ALEXEY STEELE: high art forever

Alexey Steele at the Los Angeles Fine Art Show January 18-22

2012-01-17T19:23:00.000-08:00

January 18 - 22
Los Angeles Convention Center, West Hall B

"NEW DAY" sepia on hand made paper 16" x 12"

part of the "Torn Beauty" Series

"LOVERS" oil on canvas 30"x24"

Alexey's gallery American Legacy Fine Art is part of Los Angeles' landmark LA Fine Art Show January 19 - 22 at the LA Convention Center. At the show the gallery will preview Alexey's new drawing series "Torn Beauty" as well as his new and exciting painting "Lovers."

Come see this new works at booth D-38

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Alexey at Fine Art Connoisseur Booth

At the same time, one of the main sponsors of the event,
a prestigious Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine,
is exhibiting Alexey's portrait of its publisher
Eric Rhoads - "Eric In White Scarf"

"Eric in White Scarf" oil on canvas 40" x 30"

Eric In White Scarf - fragment

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At the Gala Opening night

Wednesday, January 18th (6 p.m. to 10 p.m.)

Alexey is doing a painting demonstration

for Fine Art Connoisseur under exciting thematic title:

"BEAUTY WINS: RECYCLING WAR"

Alexey Steele paints Anna Le in collaboration with

Victor Wilde and The Bohemian Society at the LA Fine Art Show.

"War is ugly. It is pain and death. We have a lot of it now and there is no end to it in sight. Yet, life always and inevitably wins with Beauty as its force... As we learn from conflicts past, Beauty is on the point of the spear of Life in its fight with Death... Beauty is both fighting and healing force of Life.

This is a lesson of Anna Le, a Vietnamese-American to be painted by Alexey Steele at the gala opening of LA Fine Art Show while wearing a Bohemian Society dress designed by Victor Wilde and made out of surplus parachute of the Vietnam War as well as the accessories reflecting Anna's story.

We shall recycle the war not after its barbaric onslaught on real people, taken hostage by their politicians on any side of any conflict, but before it ever occurs. "

******

Alexey will also do another demonstration

on Friday, January 20, 4 - 7 pm. at the Fine Art Connoisseur booth (A2).

working on the "Lovers"

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Alexey's friend and col league painter Tony Pro is doing a demo on Thursday, January the 19th 4pm - 7om and Saturday, the 21st 4pm - 7pm.

Alexey with the models for hist work "Lovers"

Come see one of the most vibrant Art event of the year right at the year's very beginning! And don't forget to pick up a copy of the Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine with the article on Leonid Steele written by Peter Trippi.

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Information on the LA Fine Art Show:

General Admission $15 in advance, $20 at the door

January 19- 21 (Thursday - Saturday): 11 am - 7 pm

January 22 (Sunday): 11 am - 5 pm

Grand Opening Night Premier Party:

Wednesday, January 18 from 7 to 10 p.m. ($125 per person)

Click here to purchase tickets online and receive a $5 discount; ticket also includes entry to the LA Art Show (Contemporary and Modern) and the IFPDA Fine Print Fair.

Los Angeles Convention Center, West Hall B
1201 South Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90015

[map]

We look forward seeing you all!

visit his website

and gallery at www.americanlegacy.com

www.thebohemiansociety.com

www.alexeysteele.com

www.novorealism.com

www.classicalunderground.com

Announcing: Live Figure and Head Painting Workshops with Alexey Steele this Winter

2011-12-20T20:22:00.000-08:00

NOVOREALISM ART ACADEMY

Alexey Steele Grand Atelier Studio, Carson, CA

announces a figurative workshop series this winter:

"RUSSIAN ACADEMIC APPROACH TO HEAD AND FIGURE PAINTING"

Course Meets 8 Saturdays: January 7, 14, 28; February 4, 18, 25; March 3, 10

Please note new time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Cost of the course: $400 for 8 sessions (model fee is included)

Artists and Art students are invited.

Please register early to reserve your spot.

workshop in process

Overview: The Objective of the workshop is to introduce the participants to Alexey Steele's approach to painting a figure, based on his legacy of Russian Academic Tradition. Alexey will focus on his approach to working with live model as well as describe a vital integrated relationship of Form, Tone and Color essential in a successful execution of any painting and particularly figure. It shall encourage participants to study these three elements in depth after participation in the workshop.

The central principle this workshop is intended to demonstrate and to train its participants in - is the key function of Value in connecting Form to Color.

Classes consist of demo, live painting and critique.

List of the supplies will be send upon registration.

Please email Olga at classicalunderground@yahoo.com to sign up.

