Author: Anthony Waichulis

Image Shown: Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (detail), Pablo Picasso, 1907, oil on canvas, 244 x 234 cm; (arguably the first cubist painting.) Modernism, as it emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, marked a decisive rupture with the representational conventions and aesthetic hierarchies that had long defined Western art. It was not merely a stylistic evolution, but a radical reimagining of art’s purpose, structure, and cultural role; a dismantling of inherited norms in favor of conceptual inquiry, perceptual experimentation, and aesthetic risk. To many artists trained in traditional, representational methods, this shift felt less like evolution and more like…

Disclaimer The following discussion is for educational and informational purposes only. It reflects an analysis of publicly available case law and commentary within the context of art, copyright, and expressive representation. I am not a lawyer, and this material does not constitute legal advice or establish an attorney–client relationship. Artists, educators, and organizations seeking guidance on specific legal questions, including questions about copyright, trademark, right of publicity, or fair use, should consult a qualified intellectual-property attorney licensed in their jurisdiction. Recently, a friend and colleague reached out after encountering a familiar issue: a piece she submitted to an exhibition was…

During our late November Artist Roundtable, we discussed a comment an artist had made on social media, stating that, in her experience, sable brushes often outlast synthetics. While it seemed to me right away that this would not be the case (based on what we know about the materials involved), several other artists quickly echoed her sentiment. As such, I thought I should take a closer look at what was going on here. Synthetic filaments, such as polyester (typically PBT or polybutylene terephthalate, a polyester thermoplastic commonly used for durable, solvent-resistant brush filaments) and nylon, resist chemical degradation, tolerate abrasion,…

We are thrilled to celebrate ÀNI Artist Mitchell Bagnas, whose work has been honored in the Best of Drawing Winter 2026 issue. Mitchell earned First Place in the Strokes of Genius drawing competition for his piece Mourning Swan, a recognition that highlights both the strength of his vision and the rigor of his training. As part of this achievement, Mourning Swan and Mitchell’s processes are showcased across four pages of the publication, an exceptional feature that underscores the impact of his work within the contemporary drawing community. Please join us in congratulating Mitchell on this outstanding accomplishment! His dedication exemplifies the spirit of the ÀNI Art Academies, and we look…

Small Works Show, November 28 – December 11, 2025.Meyer Gallery will present its first annual “Small Works Show” this holiday season. More than fifty painters and sculptors from our roster have been invited to participate, each contributing new work created specifically for this exhibition. While smaller works have appeared in our winter offerings in the past, this marks the first dedicated show of its kind at the gallery. The format encourages accessibility and variety. Each work measures 18 x 18 inches or less, giving collectors the chance to acquire art at a more intimate scale. For those who admire our artists’…

Saturday, December 6 • 10am–5pm As the calendar edges toward December, many of us feel that unmistakable shift from everyday stress to the fancy, tinsel-wrapped holiday variety. If that familiar seasonal flutter has already begun, don’t worry. Lovetts Gallery can help you. Perhaps you’ve caught yourself thinking: “Dear Santa, I’ve been good all year… well, most of the time… occasionally… you know what, I’ll just buy my own gifts.” We can definitely help you. Maybe you’re searching for something meaningful for the special people in your life—feeling a little Santa-mental, maybe even on the cusp of a full gift-ageddon spiral.…

Join Justin Wood for a Still Life Workshop in New Jersey image shown: Apples in Wood Bowl by Justin Wood, 37×46 inches, Oil on Canvas, 2025 Join artist Justin Wood for an amazing in-person Dutch Still Life Workshop this June 15–19, 2026, in Lebanon, New Jersey (not to mention two online workshops listed below!). “I am hosting an in-person still life painting workshop reminiscent of the 17th-century Dutch tradition in my hometown in beautiful Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Over the course of five days, I will lead the group through the entire picture-making process from composing and drawing to the…

As we close out the year and look toward the work ahead, I wanted to offer something useful for anyone refining their drawing practice or striving to become more deliberate in how they build visual skill. For this month’s issue, I’m sharing the full 60-minute Drawing Considerations Clinic that I presented at the 2024 Realism Live event. This session brings together both new and long-standing resources from our program; tools designed to strengthen perceptual calibration, support more intentional mark-making, and shed light on the mechanisms that drive representational performance. Rather than focusing on stylistic preferences or inherited studio traditions, the…

The following is based on the presentation given at the 2025 IX Arts convention. Humans form an initial visual interpretation almost immediately upon seeing an image. The “gist” of a scene can be extracted in under 100 milliseconds, with above-chance identification possible in as little as 13 milliseconds (about 1/75th of a second). By approximately 150 milliseconds after image onset, the brain has already extracted key information sufficient to differentiate basic content, such as detecting an animal or identifying a scene type. This speed may seem astonishing, but it aligns with everyday vision. Our eyes fixate on new points roughly…

Dust seems like a minor annoyance until you see it wreck a dark glaze or throw sparkles into a perfect shadow. But these aren’t just random intrusions; they’re predictable outcomes of how particles behave in the air. Once you understand how dust moves, settles, and clings, you can take simple, physical steps to dramatically reduce contamination. Think of the studio not just as a room, but as a tiny wind tunnel and micro-climate. Your painting isn’t just a canvas; it’s a surface suspended in a field of motion, thermals, and electrostatic charges. There are three main ways dust reaches wet…