More prestigious awards for Gallery Giclées Artist

MICHAEL DUMAS!

Artist Michael Dumas is internationally recognized, not only for his unique work, but for his

conservation efforts that have raised millions of dollars for such causes. Included here are some of his most recent paintings and honors.

Sparrow’s Rest (above) by Michael Dumas has received a number of honors and was included in the prominent exhibitions noted below:

• National Museum of Wildlife Art 2016, Jackson, Wyoming: Western Visions Exhibition
• Recipient of National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society Competition Award of Excellence 2016
• Artists for Conservation (AFC) International Exhibition of Nature in Art 2017: Medal of Excellence and Best in Show
• Art Renewal Centre (ARC) 12th International Competition 2016/2017: Dual Category Award
• ARC National Art Exhibition 2017: Salmagundi Club, NYC (Centre for American Art since 1871)
• ARC International Art Exhibition 2017-208: MEAM / European Museum of Modern Art, Barcelona, Spain
• Birds in Art 2018/Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum (LYWAM), Wausau, WI
• Opening Exhibition, National USA Tour Dec. 2018 – Nov. 2019
•  2018 Birds in Art poster image  
• Inducted into LYWAM Permanent Collection

Michael contributed the foreword for a new book, The Artists of Kawartha, featuring his painting, Forgotten Chores, on the cover as well as additional works inside.

Left:

Michael’s painting, Looking Out, received a Medal of Excellence in the Artists for Conservation International Exhibition of Nature in Art held in Vancouver, September 2018.

Looking Out was also included in three other exhibitions:

• “Legacy” at the Algonquin Art Centre
• “The Lives of Birds,” Buckhorn Fine Art Festival (selected as the Featured Piece)
• “Western Visions 2018,”National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, Wyoming. 

  

Michael grew up in the village of Whitney near the entrance to Algonquin Park, where some of his earliest childhood recollections were of times spent feeding the deer and visiting the museum. Built in 1953, the museum is now known as the Algonquin Art Centre. Michael worked his way through art college as a park ranger there from 1969 – 1971.

                 

Michael, as a Park Ranger in 1971 

As one of the artists featured in a PBS television documentary series, Michael had cited the Algonquin Art Centre as an integral influence on his art. He was recently honored as the very first recipient of the “Algonquin Legacy Award,” established to recognize individuals who have actively contributed to supporting, promoting or utilizing the features of Algonquin Park for cultural and/or research purposes.

Michael receiving the Algonquin Art Centre Legacy Award

from Joel Irwin, co-director of the Centre

Michael, with other members of the Artists for Conservation, participated in the “Silent Skies” project, a mural depicting the 678 birds worldwide that are designated as endangered by the International Ornithological Congress. Each bird was to be painted on an 8” x 8” x 3/4” panel to be arranged as a multi-tiered composite that would stretch over 100 feet when assembled. 

A number of species were missing from the mural at its September opening, and ARC members are working to fill those spaces by the time the mural travels to museums over the next few years. Michael has committed to six bird paintings for this effort. Shown below are four of his exquisite works that were completed in time for the inaugural exhibit in Vancouver.

                       

Go to www.galleryone.com/artframing/dumas_gg.html to see Michael’s collection of hand-signed canvases available exclusively from Gallery Giclées.   

To celebrate artist Dean Morrissey’s holiday appearance, Gallery One has a gift for ALL kids age 12 and under who draw a Trundle and bring it to his show!!

Gallery One Announces

the GREAT TRUNDLE TRADE-IN!

What’s a Trundle, you ask?

A Trundle is a colorful little creature that hides in plain sight. (You probably have a Trundle or two living in your own house and don’t even know it.) According to Dean Morrissey, “Their purpose is a good one. They quietly go about helping their host in many ways. They sweep up in the middle of the night, secretly finish up bookkeeping, haul firewood and repair broken windows and leaky pipes. They are very appreciative of their hosts and become indispensable after a while. Very few people have actually seen a Trundle although many people have them as boarders.”

ASK yourself – have you ever:

•        Lost something and searched your entire house, only to spot it easily a short time later? (You have a Trundle.)
•      Gone to the fridge for a snack and found a BRAND-NEW jar of peanut butter inside? (Further evidence of Trundles…)
•         Discovered a garment on the closet floor instead of on the hanger where you left it? (Irrefutable proof that a Trundle fashion show has taken place…)
•     Found only one sock in the dryer instead of the pair? (Sounds like your Trundle needed a sleeping bag for camp. Not to worry, your sock will be returned soon…)

If you are age 12 or younger, draw a picture of a Trundle and tell us how you know for sure that you have one in your house. (Hint: Did he finish your homework or fold your clothes while you slept?)