Read an in-deph review of Alexey Steele workshop in

American Artist Workshop Magazine:

www.alexeysteele.com/Articles/AmericanArtist2010.pdf

visit his website

and gallery at http://americanlegacyfinearts.com/

"Everyone knows what a powerful artistic force Alexey already is, but few, until this time, could have realized what a sensational and dynamic art instructor he makes as well."

- George Malone, workshop participant

Announcing: Live Figure Painting Workshops with Alexey this Fall

2011-10-13T14:16:00.001-07:00

NOVOREALISM ART ACADEMY

Alexey Steele Grand Atelier Studio, Carson, CA

announces a figurative workshop series this fall:

"ACADEMIC APPROACH TO FIGURE PAINTING"

Course Meets 6 Saturdays: October 22, 29; November 12, 19; December 3, 10

Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cost of the course: $300 (model fee is included)

Artists and Art students are invited.

Please register early to reserve your spot.

The central principle this workshop is intended to demonstrate and to train its participants in - is the key function of Value in connecting Form to Color.

Classes consist of demo, live painting and critique.

List of the supplies will be send upon registration.

Please email Olga at classicalunderground@yahoo.com to sign up.

Water and Fire

Read an in-deph review of Alexey Steele workshop in

American Artist Workshop Magazine:

www.alexeysteele.com/Articles/AmericanArtist2010.pdf

My Public Commission for CSU Dominguez Hills

2011-09-07T13:57:00.000-07:00

The unveiling of my new work “Learners of Dominguez: Howard, Jenika, Auburn, Chris, Ronald” - turned out an amazing and personally inspiring experience.

Here is some press about it::
http://www.csudhnews.com/2011/09/csu-dominguez-hills-unveils-final-commemorative-painting-for-50th-anniversary/

Newly Unveiled Artwork Captures the Soul of a Diverse Campus

The projectcarried a special significance to me as “Learners of Dominguez”represent to a very large degree my views on the role of ART in thecontemporary society and on the direction of contemporary ART in the 21^stcentury. The painting is part of the NOVOREALISM project I launched and ideas Idiscuss with my friends in the web magazine www.novorealism.com

Painting Jenika and Auburn

Steele painted his work in a series of intense live sessions with the CSUDH students.

Filename: AlexeySteelepaintsJenika.jpg

Painting Auburn and Chris

Steele says that the emotional openness and engagement of the students made them "his co-authors."

Filename: SteelepaintsAuburnandChris.jpg

Painting Ronald

Ronald was the first person to see the finished painting as he was painted last.

Filename: AlexeySteelepaintsRonald.jpg

Official Unveiling with the President of CSUDH Millie Garcia

Official Unveiling with the President of CSU Dominguez Hills Millie Garcia at the Presidential Fall Convocation reception

Filename: AlexeySteeleArtUnveilingwithM.jpg

Millie Garcia and Alexey Steele with "Learners of Dominguez"

Official Unveiling with the President of CSU Dominguez Hills Millie Garcia at the Presidential Fall Convocation reception

Filename: AlexeySteeleArtUnveiling7969.jpg

"Learners of Dominguez" oil on canvas, 15" x 60"

Alexey Steele's new painting commissioned by CSU Dominguez Hills to commemorate the 50th anniversary of one of the most diverse campuses in the nation.

Filename: ASteeleLearnersOfDominguez.jpg

Workshop at Tucson: The Legacy of Russian Academic Tradition and Integration Approach to Figure, From Form to Color through Value.

2011-08-06T00:14:00.000-07:00

Join Alexey Steele, an internationally acclaimed award-winning artist and a Signature Member of California Art Club, as he will share his approach on working with figure based on his legacy of the Russian Academic Tradition.

February 9 - 11, 2012
Tucson Art Academy
Tucson, Arizona
http://tucsonartacademy.com/Alexey%20Steele/AlexeySteeleClass2012.htm

Overview: The Object of the workshop is to introduce the participants to Alexey Steele’s approach to painting a figure, based on his legacy of Russian Academic Tradition. Alexey will focus on his approach to working with live model as part of his execution of multi-figure composition as well as describe a vital in his view integrated relationship of Form, Tone and Color essential in a successful execution of any painting and particularly figure. It shall encourage participants to study these three elements in depth after participation in the workshop.

There are a substantially diverse number of wonderful approaches to conveying life-like visual image shared through various workshops, books and systems by some remarkable artists of our time. Some of them perceived as radically different from one another, yet in fact outside “techniques” they all convey same core principles. Those “integrating” principles behind various individual approaches will be the main theme of the workshop.
The central principle this workshop is intended to demonstrate and to train its participants in - is the key function of Value in connecting Form to Color.

