December 8, 2023 - January 13, 2024
Contemporary Realism: Four Artists, Four Voices
Armin Mersmann, Curator
Todd Burroughs
Frits Hoendervanger
Robert Schefman
Events:
Flint's Artwalk: December 8 and January 12, 6 - 9 PM
Closed for Holiday: December 24, 2023 - January 2, 2024
Todd Burroughs
Frits Hoendervanger
Robert Schefman
Events:
Flint's Artwalk: December 8 and January 12, 6 - 9 PM
Closed for Holiday: December 24, 2023 - January 2, 2024
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Curatorial Statement, Armin Mersmann:
Contemporary Realism: Four Artists, Four Voices The artists I have chosen for this exhibit go way beyond the technical prowess of their realistic artwork, which is quite remarkable. My curatorial goal is as much about the artists' journey as their final image. In the past, we have exhibited together and attained deep knowledge from countless discussions about art and Realism. This is a very personal exhibition, more so than showing realists for the work alone. Our concepts are as diverse as our approaches to our chosen medium. Each of us brings a unique perspective, contributing to a rich and engaging dialogue. We strive to surpass the traditional boundaries of Realism, making this collaboration an extraordinary testament to our artistic skills. This work can be in the form of allegories and narratives, or it can address our interest in textures and natural composition. We discover beauty all around us; finding it in the overlooked or even ignored is a strong drive that keeps us searching. We spend hundreds of hours observing the small details that generate the likeness of our references. Our work is a journey of dedication that cannot be achieved by photography alone. We transform, not just translate; we add and subtract from what we observe to make it our personal voice. Ultimately, this is Realism—how four artists view and communicate our responses to the world we live in. Contemporary Realism is the work of four artists working in our time who strive to understand both the potential of Realism and its pitfalls. My hope is that the viewer takes a good look at this work, for there is more to it than just good painting. Armin Mersmann Bio Armin Mersmann was born in Remscheid, Germany, in 1955. Along with his parents, he immigrated to the United States in 1962. He grew up in an artistic environment and was greatly influenced and tutored by his father, Fritz, a successful oil painter. Mersmann feels his career as an artist was inevitable: "I never made the conscious choice to be an artist, it's just what I did." After six years of college, Mersmann began a very successful stint as a portrait artist in Chicago, IL. Although commission work was financially rewarding, he stopped doing it and soon found more interest in the fine arts—work that at times is controversial but more satisfying conceptually. "Art, my sanctuary, the very thing that gave me such pleasure, was now reduced to making a living. Art is too precious for me to make decisions based on finances." This does not mean Mersmann will never do a commissioned portrait; rather, it has to interest him conceptually, and he insists on total control over the image. Although Mersmann is mainly known for his intense naturalistic graphite drawings, he also works in photography and oil. "My interests have become exceedingly experimental with more attention placed on the surfaces of the work itself. Discovering and rediscovering my chosen medium is the everlasting stimulus that keeps me interested and excited. Accidental process and meticulous planning co-mingle in all my work. Texture, either real or illusionary, and that one ever-elusive brushstroke, the one that says it all; this keeps me searching and exploring." He has completed over 900 works of art and is included in 250 private and corporate collections. He has had 42 solo exhibitions and won over 50 awards in Juried shows. Mersmann has taught drawing, the Creative Process, iPhoneography, Master drawing, Long Form Drawing, and Advanced Critique at the American Academy of Art, Chicago, IL; the Colorado Academy of Art, Boulder CO; Northwood University, Midland, MI; Midland Center for the Arts, Midland, MI, The Atelier Studio School in Royal Oak, MI, The Flint Art Institute, Flint, MI The BBAC in Birmingham MI and countless workshops within the United States. He lives in Midland, MI, with his wife Valerie Allen, an accomplished artist. They produce the Podcast "Art Ladders," the Creative Climb with Valerie Allen and Armin Mersmann. Todd Burroughs Bio Todd Burroughs is the founding director of Atelier School of Art in Royal Oak, Michigan. He is best known for his realist drawings, oil paintings and passion for teaching. He has received numerous awards and honorifics for his paintings and teaching accomplishments. His art work is widely collected by personal and corporate collectors. While attending Columbia College in Chicago, Todd had his first art exhibition. Shortly after he embarked on a 6-month trip to India to study art and culture. While in India his artistic interest shifted from Abstract Expressionism to Classical Painting methods. After returning to Chicago, Todd began a five-year program of study in oil painting at the Atelier Alternative in Chicago. He holds a Cum Laude degree in Historic Preservation and Fine Art from Eastern Michigan University. While studying in Chicago he began his life-long research into art-making processes. In 2000 Todd Burroughs returned to