Art Renewal Center® Leading the Revival of Realism in the Fine Arts

detail from St. Cecelia by J.W. Waterhouse

You will want to read this major new addition to the ARC Philosophy which proves the decisive importance and value of traditional Realism. In “Why Realism”, Mr. Ross supplies the expanding Realist movement with the strongest rationale yet, why Realist images are the only way possible to achieve the primary reason that fine art exists…. which is to communicate with poetic beauty the ideas and passions of our shared humanity. ARC for many years has focused the debate about Realism vs. Modernism whose definition is characterized by celebrating the destruction of realism. ARC Chairman Fred Ross in his speech delivered at University of Connecticut, February 7, “knocks it out of the park.”

To read the full s p eec h, click here.

We are no longer accepting entries
for the 2013/2014 Interna tional ARC Salon:

To view a list of the qualifying artists who have at least one work included as a finalist, click here. Winners will be announced and images published on the ARC website in early May.

This is our 10th annual competition in which some of the best contemporary realist artists in the world compete for recognition, over $60,000 in cash prizes, and a chance to have their work seen by some of the more than 5,000,000 annual visitors to the ARC website. Other participating publications include: Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, Plein Air Magazine, American Art Collector Magazine, Western Art Collector Magazine, American Fine Art Magazine, International Artist Magazine and the Epoch Times. The Best in Show winner of the 2013/2014 ARC Salon competition, in addition to $8,000, will be awarded with a fully produced and released video DVD produced by Streamline Art Video showing a demonstration of their technique, an interview with the artist, and a profile of the artist’s work as a key featured part of a DVD on the ARC Salon.

Han Wu Shen sells for $190,000 at Sotheby’s

Two paintings by ARC Living Master ™ Han Wu Shen (Shen Hanwu) came up for sale at Sotheby’s Hong Kong on April 6th, 2014.
The first, Cooking Dinner, sold near the high estimate at 475,000 HKD (61,239 USD) and the second work, Descendants of the Dragon, soared over the high estimate of 250,000 – 350,000 HKD and sold for 1,480,000 HKD (190,810 USD). This is almost 2 1/2 times the highest price paid for one of his works at auction, the previous record being 600,000 HKD (77,273 USD) for his painting of On the Way, which sold in April of last year.	Cooking Dinner by Han Wu Shen
Descendants of the Dragon by Han Wu Shen	When On the Way came up for sale, Sotheby’s included a large write up on the artist, his relationship to ARC Chairman Frederick Ross and the Art Renewal Center in their auction catalogue. Shen’s prices continue to rise steadily and they are likely to continue to do so as his work bears strong resemblance to his peer, Wang Yidong in subject, color pallet, composition and technical execution. Yidong, who is five years younger then Shen regularly has his paintings sell between 1,000,000 and 3,000,000 US dollars for a single work at auction. We believe Shen’s prices at auction will continue to climb until they achieve a comparable price level.

Posted April 15th, 2014

New Summer Teen Workshop

Bargue Drawing by Andrew Boatright

The Texas Academy of Figurative Art is pleased to present their first Summer Teen Workshop, July 7-18. Their program and curriculum has great appeal to aspiring young artists. Many young students have never been exposed to the principles of realist art and their classically-based curriculum offers High School students the opportunity to anchor their drawing and painting skills in classical methodology as well as enhance their portfolio preparations.

To learn more about this workshop and to sign up, click here.

Posted April 14th, 2014

Juliette Aristides Painting Demo

April 16, 2014

Join the Puget Sound Group of Northwest Artists for a painting demo with ARC Living Master™ Juliette Aristides on Wednesday, April 16, 2014 from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm. This event is free for PSGNA members and costs $10 for non-members.

Capital Cider – 818 East Pike Street Seattle, Washington 98122

For more information on this and other exhibitions click here.

Nature Tamed by Juliette Aristides

Posted April 11th, 2014

New ARC Living Artist™ Clark Gussin

Sabbath by Clark Gussin

Influenced by many contemporary artists, Clark felt a special affinity to Andrew Wyeth and to a lesser degree James Bama, and Norman Rockwell. The rural countryside and the people Wyeth painted were reminiscent of the farm where Clark spent much of his time as a boy. It was a common setting in the rural South during the 50′s and 60′s when Clark was a young man; to live on a small tobacco farm in Southeast North Carolina, Clark’s family roots for over two hundred years. Looking back Clark realized how much the people, the landscape, and the life on a rural family farm influenced his life and art. His curiosity and attention to detail in the rugged and worn hands of a field worker, to the faceted, bleached boards on the side of a pack house, to the juxtaposition of his natural surroundings, and the plowed furrows on the land before planting are depicted in Gussin’s work.

