Focal Point: Karl Arendal

Year Born: N/A

Price Range: NA

Main Website: http://www.karlarendal.com

Other Web Pages With Info About Karl Arendal

Karl Arendal's Main Artist Website

Art Galleries Representing Karl Arendal

Overview

Click Here to go to the website for artist Karl Arendal

Pitcher of Irises & Tapestry

Biography

_____

I am a Classical Realist painter. My work reflects my personal vision of the world and my reverence for the materials I work with. I am continually driven to strive to improve my technique and challenge myself in new ways. On the one hand I love saturated color. When daylight streams into my studio or I go outside, I look at the world and see vibrant colors that the medium of oil painting can only approximate. Likewise, I am drawn to the peace and relaxation that reside in the multitude of grays. Tonal gradations are both a challenge and a joy for me to paint.

I would describe myself as a self-taught painter, but I've had the help of others. For example, I benefited greatly from instructional texts written by Joseph Sheppard. In fact, I learned oil painting technique from him. Also, I have learned a great deal from my many hours spent in museums and galleries viewing paintings.

I grew up in Kansas City, Missouri near the Nelson-Atkins Gallery & Museum. It gave me my first exposure to the wealth and variety of the world's art. I loved roaming its halls, venturing from one gallery venue to another. Of all the museums I've visited, my favorite is the Prado in Madrid. It's the most user-friendly museum I've found and I love its collection.

Beginning in early elementary school I attended Saturday drawing classes at the Nelson-Atkins Gallery & Museum. The classes were taught by instructors from the nearby Kansas City Art Institute. Using charcoal, students drew from plaster casts and stone busts. Skulls were used to develop an understanding of the underlying facial structure. During those years I also took up soft pastels, but didn't start oil painting until much later when I was an adult.

I've been strongly influenced by Carravaggio, Velasquez, Rubens, and Vermeer. Among living artists, Claudio Bravo's still-life paintings continue to inspire me, as do the portraits of Nelson Shanks, and the marvelous work of Odd Nerdrum.

Upcoming Events and Exhibits

Upcoming Workshops

Other Web Pages that Karl Arendal Recommends you visit

(These pages are not necessarily about Karl Arendal)