Telling a Story: 

"Telling a story through portraiture art" means using the visual elements of a portrait, like facial expression, pose, clothing, and background details, to convey a narrative about the subject, going beyond just capturing their likeness and revealing deeper aspects of their life, personality, or experiences. 

Body language and pose: 

A confident posture, a slumped stance, or a hand gesture can reveal the subject's power dynamics, vulnerability, or state of mind. 

Clothing and accessories:

The style and condition of clothing, jewelry, or other objects can indicate social status, occupation, or personal beliefs. 

Background setting:

The environment depicted can provide context about the subject's life, like a rugged landscape for a wilderness explorer or a luxurious interior for a wealthy individual. 

Color palette:

The choice of colors can evoke specific emotions or themes. 

"Rules" to Portraiture:

1. The Rule of Thirds: Artists who create portraitures for a living typically divide the image into thirds to create a balanced composition onto their canvas

2. Facial Proportions: The eyes are usually halfway between the top of the head and the chin.

3. Composition: highlighting areas that reflect light is essential for artists capturing or creating a natural looking portrait. For instance, the tip of the nose and the middle of the nose bridge often reflect light.

4. Color Palette: warm vs. cool colors and when to use them. Warm colors can advance, while cool colors can recede.

5. Depth of Field: A shallow depth of field can help the artist blur the background and focus the viewer's attention onto the subject of the portrait. 

Most Important Element of a Portrait:

In portraiture art, the eyes are often considered the most important element because they are considered the "window to the soul".

The eyes of the subject conveys emotions, personality, and inner life through their gaze, making the viewer feel a direct connection with the depicted person. When viewing a portrait, our attention naturally gravitates towards the eyes, making them the primary focal point that draws the viewer in.

Psychological impact: The way an artist depicts the eyes can significantly influence how the viewer perceives the subject's character and intentions.

Artistic technique: Artists often use techniques like highlighting, shading, and detail to emphasize the eyes and enhance their expressive power.

“Eternal Hope”
Kathryn Robinson

Inspired by the marsh’s quiet dawn, glorious sunrise, sun’s rays moving across the sky with constantly changing cloud formations till the magical hour -sunset!

Here Kathryn’s focus is centered around the breathtaking landscape of the low country, capturing its essence and charm.

Expressive brushstrokes used as an outlet for her passion. They might be bold, expressive, and emotive, conveying the joy she feels during the creative process.

The Lowcountry’s picturesque scenery reflected with vibrant and pastel hues to evoke a sense of serenity and wonder.

Her pieces tell stories and evoke feelings of warmth and connection to God’s creation. As she expresses in a personal way her experiences and emotions, Kathryn hopes that others will feel the same and eternal hope will fill their lives.

Kathryn Robinson is represented by Mary Martin Gallery.
 

Welcome, art enthusiasts, to a celebration of color, movement, and the captivating world of horses! Today, we turn our gaze towards the remarkable artist Pakan Penn and his stunning impressionist masterpiece, "Upon Greatness."

Pakan Penn's journey with art is as captivating as the scenes he paints. Born in Cambodia, his life took a transformative turn when his artistic talent was discovered by an American diplomat. This encounter led him to the prestigious Corcoran School of Art in Washington D.C., a chance escape from the turmoil engulfing his homeland.

Penn's artistic spirit is a true chameleon. He thrives in a world of "many dimensions," confidently navigating the techniques of abstraction, impressionism, semi-impressionism, realism, and even portraiture. But it's his mastery of capturing motion through color and light that truly sets him apart.

"Upon Greatness," a vibrant 24" x 18" oil on canvas, showcases this mastery perfectly. We are drawn into the heart of a pulsating horse race. The powerful legs of the steeds blur with motion, their coats glistening with the interplay of sunlight and shadow. Penn's brushstrokes, energetic and textured, capture the very essence of speed and competition. The background is a kaleidoscope of colors, hinting at the bustling crowd and the charged atmosphere.

This isn't just a painting of a race; it's an experience. We can almost feel the pounding hooves and hear the roar of the crowd. Penn's vibrant palette injects a sense of raw energy, inviting us to share in the thrill of the moment.

Pakan Penn's artistic achievements are as impressive as his talent. His works have graced the walls of the White House (presented to President Barack Obama himself!), prestigious embassies, and even the residence of the Japanese Ambassador in Washington D.C. More recently, his dedication to capturing the essence of animals has garnered him the coveted title of "World's Best Animal Impressionist" at the American Art Awards in 2021 and 2023.

"Upon Greatness" is a testament to Pakan Penn's artistic philosophy: "To me, art is life." It's a philosophy evident in every dynamic stroke, every burst of color. This is not just a painting – it's a celebration of passion, movement, and the breathtaking beauty of the equine world. Let "Upon Greatness" inspire you. Explore Pakan Penn's remarkable work further and discover the artist's other captivating "dimensions" at the Mary Martin Gallery in Charleston, SC.