First day is drawing all day, highlighting the importance of a drawing – from laying in the forms to values. Second day – same pose into painting, demonstrating the direct connection of core perceptions from drawing to painting and from Form to Color through Value. Demo of drawing and painting with critique.

Atlanta Encounter: Eddie – A Smile of A Righteous Life

2011-05-06T13:02:00.000-07:00

The Portrait Society Of America conference was a total blast of hanging out with great friends, some best and most exciting living artists pushing the noble figurative realism to were it belongs in our century.

Yet, the most incredible part of the excursion was an accidental meeting with Eddie Tigner at Atlanta’s Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. Upon digging up a tip on this perfectly authentic spot our rowdy gang that included Scott Burdick, Jeremy Lipking, Tony Pro, Romel De La Torre headed there right after Face Off Demos.

We came just for great ribs, but found something even more extraordinary. A great band was playing blues with wonderful sax player from France Raphael Imbert joining in; yet what absolutely struck me was the keyboard player. His demure statue set a perfect contrast to the unbound kindness of Spirit pouring out of his glistering eyes. It was Eddie. He turned out to be 85 years young and there was the whole wall of Fat Matt’s plastered with his photos and portraits, as he has been playing with bands there for the last 25 years and still going strong every Thursday. We just were that lucky to turn up there at his night. Incredibly, he is the only person I’ve met so far for whom the smile is not a temporary muscle function, but a “basic skull structure.”

In a rat chase world of ours Eddie is Nature’s iconic rendition of Genuine Kindness. He is a Generous Soul who lived his life right. His secret? “If you ain’t loving it, it ain’t worth doing.”

It was deepest honor and joy that incomparable Eddie agreed to pose for me and Jeremy right there in the Fat Matt’s next morning. Jeremy had to get back to the conference, but I was enormously fortunate to spend the whole day with Eddie in a magic dialog of Souls that painting portrait live is all about.

To be ready for moments like this is what worth all the training and what Realism means to me.

www.eddietigner.com

photos by Olya Vlasova

"Daughter of a Shoeshiner"

2011-04-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

"Daughter of a Shoeshiner" oil on canvas 40" X 54"

When I met Jay and his daughter Gaby in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, the reverence I inherited from my Dad and the Russian Realist School for the nobility in common man came to full force.

In their striking quintessential characters I immediately recognized a link between all the Americas as a sort of “hemispheric” story. Jay spent ten years in Texas before returning to his father’s old shoe shining spot in Mexico. Jay showed me his symbolic drawings representing escape and freedom. His demeanor was that of a rider, his soul was one of an artist and in his heart he was Texan. He served his fellow men.

As I painted them I thought of Garcia Marquez’s multi-generational story, ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’. The composition of Jay, Gaby and the old man made me think of Leonardo’s ‘Annunciation’ and Andrei Rublev's ‘Trinity’.

Creating "Visual Verse" in Multi-Figure Work

Gaby

Jay

Hands of an Artist

Boots and Pink Laces

Old "King"

Lone Star and Long Road

"The Last Ride" looked pretty incredible at the LA's landmark Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

2010-07-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

photography by Scott Stulberg

Receiving an Award from Fine Arts Connoisseur Magazine and more news

2010-07-18T23:52:00.000-07:00

It sure is a pretty hot summer here:

Award at the CAC Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition
New works at the show in American Legacy Fine Arts Gallery

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Alexey Steele receives an Award from prestigious
Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine
at California Art Club
99th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition
now on view at Pasadena Museum of California Art

" for outstanding painting Shoeshiner. Jay of San Miguel "

surprise!

Kathleen Lawrence-Davis announced the award

this year winners
Sergio Sanchez, John Asaro, David Gallup, Charles Muench, Ramon Velazco, Julio Reyes, Taylor Montague

Kathleen Lawrence-Davis, Olga Vlasova, Michael Zakian, Tony Pro

more great artists:
Joseph Todorovich, David Kassan, Tony Pro

Peter Adams, David Gallup

making Jay proud

Thursday, July 1

6 - 8 p.m.

Membership Open House and Closing Tour

of the 99th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition

Pasadena Museum of California Art

490 E. Union St.

Pasadena, CA 91101

Free for CAC or PMCA members and up to two friends,

or with Museum admission

General Museum Admission: $7

Students and Seniors: $5

A wonderful opportunity to view the spectacular 99th Annual Gold Medal Juried

Exhibition before it closes on July 3, and to learn more about the California Art

Club. Gold Medal artists will be on hand to share personal insights about their

work, and refreshments will be served.