Rules for the GREAT TRUNDLE TRADE-IN:

•     You must be age 12 or younger
•     Your drawing should be no larger than 8-1/2” x 11”
•     Bring your Trundle drawing to Gallery One on Friday, December 7, between 7 and 9 p.m., OR Saturday, December 8, between 1 and 5 p.m.

We will proudly display your drawing AND GIVE YOU a Trundle print created and hand-signed by artist Dean Morrissey!

What better time to recognize the countless contributions of our Trundles than the holiday season? (Shown are some Trundles who live in Dean Morrissey’s house.) Be sure to see Dean’s latest art including NEW Trundle paintings during his show!

    

TRUNDLES © DEAN MORRISSEY

Questions? Check our website www.galleryone.com or give us call. We’ll see you AND your Trundles December 7^th and 8^th!

440-255-1200 / 800-621-1141

7003 Center Street
Mentor, OH 44060
art@galleryone.com
www.galleryone.com

Your Guide to Trundletopia

Greetings from Clancy & Shayna, your Patrons of the Arfs and local Trundle authorities!

Here we are in an area barn, where we recently spotted a Trundle, trying to give us the slip!

In last week’s blog we discussed Trundles. Due to the overwhelming response, we’ve asked international authority and leading Trundologist,* Dean Morrissey, to elaborate a bit regarding some of their lesser-known traits. 

According to Dean, although you may have never personally encountered one, odds are you have a Trundle or two under your own roof, but this is exceedingly difficult to verify as Trundles tend to avoid the spotlight.

Take for example, Billy Blue Sky and His Magical Bow Tie, discussed in last week’s blog. According to Dean, Billy is the embodiment of optimism. Yet he has absolutely nothing going for him in life except his attitude and his tie with which he can fly.

Billy is like the bumble bee; aerodynamically, he shouldn’t be able to fly. But like the bumblebee, no one has bothered to tell him, so Billy flies anyway. Said Dean, “Billy has no body, giant metal shoes and an empty head, but the boy’s got heart! The upbeat vibes emanating from such a roommate, even one who eschews the limelight, are bound to have an overall positive effect on those with whom he shares a residence.”

By now you probably have additional questions regarding Trundles, how they get into your home to do small favors, and how they manage to go undetected. The best advice we can give is to make plans to ask Dean Morrissey himself when he comes to Gallery One this holiday season. You can also view all of his new original artwork and latest giclées, and have him personalize his books and prints for the perfect holiday gifts.

Not only that, but you can take home your very own Trundle artwork!

Everyone loves an optimist; their outlook draws people to them. And after all the nasty political campaigns and bad news that bombards the airwaves daily, who wouldn’t welcome some optimism? Best of all, if you display Dean’s colorful Trundles in your home, they’ll be a daily reminder to maintain a positive outlook. (And they’ll show your resident Trundles that you’re happy to have them – mi casa es Trundle casa.)

Dates and times will be announced here soon. Make plans to join us! Tell your friends and bring your family (and leave a note for your Trundles).

* An authority on all things having to do with Trundles

XOXO,

     

Clancy & Shayna

(Your Patrons of the Arfs)

GET READY FOR BUNDLES OF TRUNDLES!

 

Greetings from your devoted Gallery One Patrons of the Arfs, Clancy and Shayna, and two of our friends known as Push and Pull.

Push and Pull

Because you are a client of Gallery One, we have decided to let you in on a little-known secret before it makes the national headlines.

Now ask yourself, have you ever found your family dog barking at something that you cannot detect? He will stare intently at something unseen and unheard by you and bark with wild abandon. (And, when this happens, have you admonished him to quiet down, thinking that there is nothing there?)

Fear not, we understand that you cannot perceive many of the things that we dogs are able to detect. It’s just that our eyes, ears and wet noses are far more keen than those of our humans. A human typically has 5 million scent glands. Depending on our breed, we dogs have more than 125 million! We recognize moving objects better, and we also have the ability to see in low light. And us dogs can generally hear four times the distance of a human.

