The following artists: Denise Lorenz, Michael Stoyanov, Mark Weller and Claudia Michael have received Special Recognition Art Awards in “The Healing Power of ART: Resilience” 2022 exhibition. As the curator, I was captivated by how wonderfully they approached their connection with nature and wanted to share that with you. They deserve to have special attention and it gives me pleasure to introduce them to you.
Using different mediums these artists often have a visceral response to the views before them and express this emotional reaction to the place they encounter. Denise Lorenz uses colored pencil to capture “Hidden History in the Rocks”, Michael Stoyanov shares “The Majestic Simple Beauty” in his paintings, Mark Weller evokes “A Little Mystery” with photography, and Claudia Michael emphasizes “The Sublime in the Landscape” with watercolors.
You will find links to their websites so you may learn more about them and contact them directly to purchase or exhibit their art.
Denise Lorenz “Hidden History in the Rocks”
Denise Lorenz lives in Conroe, Texas. About her “Rock Stories” series she states, “Recent artwork addresses the textures and colors of rocks, which have accumulated on the lakeshore.” She captures minute tracings of fossils and minerals that are washed by bubbling waves at the instant the waves come ashore. She slowly builds up the forms with layers of colored pencil.
The artist explains, “These drawings allude to a hidden history in the rocks after they have traveled long distances, become worn by sand and surf and have congregated in one place for a moment in time.”
Denise has had many exhibitions. Her most recent shows include being a finalist in The Hunting Art Prize, work exhibited in EarthVisions at the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, Florida, the Salmagundi Art Club in New York City, NY, and Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Art Gallery in New York City, NY, among many others.
After receiving her M.F.A. Denise taught studio courses for Sam Houston State University, Lone Star College-North Harris and LSC-Kingwood. She currently teaches lecture and studio courses online for LSC-Cy Fair. deniselorenz.com
Michael Stoyanov “The Majestic Simple Beauty”
Michael Stoyanov lives in Cave Creek, Arizona. He is co-owner of the M & E Stoyanov Fine Art Gallery in Carefree, AZ with his wife Ekaterina Stoyanova, who is also an artist. When he submitted “Grand Canyon Panorama” he wrote, “I wish to convey the majestic simplicity of nature and to explore the organic connections between people and their natural environments as a source of sustenance, resilience, and creativity.”
Michael explains, “My aesthetic attention is always captured by the graceful harmony in the lifestyle of rural cultures and by the simple beauty of the natural world, both of which I have rediscovered in the American Southwest. My aesthetic attention is always captured by the graceful harmony in the lifestyle of rural cultures and by the simple beauty of the natural world, both of which I have rediscovered in the American Southwest.”
Stoyanov earned his BFA degree from the University of Veliko Tarnovo, where he was a student of the eminent Bulgarian artist, professor Vasil Stoilov. Many of his paintings have been published in art magazines and purchased for the permanent collections of art museums in Bulgaria. stoyanovfineart.com
Mark Weller “A Little Mystery”
Mark Weller lives in Waunakee, Wisconsin. The innovative photographer ventures beyond the boundaries of traditional photography and explains, “I use my camera like a painter uses a brush. It moves, lingers, explores and dances with my subjects.” He also tells us, “Mountains become texture and color; flowers become patterns and hues; Lake Superior beaches become a pointillist collection of browns and tans converting to multiple shades of blue at the waterline. My images challenge the viewer to decipher reality as I morph it into perceptual nuances, perhaps a little mystery with a dash of camera movement.”
Mark’s many exhibitions include those at Envision Arts, Dallas, TX, Praxis Photo Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN, STOLA Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL, and Wright Museum of Art. He has won numerous awards that include Best in Show in “ABSTRACTION V: A Contemporary Collective”, Envision Arts, Dallas, TX. Mark was recently honored with an “M” award from Madison Magazine. His art was also selected for “The Healing Power of Color” 2022 juried exhibition and two videos on the Manhattan Arts International YouTube Channel. time-stacking.com
Claudia Michael “The Sublime in the Landscape”
Claudia Michael lives in southern New Hampshire. She states, “I am a landscape painter, inspired by the natural world. My visual narrative reflects the contemplative qualities of nature and the perception of beauty. An understanding of the sublime in the landscape brings focus to the nurturing qualities of nature and the individual as its supplicant.”
As a plein air painter her work is informed by the contrast in color, light and form found in nature and explains, “My visual narrative reflects the transient qualities of nature and the perception of beauty. The portrayal of the natural world in art has been a metaphor for the temporal existence of humanity since the early Renaissance. My paintings are place specific yet are realizations of personal time and space.”
Claudia’s numerous exhibitions include those at The Greek Institute, Cambridge, MA, New Hampshire Institute of Art, Manchester, NH, and US Senate Invitational, in Washington, DC. Her many awards include Best of Show and First Place Prize from The National Arts Program, Manchester, NH. She is the recipient of three Fulbright travel awards and is also a Senior Lecturer with Granite State College and on the Faculty of the New Hampshire Institute of Art. claudialmichael.wixsite.com/claudia-michael-art
View Art from “The Healing Power of ART: Resilience 2022 Exhibition
It is a special honor to be included in one of your articles, Renee! Your rich background in art and your writing expertise always impress. You have a gift for zeroing in on the most moving and significant aspects of works of art. Thank you for such a tribute and for placing me in such wonderful company!
Dear Denise, I appreciate your kind words and am humbled. The opportunity to write about you and your art is an honor that I am grateful to have. Thank you.