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six new paintings by Alexey Steele are currently available at
American Legacy Fine Arts

"Preserving Southern California's Coastline"
the exhibition continues through
July 24, 2010

artists and friends of ALFA after opening

Elaine Adams of ALFA with "Wind & Sand" by Alexey Steele

Gallery Hours:

Saturday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Tuesday through Friday by appointment by calling 626.577.7733

My workshop is featured in-depth in American Artist Workshop Magazine Summer 2010

2010-07-18T23:43:00.000-07:00

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My painting and teaching methods
as well as views on what it takes to create strong Art
are featured in-depth in the 14-page article of
American Artist Workshop Magazine, Summer 2010

"Alexey Steele: Pursuing Passion and Personal Vision"
by Michael Zakian
director of Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art
Pepperdine University

Quotes from the article:

"A hallmark of Steele's life and art is passion - a passion for painting and for promoting the highest ideals of great culture and fine art."

"For Steele, painting is a deeply humanistic endeavor and is essential to maintaining the vitality and health of our culture."

"Steele painted in an assertive, determined stance, projecting his body's physical energy into his canvas. He believes that artists must instill this vitality into their image if they want their paintings to be alive."

"As an instructor, Steele has a remarkable and rare capacity to focus on improving each student's own vision and style, rather than imposing his own method."

"Steele represents a continuation and a revival of the European academic tradition."

"Steele is able to maintain pictorial freshness by always keeping his vision and image

full of life."

"For Steele, art is a passionate battle."

"The artist is in a position of ultimate power. Soldiers use lethal force to kill. Painters use vital force to recreate life itself, and that is art. Focus on the positive qualities of life and you will grow as an artist." Alexey Steele

for the full article, please click here

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May 16:"The Last Ride" by Alexey Steele exhibiting at landmark LA Cathedral

2010-05-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

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Please join me to view my recent work

"The Last Ride"

celebrating THE RING CYCLE exhibit
at the landmark
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

"The Last Ride" by Alexey Steele 48"x80" oil on canvas

Reception with the Artists
organized by California Art Club
May 16, Sunday
5 to 7 p.m.
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

555 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
http://www.olacathedral.org/
parking is $5
RSVP 626-583-9009

"The Last Ride" detail

The painting is based on the theme and symbolism of a Valkyrie Ride, and raising a question of the human cost of the political decisions.

Undertaking a thematic multi-figure composition is a complex process involving multiple stages of working with live models and settings in order to achieve the desired level of realism.

Below are some photos taken during the process.

Special thanks to Esther de Jong, Tom Bunning, Sheri Hastings, Stephen Mirich and Daniel Pinkham.

working on the study with magnificent Esther, who was braving wind and cold

anybody who knows horses can tell how difficult to pull that one off is on a hot thoroughbred - second body flipped backwards across the front of a rider, thanks to brave Sheri, adventurous Tom for making it improbably work

since my color range was set for dusk we had enormously short window before complete darkness would fell

after having on-site color studies, we moved to the studio where I had to shift the entire color range to those studies

i bought in a local surplus store same uniform used currently and "put it through war"

before starting with Tom, we spent probably three hours making him up,
as I've never done make up before, this was like completing half of the painting
without ever touching it yet

then as everything is well prepped and the model is right in front of you - its "just go"

multi-figure work is always a team effort and with models like Esther and Tom you can do anything

The California Art Club is pleased to present this unprecedented display of artwork inspired by Richard Wagner's epic operas Der Ring des Nibelungen. The featured works in this juried exhibition were specifically created to provide a visual arts component for Ring Festival LA, the 11-week countrywide cultural festival that coincides with the LA Opera's first-ever presentation of the four-opera drama.

"SHOESHINER. Jay of San Miguel"

2010-04-08T21:45:00.000-07:00

"Shoeshiner. Jay of San Miguel" 65" X 26" oil on canvas

It was my first painting trip to Mexico. I went with an extraordinary group of a remarkable artist-friends at the urging of a great artist and friend Jeremy Lipking and it turned out to be a celebration in the spirit of camaraderie among some of today’s most dedicated realist artists in our joint cultural insurgency in name of true Art.

It was an extraordinary trip. It was absolutely enormous experience...it shook me to the ground depths... I suspected something of that nature after my first brief encounter with Mexico in Ensenada...but nothing of this magnitude... What true to the core, solid and grounded characters...still somehow untouched by the all-avergizing militant consumerism of empty can worshipers…

I saw enormous in their raw, authentic strength and unpolished beauty themes and images…and than I met Jay, a shoeshiner with a life story worthy of a great All-American novel.

