Insights about one of our artists, Sandi Parker

Windmill Ruins In Provence by Sandi Parker

Arlington, Virginia artist Sandi Parker paints in oil, with a specialty in Provence and Tuscan landscapes, seascapes, and youth sports paintings. Parker has been painting since 2003, when she began studying with local artist and teacher Jane McElvaney Coonce.



View From the Dune by Sandi Parker



Her vivid paintings of Provence quite often feature lavender fields as subject matter.“I am especially drawn to the purples of lavender fields and the reds of poppy fields in France,” Parker says.“I also love painting sunflowers in Tuscan paintings. I like to think these paintings transport viewers to beautiful and vibrant settings.” A longtime beach lover, Parker also paints tranquil seascapes. “In these works I attempt to create a soothing mood through the use of pastel colors,” she says.



Ready To Score by Sandi Parker

After observing her children and their friends participating in high school sports, Parker became inspired to paint images of various high school sports. She recently mounted a solo show entitled “INmotion: Celebrating Arlington High School Athletics,” a collection of 20 paintings featuring student athletes from Arlington’s Yorktown and Washington-Lee High Schools. “Teenagers spend so much time with their technologies – the phones, laptops and tvs – that it is inspirational to see them off the couch and on the fields. I wanted to capture the joy they derive from seeing what their bodies ‘in motion’ can do,” Parker says of the paintings. The show has appeared at 5 venues in Arlington, and Parker was thrilled to have the show featured twice in the Arlington Sun Gazette articles. Writer Dave Faccinoli wrote of the show, “Good-quality sports art, like the kind Parker has produced, is not seen very often.”

Sandi Parker's Website:   http://www.sandiparker.com/

Insights from one of our artists, Wen LePore

Pete's Tree by Wen LePore

I have been interested in art since I was a kid. I grew up in an artistic family - my Dad was a musician and my mom an actress. I wanted to be a painter, but my mom thought training was too expensive for our family. She also told me "artists are not as respected as they should be." I became a math teacher according to her guidance, but my dream to be a painter never left my mind.



                Running by Wen LePore




I decided to use art to introduce myself in America since I know it is not easy to communicate with people of different cultural backgrounds. My dad told me art affects people across countries as we listened to world famous classical music. I think it is much easier to use visual art to express my thinking and creativity than using my poor English. My first painting was completed in February, 2006. Now I am pretty sure my mom was wrong, and I am so happy I have been painting seriously since September, 2008. In 2010 I became a member of Arlington Artists Alliance, and I have grown a lot as an artist with our members’ help. It has been a very good beginning of my life in United States.



Flying by Wen LePore



I have to say that I am a 100% American-trained painter, and my style should be a brand new word I call “ACE”. It describes the influences of Abstract, Cubism, and Expressionism present in my work.

Wen LePore

Website

'Fall for Art' Reception

A big thank you to everyone who came out to the gallery for our 'Fall for Art' reception this past Saturday October 1st. It was a great turnout. We had a steady flow of patrons, and by the end of the reception 11 paintings were sold! This is only the opening reception; the work will be hanging for the remainder of October, and we look forward to more sales as we draw closer to the holidays. Thanks again if you stopped by, and if you haven't had a chance to take a look, please do--the gallery is open Monday-Saturday, 11am-7pm.

Here are a few photos from the Saturday reception, thanks to photographer Bonnie Freeman:




And Duc Nguyen, the gallery owner, also took some photos which you can see on the Arlington Arts Gallery Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.288663337812173.79482.178506398827868&type=1