“Never More” – Siegwart
“Explorations: Surrealism and Realism” opens on June 5th at ARTWORKS around town in the Centre Market as part of Wheeling’s First Friday celebration. Greg Siegwart and Sharon Lyn Stackpole are the featured artists at the event which is open to the public with the artists present as well as member artists from Artworks. The show opening will be from 5:30 through 8PM Friday night. Refreshments are served.
the Centre Market as part of Wheeling’s First Friday celebration. Greg Siegwart and Sharon Lyn Stackpole are the featured artists at the event which is open to the public with the artists present as well as member artists from Artworks. The show opening will be from 5:30 through 8PM Friday night. Refreshments are served.
“Explorations” basically is a show of surrealistic paintings. Surrealism as defined by Webster, is an attempt to portray or interpret the working of the unconscious mind as manifested in dreams. The most recognized surrealist of modern times has been Salvador Dali. His formless clock faces in THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY is probably the most familiar representation of surrealism to the general public.
“Living in the Now” – Stackpole
The two artists showing their work in June both have created work much like Dali’s which represent their dreams and thoughts in art form. Sharon Lyn Stackpole studied painting and art history at WVU under the tutelage of Marian Hollinger. She has international credentials as she is an affiliated member of the Global Art Agency in London, England, and has exhibited her work in San Francisco, New York, Montreal, Barcelona, and Tokyo.
Five months ago, in January, 2015, her work was part of a charity gala benefiting Doctor Without Borders at the Bleinheim Palace in England through the Global Art Agency in London.
Her work is a means for Ms. Stackpole to express her interest in healing through expression and visual communication. Her surrealistic work combines the human elements with amorphous forms with sometimes brilliant color used to interpret the feelings of both the painter and the viewer. After all that is the goal of every artist, to have the viewer take an authentic interest in their work and actually “finish it” in their minds.
Greg Siegwart is a self-taught painter of considerable talent. His work is both in the realistic and surrealistic veins. Oil painting would have remained a hobby had it not been for a debilitating accident in 2000. After that accident, oil painting became a therapy, a vocation, and a talent to share with others. The accident also added the dimension of surrealism to his painting. A number of Greg’s surrealistic paintings are an attempt to visually explain how he feels since his accident.
Greg is an accomplish plein aire (open air) artist in oil. That is no small feat, creating an artwork in one sitting with changing light and arrangement throughout the sitting, and in oil paint. Greg’s great-grandfather, Joshif Siegwart, a Swiss immigrant, painted and inspired Greg to paint as well. Greg loved to oil paint by age 10. Forty years later his experience with oil as a self-taught artist is phenomenal. He has been teaching at both the Stifel Fine Arts Center and at ARTWORKS around town for the past six years.
Greg has given workshops and demonstrations at The Mon Valley Art Center, Steppingstones Arts Festival, Stonewall Jackson Resort and many others venues. His commission pieces have included portraits, still lifes, wildlife, animal portraits, landscapes, fantasies, and surreal pieces.
“Making Believe” – Stackpole
Greg and Sharon are the only surreal painters in the area. Their surrealism is complex and interesting to interpret. Their surrealistic pieces always take some concentration and intellect. There are very few surrealistic painters and even fewer shows which are almost totally based on a group of surrealistic paintings. Explorations: Surrealism and Realism is a rare event and a treat for the viewer.
“Her Universe” – Siegwart