Now mind, this is not bragging. We are telling you this in order to illustrate the point of this week’s blog. Many times when we bark, it’s to tell you that we have spotted a Trundle (unbeknownst to you).

What, you ask, is a Trundle? Probably the human most knowledgeable about Trundles and their customs is artist Dean Morrissey. He is, as evidenced by his highly detailed artwork, an incredibly perceptive artist, and he has been seeing Trundles ever since he was a youngster. And having earned their trust over the years, he has been able to convince a number of them to pose for portraits, a feat previously unheard of. That Dean is certainly a charmer.

Trundles, he tells us, are magical little creatures that hide in plain sight. He explains: “Trundles inhabit homes and barns and shops in the real world. Preferring to stay out of sight, they sleep up in the eaves or in cabinet drawers. They are virtually invisible in a cluttered room.

“A fully-grown Trundle can stand up under a bed without hitting his head. Their purpose is a good one. They quietly go about helping their host in many ways. They sweep up in the middle of the night, secretly finish up bookkeeping, haul firewood and repair broken windows and leaky pipes. They are very appreciative of their hosts and become indispensable after a while. Very few people have actually seen a Trundle although many people have them as boarders. They are native to The Great Kettles, a magical Chain of Islands across the Sea of Time.”

Snappy Argyle

Two such Trundles, Push and Pull, are shown above as rendered by Dean Morrissey. Shown here are Billy Blue Sky and His Magical Bow Tie and Snappy Argyle.

Billy Blue Sky and His Magical Bow Tie

 Dean will be making his annual Gallery One holiday appearance in early December, and he’ll be bringing a Bundle of Trundles with him! Be among the first to see them, and take home your very own Trundle.

Check this Blog for dates and times!

XOXO,

     

Clancy & Shayna
(Your Patrons of the Arfs)

Something artful to aMUSE you…

Greetings and salutations from Clancy, your humble Patron of the Arfs (and potential artist’s muse)!

As you undoubtedly know, dogs are considered man’s best friend, and rightfully so. Saint Bernards have traditionally warmed lost Alpine climbers with flasks of brandy. Dogs serve as seeing-eye dogs and provide assistance for a wide range of human conditions as emotional support animals. They search for bombs to keep people safe. And, it seems, dogs have often served as furry, four-legged muses to inspire artists; hence this week’s blog about famous artists who paint dogs. (Can you blame them?)

Take, for instance artist Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973), who had many loves during his life. Aside from his multiple wives and assorted mistresses, Picasso loved dogs, one of whom was his Dalmatian “Perro” (Spanish for dog). Lump was Picasso’s cherished Dachshund. The artist is shown below with both dogs and an original drawing of Lump. He remarked: “It took me a whole lifetime to learn how to draw like a child again.” (Thanks, I’m sure, in no small part to Perro and Lump.)

                                

Artist George Rodrigue (1944 – 2013) of Louisiana painted his famous Blue Dog series based on a photo of his late dog, Tiffany. Loyal pooch that she was, she sat beside the Cajun artist’s easel to keep him company as he painted late into the night. When viewing the Blue Dog paintings, people would often stare at its eyes and begin to cry. Rodrigue noted: “The yellow eyes are really the soul of the dog. He has this piercing stare. People say the dog keeps talking to them with his eyes, always saying something different.” Among the many philanthropic causes Rodrigue established is Blue Dog Relief, raising millions for humanitarian aid after both 9-11 and Hurricane Katrina.

       

Bessie Pease Gutmann (1876 – 1960) was an American artist and illustrator. Her husband, Hellmuth Gutmann and his brother, Bernard, had founded the fine art publishing company, Gutmann and Gutmann in New York in 1902. Bessie and Hellmuth married in 1906 and settled in South Orange, NJ. Setting up a studio in their home, Bessie painted their three little ones and became one of the era’s leading artists to portray the innocence of children. Her famous painting, In Disgrace, depicts her tearful toddler, Lucille, nose to the wall in utter shame. Teddy, Lucille’s puppy, longs to console her and snuggles her to share the blame, looking back at the viewer with an irresistibly sad expression.

Artist Jim Daly’s Tough Love presents a contrite little boy standing in the shadow of his mother. Her posture is stern, his remorseful. The empty glove suggests the missing baseball may be the culprit. The boy’s loyal dog is his ally, shielding him while sharing the blame. Writes Daly:  “When I was a boy, I was in the doghouse more than once, and I believed that all of my troubles would be over when I grew up. Life's problems, however, are with us always, and when they seem to be overwhelming and impossible to overcome, there is no way of measuring the unconditional love of a friend.” (Especially a furry one with a cold, comforting nose!)

