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TROIKA GALLERY ARTISTS, page 1
listed alphabetically please scroll down

A through  M

Jorge Alberto

Oil, Charcoal

Jorge Alberto González is a realist fine artist, he was born in Cuba and emigrated to the U.S. with his family in 1965. His artistic process began as a child by observing the work of the Old Masters, because of this he is attracted to the realistic quality of the paintings of Caravaggio, da Vinci, and Velazquez. Jorge Alberto is fascinated with the drama of light and the deception of illusion, for this reason, he enjoys creating works that have these qualities. After an education in graphic design, and working as a graphic designer, in 1991 he started attending the Schuler School of Fine Arts, studying under master artist Ann D. Schuler. After graduating from Schuler’s, he moved to Florence, Italy, where he continued his studies. Jorge Alberto source of inspiration comes from surrounding himself with the items he is going to paint, becoming familiar with them, and creating a connection important to his work. He is a recipient of many awards including the “Lorenso il Magnifico” bronze medal in painting from the 2001 Florence International Biannual of Contemporary Art, Florence, Italy. He won "best of show" at the 2015 International Guild of Realism Exhibition. Jorge's work is in many residences in the U.S. and Europe as well as in several public collections. He lives and works in Baltimore, MD and paints under the name of Jorge Alberto.

Kenn Backhaus

Oil

Kenn Erroll Backhaus is an American Plein Air painter with a passion and love of the outdoors. His fondness for nature became the catalyst for his art. He attended Layton School of Art in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  As a commercial designer and illustrator Kenn received many awards at both local and national levels, which included acceptance in the 30th Annual Society of Illustrators Show in New York City.  Although Kenn took pride in his commercial successes, his heart always belonged to the fine art of outdoor painting. His subjects include the landscape, figurative, portrait, still life and wildlife where he captures color, value, and mood through direct observation. Kenn is a Signature Artist Member of the California Art Club, the Oil Painters of America, the American Impressionist Society, and Plein-Air Painters of America where he served as President.  “I believe that a painting is not just a two-dimensional illusion, but also that of a moment in life, captured on canvas. Painting is a language varying in mood and atmosphere that reflects the diversities of life itself. ” Kenn was a Master Artist at the first Plein Air Convention, and was part of a PBS  television series entitled, “Plein Air, Painting the American Landscape.” Collectors across the nation seek his beautiful work.

Sara Jane Doberstein

Oil

Sara Jane Doberstein was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and grew up in Owen Sound on beautiful Georgian Bay. She attended the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design and Fanshawe College. At an early age, Sara Jane developed a passion for capturing the American coastline during family trips along the east coast. She continues to visit the United States as often as possible, finding inspiration in the beauty of its coastal areas for her vivid paintings of seashells, shorebirds, and crabs.
 
SaraJane's painting style ranges from traditional representational to contemporary realism, and her work reflects a fascination with the natural world and its transformations. Whether her subject is a glossy cluster of cherries, or the colorful jumble of seashells on a beach, her paintings capture the larger-than-life essence of everyday objects and scenes. Her playful, whimsical approach to her subjects is balanced by a technical mastery of paint.
 
SaraJane is a Signature Member of the Oil Painters of America, American Women Artists, and the American Society of Marine Artists. Her work has been included and won awards in prominent juried exhibitions across North America, including the grand prize winner with the American Women Artists, Rockwell Museum Show. She has been featured in several publications, including Southwest Art's "21 Under 31", and "Start Your Collection," American Art Collector, International Artist Magazine and Shrimp, Collards and Grits Magazine.

Over the past decade, Sara Jane has participated in numerous juried exhibitions, as well as eight solo shows. Her work is displayed in top art galleries across the U.S and in private collections across North America and Europe, including the permanent collection of the Arnot Art Museum in Elmira, NY.

John Ebersberger

Oil

Uniting the lyrical beauty of impressionism with the strength of classical realism, the oil paintings of John Ebersberger are a testament to the power of tradition in the visual arts. A graduate of the Maryland Institute of Art, John pursued an intensive study under Cedric Egeli and Henry Hensche. It was Egeli who introduced John to Henry Hensche, the master impressionist who had served as Charles Hawthorne’s teaching assistant in the 1920s in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

 

Struck by the intensity of light Hensche was able to achieve in his canvases John studied every summer with him until his death in 1992.  John's paintings have garnered many national and regional awards. In 2016 he was awarded a certificate of excellence by the Portrait Society of America.

