Nicholas Teetelli has been an amateur photographer for more than 40 years and lives in New Jersey. He primarily uses Leica cameras and lenses, which for him, have delivered superior results. Nicholas processes his images using Adobe Light Room to bring out and emphasize elements in his photographs that "called" to him when taking the photograph.  His subject matter "speaks" to him, catching his eye in a particular way, the light play, composition... so when it all comes together he knows at that moment he has his shot.

“There is much beauty to behold in this world, moments that the eye captures, the wonders it sees... moments that should be committed to perpetual memory, but sadly only to become fragments of a faded recollection, or more often, simply forgotten. I draw inspiration to record these timeless and special moments, to capture them in my mind's eye, and through my lens, transforming each image so that I can share them with others in hope they too may see what I see and find equal enjoyment.”

“My art philosophy is still in the works. I am still, and will always be, learning about what art is, is not, and what makes great art. I certainly believe that art is an essential aspect of being human due to the biblical idea of our Imago Dei (image of God). And since I’ve been viewing old and contemporary art, I come to the conclusion that great visual art tends to cause a sense of awe and wonderment in the viewer, immediately or delayed. Great art, for me, stops time for a moment, and reminds us that life, and this world we experience, is indeed intentionally special.  I am particularly drawn to the historical legacy of paint on canvas. The immaterial impact that colored pigment smeared on a surface has on a person fascinates me. My work deals with a deep commitment to aesthetic integrity using traditional painting techniques, and my current body of work continues my basic investigation of portraiture and its ability to present different ideas. Through intense observation and subtle decisions made during my creative process, I draw out my particular view of the world. When I paint a portrait, I aim to capture a truth about the subject’s life as well as mine, it is a search to discover ways to nourish the eyes and the soul. My subjects dominate the picture plane to create an intimate space with the viewer and initiate a casual confrontation. Lastly, I choose to paint people whose lives are characterized by a counter cultural view of the world, hoping to push it in a better direction through the arts.”

Yordy Sanchez found his art talent four years ago.  It was first sparked when he was allowed to paint Murals throughout his high school.  Yordy ended up painting a giant mural in the school auditorium, this was the first time that this had been allowed in the schools' history.  Yordy later became the President of the Art Club and he began to painting around his community.  Yordy has been a free-lance artist now for two years and he takes commissions for murals and requests.  He is looking forward to achieving more in his art career, as he continues to learn new styles and techniques. 

“Art is the process of channeling your inner thoughts into something tangible and expressive. This can be done in many forms varying from a drawing, painting, pottery or sculptures. There is absolutely no limit to what can be accomplished when you reach deep into yourself and express anything from happiness to depression. Just as the ocean seems endless, so is the conception of creativity. Many things can instantly spark a sense of creativity in us, this might be a certain scene we see before us or a memory that makes us happy or haunts us.”

Janis Grau is thankful that she was born an artist...with an artist's eyes.  As an artist she is constantly surrounded by beauty, even in what would appear to others to be a mundane setting. Within a copse of summer trees she finds thirty different hues of green...and blues and purples where those without an artist's eyes see only a clump of trees.  Her artistic vision morphs the ordinary objects and entities seen by others into a world overflowing with patterns and textures, sunlight and shadow, shape and form, line and contour, hue, intensity, tint and shade. It  is her wish that non-artists may be able to share this world through her paintings...that they can, for a few minutes, step out of the banal and into beauty.

“When I stepped into an art classroom my first year in high school, my life reached a turning point.  I had planned a career in nursing but my art teacher, Jim Laubheimer, would have none of it!  With his guidance, mentoring, and encouragement, I pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Maryland Institute, College of Art, graduating in 1966. For the next thirty-five years I taught middle and high school art students in Maryland, while continuing coursework to gain a Master's equivalency + 30. I loved every minute that I spent teaching art and would have done it even if I had not been paid for doing so. Upon retiring, I re-located to southwest Florida, set up a studio and pursued the love of working in watercolor first introduced to me by my teacher and mentor. The beautiful flowers and vegetation surrounding me in sunny Florida have been a constant source of inspiration for subject matter.”

Tisha Clinkenbeard is a working wife and mother, and she takes photos as she goes along the path of her life. Most of the time it is just in the course of everyday observations, travel for work, or adventures with her husband and family.

“Life brings me too many different places and shows me so many different views, things, and lessons. My love of nature and travel is reflected in the works that I share. Nature is so large and so small at the same time. You have to look at both the big picture (landscapes) and the little pictures (macros, flowers) all at the same time - just paying attention to the world around you. Most of all I love sharing my photography with people. Some may never see that scene because they may never travel to the spot or they might have missed the small stuff along their own walk. I can provide that beauty or view to them so that they may enjoy it every day. “

Mariana Peirano was an art major in High school, but she entered her art career much later in life.  Life happened, she started a family and unconsciously moved away from being an artist and embarked in an education career that lasted more than 20 years. During those years, her art was limited to creating classroom materials for my students and my own children.  In 2009 she realized she needed to get back to her true nature and be an artist again. This time she was sure she needed to move in the figurative direction. Mariana took a year off from work and enrolled in the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art.

Bridget Wiss photographs what catches her attention; what moves her.  She believes everyone sees the world differently, through their own filter of experiences. Bridget’s photographs are how she see the world through her filter.

“I love taking pictures. I feel happiest with my camera in my hand. Photography is my passion.  Only in the past few years have I really studied photography. I’m mostly self-taught. When I bought a new camera I read most of the manual. I took online classes. I read blogs and magazines and articles. I follow other photographers on social media. I eventually started taking classes with local photographers and joined a photography club. I recently attended a weekend workshop in Paris with a well-known street photographer.”

Colleen Stevens career in the arts profession has grown to international audiences in a short time, with selection to participate in online exhibitions in Australia, and having completed commissioned works and sales to private collectors in USA, Canada, Japan, England, Ireland, Germany and Australia.

“Inspired by the beauty in God's creation, I paint with a clear focus: to connect deeply with an individual, and fill their home with peace and inner light through depiction of the serenity and security of beautiful landscapes, where the mind is seeded with wondering what may lie around the bend, just outside the frame.”

“Drawing on the ever-changing palette of nature’s seasons in my Humboldt County, Californian home, my work reflects the joy I feel when being alone in nature and the strong role that my faith in God plays in my work. He offers me peace and security in ways that I can't gain from anywhere else; much like the peace I feel when I have a moment alone to take in a beautiful view. For this reason, it is rare to find human figures in my work.”

James Ellison is a Symbolic Realist working in both oil and pastel media.  As a Symbolic Realist, he is always looking for meaning in nature.  Symbolic Realism is the intentional psychological use of color, line, shape & page placement to communicate meaning.  The meaning is on a subconscious level using basic human understanding and is not subject to cultural or historical limitations.  Even though all people understand the image he has created on a subconscious level, James also writes artistic statements to bring the meaning to a conscious level.  These are based on his studies as an artist and ordained minister giving James a unique blend of aesthetics, Christian theology, psychology and creativity.  He believes that we are all created in the image of God, thus we are by nature good but life has wounded, imprisoned or burdened our spirits.  God is present reaching out to us but we often miss it because our senses have become dulled.  In nature James sees this so he has committed himself to the communication of this divine presence.  James desire is that people in seeing his artwork experience his struggles and celebrations resonating with their own joys and sorrows stirring their spirits and inspiring them to seek out new possibilities.