"A Merry Gathering" with Michael Summers: Featured Artist Launch Party!

Artist Michael Summers with SD Bay Wine & Food Festival poster,  A Merry Gathering

On Thursday, May 19th, Exclusive Collections Gallery was proud to host the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival Featured Artist Launch Party in the Historic Gaslamp District.  EC Gallery artist Michael Summers has been carefully selected as the Poster Artist for this year's event, and consequently created an original work of art to represent the Festival.

True to his "American Surrealist" style, Michael Summers's acrylic painting entitled A Merry Gathering transports the viewer to the fun and excitement that has been a part of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, and will be for the eighth year this November, 2011.  The painting depicts San Diego's iconic Coronado bridge cutting through the clear blue Southern California skyline above a blissful outdoor feast.  Guests at EC Gallery enjoyed the classic elegance of food, wine, and great company that Michael Summers has depicted in A Merry Gathering.

In an unique combination of art collectors, wine lovers, bloggers, and foodies, gallery visitors came together for one night to celebrate Michael Summers's great achievement as the Festival's Featured Artist.  Guests enjoyed complementary tastings by Ahnfeldt Wines and Carpathian Wines, both participants in the Festival as well.  Michael spoke about the creation of the Festival poster's original, and unveiled the final painting! 

The Festival's poster art has been just the beginning of Michael Summers's recent artistic successes.  All party attendees were entered into a drawing to win Michael Summers's new Fine Art Limited Edition entitled, Seeking Balance.  Known primarily for his original acrylic paintings on board, Michael Summers's Seeking Balance was chosen to be printed in a limited edition of fifty paintings.  Because collectors have found Seeking Balance so highly desirable, it seems only fair to allow the painting to be shared in this way.  There was only one condition requested by the artist:

"I would only agree to selling fine art limited editions if I could personally hand-embellish each and every one of them," said Michael Summers.

It is his personal attention and dedication to each of his creative paintings that attracts collectors to his work.  His hand-embellished details in acrylic provide texture and vivacity to the customized painting.  In this way, each edition of "Seeking Balance" is unique.

Seeking Balance by Michael Summers

Congratulations to John, the winner of the Featured Artist Launch Party drawing!  We at EC Galleries hope that you enjoy Seeking Balance!

As the Featured Artist at the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, Michael Summers will attend the Reserve & New Release Tasting and Grand Tasting Event.  The poster will be available for sale and Summers will be present to sign copies and present his most recent works of art.  At the Celebrity Chef Luncheon & AIWF Big Bottle Live Auction on Sunday, November 20, Michael Summers will preside as emcee.  For those interested in acquiring the original painting of A Merry Gathering that was unveiled at the Launch Party this May, the painting will be auctioned there as well.

To see a selection of Michael Summers's available paintings, visit Exclusive Collections Galleries or go to www.ecgallery.com.

The Passion of Life: Master Royo Returns to San Diego!

At Exclusive Collections Galleries, May means International Artist's Month!

Royo, one of EC Galleries' most distinguished artists, joined us from Valencia, Spain for a three-day show at Exclusive Collections Gallery in Fashion Valley Shopping Center May 13-15.

"Royo is discussed in the finest art galleries in the world as one of the greatest figurative painters of all time.  His international gallery presence can be found from Geneva to London, Tokyo to San Diego, New York and Chicago, along with Mexico.  Royo's collectors hail his genius as paintings are rare, demand is high, and the sales of his art are swift" (Off the Easel Magazine).

Royo exhibited his most recent collection of original oil paintings for his beloved collectors, signed copies of his book Utopia, and personally dedicated his paintings to their new owners.

Royo, preparing to write a personal dedication to a collector

Royo's publisher of sixteen years, Greg Bloch, said of the artist, "Unlike any other painter that I have seen, Pepe dedicates his attention to one painting at a time, from start to finish.  He gets up every day with the intention of doing his very best work."  As an inspiration to us all, Royo's beautiful Impressionist oil paintings remind us to live our lives with the intention of doing better, working harder, each and every day.