As a medical doctor and a world-renowned artist Courchia worked to study how people look at works of art. Using eye tracking technologies, Courchia has been able to analyze eye movement patterns of viewers in front of famous works of art. His work has been published in scientific journals and presented at keynote addresses in both France and the United States. 

According to Courchia, during the summer in Provence there are three components that he tries to capture in his paintings: the heat, the shadows and the freshness.  All three contain some of the color blue. Blue is one of the colors most associated with Provence, and is dominant within Corchia’s vibrant color palette, as seen in

“La fenêtre entrouverte” (The half-open window) a 30” X 40” oil on canvas. 

Courchia is proud to have his paintings  displayed in Marseille in the famous gallery, Jouvène, which Van Gogh and Cezanne called home for their artwork.

Courchia’s evocative paintings are part of international corporate and private collections. Collectors include Her Highness Queen Paola of Belgium, Mr. and Mrs. Shinomiya, Consul General of Japan in Marseille, and Mr. Aldon James, President of the National Arts Club of New York.

Jean Paul Courchia is represented by Mary Martin Gallery of Fine Art.

Splashing waves of Venetian canals, the stillness of a sun-soaked street during siesta, the vibrant atmosphere of small-town European streets and quaint corners of the world, are all subjects of the talented artist Oleg Trofimov as he conveys “BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH” at Mary Martin Gallery of Fine Art.

The inspiration for internationally acclaimed artist, Oleg Trofimov’s paintings stems from his deep love of travel. “BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH” showcases Trofimov’s unique ability and skill to capture not only the visual elements but also the sounds, sensations, and moods of the subject. The artist successfully aims to share special moments with the viewers, allowing them to experience the same emotions and memories.

Born in Krasnoarmeysk, Russia, Trofimov started drawing at age 5 in kindergarten.  One drawing submitted in a competition received a special prize for its “humanitarian value.” In the years following Trofimov entered a children’s art school; and from 1986 to 1992 Trofimov studied the Moscow State University of Industrial Arts.

Trofimov’s preferred medium is oil and believes that it offers limitless potential to artists. “Throughout my artistic journey, I continually uncover new discoveries and techniques to master” states Trofimov. Comfortable creating artwork in all artistic genres, for this exhibit Trofimov introduced a level of abstraction to his well-known impressionistic representational style.  “I wanted to emphasize the overall atmosphere of the paintings rather than focus on details”.

“OLD POND” a 24” X 40” oil on canvas, depicts a serene pond with waterlilies and koi fish, and well represents one of Trofimov’s treasured places and travel memories.  “VENETIAN SUN” a 30” X 24” oil on canvas will surely bring memories of the colors and textures to those fortunate to have visited the

magical city. 

Now residing in the U.S., Trofimov spends his time traveling the world creating and capturing special moments and memories in paintings that have been exhibited in shows nationally and internationally. Oleg Trofimov is proud to have his paintings exhibited in museums and be part of private and major corporate art collections throughout the world.

Oleg Trofimov is represented by Mary Martin Galleries.

Mary Martin Gallery of Fine Art is proud to work with fine artists such as Tom Barnes, watercolorist extraordinaire. Barnes is widely recognized both nationally and internationally for his distinctive style figurative paintings. From 1972 until today, the subject of figures, expressions, attitudes and demeanors has been the focal point of Tom Barnes's work.

Barnes grew up in the pine forests and coastal plains of South Georgia.  His first exposure to art was at the Telfair Academy of Art in Savannah, where he spent weeks visiting family during summer school breaks. Besides the yearly exposure to art, BARNES was also exposed to fashion design by the extremely elegant and fashion-conscious twins, Bess and Lila. The combination of art and fashion resulted in a life-long influence on the young Barnes and his artistic style.

Some are male, but Barnes's subjects are predominately women. “The subtext of each of my images is that women are captivating, capable, and have a strong presence. I represent them in their fashion statement and their postures” states Tom Barnes. 

The most significant element is that they are looking back at the viewer intently, resulting in truly thought-provoking works of art created with watercolor on canvas, a technique which Barnes pioneered. Tom Barnes elongates his figures, an exaggeration of features that is often associated with Mannerism. 

The movement started during the Renaissance when artists elongated their subjects to increase the sense of elegance and grace. El Greco, Reynolds, Modigliani are some of the masters of Mannerism.  Adding to the elegance is a touch of gold! Barnes adds a touch of liquid 14kt gold to each painting.

Works of TOM BARNES can be found in residential and corporate art collections around the world.

Tom Barnes is represented by Mary Martin Galleries in Charleston, SC.