Russell Whiting Sculptures at Mirada Fine Art

Russell Whiting, the remarkable steel sculptor from Louisiana has joined Mirada Fine Art, and we are absolutely thrilled to have him on board!

Russell Whiting at Mirada Fine Art, Walking Angel (side view), Torch-Carved Steel,  74" x 50" x 30"

Russell Whiting, a resident of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, is the epitome of a successful self-taught artist, creating classical forms with a contemporary flair.  As a child he frequently found himself compelled to draw or paint the imagery he saw so vividly in his mind. In his early 20s, he began carving wood to create his figures. Then, while working as a welder in shipyards and oil fields during the 1980s, Russell was struck with the realization that steel could be ‘carved’ much like wood, producing even more astonishing and striking sculptural pieces.  Within a few years, Whiting had developed his own unique metalworking technique.

Russell Whiting at Mirada Fine Art, Walking Angel (front view), Torch-Carved Steel,  74" x 50" x 30"

Russell Whiting’s work is influenced by wide and varied factors—religion, ancient cultures, cinema, other artists—both realistic and surreal.  His figures flow from dream, fantasy and conscious manipulation.  A distinctive technique using an oxy-acetylene torch to carve steel into eloquent figures results in instantly recognizable and elegant pieces.  Classical figures executed in a contemporary style lend a unique grace and fluidity to Whiting’s sculpture.

Russell Whiting at Mirada Fine Art, Angel on Wheel, Torch-Carved Steel, 77" x 29" x 17"

Russell Whiting at Mirada Fine Art, Angel on Wheel (close up), Torch-Carved Steel, 77" x 29" x 17"

Russell Whiting at Mirada Fine Art, Angel on Wheel (from behind), Torch-Carved Steel, 77" x 29" x 17"

“My images are often combined and reborn, with little regard to logic or cultural origins,” Whiting has stated.  The artist is reknowned for his ‘walking figures’­—life-size steel sculptures of steel men, women or winged angels which can be seen throughout the world in both private and public sculpture gardens.  Equally amazing are his scaled-down versions which incorporate the same steel carving, hammering and welding techniques.  Viewers respond on a deep level to this artist’s unique modern interpretation of classical forms.

Russell Whiting at Mirada Fine Art, Walking Winged Angel, 19" x 11" x 6"

Russell Whiting at Mirada Fine Art, Vertical Angel - Large, Torch-Carved Steel, 115" x 17" x 17"

Russell Whiting at Mirada Fine Art, Vertical Angel - Large (close up), Torch-Carved Steel, 115" x 17" x 17"

Jeanne Bessette at Mirada Fine Art: Matters of the Heart

Jeanne Bessette: Matters of the Heart

We had an amazing opening night on Friday, June 27th, for Jeanne's new exhibition at Mirada Fine Art.  If you weren't able to attend, here are some photos from the evening.  

Jeanne Bessette at Mirada Fine Art

Jeanne Bessette: 'Matters of the Heart' opening reception at Mirada Fine Art.

Jeanne Bessette artwork surrounds an admirer of her work at Mirada Fine Art.

Jeanne Bessette: 'Matters of the Heart' opening reception at Mirada Fine Art.

Jeanne Bessette with the proud new owner of 'So There's That' at Mirada Fine Art.

Jeanne Bessette: 'Matters of the Heart' opening reception at Mirada Fine Art.

Jeanne Bessette at the opening reception of her exhibition at Mirada Fine Art.

Jeanne Bessette enjoys a moment at the opening of 'matters of the HEART' at Mirada Fine Art.

Jenni Sonnen, co-owner of Mirada Fine Art, during the opening of 'matters of the HEART.'

Jeanne Bessette: 'Matters of the Heart' opening reception at Mirada Fine Art.

Jeanne Bessette at the opening reception of her exhibition at Mirada Fine Art.

Jeanne Bessette with Mirada Fine Art owner, Steve Sonnen

Don Scott Macdonald at Mirada Fine Art: Opening Reception of Passing Landscape

We had an amazing opening reception on Friday night, May 16th for Don Scott Macdonald's 'the passing LANDSCAPE' exhibition. 

Don Scott Macdonald at Mirada Fine Art: 'the passing LANDSCAPE' opening reception.

Don's canvases are not simple recreations of static landscapes.  Rather, he strives to distill the essence of a scene.  Dreamy, simple and powerfully emotive, each painting juxtaposes pperceived stillness with inherent movement, and expert representation with unearthly abstraction.

If you weren't able to attend the opening, Mr. Macdonald's exhibition will be hanging at Mirada Fine Art through June 8, 2014.  Although this will be your best opportunity to see so much of Don's work hanging at one time, he is one of Mirada's 30 permanent artists, and you can always ask to have any of his artwork pulled from their art stacks (if it isn't out).

Don Scott Macdonald at Mirada Fine Art.  Discussing his artwork with an admirer.