Master Royo with his interpreter, Mireya, and his US agent, Greg Bloch

On Friday and Saturday evenings, Royo's devoted collectors enjoyed Spanish tapas and the Flamenco guitar of Anthony Garcia and Juan Moro.  Of the show, Royo expressed his delight and gratitude to everyone who appreciates his talent.  Royo took time out of the busy evening to thank his collectors and share with them the love that he has for his vocation.  Through his interpreter, Mireya, he said,

"To be an artist is a privilege.  They used to say in ancient Greece, 'When the gods gave you talent, they also gave you a whip!'  Privilege comes together with sacrifice.  It is a privilege to be a painter, but [I have] the obligation to do better every day.  Talent is not free.  You have to work at it every day."

Flamenco guitarist Anthony Garcia with Master Royo

On Sunday evening, Royo's collectors joined the artist in an exclusive dinner and musical accompaniment at Trattoria La Bocca in San Diego's Downtown Gaslamp District.

Master Royo, with his wife, Margarita, and art consultants Sarah and Keegan

It is a great honor to have Master Royo visit Exclusive Collections Gallery, and we look forward to seeing him again in another two years.

Thank you, Master Royo!

Try Your Luck at EC Gallery!

Happy Fat Tuesday!

We hope everyone is having a fun and safe Mardi Gras! Not to gloss over Mardi Gras but St. Patrick's Day is coming up and we have a giveaway for our readers! We are giving away a fine art limited edition print by Michael Flohr entitled "Luck of the Irish."

All you have to do is stop by one of our galleries and mention our Facebook promotion. You will be entered into a drawing to win this amazing prize! This unframed fine art limited edition is valued at $1600, so drop by the galleries often, as you can enter multiple times. The winner will be chosen on March 17th!

www.ecgallery.com

How to See the World Like Michael Summers

Michael Summers’s recent appearances at EC Gallery's Historic Gaslamp locale was, for many, illuminating.  Patrons of the gallery filtered in throughout the evenings of February 4th and 5th to catch a glimpse of the 36 year old artist at work.  Summers, always engaging and in high spirits, spoke with many in regards to his technique, unique vision and skillful execution.

Typically, Summers creates the scene he intends to paint by grabbing a handful of toys (some of which he's constructed on his own) and placing them in unique juxtapositions....call it 'Summers-Vision'.   While his work can, in a general way, be placed into a pop-surrealist genre, it is inspired from the child within.  Unlike many of the newer artists working within the parameters of those movements, Summers' unique vision is in no way derivative of other artists' works falling within those aforementioned genres.

Summers then photographs the toys and creates for them a backdrop / setting which lends itself to his vision.  Once the photo is complete, Summers then creates a rough sketch on paper.  Michael adds to that sketch, painting sometimes with watercolor and other times using liquid acrylic as his medium.  When he is happy with the preliminary work, he creates a larger piece based on the former.  Recently, Summers has been constructing his pieces on wood, oftentimes incorporating the texture and wood grains into the actual composition of the piece, blending the natural world's aesthetic with his own whimsy.  

The buzz and corresponding demand for his work has grown tremendously.  See for your own eyes the wonder of Michael Summers’s artistic creations by stopping by Exclusive Collections Gallery and/or viewing them on our website at www.ecgallery.com.

Bella Hearts

Valentine’s Day.... a holiday that usually gets a bad rap as the “commercial holiday” where candy and card companies make millions marketing to the love between couples.

Often times we forget that Valentine’s Day is supposed to be filled with love and appreciation for all the people in our lives and is a time to celebrate these meaningful relationships.  These people can include your friends, family, often times a significant other, or even your loveable house pet.  The Bella Hearts collection is made by three generations of beautiful artists; daughter, mother, and grandmother, and symbolizes the original sentiments of Valentine’s Day. 

The three generations of women, grandmother Gloria Lee, daughter Ruth-Ann Thorn, and grand-child Isabella Thorn, all contribute their artistic talents to create a truly special work. Each Bella Heart is a handmade original and made with the infused love of family. 