 

Notable collections include The United States Naval Academy, The Federal Reserve Bank of MD, Lockheed-Martin Corporation, and the First Bank of Alabama. The Artist’s Magazine, American Artist, American Art Collector, and Workshop Magazine published articles on John's artwork and techniques.   Books containing John’s work include Capturing Radiant Color in Oils by S. Sarback, and Painting the Impressionist Watercolor by L. Boynton. John’s paintings reflect the twin strains of Impressionism and Classical Realism and express the full spectrum of nature’s beauty.

Deborah Elville

Oil

Deborah Elville, from  St. Mary's, Maryland, is inspired by the challenge of realism and the constant problem solving that each new painting presents. "I enjoy bringing details into view for people who don't ordinarily see them." Deborah has spent her lifetime in art, beginning with her work in watercolors, then pastels, and eventually in oil, her favorite medium. Her approach stems from a life-long love and admiration for quality and longevity in technique and materials.

 

She has studied extensively for the past ten years, taking courses at George Washington University, Anne Arundel Community College, The Schuler School of Fine Art, and with Troika Gallery co-owner, Laura Era. Her exquisite bird and floral paintings come to life due to her love of nature.

 

When asked about her passion for art, she refers to the words "color" and "love." In a nutshell, Deborah is moved and inspired by color, and this love affair extends to her use of a thirty-two-color palette. She has loyal admirers of her bird paintings who seek out her latest work. Deborah's art was featured on the cover of the 2017 December issue of Attraction Magazine.

Laura Era

Oil, Pastel

Laura Era is an award-winning, professional portrait and landscape artist and teacher. She is also the owner of the Troika Gallery.

 

Her passion for portraiture has earned her recognition far and wide with noted institutions commissioning her work. Encouraged and taught by her mother, renowned portrait artist, Dorothy F. Newland, Laura studied with Daniel E. Greene, Burton Silverman, and Raoul Middleman. Laura and Dorothy painted together throughout North America and Italy. Laura continues to paint on location each year with visits to England, France, Portugal, Germany, Lewes, Delaware, and Monhegan, Maine. Her formal and informal portraits are much admired, and she is fond of painting people of all ages, even favorite pets. 

 

Laura has painted multitudes of portraits over the decades and believes that each painting should have a distinct personality, drama, and feeling while still capturing the true essence of the subject. Clients often return to Laura with requests for additional commissions. Her commissioned portraits hang in the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Salisbury University, Maryland State Offices, and numerous private homes. Her still-life and landscape paintings are also widely collected.  Laura teaches from her studio on the Little Choptank River near Cambridge and has devoted students who seek out her mastery.

Louis Escobedo 

Oil

Louis Escobedo was born in 1952 and currently paints from his studio in Easton, MD. He received a BFA in Advertising Art from Sam Houston State University yet began his painting career at age 6 when he won the best of show in his elementary school in Sweetwater, Texas. As a freelance illustrator he honed his talents and received a gold medal from the Society of Illustrators in New York in 1981.

In 1985, he shifted his professional focus, moving from illustration to fine art. In 1990, Louis and his wife, Yolanda, moved to Denver, Colorado. During his fine art career, Louis exhibited in many galleries across the United States, including California, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, Virginia, and Maryland. In 1994, Louis was awarded his first Gold Medal from the National Oil Painters of America (OPA) and received his second one with a $25,000 award in 2014. He is one of only two artists receiving this prestigious award twice from this 27-year-old organization. In 2019 Louis received the Master Signature status in Oil Painters of America based on his mastery of oil painting and accomplishments in the world of representational art. Recently Louis was awarded a Silver medal in the Masters Signature Division for OPA.

Louis and his wife Yolanda owned and operated Escobedo Gallery in Easton and are very familiar with many facets of the artworld. “By seeking relationships of values, causing shapes of irregularity that create a strong design, I am always asked about my color, but they don’t know that it’s the grey’s that makes the color sing.  As an artist we are searching for what would make a better painting. I would say it’s the Ying and Yang of things or the opposites. The texture against a solid mass. Is the painting a loud or a quiet place to be? There are more questions than answers. I feel it's more about the simplicity, the caring for the love of art.”