I spotted him within my first 15 minutes in town as my friend “Ignatik”, a great artist Ignat Ignatov, was showing me around.

There was something about his presence that immediately struck me. He suddenly represented for me everything that literally overwhelmed me in the people of Mexico.

He was laser-sharp and aware with excellent English. He was a shoeshiner, a line of work not existing much our days and that was always regarded as below-the-feet-low on a society’s totem poll. Yet I saw that he was enormously and humanely proud of what he does and of who he is. He turned shoeshinig into a noble act of serving his people. Tourists don’t shine their Nikes much.

He had a demeanor of a rider and the soul of an artist; I saw a kindred spirit – he was proud of his own design shoeshining rig, that he built with his own hands, the best in San Miguel, just as much as I was proud of my special painting rig that I built just for that trip.

As I got to know him, I got a sense of his remarkable “hemispheric” story. He took up shoeshining after his father and worked on the same spot as his Dad did since age ten. He spent ten years in Texas working hard in the mines. He has 5 kids there. He is Texan. His heart is there. He had some run-in with the law, did some time I guess and was kicked out by the feds. He returned to his old spot. I accidentally noticed some loose papers around him and he demuringly and reluctantly showed me what they were – they were drawings. Symbolic statements of escape and freedom, the long road and the lone star…oh yes, that was my kindred spirit. That was what I came to Mexico for.

I asked him to pose for me. As a friend, not a model for hire. He graciously agreed in the afternoons as it gets slow for him. And there he stood on his square by the steps of glorious La Salite Cathedral in his dripped with paints overalls that he himself designed and tailored after Texan chaps - humble without subservience, proud without arrogance, a man of his people standing tall on his own land.

Everything that ART as TRUTH is all about was right there in front of me in a Shoeshiner Jay. I painted him full length on the spot, a Noble Man of our day.

Mexico... what a mythic land of so real people and so true characters... how much we've lost in a name of a "consumer."

photos taken by Olga

You can see a great report on our pretty epic trip with our joint photo and the links to our whole gang here on the site of a great artist and friend Scott Burdick. My heart-felt thanks to a wonderful artist Frank Gardner for putting this trip together and for his and his beautiful families' enormous hospitality.

Feedback on workshop "Poetry of Figure"

2010-03-18T17:43:00.000-07:00

Please convey to the CAC staff that the Alexey Steele Workshop, held this past week, was a smashing success. Everyone knows what a powerful artistic force Alexey already is, but few, until this time, could have realized what a sensational and dynamic art instructor he makes as well. He is driven by a strong belief in the classical methods of producing traditional realism in art. With classic music booming from the rafters of his cavernous studio, Alexey exhorts us to paint with the beat, to integrate the rhythmic and tonal values of the music into our painting. He is particularly adept at engaging each participating artist at their current level of skills, and encouraging them to surpass themselves by pushing beyond their respective conform zones. Our collective experience, I beleive, exceeded anything we could have anticipated.

The event was extensively recorded in digital still and video images. I hope you will consider posting some of the images on the Club website. And by all means, ENCOURAGE Alexey to conduct more workshops in the future.

Speaking for myself, the 800 or so Associate Art Members of the Club that didn't attend the workshop missed out on a rare and unique artistic experience and as Alexey says "a nutty good time."

George Malone
Associate Artist Member
Coordinator, Malibu Chapter Monthly Paint-outs

PSOA Panel Discussion Part 1 - Realist Revolution

2010-03-12T08:38:00.000-08:00

Panel discussion featuring James Panero, Jacob Collins, Vern Swanson and Alexey Steele. Moderated by artist Jeremy Lipking. Held on April 23rd at the Portrait Society of America's annual competition in Reston, Virginia.

Realist Revolution

2010-03-11T19:13:00.000-08:00

Contemporary Art:

REALIST REVOLUTION
and
CRITICAL RELEVANCE

Is Main Stream Media Missing an Important Cultural Trend?
PSOA Panel Discussion

Moderated by Jeremy Lipking
Friday April 23rd 2010 4:00pm
Hyatt Regency Reston, VA

Premises:

There is an actually existing, wide-spread, multi-faceted Realist movement in the Art world today. It is functioning as a set of specific tools, philosophy and practice. As any major art movement in history - it is a common visual language based on a common world view.

This movement is current, relevant and forward - looking
This movement is part of presently existing contemporary Art
This movement is a reflection of an important aspect of our modern world - democratization of cultural plane.