The various color palettes range from bold pinks to pastel greens and are the perfect way to show your love towards someone special in your life. Add a custom message to personalize your Bella Heart and surprise someone with a unique and unforgettable Valentine’s Day gift.

EC Gallery | (800) 599-7111 | EC Galleries on Facebook

Come Paint With Me: Masterpiece Mondays

The New Year is bringing many exciting events to EC Gallery, and we were very happy to begin 2011 with the perfect opportunity to get to know our artists: Masterpiece Mondays. Designed as a way to extend the weekend just a little longer, Masterpiece Mondays provides the opportunity for gallery visitors to roll up their sleeves and paint with the expertise of a professional artist at hand. At our opening event this past Monday evening, January 3rd, our visitors found out what it is like to pick up a brush and got to know the minds and hearts behind the canvas.

As a group, consultants, artists, collectors, and passers-by collaborated with the hosting artist at each gallery to create an original work of art. 

EC Seaport Village Gallery with Daniel Ryan

In Seaport Village, Daniel Ryan set up a still life vase and invited others up to the Artist Stage to help him make the bright yellow sunflowers really come to life on the canvas. Visitors enjoyed appetizers and drinks throughout the night, courtesy of EC Gallery.

EC Fashion Valley Gallery with Christopher M.

Shoppers at Fashion Valley Mall on Monday were pleased to stop in at Exclusive Collections Gallery and have a hand in making a one-of-a-kind work of art in collaboration with “Painter of Chefs” artist Christopher M. He helped the gallery guests with a beautiful painting depicting wine bottles and glasses. Cheers!

EC Historic Gaslamp Gallery with Michael Summers

The bustling Gaslamp District brought shoppers, diners, and budding artists to EC Gaslamp Gallery’s inviting easel. Michael Summers showed us how to have fun and stay young with art, helping us paint a scene of elephants, dinosaurs, and pirates.

At the end of the night, everyone signed the canvas and each gallery location hosted a drawing to decide who got to take the painting home. Congratulations to the three who won this month! To participate in any future Masterpiece Mondays, visit any of our three galleries on the first day of each month from 6-8pm. Bring your friends and family!

www.ecgallery.com | PR@ecgallery.com | (800) 599-7111

A Metaphorical Journey with Vladimir Kush

What if God was... a flower? Maybe you never imagined Jesus as a sunflower before, but when Vladimir Kush reinvents da Vinci’s Last Supper, it starts to make sense.

When you see Vladimir Kush’s artwork, you know that there is much more to a painting than meets the eye. That is why visitors at Exclusive Collections Gallery in Fashion Valley were so honored to meet Vladimir Kush in person on October 8th and 9th and listen to his unique explications of his work.

On Friday and Saturday night, art collectors and their families had the chance to meet the artist, and even buy signed copies of his books and his calendar. Vladimir Kush, wearing a self-designed pendant and accompanied by his poet father, took the time to present his famous prints and groundbreaking originals. The evening’s gathering granted the perfect opportunity to divulge upon themes of balance, discovery, and the individual journey.

Vladimir Kush, described as a “true prodigy”, defines the artistic genre of “metaphorical realism” through his paintings such as Orchid Family Rollercoaster and Daisy Games. His vision draws from the mythology, customs, and traditions of various countries and cultures, identifying with the human ability to project significance onto an image through metaphor and symbol. The paintings allow for a great deal of interpretation, appealing to the imagination and sense of wonder.

EC Galleries hopes that you enjoyed Kush’s show, and hope to see you out at our Fashion Valley location again in the first week of November for the 4th Annual Miniature Show, Nov. 5, 6, and 7. For updates on this event and those in the future, visit www.facebook.com/ecgalleries or www.ecgallery.com.

Asencio's "Allegro"

"It's about the essence," explained Henry Asencio of his newly unveiled production entitled "Mistral". Indeed, the painting captures the ephemeral quality of a fleeting moment in time, as the guests at his show, "Allegro", witnessed firsthand.