J. A Ferrier

Oil

Artist J.A. Ferrier paints in oil with a primary focus on landscapes. Adept at capturing the stillness of a late afternoon scene, the colorful explosion of vibrant tulips, the serene beauty of the changing tide, or the rushing waters of a waterfall, J.A. is inspired by nature. With particular attention to the subtle changes in color and light, J.A.'s paintings capture a spiritual quality of the ordinary. Growing up on the Atlantic Coastline, J.A. lived the dramatic light and shadows associated with the open sea and sky and had a reverence for the subtleties found in nature. An avid traveler, J.A. is inspired by seeing life anew.  With an appreciation for life and the diversity of all, J.A. continues to draw admirers and collectors to her art.

Evan Fitzgerald

Oil

"Throughout time, in every corner of the planet, people have adorned themselves with the natural beauty found around them. This universal practice enhanced appearances or projected a certain status. Whether it was wearing a wolf pelt to appear more powerful or a floral and feather headdress to draw the eye, we all share in this lineage. What was the shaman trying to convey by wearing bones? What are we all trying to communicate to others through our appearances, both physically and digitally?"

The decision to work on wood panels is deliberate. The wood grain is naturally beautiful by itself. I allow the surface of the wood to remain visible with transparent paint which allows the viewer to see through the figure, into the natural beauty, contradicting the addition of paint and adornments that obscure. I like artwork that’s a catalyst for thought instead of presenting an answer.”

A former faculty member of Salisbury University, Evan graduated with a Master's degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He is the son of noted oil painter Kevin Fitzgerald.

Kevin Fitzgerald

Oil

Noted landscape painter, Kevin Fitzgerald has a great reverence for the land and sea and fully expresses it in his tonalist paintings characterized by neutral hues, muted atmospheric tones, and mystery. Inspired by the French mid 19th-century romantic landscape painters, Fitzgerald's paintings are evocative and spiritual. His fields of color are both suggestions and subtle depictions.

 

"Be brief, use the least to say the most.  To gain the particular is to lose the infinite. Painting is a solitary communication and strives to go beyond words."

 

Fitzgerald attended the Maryland Institute College of Art where he studied with Raoul Middleman, Chairman of Painting. After receiving his B.F.A. from the Institute, Fitzgerald pursued his M.F.A., under the full fellowship, at George Washington University.

 

His work is highly sought after and includes known celebrities, as well as private collectors.

David Buckley Good

Oil

David Buckley Good enjoys a growing reputation as both an artist and dynamic teacher of painting and drawing.  A  graduate of Bowling Green State University and The Schuler School of Fine Arts he studied at The Art Student`s League of New York. He began his career as a surrealist painter and gradually moved into the realm of traditional realism. Currently, his work depicts still life and the figure and European and American architectural landscapes.  Numerous art magazines have featured his paintings. David resides in Baltimore, Maryland where he teaches at The Schuler School of Fine Art and The Mitchell School of Fine Arts.  Private and public collections in the United States and Europe hold his fine art.

Joe Gyurcsak

Oil

Joe Gyurcsak, OPA, AIS, ISAP, paints a broad range of subject matter including interiors, still life, figure and landscape painting. He has a keen sense for capturing the essence of his subject matter with a bold and candid approach.

 

He attended the Parsons School of Design, Kean Univ. and The School of Visual Arts, NYC. Joe is the resident artist for Blick and Utrecht art supplies. He is an instructor, author and an art materials expert. Joe is a signature member of The American Impressionist Society, The Oil Painters of America, The International Society of Acrylic Painters and Bold Brush. He is a member of the Salmagundi Club, The California Art Club, Laguna Beach Painters and many other art societies. 

 

His award-winning paintings continue to pique the interest of collectors nationwide and he has received numerous awards. Plein Air Easton 2022 awarded Joe the Best Architectural Award. “My paintings express a sense of light, atmosphere and mood; they transcend the techniques that were employed to create them and breathe the very light and atmosphere they were painted in." 