Michigan, and began teaching painting and drawing. His teaching experience includes teaching at museums, art centers and The College for Creative Studies. Additionally, he has always taught from his studio as part of his own art making process. The rational being that if you care for an idea, you are obligated to pass it on. Todd’s advocacy for education in the arts, and accessible studio practices for all led to him founding the Atelier School of Art in 2018. He regularly shares his knowledge through lectures, workshops, and teaching from the studio. His art making primarily focuses on oil painting and drawing. His work also includes photography, digital art and NFTs. His pieces range from the monumental, eight feet by twenty feet, to the intimate, 1.5 inch by two inches, and embrace a broad range of drawing and painting methodologies. Frits Hoendervanger Bio Born in the Netherlands in 1947, Frits became interested in art at an early age. His family first immigrated to Canada and he became a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists at age fifteen. The family later immigrated to the USA, and before becoming a citizen, he was drafted to serve in Vietnam. Self-taught with no formal art school training, Hoendervanger has received numerous awards for his hyper-realistic paintings and standard of excellence. He is also represented in many public and private collections, including the Michigan Governor's mansion and the collection of former President Gerald R. Ford. His mural depicting the history of the Grand Rapids Press, previously displayed in the former Press Building lobby, is now part of the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s permanent collection. In 2011, Frits won the Grand Prize in The Artist's Magazine's annual All Media Competition, then in 2012 he won 3rd place for his 2012 ArtPrize painting, "Rebirth of Spring." The following year, he was commissioned to paint a 25-foot mural for a veteran's facility in Battle Creek, which was praised by Governor Rick Snyder at the ribbon cutting ceremony on Veteran's Day. More recently, Frits was selected to participate in the National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society 2021 “Best of America” Small Works National Juried Exhibition, winning the award of excellence. That same year he won the “First Place- Best in Show Award” at the International Guild of Realism Fall Online Salon Exhibition Robert Schefman Bio Robert Schefman, a native of Detroit, earned a BFA from Michigan State University, and an MFA from the University of Iowa. His work is in numerous private and public collections including The Broad Museum of Art, The Mint Museum of Art, The Detroit Institute of Arts, The Boca Raton Museum of Art, The 19th District Court, Dearborn; Ford Arts Center, Dearborn; Wayne State University, Detroit; The Cooley Law School, Lansing; The University of Iowa, and private collections in Detroit, New York City, Boca Raton, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. His work has been exhibited widely including exhibitions at The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, The Detroit Institute of Art, The Orlando Museum of Art, The Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Midland Center for The Arts, The Krasl Art Center, Oakland University, Foley Square/ Federal Plaza, New York City, David Klein Gallery and Manifest Research Gallery. Schefman is currently a 2023 Kresge Foundation Fellow in Visual Art. He has been awarded grants from the Pollack-Krasner Foundation, The Benard Maas Prize, ArtServe Michigan, The Arts foundation of Michigan, and the University of Iowa. He is Professor Emeritus at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, and is represented by the David Klein Gallery in Detroit, MI. Website: robertschefman.com |
Robert Schefman
Courtesy of David Klein Gallery Bet Sheharim Charcoal on paper 36" x 84" A Dark Year Oil on canvas 44" x 60" Dreams of Flight Oil on canvas 56" x 42" Wonderland Oil on canvas 84" x 72" Todd Burroughs Visitation 2 Charcoal 22" x 22" framed Focused Forward Oil 34" x 24" framed Visitation 1 Charcoal 22" x 22" framed A Realm of Endless Possibilities Oil 37" x 25" framed Portrait of a Ghost Charcoal 16" x 13" framed Rorschach’s Garden 10 Terraced photograph 31" x 31" framed Everybody and Nobody Terraced oil painting 31" x 22" framed In the Tall Grass Charcoal and flashe 64" x 48" Gift of the Heart Terraced photograph 12" x 12" framed Frits Hoendervanger Lake Huron In Winter Oil on canvas 24" x 36" Mountain Stream Oil on canvas 30" x 54" A New Day Oil on board 12" x 12" Silent Evening Hours Oil on board 10" x 16" Life, Death & Transformation Oil on canvas 57" x 96" Last Stand Oil on board 20" x 13" Autumn Leaves Oil on board 8" x 8" Water Lilly Oil on board 10" x 16" Marissa Acrylic on board 8" x 10" Reflection Oil on board 9" x 14" Great Lakes Sky Oil on canvas 36" x 24" Into The Light Oil on board 8" x 10" Susan Oil on board 8" x 10" Armin Mersmann Iron Skin Graphite Pirouette Graphite 2' x 4' Undisturbed Graphite 42" x 42" framed Improvisational Drawing I Graphite 23" x 20" framed Improvisational Drawing II Graphite 28" x 22" framed Crossroads Graphite 30" x 30" framed D-Composition Graphite 31.5" x 24 framed Gabriella Graphite 61" x 41" Aggregate Graphite 42" x 52" Dreaming of Victoria iPhoneography 18" x 24" framed Portrait of Larry Butcher Graphite 38" x 29" framed Hail Mary iPhoneography 18" x 24" framed La Luna iPhoneography 18" x 24" framed |