The event is part of the PSOA Art of the Portrait conference and will be free of charge and open to the public. (reservations required) contact Christine Egnoski at info@portraitsociety.org or call 877-772-4321

Panel Members:

Jacob Collins:

Artist & Founder of Grand Central Academy

Alexey Steele:

Artist & Recipient of the 2009 Gusi Peace Prize

James Panero:

Writer & Managing Editor of The New Criterion

Vern Swanson:

Author, Expert on Academic and Realist Art & Director of the Springville Museum

Moderator:

Jeremy Lipking:

Artist, Represented by Arcadia Fine Arts and American Legacy Fine Arts

Los Angeles Artist Alexey Steele receives the Peace Prize in Asia for his work on turning art into a tool of International Conflict Resolution

2010-02-10T22:51:00.000-08:00

Alexey Steele presenting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo with the image of his work "Fire of Peace" for which he received a prestigious Presidential Gusi Peace Prize of the Philippines for 2009.

The Gusi Peace Prize, sometimes called the Nobel Peace Prize of Asia, is given by the President of Republic of the Philippines every year in Manila to an international group of leaders in various fields who distinguished themselves through advancing humanitarian causes that contribute to World Peace. The group of 19 laureates for 2009 included Representative Bob Filner (D, CA); Hon. Massimo Romagnoli, Minister and a Member if Italian Parliament; HRH Princess Fuziah Raja Uda of Malaysia; Charalambos Lambrou, Secretary-General of Pancyprian Social Welfare Council of Cyprus and Ali Nasuh Mahruki, first Muslim to climb Mount Everest, head of internationally operating search and rescue teams, from Turkey.

Alexey Steele (1967) is a noted Los Angeles painter known as much for his unusual large-scale figure compositions as for his out-of-the-box ideas about art within a modern society. It seems that his ideas reverberate recently across artistic disciplines and continents. His “Classical Underground” model of alternative presentation of classical music jointly with visual arts received a substantial note from such high-brow international voice as “Gramophone” Magazine; he was subject of an in-depth profile by the Los Angeles Times, received a prestigious Artemis Award in Athens for his representation of feminine power on a heroic scale and started a group “Artist for Marbles” to support international campaign on bringing Elgin Marbles to Acropolis.

Now another project of his gains note. His "Fire of Peace" composition in the work since 2001 is developed to serve as modern day icon for new inter-cultural paradigm of unity and mutual acceptance among vital to World Peace Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities. The beautiful and inspired vision of commonly shared ideas and principles on which there is no disagreement among followers of all three faiths is contrasted by a heart – wrenching image representing devastation, rubble and decay of destruction. It is serving as a frame to the composition and in a symbolic way compelling the viewer to change his or hers own “frame” of perceiving their core beliefs.

It conveys the message that the old way of seeing ones own cultural identity and heritage to the exclusion of others will lead to inevitable self-destruction in the modern world. In artists words it is “reflecting broader pluralistic culture while remaining viable to traditional communities thus encouraging a seismic shift in their fundamental perception of each other”. This shift in Alexey Steele’s view is vital to reaching any lasting peaceful solution to an ever-painful list of mutual grievances that are political in nature.

This task of deeply affecting core perceptions is also according to an artist an important and often overlooked function of art and the source of its power within a society. “It is the effective and honest engagement of this power on a very fundamental, subterranean to any political interests level that while clearly separating it from any form of “propaganda,” turns ART into a viable tool of international conflict resolution” - says Alexey Steele. (Steele is insisting to always capitalize “art” in his quotes reflecting his deep belief in its vital importance to the life of society).

Alexey speaks at 5:31 in this video

Master Artist Workshop with Alexey Steele, Thursday-Saturday, March 4-6

2010-02-10T22:36:00.001-08:00

Organized by California Art Club

ALEXEY STEELE MASTER ARTIST WORKSHOP:
POETRY OF FIGURE

March 4-6 (Thursday-Saturday)
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Join Alexey Steele, an internationally acclaimed award-winning artist and a Signature Member of California Art Club, as he will share his approach on working with figure based on his legacy of the Russian Academic Tradition.

Artists and Art students are invited; limited to 16 participants. Please register early to reserve your spot.

The workshop is held at Alexey's Grand Atelier Studio in Carson, CA.

COST: $450 CAC Members/ $475 Non-members
Non-refundable 50% deposit required upon registration.
To register please go here.

Fine Art Connoisseur features Alexey Steele in Today's Masters

2010-01-30T20:35:00.001-08:00

For immediate release:

Alexey Steele is featured by FineArtConnoisseur January / February 2010 issue

in the section "Today's Masters."

