Page 21 - 2015 Russell Catalogue

2015 Art in Action® ParticipantsMeagan Abra Blessing, a self- taught artist working in oil, is drawn to high contrast and movement when choosing her compositions. Her love of the rural West andher passion for all things equine is evident in her lively, expressionistic paintings. Blessing’s renditionsof Western and rural subjects are vibrant and dynamic, and her playful use of color and light brings a unique twist to classic and often quintessential Western imagery.Michael Blessing, a self-taught oil painter, is compelled by the shapes within a composition. Having an inclination toward figurative painting, he favors a candid view of his subjects, often depicting everyday moments and universally relevant emotions. Blessing is drawn to strong compositions, vibrant color, and bold lines. His figurative work and paintingsof vintage Western nostalgia are widely appealing and have an edgy quality that is both contemporary and timeless.Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey is a colorist with a strong sense of design. She is a founding member of the Russell Skull Society of Artists and has participated regularly in the C.M. Russell auctions. Cawdrey also participates in exhibitions at the National Museum of Wildlife Art, the Gilcrease Museum, the Western Masters, and the National Cowboy Museum. Cawdrey was the Featured Artist for the thirtieth anniversary of the 2014 Jackson Hole Festival, where her painting Forever Jackson set a new auction sales record.Troy Collins, a nationally renowned Impressionist, creates canvases with energy and insight from his studio nestled inthe middle of the Bitterroot Mountains. Collins' paintings now grace the hallsof the Pentagon and the home of theU.S. Ambassador to the UK. His style of painting, which focuses on vibrant color and the effect that light and shadow have on his subject, creates an experience that is undeniably unique and unforgettable.Todd Connor grew up in Tulsa, OK, and began to paint at age twelve. After serving as a Navy SEAL, he resumed painting, earning a bachelor of fine arts degree in illustration at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. Since then, he has made his living painting historical Western subjects, particularly mountain men and pioneers.C. Michael Dudash has produced oil paintings for publishers, galleries, and clients for more than thirty-six years. Dudash has been featured in several art magazines, including Art of the West, Southwest Art, and WesternArt Collector. He is represented by prestigious galleries around the country, and in 2012, he published a book on his Western work. His collectors appreciate the draftsmanship, use of light, and colorful atmosphere that Dudash brings to his paintings of the old frontier.Kira Fercho is a modern Impressionist who has beenheavily influenced by both Russian Impressionism and western tonalism. She is nationally recognized for her tipis and lodges that represent the tribes of Montana. She has a permanent collection of these lodges on displayat The Billings Clinic in Montana. Fercho also owns Fercho Gallery & Elliott Design in Big Sky, MT. This will be Fercho’s fourth consecutive year of participating in both the live auction and the quick finish events.Charles Fritz’s awards from the C.M. Russell auction include four best of shows and a people’s choice in painting. His work is includedin the permanent collections of the Denver Art Museum, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, the MacNider Museum, and the C.M. Russell Museum. His nationally known collection, An Artist with the Corps of Discovery, is currently an inaugural exhibit at the new Scottsdale Museum of the West, Scottsdale, AZ.