The night of August twenty-seventh at Fashion Valley’s Exclusive Collections Gallery featured the performing talents of painter Henry Asencio with flamenco guitarist David Maldonado. Widely known for his contemporary figures, the guests meandered through the gallery to enjoy his works on display and meet the artist in person. The festivities spilled outside into the warm summer evening for the live event, and in three captivating fifteen-minute intervals, Asencio brought a new work of art into the world.

The artist’s brushstrokes rose and fell with the rhythmic dexterity of a flamenco dancer. I could not help but imagine myself in his place: staring at a blank canvas in the middle of an expectant crowd, hoping to pull a white rabbit out of a black top hat, or at least that artistic equivalent. Surely, so many people are only a distraction to creating fine art.

However, as time went on and the form of a beautiful girl began to materialize next to its living counterpart, I began to sense a connection between the artist and his enraptured audience. Henry Asencio drew encouragement from his onlookers and thrived on their hushed murmurs. We all felt invested in his work, and took the moment to heart. I had a poignant realization that this painting was a direct product of not only the model, but all of its surroundings. A collective gasp from the surrounding onlookers confirmed my feeling as an unruly gust of summer wind attempted to send the canvas to the floor and add its own touch to the newly finished painting. Luckily, the gallery co-owner, Ruth-Ann Thorn, leaped upon the stage to intervene.

Interludes between these performing sessions found Asencio deep in conversation with his guests. He would stand next to a piece, paint still smudged on his hands, and point out the greater intricacies of his work. He invited everyone to stand as close as possible, to really examine their details. I listened as he pointed to the background of a painting, comparing the color to that of a plum; not just the purplish mauve of a plum, but its covering of dust that must be wiped off, the shiny skin underneath, and that juicy first bite. He stepped back and said, “And so I was inspired by a plum,” then he laughed as he focused on the figure in the foreground, “and a woman.”

Henry Asencio’s show that night made me reexamine my relationship to art. It reminded me that fine art does not begin as an antique, its artist honored in posthumous fame. For those who proudly walked away with a new painting from the “Allegro” show also walked away with a story, a memory of their night, and a personal relationship with the artist. Asencio’s paintings capture the dynamic, fleeting quality of time. In this way, he reminds us that we must actively capture our own moments, and take pleasure in the present. Feeling truly privileged to have witnesses the creation of a painting in front of my very eyes, I can say that I have done just that.

Daniel Merriam Has Done It Again!

The Daniel Merriam Show at Exclusive Collections Fashion Valley Gallery was a marvelous success! Daniel and his beautiful wife Yulia are truly as lovely and intriguing as Daniel's original paintings. If you were unable to make it to the show, some of Daniel’s new originals from the series are still available online for viewing!

Daniel is currently hard at work on another sculpture to compliment his first piece entitled, "Little Bastadius” and he is just beginning to cast the first of the new series. Daniel is wonderful about spending time with his returning collectors, as well as excited to meet new visitors as well. He is always happy to take the time to write a special dedication for any of his collectors, whether it be signing one of his books, or the back of an original painting. It’s evident that Daniel is grateful for all of his collectors and their incredible support. Keep your eyes open for Daniel's new paintings, as they make their way around each of our exciting gallery locations! If you have any questions please feel free to contact us, and we'll be happy to assist any way we can!

Guests got "Lost in Venice" with Steven Quartly

Steven Quartly charmed our collectors with his most recent series of paintings, entitled “Lost in Venice”. In what may very well have been some his best work to date, the evening commenced as Venetian opera masks were handed out upon entering the show. The Italian themed food and Chianti were displayed with a dramatic old-world backdrop, and two Italian opera singers performed live to heighten the overall experience. Steven Quartly was in the center of the gallery and painted a stunning and quite large Venetian scene as guests watched on. As we witnessed him place the color on canvas with effortless ease, he spoke about the composition and the importance of light. He also shared with us his remembrance of traveling to Venice and how much joy it brought him to capture it again through that particular piece of work. Not surprisingly, it was sold almost immediately!