Three To Watch: Artists Making Their Mark

"There is a lot of superb art being made these days; this column shines light on a trio of gifted individuals."

http://www.alexeysteele.com/Articles/FAC.pdf

Alexey Steele "Last Man Standing" 40" x 30" oil on canvas

Some quotes from the article:

"Alexey Steele is truly a citizen of the world."

"...His "Russian maximalism"... blends the draftsmanship, ambitious compositions, and symbols of the classical tradition with a cool palette and palpable naturalism derived from the Moscow school... "

"...Steele - whom the Los Angeles Times has described as "intense" - believes that, "in this commercial world of ours, art is the ultimate act of defiance." His desire to see art displace greed and conspicuous consumption, and to reclaim its rightful place speaking truth to pwer, is explored on his unique website, and also through his artworks... "

To read the full article follow this link http://www.alexeysteele.com/Articles/FAC.pdf

To subscribe to FineArtConnoisseur go here.

Alexey Steele: artist to watch in the January/February Issue of FINE ART CONNOISSEUR Magazine

2009-11-10T11:02:00.000-08:00

will be on newsstands December 15
subscription available: Fine Art Connoisseur

It's so great to be in one of my favorite magazines with some most exquisite cover choices

An intensive course by Alexey Steele at Carnegie Art Museum

2009-10-08T17:24:00.000-07:00

Road to Portrait - Comprehending Head
An intensive course by Alexey Steele:
from re-examining basics to advance work

Master Workshop @ Carnegie Art Museum
January 23 - 24, 2010 (Saturday and Sunday)
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. with a lunch break

Space is limited. We advise to sign up early. Please call Donna Barna at 805-385-8254 to sign up. Discount is offered to the Carnegie Art Museum members. Regular price $175 for the two days.

Carnegie Art Museum
424 South C. Street
Oxnard, CA 93030

The Circle by Alexey Steele

2009-10-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

This is a short film shot by a Russian filmmaker Oleg Kalyan during the execution of a large-scale fresco by Los Angeles artist Alexey Steele. The film, blending the visual and poetic language, describes the intimacy drama and intensity of art-making process...on a truly epic scale.

The fresco is 32 feet in diameter, 45 feet above ground and consist of over 12 feet figures, it is executed on the ceiling of a private residence in Bel Air, California

Alexey Steele receives a prestigious Artemis Award

2009-06-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

Alexey Steele receives a prestigious Artemis Award

"Alexey Steele, a noted Los Angeles artist, was recognized for celebrating the power and beauty of women through his art on a heroic scale in the modern world particularly in his multi-figure compositions “The Circle” and “The Soul of The Hero”. He was one of the 14 distinguished honorees and came to Athens for the Annual Euro-American Women’s Council’s Global Forum sponsored by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture, and the Mayor of Athens.

With Honorable Deputy Foreign Minister Theodore Kassimis

Alexey Steele also completed an official portrait of EAWC founder Loula Loi Alafoyiannis “Arrows of Artemis” that was unveiled at the main ceremony in the historic Zapio Megaro in Athens.

Unveiling of "Arrows of Artemis"
with EAWC founder Loula Loi Alafoyiannis and awardees Rita Cosby and Tomaczek Bednarek

With Economic Minister Peter Doukas

In the course of the official program in Athens Alexey Steele delivered a speech at the Greek Parliament, at the Athen’s Mayor’s office and was a guest of the Minister of Culture of Greece at the opening of New Acropolis Museum. Alexey Steele further announced the formation of “Artists for Marbles: Artists for a return of Parthenon Marbles to Acropolis” group, based on the belief that representational artists have a special personal connection to Acropolis and therefore shall act as its symbolic international guardians.

At the Seat of Hellenic Parliament

Delivering a Speech on the Return of Parthenon Marbles

With Mr. George Sourlas, Vice President of the Parliament and Speaker of The House

Delivering a key-note address on the restitution of Parthenon Marbles
at the special Award Ceremony in the City of Athens Mayor’s Office

In his speaches Alexey Steele stressed the importance of expressing historic gratitude to British people for preserving the marbles through Greece’s struggle for independence. At the same time, he thinks it is evident that the government of Great Britain has simply run out of argument to continue keeping this unique world treasure.

