Why do we find depictions of the face and figure to be endlessly compelling? Perhaps it is the power of the portraiture to create clarity around the incoherent jumble of human emotions. In Portrait of a Figure, curator Rebecca George curated international artists from seven countries portraying the human form to convey vulnerability, love, confusion, uncertainty, hopelessness, humor, power, defiance and peace. Curator Comments An international group exhibition that takes a deeper look at the variety and inventiveness surfacing around the face, the body and ways of depicting it and imbuing it ..read more

The Studio @ 620, May 2021 For more than 15 years, The Studio @ 620 has been a cultural incubator in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Studio @ 620 has hosted countless exhibitions and events as well as helping many beloved local cultural organizations get their start. It’s safe to say that it has been integral to the cultural renaissance that has revitalized St. Petersburg in the 21st century. But even as St. Petersburg continues to thrive and grow, the pandemic’s impact on the community was serious and some are struggling with anxiety, grief and loss. Lives were disrupted and many of those workin ..read more

Amy Vidra, Swell, 2021 “Abstraction is what resounds when you take away almost everything that can be recognized and work with the visual language of line, shape and color. This approach encourages the viewer to use personal experiences to interpret what they see. This exhibit is a rich landscape of things you cannot hold on to– a suggestion of forms, the evidence of the artist, and the space in which they exist.” Rebecca George, Curator Abstract art is often defined by what it is not; by the lack of attempt to represent objects or convey a narrative. But abstract art is about something. In L ..read more

EXTEMPORE is about the possibility of each moment. The works share a spontaneous quality meant to bring attention to lived experience in the present moment. EXTEMPORE contends that “the now” is far more than the chance to draw a line between past and future. EXTEMPORE is the first solo show by contemporary painter Kristen Beaulieu, curated by Rebecca George of The Art House Gallery. Every situation, indeed every moment, is of infinite value, for it is the representative of a whole eternity. Goethe Artist Statement As an artist, I am interested in how the mind perceives each moment. Accurate d ..read more

Building an art collection is more than just buying art, although there is nothing wrong with that! When a collector assembles artworks that inform each other, the collection says something more than each piece in isolation. In that way, building an art collection is a creative endeavor all its own. Art is an adventure into an unknown world, only accessible to those who are willing to take risks. Mark Rothko But how to get started? First, look at a lot of art and discover what you really love. Get out, or get online, look at loads of art and take note of what work moves you the most. Museums ..read more

Hannah Seki, Variants of Dark, 2021 Have you ever wondered why black and white photographs have such a timeless appeal? The new online-only exhibit Black, Grey and White: In the Achromatic Depths of Tonality and Contrast explores the power and subtlety of artwork without color. Did you know that work created exclusively in black, white and shades of gray is achromatic (without color) rather than monochromatic (which means one color)? Curator Rebecca George explains the paradoxical appeal of a palette without hue. The achromatic language is so fascinating — it offers the opportunity to lose yo ..read more

Layla Luna, Laura’s House, 2019 The abstract work of Layla Luna was a delightful discovery we found browsing Artwork Archive, so Lonely Ocean reached out wanting to know more. Luna has many impressive degrees and residencies, but she says childhood art classes are what really set her on the path of becoming a full-time artist. Not only that, Luna is immersed not only in art-making, but Kristen’s two other favorite things, writing and babies. One baby to be exact, daughter Emmie, who at 6 months, is the perky little star of Luna’s Instagram. Emmie made a quick cameo in our virtual studio visit ..read more

New online platform aims to foster relationships between artists and collectors worldwide The Art House Gallery announces an innovative, new online platform to support the professionalization of fine artists and introduce them to art collectors from all over the globe. The custom digital platform is truly a passion project for Rebecca George, CEO of the Art House Gallery, who led its development for more than a year, undeterred by the unique challenges of 2020. Rebecca George “Having curated many exhibits at brick-and-mortar and online galleries over the years, I can tell you online galleries ..read more

Steven Tritt, Double, 2020 Steven Tritt’s new solo exhibition, Immediate Mark, presents two series of artworks created during 2020. Lonely Ocean interviewed Steven Tritt earlier this summer during a virtual visit to his Illinois studio while this work was underway. Let’s take a look at how it all turned out! First, there is the series of impressive black and white drawings that are the latest evolution of Tritt’s figurative work. Double (above) and Blood and Asphalt (below) are examples of using gestural mark-making to create elegant, spontaneous compositions. These “immediate, emotional gestu ..read more

Browsing Art Miami and CONTEXT Art Miami, I was especially drawn to work abstracting the figure. Now, abstracting the figure is as ancient as the cave paintings and as universal as a stick figure, familiar to all of us from our earliest attempts at art. Because of that, artistic skill is often measured by ever-increasing realism in the depiction of the human form. However, the work of these highly accomplished artists shows how many ways the vocabulary of abstraction can be applied to the figure to communicate ideas, convey modes and emotion, and even create narratives. Carly Silverman, Up In ..read more