Wednesday, September 22, 2010

New Signature Society Members Added!

PaintAmerica Association recently added nine new Signature Society Members. The PaintAmerica Signature Society(PAA) and Masters Circle (PAA-M) have been created to honor those artists whose work has been recognized for continued excellence in PaintAmerica’s National Competitions. Artists attaining this designation have supported PaintAmerica and its mission, and national juror panels have deemed their work to be worthy of this important distinction. We are featuring 3 more of these Signature Artists today.

Robert L. Hunt, PAA.  Pennsylvania artist Robert L. Hunt is a realist painter working in oil on canva. With a strong sense of color and use of light in his original paintings, he creates striking fine art that features landscapes of the American west, vintage railroading, period pieces of the American Civil War, French and Indian War, and aviation art as well as other subjects. Fine detail, masterful use of light and composition, and historical accuracy are hallmarks of his work. This piece, "Laguna Beach" ($3,200) is a 27x20 oil from the 2009 PaintAmerica Top100 show. Robert was the Johnstown Flood Memorial Purchase Award Winner in the 2007 Paint the Parks show, and his work has been included in several PaintAmerica competitions.

Susiehyer, PAA.  Colorado artist Susiehyer is a full-time, professional oil artist who paints landscape, figure, still life, interiors and more. She works both in the studio and en plein air creating everything from quick field studies to large finished paintings. Living in Evergreen, Colorado, Susiehyer often paints the Colorado landscape. She also likes to challenge herself to take on new subjects and environments. Each year she visits several new locations around the US and has traveled to Europe and the south Pacific to paint and study. This piece, "Mountain View Geraniums" ($975) is a 16x12 oil from the 2009 Paint the Parks show.

Mike Barrett Kolasinski, PAA.  Illinois artist Mike Barrett Kolasinski is a nationally recognized pastelist. He is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, and one of the board founding Distinguished Members of the Chicago Pastel Painters. Having studied Illustration and Design at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, Mike is largely self-taught, but in a relatively short period, his work has won numerous awards, including the Gold Medal Award at the 2008 Bosque 23rd Annual Art Classic; the Silver Medal Award at the 2009 Bosque 24th Annual Art Classic; placing in the 2008, 2009, and 2010 Paint the Parks 100 Competition; placing in the 2003 Second 100 of the Arts for the Parks Competition; placing in the Top 100 of the 2007, 2008, and 2009 PaintAmerica Competitions; taking First Place in the Pastel Category of the American Artist’s 70th Anniversary Competition; being named a Finalist in the Landscape Category of The Artists’ Magazine Annual Art Competition in 1999 and 2010.  This piece, "Burning Sensation" ($1,200) is a 12x24 pastel from the 2009 PaintAmerica Top100 show.