To view his new gallery on ARC, please click here.

Posted April 10th, 2014

ARC 2014 Scholarship Competition

The prospectus for the 2014 ARC Scholarship Competition is now live on the ARC website.

We will be giving out yet another $30,000 in scholarship funds to students attending ARC Approved ™ Atelier and Academy Schools.

Entries will be received throughout the month of May, from May 1 – May 31.

To view the prospectus, click here.

By 2013 3rd place scholarship winner,
Rachel Personett

Posted April 7th, 2014

ARC Salon Finalists Announced

With an approximate 2,200 entries this year by over 1,000 artists, the competition was steeper then ever. This year we have expanded once again to include a total of 685 finalist works. These works represent the top 31% of works submitted. We have not revealed what category or what works the below individuals are finalists in, in order to keep the suspense high for the actual announcement of the winners. We are planning on announcing the winners in early May, an exact date will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

To view the names of the finalists, click here.

All the finalists will be included in the 2013/2014 ARC Salon catalogue. You can pre-order now through our ARC store at our special pre-order price by clicking here. The price will increase once winners are announced.

Posted April 4th, 2014

Max Ginsburg Solo Exhibition

Unemployed On Line by Max Ginsburg

ARC Living Master™ Max Ginsburg will be having a solo exhibition of his work at Artrage Gallery – 505 Hawley Ave., Syracuse, NY from April 12 – May 24, 2014. In addition, Ginsburg will be giving two presentations. The first is a discussion about the 14 paintings on Exhibit which will be given on April 14th from 7 – 8 p.m. and the second is a painting demonstration on April 16th, from 7 – 9 p.m.

To view more on this and other exhibition, click here.

Posted April 3rd, 2014

David Bowers Solo Show

Finding the Gold by David Bowers

ARC Living Master™ David Bowers is being featured in a solo show that opens April 11, 2014

Palm Avenue Fine Art – 10 South Palm Avenue, Sarasota, Florida 34236

To view more about this and other events, please click here.

Posted April 2nd, 2014

Shane Wolf Solo Exhibition

Shane Wolf, former ARC Scholarship Winner will be featured in a solo show of over 60 framed drawings. All of the works showcased have been drawn completely from live models.

The show will run from April 4th – 20th at Galerie L’Oeil du Prince, 7 rue de l’Odéon, 75006 Paris

Rodion by Shane Wolf

Posted April 1st, 2014

ARC Approved™ Videos Now on the ARC Website

Los Dos Pintores by Jose Jimenez y Aranda	In order to better assist our viewers, ARC has put together a collection of the most helpful and informative videos by ARC Living Masters and Artists™, ARC Approved Schools™, and ARC Allied Organizations™. These videos consist of artist demonstrations and artist interviews. We have also begun revamping our podcast page and will be including new video and audio podcasts in the near future.
To view our new landing page and to start exploring these videos, click here.

Posted March 31st, 2014

BACAA Workshops

The Bay Area Classical Artist Atelier will be hosting a number of exciting workshops this spring and summer. Ted Seth Jacobs will be teaching an exclusive workshop in France, June 2nd – July 3rd for which there are only two spots left. Other workshops being offered in the spring and summer include: Stephen Early Figure Painting Workshop, July 7 – July 18, Graydon Parrish Workshop on Form Painting and Color Theory, July 21 – August 1, Michael Grimaldi and Dan Thompson Workshop on Advanced Artistic Anatomy, August 4 – 8, and Juliette Aristides will be teaching a Figure Painting Workshop from August 11 – 22.

Susana by Graydon Parrish

To view more information and to sign up for courses, click here.

Posted March 27th, 2014

New Item in ARC Store

Anthony Waichulis and his artists of ARC Approved Ani Art Academy Waichulis have just released their new Language of Painting 4 disc DVD series.

This is their sequel to the Language of Drawing 3 disk DVD Series that they released last year. The system is designed to develop fundamental representational painting skills through a very carefully calibrated sequence of exercises.

To order now, click here.

Posted March 25th, 2014

New ARC Letter

Read a recently added letter about whether or not the use of photography in art is a tool, a hindrance, or a cheat.

“Photography is probably the most controversial subject among realist painters today and one that should be open to debate and discussion.”

To read the letter and the response, click here.

