MARCH 24 - APRIL 22, 2011
This unique exhibit, Classical Portraiture, offers an inside look at the work of three Classically-trained portrait artists from the renowned Florence Academy of Art in Italy- John Robert Peck, Andrew Ameral, and Aaron Pavelis.
What is Classical Portraiture? The term “Classical Portraiture” refers to a method of painting based on the teachings of the Academy of Paris in the 19th Century. The method has many variations, but the essential premise is that by carefully observing the subject in life and creating a base drawing, the artist can proceed to paint the finished artwork with assurance and accuracy. Many examples can be found in the great museums of the world. The work of these three artists show this method applied in a modern setting.
Messrs. Peck, Amaral, and Pavelis met at the Florence Academy of Art, founded in 1991 by Daniel Graves, to provide the highest level of instruction in classical drawing, painting and sculpture. Mr. Graves' vision of the Florence Academy is its potential to train a select group of highly skilled Realist painters and sculptors. His philosophy, which underlies the Academy's curriculum and method of instruction, demands a return to discipline in art, to canons of beauty, and to the direct study of nature and the Old Masters as the foundation for great painting and sculpture. Training focuses on drawing and developing the eye to critically appreciate forms found in nature – especially human form. Portraiture, along with still life, is approached as a specialization within this broader study of rendering light, color, anatomy, composition and the alchemy of paint.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
The artists in this exhibit all work in traditional art studios. The nature of their paintings requires an undisturbed workspace and controlled lighting. Although each studio is personal and unique, they all share common aspects such as the use of a model stand, a natural light source from a north facing window and a generous well-ventilated space. Classical Portraiture provides a unique opportunity to understand what happens in the studio and view the process of creating a charcoal portrait drawing of a live model through to the finished portrait in oil.
I view the portrait as the single most important subject of painting… and I am a student for life in that search to see and record such beauty,” says John Robert Peck, who divides his time between Los Gatos and Florence. As an artist, his focus is portraiture. Mr. Peck believes that both drawing and painting are fundamentally about a search for visual truth in nature - in the objects of still life, the landscapes around us and the faces and figures of models.
In this same spirit, Andrew Ameral, states “What's important for me is to understand are those shapes, both boney and muscular, that impact the surface of the skin and create form.” Andrew Ameral, born in San Francisco, California, graduated with honors in 2000 from the California College of Arts and Crafts (CCAC) in Oakland, CA. He later completed studies at The Florence Academy of Art (FAA) in Florence, Italy, becoming their Director of Anatomy and one of their principle drawing instructors. He now paints and teaches at a private studio in the Bay Area.
Like his colleagues from the Florence Academy, Aaron Pavelis’ skill, sensitivity and passion for his work comes through in his artwork. “If talent is truly the love of a thing, then that's what is most evident in Pavelis' work. His palette is subtly beautiful, and controlled. His not overly polished brushwork gently models the forms in his exquisite portraits,” says an enthusiastic reviewer of Aaron Pavelis’ work. Pavelis, who lives and works in Richmond, Virginia, is inspired by the French and Russian classical traditions. After Pavelis completed his studies at the Florence Academy of Art, he painted independently in Florence for two years. Upon his return to Virginia in 2007, Pavelis painted portrait commissions and displayed work at the Grenning Gallery in New York.
