing, road-trip with Westphalen as he races against time and the unrelenting elements to capture the extraordinary beauty of aging barns, one room schoolhouses, grain elevators, prairie churches, and all the classic structures that our country’s rural heritage was built upon. Though many of these evocative relics will eventually surrender to the elements, Vanish captures firsthand the passionate people who strive and struggle to save these gems, revealing stories of dreams, loss, and hope.

For more about the film and to view the trailer, click here: https://jimwestphalenfineart.com/Vanish_film/1

Hodges had a successful illustration career which lasted twenty five years. His art graced the covers of more than three hundred book covers. He worked for most of the major publishing houses in New York. Hodges was a twenty three year member of the prestigious Society of Illustrators in New York. During this time, he received many citations of merit for work exhibited in annual shows. He was selected to do the painting for the twenty ninth call for entries and chaired the thirty fifth annual exhibition. After years of executing ideas and concepts of others, he now paints subjects that are of personal interest. He has had numerous one man shows, and has participated in group shows throughout the United States.  He was a finalist in the 2001 and 2002 Artists Magazine Competition. He received an award of excellence in the 2004 Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Exhibition. He received an award of excellence in the 2006 Oil Painters of America National Exhibition, and received a 2007 Certificate of excellence award in the International Portrait Competition hosted by the Portrait Society of America. Most recently, Hodges was awarded Signature membership status by Oil Painters of America in December 2008. He also won first place in the category, Portraits of Women, in the Members showcase of the Portrait Society of America 2009.

"As an artist, I believe in practicing the sound principals of painting that I have learned and currently teach, but I also believe that an artist should strive for something more than just the technical skill in their work.  There is a feeling, or reaction, that one gets when standing in front of a painting or a piece of art.  Sometimes, it`s not an easy thing to describe. It might be the sense of place in a landscape, the light on the subject, or a fleeting expression in a portrait.  These are the types of reactions that one hopes are communicated in his or her paintings.  The best scenario is when the technical and the emotional part of painting is inseparable".

Millions of people have seen Michael Kahn's stunning seascape and sailing photographs exhibited in art galleries and museums throughout the world. His art has been featured in over 30 national and international magazines. Michael's sailing images have been collected in his second book titled The Spirit of Sailing -- Courage Books, 2004. Michael's handmade photographs are held in private and corporate collections worldwide, including the Yacht Club de Monaco and the American embassy in Katmandu.

With his 1950's designed camera, Michael travels extensively to photograph the world's finest boats and pristine seascapes. He collects his images on traditional black and white film; then, he produces his luminous silver gelatin photographs in his darkroom using skills that he has refined over the years.

Michael Kahn’s traditional technique united with his distinctive sense of form, composition, vision and technical mastery has helped him to become one of the most collected photographers of our time.

Charles Gatewood is an American visual artist who was born in 1942. Charles has had several gallery and museum exhibitions, including at the Mitchell Algus Gallery. Several works by the artist have been sold at auction including "New York" sold at InnAuction 'Modern Contemporary Art & Photography' in 2016. There have been many articles about Charles Gatewood, including 'Rainin Foundation presenting Symposium on Public Art' written by Charles Desmarais for San Francisco Chronicle in 2016.

Mark H. Brown was born in 1974.  His love for art was evident as a young child, spending many hours in his bedroom drawing cars, animals and things of his imagination.  Through the years, he studied the paintings of the masters through books and visits to museums and held a continual fascination for the realism of the dutch masters.  While enjoying a wide spectrum of styles and subject matter, Mark found that his temperament and passion took him in the direction of classical realism.  In the pursuit of that goal, he furthered his studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, in Philadelphia, PA.  After his studies were complete, he and his wife, Elizabeth, moved to Carlisle, PA where they now reside with their three children, Luke, Eliana and Aliya.  

Mark has been enjoying painting full time as an artist since 2000, while he and his family travel throughout the US exhibiting in outdoor art shows, gallery shows and group shows.  Mark has received numerous awards at outdoor shows;  including three best in shows, several 1st Place in oils and numerous other awards.  He has also been selected as a finalist in the Artists Magazine Annual Contest during two different years.  He was pleased to be included in the 2009 Oil Painters of America National Competition with his painting of "The Chocolate Pot."  Mark's painting "Bananas" was included in the 2011 National Oil Painters of America Competition, being selected as one of 168 paintings chosen from 2100 applications.

