FRESH! New works by arizona artists

Bruce is a versatile artist who has been experimenting with different media and styles, but his love for Arizona landscape paintings is evident in his creations. He expertly captures the essence of the southwest through his oil and watercolor paintings. Recently, Bruce has returned to traditional painting themes, focusing on oil paints to capture the unique beauty and mystique of the American Southwest. His work is inspired by the region's landscape, atmosphere, and light, resulting in captivating artwork that truly showcases the charm of the Arizona landscape. Bruce's paintings convey mood and atmosphere through his unique style, resulting in a compelling narrative of the beauty of the American Southwest.

I've lived along both sides of the Rocky Mountain Range since being born in Denver, Colorado and also lived in New Mexico for four years. I never could tolerate cold winters so my "creative psyche" would paint non-local, massive flower landscapes and Saguaro cacti desert scenes contrary to my environment. So, I've developed my own personal abstract style of southwestern, colorful, fantasy land-escapes and only paint with oils and usually only with palette knives.

I began drawing and working in clay in 1970 but ceramics has been my primary interest. "Clay as Art' is my goal and inspiration. My life's experiences and images from nature fascinate my imagination; smooth surfaces, texture, movement, and contrasts are often incorporated. I bring my many years of experience to every lump of clay; to shape from nothing, a piece which lives beyond myself with dignity and pride.

This year's super bloom, especially the poppies found me seeking the best places to paint and photograph. Each time I stood among the flowers painting, I was so awestruck at the beauty that all I desired was to somehow put down with paint some part of that experience. This pastel is another attempt, using those paintings and memory, to recapture those moments

I've intensified my two passions - caring for mother earth and bringing her beauty to the fore through my art. Anomaly is a climate term that calculates the deviation of temperature from a 30 year baseline. It's rising! "Gestural Anomaly," 40 x 30 inches captures the essence of this concern with the use of acrylic, graphite, and oil sticks. One viewer noted of the piece, "the white part is like the white-washing, "it's not real" attitude. You can deny science but it's still happening. The red is overtaking it until it can't be swept under the rug/paint any more."

 Lighthouses are a sort of fascination for me. When I think about it, I believe it is really the lonely stalwartness of the beacon that intrigues me. They stand strong and alone in the fog and mist, steady as the vast deep blue sea crashes against them, warning passing vessels in the night of the craggy rocks nearby. I hope you enjoy viewing my work as much as I enjoyed creating it. 

I love exploring new materials and techniques, and with the new year, I've begun experimenting with oil over acrylics. This has let me combine representational art with abstract elements, which is combination I have always been drawn to.

 I paint and specialize in landscapes. I’m known for depicting the skies of the southwest in both oil and watercolor. I absolutely love clouds as seen out West. I love what cloud shadows do to mountain ranges. I love the color on the land, and the color overall, whether it be intense or muted. I love depicting the desert and its beautiful and transforming skies at all times of the day.  

Van Hawk practices abstract expressionism; still with the hints and traces of human figure she navigates her big canvases with gestural brush strokes and rich colorful palette.

Realism oil and acrylic painting of landscapes and nature that inspires me!