Steve Smulka
Steve Smulka has gained international recognition for his novel approach toward contemporary realism. His signature motif, meticulous paintings of oversized bottles, jars, and decanters, are particularly stunning; and according to critic J. Bower Bell, “Each work is lovingly crafted; the treatment of glass profound, mature, the skill, awesome; but it is the light that matters, the light that is somehow transformed by facility of hand and felicity of brush into a compelling icon. This mysterious alchemy of craft, vision and cunning turns paint into light and light into magic.”
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
“One thing that had always interested me most about painting realistically was the light. I painted a variety of figurative work and still-life work, and the glass really worked the best to show off the effects of light. It really makes them glow.
"I wouldn't necessary call them photo-realist paintings, they are a little more painterly than a straight photo-realist style. You can get more realistic with a painting than with a photograph. The illusion of space is never the same in a photograph. I think in a way, it follows the tradition of genre painting, the painting of everyday objects. I try to be as realistic as possible, and I find it very satisfying to try to draw everything as well as I can, using the light as part of the composition."
BORN: Detroit, Michigan 1949
EDUCATION
1971-73 University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, MFA
1967-71 School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2007- Plus One Gallery, London
2006 & 2004- Klaudia Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2004- Plus One Gallery, London
2000, 1998 & 1995- Gallery Henoch, New York, NY
SELECTEDPUBLICATIONS
2009- “Exactitude: Hyperrealist Art Today”, by John Russell Taylor (Published by Thames & Hudson)
AWARDS
2004- Pollack-Krassner Grant
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2012- 'Hyperrealism Now', Plus One Gallery, London
2012, 2011, 2010- Dallas Art Fair, TX
2012- Winter Group Show, Gallery Henoch, New York, NY
2011- 2008- Gallery Henoch, New York, NY
2009 & 2008- Art of the 20th Century’New York, NY
2009- ‘Still Lifes’, Gallery Henoch, New York, NY
2009- Art Hamptons, Bridgehampton, NY
2009- LA Art Show, Los Angeles, CA
2009- 'Exactitude V', Plus One Gallery, London
2008- US Artists, Philadelphia, PA
2008- Plus One Gallery, London
2008 & 2007- Klaudia Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2006- Plus One Gallery, London
2006- ‘13th Annual Realism Invitational’, Klaudia Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2006- ‘ARTLondon’, London,
2005- Gallery Artists Portfolio, Klaudia Marr Gallery
2005- ‘12th Annual Realism Invitational’, Klaudia Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2004- 'Exactitude II', Plus One Gallery, London
2004- ‘11th Annual Realism Invitational’, Klaudia Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2004- Debryne Gallery, Naples, FL
2003- ‘10th Annual Realism Invitational’, Klaudia Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2003- WilliamScottGallery, Boston, MA
2002- Three person show, van de Griff Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM; and William Scott Gallery, Provincetown MA
2002- 9th Annual Realism Invitational, van de Griff/Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2002, 2001 & 1999- WilliamScottGallery, ProvincetownMA
2002, 2001 & 1999- Gallery Henoch, New York, NY
2001- ‘8th Annual Realism Invitational’, van de Griff Marr Gallery Santa Fe, NM
2000- ‘7th Annual Realism Invitational’, van de Griff Marr Gallery, Santa FeNM
1997- Summer Group Show, Gallery Henoch, New York, NY
1997- Winter Group Show, Gallery Henoch, New York, NY
1996, 1994 & 1993- Gallery Henoch, New York, NY
1996- ART MIAMI '96 International Art Exposition, Miami Beach, FL
1996- EdgartownArtGallery, Martha's Vineyard, MA
1995- ‘Virtuosity’, Art Communication International, New York, NY
1994-BrunswickUpperSchool, Greenwich, CT
1993- Angels Group Show Hastings Gallery, New Canaan
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
AldrichMuseum
Sidney Lewis
Mobil Oil
General Instrument Co.
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.
Needham, Harper, & Steers
Continental Group
CountyFederal Savings
Connecticut Bank & Trust
Marsh McClennan Inc.
Chermayoff & Partners
Javits, Brog, Robinson, Leinwald & Reich
Atlantic Investment Management, Inc.
Mr & Mrs. Jean Mason, Vero BeachFL
Mr. Larry Gaslow, NY NY
Mr. Alain Spilet, Paris France
Mr. Ingo Luthjens, HamburgGermany
Mr. Pekka Metso, Helsinki, Finland
Mr. Eduardo Corbacho, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Tohokushinsa Film Co. Ltd, Tokyo, Japan
Mr. Harald Meyer, Konigstein, Germany
Mr. and Mrs. Richard McKenzie, Greenwich, CT
Stefan Winter, Frankfurt Germany
Peter Valentin, Bern, Switzerland
Dr. Christophe Kolbe, Idstein, Germany
Brian Levitt, Montreal, Canada
Chip McLaughlin, Boston, MA
Dr. and Mrs. Van Marcus, Lincoln, NE
Anne Marie Peters, Arlington, VA
John Griffo, Fernadina Beach, FL
Mr. and Mrs. Altucher, New York, NY
Charles and Sian Stonehill, New York, NY
Stefano Natello, New York, NY
Mark and Laura Baughman, Washington, DC
Plus One Gallery . 89-91 Pimlico Road, LondonSW1W 8PH . Tel: 020 7730 7656
Email: .
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