Canadian artist Michael Dumas painted Gypsy, inspired by a trip abroad: 

“The subject for this piece was observed in the French city of Arles, just inside the entrance of a narrow side street that accessed the busy central square. In this relative calm and quiet location, the man seemed lost in thought, trusting his four-footed companion to warn him of the approach of strangers. The contrast between the man's contemplative mood and the dog's alertness interested me greatly, and in the painting I pushed the thread of this idea as far as I could. Placing the dog between any observer and his master, and with his gaze directed straight at the viewer, there is little doubt of the dog's unwavering diligence. As a last touch, I added an arched shadow into the area at upper right, hoping to enhance the idea of a protective space. This shape was inspired by observing its real-life counterpart in the many access points to the old Roman Coliseum just a few streets away.”       

American pop artist Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987) took his dachshund, Archie, everywhere he went: out to dinner, to art show openings, and, of course, to his studio where he immortalized him for posterity in his own inimitable style.

American nostalgia artist Norman Rockwell (1894 – 1978) often painted dogs, making them central in his compositions because of the important role they play within families. His own dog, Pitter, hung out with him in the studio. Rockwell said, “If a picture wasn’t going very well, I’d put a puppy dog in it.” He recommended that other artists depict four-legged creatures “just as carefully and understandingly as you paint the people."

   

So if iconic artists such as those noted here derive so much inspiration from their furry companions, who am I to disagree? (And if any artists out there are reading this and would like to portray a certain handsome Lakeland Terrier and his sister, it can be easily arranged for a nominal fee of doggie treats and belly rubs. Just give my agent a call - kiss kiss!)

XOXO,

      

Clancy & Shayna

(Your Patrons of the Arfs)

Shayna here. This week it’s MY turn to be the Blog Dog, so I decided to write about posters and how they relate to the history of modern art. (That’s why I am sporting my très chic Toulouse-Lautrec hat.)

Although stone lithography had been around since the late 1700s, it was a slow and expensive printing process. But everything changed just a century later with the introduction of the 3-stone lithographic process, making it possible to print an array of colors with the careful registration of just three basic colors - yellow, red and blue.

In France, Toulouse-Lautrec created the poster Moulin Rouge (shown above) and the poster craze took off. Posters grew in popularity and were used to symbolize national interests – the circus in the U.S., cabarets in France, bullfights in Spain, opera in Italy and so on. The ease of printing posters together with the ability to combine information and images in an appealing and economical manner helped to create the age of modern advertising. Posters were also used to promote political ideologies, special events or advertise products or services such as travel, sports, entertainment and popular personalities.

And did you realize that in addition to original paintings and fine art prints, books and figurines, Gallery One houses an enormous selection of posters, hand-signed by the famous artists? People love posters because they provide an affordable entrée for art lovers to enjoy beautiful art on a budget. That’s why students choose them for their dorm rooms or first apartments. And talk about a perfect gift – you can select posters with prices starting as low as $25!

Why have bare walls when you can have a room with a view? Check these out:

Indulge in whimsical flights of fancy with the imaginative, hand-signed art of James Christensen and Dean Morrissey.

   

Let your spirits soar with a poster hand-signed by artist Robert Bateman…

…Go wild with the mind-blowing detail of Carl Brenders.

Know a transplanted Clevelander?
Send a hometown hug with famous landmarks by iconic photographer Jim Ptacek.

Love Harleys?

Get your motorrunning with Scott Jacobs.

Calling all Trekkies:  Go boldly where no man hasgone before with Commander Uhura’s hand-signed art poster!

(FYI, Nichelle Nichols pioneered the role of Uhura in the original Star Trek series during the 1960s. However, she wanted to pursue a Broadway career. That was until she met Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at an NAACP fund-raiser. Dr. King encouraged her to stay on in the role saying, “You’re a part of history.” He told her she was a vital role model, and so Nichols continued playing Uhura in TV and films for another quarter century.)

No matter what a person’s interests, Gallery One has you covered. Stop in and see us and our HUGE selection of posters. They make gift-giving easy, affordable and fun. There’s a lot from which to choose, but no worries – Clancy and I are always here to help!

XOXO,

     

Shayna & Clancy

(Your Patrons of the Arfs)