Palden Hamilton

Oil

"Through representational painting, I try to more deeply connect with, and create lasting depictions of, the people, places and things I observe. I hope also to connect to the culture and inquiries of others who share or shared the pursuit, ancient and innate, of transfiguring pigments into semblances of the observed world.

The process of capturing visual "truth" is largely technical, as the eye is a mechanical structure. But all things are observed through veils of memory, meaning, and other mediations of the subjective mind. Therefore, the resulting depictions can be to varying degrees traditional or explorative, emotional or detached, scientific or spiritual...On a personal level, I consider my paintings to be testaments to time spent, souvenirs of experiences." 

 

Born and raised in Maryland, Palden Hamilton attended the Gilman School, and received his B.F.A. from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.   He attended The Art Students League of New York.  He was notably commissioned to paint the director of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

In 2008, 2017, &2018, Palden was awarded Certificates of Excellence from the Portrait Society of America. Hamilton paints landscape extensively on location and has participated in and received honors from Plein Air Easton, Wayne, Solomons, and Cape Ann Plein Air events. He teaches at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Zoll Studio School of Fine Art, and Yellow Barn in Washington D.C."

John Davis Held

Pastel

Pastel artist John Davis Held has a passion for capturing the peaceful essences of the sky, the earth, and water. Known for capturing atmospheric scenes, he has the innate ability to translate what one might see as an ordinary scene into a serene landscape of beauty and light. "Whereas I might see a sky with incredible light and subtle transparent atmospheric colors in an evening sky, other people--if they even glance up at all--just see that it's probably not going to rain for a while. There seems to be a need to translate much of what is in the world around us into a form of mental shorthand just to get through our hectic and busy days." John received a degree in art from Evergreen State College and is an award winning artist residing in Baltimore.

Mark Hiles

Oil

Classically trained in painting, sculpture, and drawing, Mark Hiles studied with master teachers at The Schuler School of Fine Art.  He paints figures, landscapes, still life and portraits with a  flair and a delicate touch.  Inspired by both classical realism and impressionism Mark's influences include John Singer Sargent, Henri Fantin-Latour, Edgar Payne, Ann Schuler and  Anders Zorn.  "I am always searching for subject matter that gives a view into the beauty of nature; this can be displayed in landscapes, but also in the figurative expressions of the human form, and the natural beauty of fruits, vegetables, and flowers." Mark works in oils, watercolors, and pastels and has a formal background training in anatomy and sculpture. He currently teaches at Zoll Studio.   Private collectors and corporations own and enjoy his works.

Matthew Hillier

Oil

Matthew Hillier's extraordinary paintings offer the viewer a unique vantage point. His paintings express more than the physical characteristics of a species; they reveal the artist’s passion for his subjects. Born in 1958 in Buckinghamshire, England, he spent most his life on the south coast of England, in West Sussex, until moving to the United States. Drawing and painting animals since he was a child, he learned from his father, (a museum designer) the rudiments of art. He has painted in watercolor, acrylic, gouache, and oil.

 

Traveling widely in search of subjects and to study and paint, Hillier visited Africa, India, Europe and Southeast Asia. He loves big cats, rhinos and is passionate about water birds. Moving to the Eastern Shore has been an inspiration to Matthew. He has "stepped out of the box" and paints the boats, birds, and people of this unique part of America, as well as his beloved wildlife. Matthew teaches painting and workshops at the Academy of the Arts in Easton.

 

He was educated at Dyfed College of Art, Wales, graduating with distinction. Exhibits include; The Pastel Society, The Royal Institute, The Miniature Society, The Paris Salon, The Royal Society of Marine Artists and The Biarritz Salon, “Birds In Art” at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson, and one-man exhibitions throughout Great Britain and America. He is a member of The American Society of Marine Artists, The Society of Animal Artists and Christie’s Wildlife Art Auction. He has received numerous awards, has illustrated books, magazine covers, and articles on wildlife. 