Don Scott Macdonald at Mirada Fine Art:  "the passing LANDSCAPE"

Jenni Sonnen, Mirada Fine Art co-owner, chats with some of Mirada's wonderful clients.

Taking a close look at a Don Scott Macdonald painting.

Don Scott Macdonald discussing his artwork at Mirada Fine Art.

Don Scott Macdonald at Mirada Fine Art.  Opening night of 'the passing LANDSCAPE'

Don Scott Macdonald at Mirada Fine Art, 'the passing LANDSCAPE'

Patrons at Mirada Fine Art chat in front of a Don Scott Macdonald painting.

Don Scott Macdonald at Mirada Fine Art, 'the passing LANDSCAPE'

Don Scott Macdonald at Mirada Fine Art.

Steve Sonnen, owner of Mirada Fine Art, and artist Don Scott Macdonald

Don Scott Macdonald: the passing LANDSCAPE

Travel through past, present and future with ethereal ‘Passing Landscape.’

By Jan Thompson

Don Scott Macdonald at Mirada Fine Art: the passing LANDSCAPE

   

Typically when you think of landscape paintings, a re-creation of a static picture is conjured up. Don Scott Macdonald’s elegant and distinctive work emphatically breaks out of that norm.   Maconald’s oil and alkyd paintings distill the essence of a scene rather than simply copying the details.  His new exhibition, aptly entitled ‘The Passing Landscape’ will arrive at Mirada Fine Art Gallery in Indian Hills on Friday, May 16 for the artist’s first Colorado exhibit.  Meet Don during a reception for the artist that night from 6-9pm.

Don Scott Macdonald at Mirada Fine Art, 'Boundless,' Original Oil/Alkyd on Canvas, 36" x 48"

Simultaneously representative and abstract, earthly and unearthly, Mr. Macdonald’s subtly lit work pulls viewers in, reminding them of past events, and revealing a path to future dreams.  Individuals and corporations from the across the globe have become avid collectors of California-based Macdonald.  Among his fans are Chrissie Hyndes (lead singer of The Pretenders) and Davey Johnston (Elton John’s guitarist).  Aspen’s Hotel Jerome proudly displays Don’s magnificent work, as do the Bank of Marin in Sonoma, California, and a prominent architectural firm in Singapore.  They have all become enamored with the artist’s unparalleled ability to juxtapose the stillness of a landscape with the inherent underlying movement. 

Don Scott Macdonald at Mirada Fine Art, 'Virga Laguna,' Original Oil/Alkyd on Canvas, 36" x 60"

Born in San Francisco, Don earned degrees at California State University and The Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. Inspired by the ever-changing light in California coastal scenes, Don quickly discovered he could translate that underlying glow to varying landscapes.  His paintings are composed from an accumulation of observations and future hopes. Deceptively simple and powerfully emotive, his work displays a very distinct artistic elegance.

Don Scott Macdonald at Mirada Fine Art, 'Early Grey,' Original Oil/Alkyd on Canvas, 12" x 12"

A reception with Don Scott Maconald will be held on Friday, May 16 from 6-9pm at Mirada Fine Art Gallery located in Indian Hills on Parmalee Gulch Road off Hwy 285, just 5 miles west of C-470.  The exhibit will run May 17th^th through June 8th.

Don Scott Macdonald at Mirada Fine Art, 'Land's End' diptych, 15" x 72"

Larisa Aukon at Mirada Fine Art

Larisa Aukon joined Mirada Fine Art in late 2013, and every painting she sends our way simply blows us away!

Larisa Aukon at Mirada Fine Art, Summer Snow, Oil on Panel, 20" x 16"

Latvian-born artist Larisa Aukon experienced a life-changing moment about fifteen years ago, shortly after immigrating to the U.S.  With a bag of rolled-up canvases and a $100 bill in her pocket, she arrived in Arizona, and shortly thereafter found herself alone on a hilltop, gazing at seemingly endless landscape, immersed in ‘an explosion of color’.  Thus began Larisa’s love affair with the American Southwest, and her passion to express the ‘inner pulse of feeling’ that underlies everything we view.  This passion now emanates from her natural and urban landscapes.

Larisa Aukon at Mirada Fine Art, Inlay, Oil on Canvas, 46" x 58"

An only child, Larisa spent long winters in Riga, Latvia, sketching the countryside her family occasionally visited. Her parents submitted an application for Larisa to the prestigious Janis Rosenthal Art School.  After weeks of exams in both art and academics, she was chosen from hundreds of applicants as one of a handful of children accepted.  Through her teen years, she attended 20 hours of art classes a week, in addition to rigorous academic classes.  Larisa went on to earn a master’s degree from the Latvian State Academy of Fine Arts. After a series of art-related jobs in Riga, she knew it was time to move on. “I was like a dandelion,” she laughs, “blown to the United States.”