Born in Clermont, Quebec, Christian Bergeron is an established fine art painter with over 45 years of experience. He skillfully blends nature and culture, the contemporary and the traditional in his luminous landscape paintings. Working over the last ten years on his own 'prismatic' style, Christian combines the linear composition of architectural design and the kaleidoscopic perspective of contemporary art. He has developed into one of Canada's most sought after contemporary fine art painters.

Known for his mastery of the spatula and his bright, contrasting colour palettes, Christian Bergeron draws inspiration from his native Quebec and his world travels. Christian is a member of the Boston Copley Society of Arts and Les pointers du Marais Paris.

Embodying an essence of Quebec culture and landscapes, Bergeron's work was featured on the cover of William Burg's book, "Literature And Painting In Quebec”. Today, his work is available at Northlight Gallery in Kennebunkport, ME, as well as many exhibits and galleries throughout Canada and the United States.

Heather Hedin Peacock graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1994 with a degree in illustration. She continued to study painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Wayne Art Center. She paints primarily in acrylics, finding inspiration in beautiful landscape from Pennsylvania to coastal Maine and beyond.

With a degree form the Rhode Island School of design and after work experience as a graphic designer in New York City, Stephen G. Maka made a major career change thirty years ago and became a full-time nature photographer.
Since then he has been able to travel to many undeveloped locations around the world. These remote, vast and fragile ecosystems have not only inspired his imagery but have had a profound influence on his personal philosophy and outlook on life.
Reviewing his work produced over long periods of time, Steve found reoccurring themes. These themes have led to the development of personal projects that, at times, are philosophically driven while others are based on the interrelationship of images or subject matter. Most of the images are fairly spontaneous, allowing nature to dictate time, light, and subject. More conceptual images may take months or even years to create.
His images reflect a strong sense of his fine art background producing statements with a bold graphic impact evoking an emotional response.
Steve's photography is published internationally and has been used in most print forms including books, magazines, billboards, cards, calendars and posters. In addition to publishing, Steve¹s professional commitment has led to teaching, instructing workshops, leading field trips, guiding, consulting, slide presentation, gallery exhibitions and fine-art prints.
As a charter member of the North American Nature Photographers Association (NANPA) Steve now serves as treasurer.

After 25 years as a graphic designer and illustrator, Dan began painting full-time in 2008. The majority of his work is produced on-site at locations near his home in Hanover County, Virginia. He typically works for 1-2 hours on location, and then applies the finishing touches in the studio.  

"My approach to painting involves hundreds of scumbled strokes and marks of pigment, organized into patterns of shape and value, the result is a representation of reality. These arrangements of pastel marks go beyond the mechanical process of building, they are orchestrated to try and capture the elusive qualities of light and atmosphere that display the extraordinary characteristics of common subject matter."

-Dan Michael

Life-long artist, Elouise Lane Quadros paints subjects from nature in a representational style. Her present focus is flowers and birds in natural settings.

After earning a bachelor degree in fine art, Elouise worked for several years as a graphic designer and illustrator. Deciding to take a break from that career path, she began giving private art lessons. This turned into a very successful and rewarding business which spanned over 25 years. In addition to teaching art Elouise has painted many commissioned portraits, architectural landscapes and still lifes. Elouise is now fulfilling her life-long passion to devote herself exclusively to painting full time. She has won numerous ribbons for her works at various art shows including best of show awards. Elouise was also featured in the June 2020 issue of New Hampshire Magazine.

Elouise is by nature a true colorist and has always been drawn to the dynamic interplay of light and dark and the vibrancy of color. Still loving to paint many subjects, she has found that flowers in nature are the perfect subject to express her passion for light and shadow and color brilliance. To achieve the luminosity in her work, she gradually builds many thin layers over a warm mid-tone base, which slowly add saturation and contrast. Using this technique the colors remain translucent and pure, ultimately achieving the desired effect.

Elouise says “I love the drama of high contrast and deep colors,”. She uses subtle blending and many layers of thin paint to build her final realistic images that shimmer with a wondrous translucence. She manages to capture that rare moment when the light is just perfect.

Elouise grew up living in many locations in the US and for a short while lived abroad. She now resides in Nashua, NH.

Stacy Barter's oil paintings depict her intense fascination with light and atmosphere. "I am constantly striving to capture depth and dimension in my oil paintings. Working from life, whether it's from flowers or a model is exhilarating and ever changing. This is my passion, life dedication, and contribution".