Bo Jia - Middle Kingdom

Fine Porcelain

Bo Jia and Alison Alten established the Middle Kingdom kiln in 1998 to broaden porcelain traditions for a modern audience. Inspired by a long and distinguished history of design and craftsmanship in Chinese porcelain, Middle Kingdom wares contribute a fresh and invigorating style to the genre.  Middle Kingdom’s highly trained artisans work at a modern facility in Jingdezhen, China home of the Imperial Kilns. 

 

The apprenticeship tradition established in antiquity lives on in the Middle Kingdom under the eye of head designer Bo Jia. All Middle Kingdom porcelain is created from the highest quality clays, unique glazes and design works that speak to history and modernity. Bo Jia sustains the potter's art and pays homage to artistic achievements of the past while creating new classic standards.

 

The seamless intertwining of design and craftsmanship creates restrained, beautiful works that are collected and sold by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Baltimore Museum of Art and at Troika Gallery.

Jeannette Le Grue

Oil

The painter Jeanette Le Grue was born and raised on Kodiak Island, Alaska. The midnight suns, long days of darkness, and dramatic colors of her childhood inspire her to create uniquely compelling artwork. 

 

She moved to California in 1980, and now lives, paints, and operates the F.I.S.H. School of Color, in the Tomales,  California.  “The painters who have influenced me include such masters as Sergei Bongart, Charles Hawthorne, Joaquin Sorolla, and Franz Bischoff.  They have helped me develop my approach to color and light.” 

 

Jeanette has been the subject of articles in Southwest Art Magazine, American Artist Magazine, and Plein Air Scene. She has received numerous awards, including First Place in the American Impressionist Society’s National Show, the Irvine Museum Award at the Hawaii Plein Air Event, the Award of Excellence at the Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition, and the Helen De Cozen Award at the American Artists Grand National Exhibition in New York.

Lynne Lockhart

Oil

Lynne Lockhart creates paintings in a style that embraces a love of life. She studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the Corcoran School of Art. She is a signature member of the Society of Animal Artists.

 

"Painting is a visual language and so is much of the language of animals. The quiet observation of the natural world, both wild and tame provides endless possibilities. No matter the subject, the application of paint to canvas is the easy part. Understanding anatomy, the nature of light and knowing your materials are only some of the variables one has to juggle. However, the real challenge for me is the interpretation of what I see. That is the translation from subject to the canvas. It is this translation through the artist that makes the difference in painters. Our facts may be the same, but our truths are different."

 

Lynne's art is collected throughout the United States. She lives on Maryland's Eastern Shore with her husband, painter Kirk McBride.

Peter Loonam

Watercolor

 Peter S. Loonam, originally from Freeport, N.Y., had a life full of international travel as an art director and producer for a major advertising agency. He followed his passion for painting and upon retirement opened the Peter S. Loonam Art Gallery in Bridgehampton, N.Y. in 1977. Years later he moved to the Eastern Shore of Maryland where he concentrated on his painting and renovated a carriage house into a studio.  He exhibited his work from Canada to Georgia and was awarded many ribbons and prizes along the way for his exquisite watercolors.  His keen eye and appreciation for the beauty of the shore grew from a childhood love of the Great South Bay Marshes and the Barrier Island Sand Dunes.  Peter passed away in 2014. Troika Gallery is honored to carry his work.

Kirk McBride

Oil

Kirk McBride, developed an interest in American paintings when he saw the work of Edward Hopper and Winslow Homer as a young man. The images that they painted, and their styles spoke to him. Over the years he admired the artwork of Edgar Payne, Emile Gruppe, Maynard Dixon, Frederick Mulhaupt and others who captured something uniquely American. Winning “Best in Show” at the first art show he entered encouraged him to make painting a lifelong pursuit, and he has been at it for over 40 years. The relationships between light and shadow are the unifying theme that runs throughout the work. "Everything has a moment when light and shadow create something breathtaking to view." 

 

A signature member of the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association and The American Society of Marine Artists, Kirk has painted in the Laguna Beach Plein Air Invitational, Plein Air Easton, and Paint Annapolis winning numerous awards. 

 

A graduate of the University of Maryland, Kirk has studied with painters Ken Auster, Kim English, and Randall Sexton.  Art lovers from across the USA collect his brilliant paintings.  He and his wife Lynn Lockhart reside on the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. 

Please see next page for Troika Artists
M through Z

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