Larisa Aukon at Mirada Fine Art, Narrow Street, Oil on Panel, 36" x 24"

Ms. Aukon’s extensive education and inborn talent allow her to create masterfully-mixed and layered palettes, supported by a framework of balanced compositions. Bold strokes of color capture changing hues of natural light.  Layers of paint create depth and brilliance, a hallmark of her work. She is compelled to translate onto canvas the current of emotion she feels. “I search for a perfect moment when inspiration and technique fall perfectly into place. Then I paint voraciously, as if time is running out on me.”

 

Larisa Aukon at Mirada Fine Art, Overnight, Oil on Panel, 16" x 20"

Larisa’s work is held in private and corporate collections throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe.  Her art is a frequent subject of glowing articles in magazines such as Southwest Art, American Art Collector and Cowboys and Indians.

Larisa Aukon at Mirada Fine Art

Larisa Aukon at Mirada Fine Art, The Forgotten End, Oil on Linen, 30" x 30"

Larisa Aukon at Mirada Fine Art, Morning Latte, Oil on Linen, 18" x 24"

Andrew Baird Art at Mirada Fine Art

Artist Andrew Baird joined Mirada Fine Art in 2012, and it united the Best Artist in Colorado (as declared by the editors of 5280 Magazine), and the Best Gallery (as voted by the magazine’s readers). The works of fifth generation Coloradoan Baird perfectly embody the pairing of contemporary art with a Colorado feel.

Andrew Baird at Mirada Fine Art, 'Olivia,' Original Acrylic on Canvas, 48" x 36"

Andrew Baird at Mirada Fine Art, 'Sheryl,' Original Acrylic on Canvas, 45" x 53"

Andrew Baird at Mirada Fine Art....Andy painting in his studio.

At first glance, Andrew Baird's paintings seem to resemble the work of Jackson Pollock; but when the linear portraits begin to appear, the striking difference in the content becomes clear. The large, colorful portraits are created through light and dark values in a seemingly chaotic painting. Because the images are defined by value, Andrew Baird is free from predictable use of colors. Vibrant color combinations allow the subject to intriguingly appear and disappear, actively engaging the viewer.
 

Andrew Baird at Mirada Fine Art, 'Dream Girl,' Original Acrylic on Canvas, 45" x 52"

Andrew Baird at Mirada Fine Art, Andy painting at his studio.

His works are stunning at both a distance and when studied up close.  The process to create each piece is equally fascinating.  Baird uses a simple wooden ‘stir stick’ to drip acrylic paint onto a canvas on the floor, initially creating a rough sketch. The first few colors lock in the features of his subject.  He revisits the painting each day, adding new color and creating dimension with light and dark values.  “Each time, I drip paint to either lose the image or strengthen it,” states Baird.  “I build layers of color until the painting has the quality I’m striving for. Every painting takes on a fascinating life of its own.  I like it that people study each painting and think about its creation­—this is artwork that actively involves the viewer.” 

Andrew Baird at Mirada Fine Art, 'Jasmine,' Original Acrylic on Canvas, 48" x 37.5"

Andrew Baird is a fifth-generation Coloradoan, and currently lives in Evergreen.  He has worked as an artist and art educator for thirty years.  Mr. Baird earned both his B.A. and M.A. in Fine Arts from the University of Northern Colorado.  His striking paintings have been displayed in exhibits and galleries throughout the U.S. and internationally. Baird’s pieces are held in private and corporate collections alike, including those of Robert Redford and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Andrew Baird at Mirada Fine Art, Andy working on a number of his remarkable paintings in his studio.

Andrew Baird at Mirada Fine Art, 'Star Spangled Banner,' Original Acrylic on Canvas, 45" x 53"

Come by Mirada Fine Art and check out Andy's work in person!  You'll be amazed.

'Great Contemporary Galleries in Denver' ...A Culture Lover's Guide

Top 10 Art Galleries in Denver...and Mirada Fine Art is one!

Best Contemporary Galleries in Denver: Mirada Fine Art

We were absolutely thrilled when the international publication, theculturetrip.com, came out with their 'Culture Lover's Guide to the Top 10 Contemporary Art Galleries in Denver,' and they included Mirada Fine Art.  Here is a link to the article:

http://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/colorado/articles/culture-lover-s-guide-to-denver-10-great-contemporary-art-galleries/

"Mirada Fine Art believes that the atmosphere of a gallery should match the standard of the works on show. Showcasing works by significant international artists, this award-winning gallery has therefore strived to create a space that is worthy of presenting such quality pieces of contemporary art. Mirada Fine Art features paintings and sculptures that cover a wide range of concepts and styles, presenting pieces by a number of national and international artists whose works are not on show anywhere else in the region.  Over the years, the venue has become associated with presenting some of the finest contemporary exhibitions in Denver, both for their experimental quality and the strength of works on show. The amalgamation of the gallery's high-class environment and roster of acclaimed artists such as Bruce Marion, Marcela Panasiti and Svetlana Shalygina makes Mirada Fine Art one of a kind."