“With opening of this magnificent museum it is truly momentous and historic to symbolically fulfill the dream and the belief of Lord Byron’s generation in the future of Independent Greece that Greece has now fully realized. It is now time to fulfill the purpose and the mission of preserving the Greek treasures for the World by returning the Parthenon Marbles to the sacred place where they belong and where they will rest in now indisputable safety to be shared in perpetuity with rest of the World. It’s time for “Elgin Marbles” to finally come back home, to finally become again and forever, what they once were – THE GLORIOUS MARBLES OF PARTHENON.”- Says Alexey Steele

Fore more information on "Artists for Marbles" initiative check here:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=110663081239#/notes.php?id=99681175613

It was a privilage to be an official guest of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture
at the opening of the magnifisent New Acropolis Museum

Alexey Steele receives a prestigious Artemis Award

CAC Opening - Celebrating Serious Representational Art

2009-04-26T02:30:00.000-07:00

Our CAC Gold Medal shows are always such a celebration of artist camaraderie.

Practically rebuilt from ashes by enormous efforts of Peter and Elaine Adams, the CAC - originally a group of predominantly plain-air landscape painters has recently became an effective launching pod for a formidable new generation of today’s leading figurative and serious representational artists.

Based on long and close personal friendships it is a platform for an artistic dialog that affects greatly the direction of contemporary representational art.

By the way… and what a fun we have doing it!

My "Photographer" on the wall

Ignatik, Me, Sunny - now that's a party

Ignatik is getting his well-deserved award, his exceptional nude was among my top favorites on the show

Way to go, Ignatik!

And here comes the Votan himself
Incorporable Peter - The Votan, Only Peter could pull off something like that

And the medal goes to...

...DAN!!!!!

Christopher, Dan, Votan - another boring day at CAC

In this photo: Christopher Slatoff, Daniel Pinkham, Peter Adams

picture-perfect

The Few. The Goofy. The Artists.

Congratulations, Dan! So well-deserved, So long over-due!

Smile, Dan! Dan Gogh aka Big Pink!

are you sure its not a chocolate?

not until you try

ART is definitely a sniffable substance, this is why it's HIGH!!!

V for Dan, as Dan's getting a Gold Medal is definitely a victory for all true ART! If I was not late for voting/what else is new/ Dan would have had my vote too to ensure his win, as I've heard later the running was pretty close.

California Art Clubs 98th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition

2009-04-25T15:56:00.000-07:00

Photographer 60” X 36” oil on canvas

My new painting in California Art Clubs 98th Annual Gold Medal Juried exhibition, opening tonight @ Pasadena Museum of California Art and which promises to be quite exciting.

Saw it yesterday at Collectors Circle dinner – lots of wonderful works by lots of good friends

If you can’t come Saturday, lots of artists, myself including, will be in-n-out throughout Sunday morning – afternoon as well, the museum admission is $7

If you are in town, definitely stop by, the show runs till May 17

The painting is of my good friend, colleague, super-talented photographer Lem and this is the shot he took of me as I was painting him.

Alexey Steele Masterdrawing Acquired by Carnegie Art Museum

2009-01-25T18:17:00.000-08:00

Alexey Steele Masterdrawing Acquired by Carnegie Art Museum
Links Figurative Art to Our Era of Crisis

The result of over ten years of conceptual development, the work represents a visual premonition of an impending crisis we now experience. It is an inspiring and self-examining message for our time.

CARNEGIE ART MUSEUM

424 South C Street (next to Plaza Park), Oxnard, CA 93030
at Plaza and Centennial Parks in Downtown Oxnard
(805) 385-8157/8158, fax (805) 483-3654
Admission $3 / Museum members free

Quiet Steps of Approaching Thunder
pastel and graphite on paper by Alexey Steele, 2008. Carnegie Art Museum Collection

Participate in virtual unveiling of the Carnegie Art Museum's new acquisition to its permanent collection of California art of a major master drawing by Alexey Steele of Los Angeles. "...Approaching Thunder" links figurative art to our era of crisis. The artist will discuss the works' concepts, symbolism and large scale drawing techniques within the development of this career.

"The Carnegie is pleased to have acquired a stunning new master work by this artist that shares inspiring compositional scope, breath-catching acuity and heroic allegory directly related to our times. Rarely in current California Art is such adroit draftsmanship with colored Conte crayon employed to relate contemporary issues. Here Nature's thunder rolls over the ocean reaching shore at Rincon Beach in the guise of prophetic angels heralding the ominous outcome of man's greed and literal trashing of the environment.

Imbuing mythological figures with cinematic movement and modern musculature, Steele has created a new classical vernacular for our age. His artistic vision creates art that reacquaints us with multi-layered symbolism and re-affirms our capacity to be inspired by the magnificent," says Suzanne Bellah, director of Carnegie Art Museum.

Alexey Steele's remarkable ability to draw monumental figures in foreshortened positions reflects his training at the Surikov Art Institute of the Soviet Academy of Arts in Moscow, which was based on the 19th century methods of the Russian Imperial Academy.

See more at alexeysteele.com.