Why the Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program Is More Relevant Than Ever
The residency has evolved over nearly three decades to meet the shifting needs of contemporary artists while staying grounded in its founding values.
Chuck Close
Chuck Close (1940–2021), born in Monroe, Washington, was renowned for his highly inventive techniques in photorealistic painting and photography. Close's work often consisted of large-scale portraits based on photographs, which he transformed through a meticulous grid process, breaking down the human face into detailed color and tonal variations. Despite a severe spinal artery collapse in 1988 that left him largely paralyzed, Close adapted his methods to continue his work, using brushes attached to his wrist and other aids. His commitment to exploring the human visage made him a key figure in the contemporary art scene.
News About Chuck Close
Realism Returns: The Resurgence of Traditional Art Skills in the Digital Age
Arline Mann, a former Goldman Sachs managing director turned painter, brings a lawyer’s precision and an artist's intuition to illuminate the quiet resurgence of representational painting in a digital age. Mann dissects the movement's broader return to classical technique, human touch and lived experience, making a case for realism as not just tradition, but a countercurrent and a lasting presence in contemporary art.
The Art of Usefulness: Inside the Complicated World of Studio Assistants
Studio assistants aren’t apprentices, though many young artists today are hoping they'll find a gig like the apprenticeships of yore.