Posted March 24th, 2014

Epoch Times Reports on Ani Academy Exhibition and Sale

“Art Students Tackle Heroes, Villains, Myths, and Legends.

Poseidon meets Mr. Potatohead in Rehs collaboration with Ani Art Academies.

Inspired by the top-grossing films of the past five years, Howard and Alyssa Rehs, father-and-daughter co-directors of Rehs Contemporary Galleries, announced the theme of their second annual show in conjunction with Ani Art Academies, which offers free board and fine arts education to a select few budding artists.”

Read the full article by Christine Lin by clicking here.

The Eye of the Day by Elena Green

Posted March 21st, 2014

Julio Reyes and Candice Bohannon Featured in FAC

Vessels by Julio Reyes	The latest issue of Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine features an article on ARC Living Master™ Julio Reyes and his wife Candice Bohannon. About the talented artist couple, Vanessa Rothe reports:
“Reyes and Bohannon adhere to highly defined philosophies and aesthetics. Both believe that traditional training is necessary, that the skills, styles, and theories learned in school are important building blocks, but must then be assembled uniquely to make one’s own individual statement, from within the artist. This is easier said then done, of course. Reyes observes, with hearty agreement from Bohannon, “For the whisper of an idea to germinate in the mind, take hold in the heart, and then inspire the act of creation, is incredible! The sheer persistence of creative energy, and the birth of each artwork I’ve made against all odds, is so improbable that is has to be a miracle – like the miracle or life itself.”
Bed of Gold by Candice Bohannon	To order a copy of this issue, click here.

Posted March 20th, 2014

New Technical Article published

Originally published in the Angel Academy’s blog, written by Michael John Angel himself, Angel explores color composition based on the Holbein Scheme and the Two-tone Silhouette.

To view this new article on ARC, click here.

Portrait of Duke Antony the Good of Lorraine by Hans Holbein

Posted March 19th, 2014

Congratulations to James Van Fossan

Magnum Opus by James Van Fossan

Congratulations to ARC Associate Living Master™ James Van Fossan, who received the First Place prize at the Collection Beaux-Arts Realiste based in Montreal, Canada for his painting ‘Magnum Opus’. This painting also won a Chairman’s Choice Award in the 2012/2013 International ARC Salon Competition.

Posted March 18th, 2014

TRAC2014 – A Revolutionary Event

TRAC2014, A Full House

The Representational Art Conference that took place at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Ventura, CA last week was an event for the history books.

Several articles have come out post the event and more are sure to follow. “With such high profile participants as Roger Scruton, Odd Nerdrum and Juliette Aristides it was sure to be a stellar event but there were many surprises that put the entire conference over the top for those who were there, and on the map for those who were not. Over the past few decades representational painting has seen a resurgence in popularity, and quality, that has made it the most important movement in art today. As Kara Ross of the Art Renewal Center said, we are taking back humanity and communicating across borders in a universal language.”
Brandon Kralik, Huffington Post

To read the full article by Brandon Kralik click here.
To read an interview with Michael Pearce, co-founder of the TRAC event,
click here.
To read an Article by John Seed on TRAC click here.
To read an article by Vanessa Rothe in Fine Art Connoisseur click here.

Posted March 14th, 2014

Studio Incamminati 2014 Open House

March 15 – March 16, 2014

12:30 – 4:30 p.m.

See the Studio Incamminati curriculum come to life during a live painting demonstration by faculty, alumni and students. Take guided tours including the private on-site faculty studios and see the results in their artwork. Talk to a Chestnut Hill College representative and learn how you can develop vital skills while pursuing your degree with the Integrated Art Studio major. Learn about their scholarships and other financial aid, and find out about life after art school by listening to their alumni success stories.

Fumiko by Joseph Dolderer

340 North 12th St., Philadelphia, PA

For more on this and other special events and exhibitions, click here.

Posted March 13th, 2014

New ARC Living Artist™ Jiaming Wang

Master of the Mountain
by Jiaming Wang

Jiaming Wang was born in Liaoning, China in 1962. He completed his art research at Nagoya Visual Art University in 1992 in Japan. He has exhibited extensively throughout Japan, the USA, and Central America and has won many prizes at home and abroad. After traveling and painting throughout Central America, in 1995 he moved to the United States and further pursued his art research at the University of Visual Art in New York. He has created modernist art in the past but recently has turned his attention to realist based paintings with a primary focus on wildlife…

To view his new gallery on ARC, please click here.

Posted March 13th, 2014