All who were there to experience this special show at EC Gallery had the rare opportunity to become lost themselves… lost in the beauty of the canvases, lost in the surrounding voices of Italian opera singers, and finally, lost in the overall emotion of the weekend.

2010 Started out Right!

"Happy New Year!" - words we all know and have heard repeatedly. However at EC's Seaport Village Gallery this saying has proved itself so far! The Year started out for us with Hawaaiian Seascape Realist, Walfrido Garcia, setting up his easel and canvas to demonstrate for his fans and collectors that there are no gimmicks behind his moonlit seascapes - it's all skill and talent he's perfected and mastered over the last 20 years. We at EC were honored to have Walfrido in the Gallery on January 2nd (most people would take the Holiday off, but Walfrido preferred to spend the day with his collectors). He struck up great conversations with us - it's amazing to listen to him speak and paint the most amazing waves at the same time! By days end Walfrido had produced a gorgeous painting, and true to form left a packed Gallery speechless. Make sure you come by Seaport Village and see the current display of Walfrido Garcia originals and Hand-Embellished Fine Art Limited Editions. Aloha!

Seaport Village Grand Opening and Mini Show is a Success!

November 6, 7th, & 8th we celebrated our annual miniature show and our official grand opening event at our 3rd and newest location, Seaport Village! Collectors started coming in as the show started on Friday evening to see our new location and the highly anticipated new "mini's" by Flohr, Asencio, Christopher M. and Steve Barton, just to name a few. We exhibited the largest body of Flohr and Asencio originals anywhere in the country. Guest were treated to live music, champagne and wine and a host of their favorite artists for them to meet and have conversations with. Collectors repeatedly commented on how beautiful the gallery looked and had an amazing evening (we had several of our collectors come two night's in a row)! The art was selling, converstion was flowing, and opinions of new releases were being shared. Based on the fact that several people stayed in the gallery past closing time, I'm guessing everyone was having a great time.

If you were one of our guest that weekend, thank you for making it a memorable Grand Opening. If you were unable to attend, sorry we missed you, however we look forward to having you drop by even if just to say Hello!

–Amando Cardenas

Gallery Director, Seaport Village Gallery

Royo Exhibition May 1st – May 3rd

“All the mistakes committed by great artists are due to their having separated themselves from truth, believing that their imagination is stronger....”
Joaquin Sorolla

Royo was in the gallery several minutes before the word got around. Strangely, he too seemed diminished by the monumental presence of the paintings, to the extent that few could entertain notice of much else. But as the hours drifted by it was oddly evident that Royo was not attending just another opening but really came to say good-by. Should you spend enough time with artists you will come to understand the process by which they individually separate themselves from the alternate universe of creation and the images they coax from it. The women in Royo’s life are perpetually part of it, but the vignettes of their ponderous days, suspended interminably in oil paint, are flung across the continents, floating gracefully into vast halls and grand dining rooms.

What collectors wonder most about Royo compositions are the detached gazes of the familiar women he adoringly courts. Conjecture about this is wide and varied. We are told a Royo painting isn’t about capturing beauty but more importantly the essence of it. But it occurs to me the dialog should instead be about introspective trance. Essence all the same but vastly more challenging to compose.

If, as Sorolla suggests, the “mistakes” committed by the masters is “believing that their imaginations are stronger…” than “truth” then it is reasonable to assume that Royo is flawless in his compositional precepts as he does not delineate his imagination but instead that of his subjects. What master Royo “imagines” is not in his painting, it is in his eyes and his conversations. What the women in Royo’s life “imagine” is what the artist promises to unravel. Pursuing this discovery as vehemently as collectors gazing out a living room window, anticipating the arrival of their acquisition.

The Royo show hosted at the EC Fashion Valley Gallery May 1st – 3rd was a virtual sell out. Little surprise. Shortly after the artist quietly returned to his Spanish villa and the introspective gaze of women he does not imagine.