Friday, September 25, 2009

Chuck Rosenthal Paintings

By Penny Logan

Chuck Rosenthal's well known still life paintings in oils and pastels do not eclipse his other work. Indeed, some of his landscapes and paintings of people in local scenes may outshine his still lifes.

Do you ever wonder what the artist himself has to say about art? Conveniently Mr. Rosenthal has left us an "artist's statement."

Artists willing to let us viewers know a little bit about their thoughts on art write an "artist's statement" and Mr. Rosenthal has done just that. The artist says,

"I believe that truly Fine Art encompasses every aspect of the visual experience, from dramatic, or at least, interesting placement of the elements in the painting to the truest atmospheric values within the capability of the artist. All of this is intended to create an impact on the viewer that is so real as to provoke an emotional response. Strong contrasts of form and lighting are an important component.

"Looking at the long view of the development of western art one would see that there is a progression of stiff, awkward drawing gradually developing, over time, into the most sophisticated and articulate forms imaginable.

"Fortunately, traditional values in art are undergoing a revival in our time and I am greatly pleased to be a part of it."

When the young artist enrolled in the National Academy of Design in New York City in 1963 he studied under Morton Roberts, a well-known fine artist and illustrator. His intention was to learn to draw, in order to become a commercial artist, but that idea was deleted within three months, and Mr. Rosenthal set himself a goal to become a fine artist.

Many awards came his way for his artwork while he was at the National Academy. A scholarship to the academy and the Dr. Weller student prize were at the top of the list. In 1968 he gained membership to America's oldest and most venerated arts and letters club, the Salmagundi Club, through efforts of another of his teachers, Daniel Greene.

As with many artists, Mr. Rosenthal continued to paint and learn, but due to family situations he was not able to dedicate full time to perusing a profession in fine art.

The goal of a career in fine art finally blossomed after Mr. Rosenthal left New York City and moved to Clearwater, Florida. Since the year 2000, several awards at local art shows have come his way, including two first places and a third place. One of his paintings hangs at Clearwater City Hall. His pastel work of a local landmark, Clearwater Memorial Bridge was selected for an international juried competition.

Many of his paintings hang at Park Place Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri.

About the Author:

0 comments:

Post a Comment