Galleria Dante Introduces “Meet the Artists” Events
Galleria Dante has chosen a new approach to make connections between art collectors and artists. This season, they are also changing their events – instead of featuring one or two artists each show, many if not all of their artists will attend each event with their most recent works. As such, they do not have the pressure to produce 20 or-so paintings for an individual show, but instead can bring us the best of the best. The season in Vallarta is very short, and often when an artist holds back for a show, he or she misses clients, limiting their sales. Many artists are from out of town, but Dante will know weeks in advance which artists will be attending.
The first of this new “Meet the Artists” series will take place on November 15th, 6-10 pm. In attendance will be:
Tellosa – beloved artist and friend to all who exhibited in Vallarta for more than 35 years. His colorful paintings and metal sculptures are the focal point in many villas. At the age of 70, he fulfilled his dream to relocate to Veracruz, where he is very happy. He will be in Vallarta the month of November.
Edgar Martinez – young and very talented are two words to describe Edgar. No one re-invents himself each year more than he does. His latest creations of marble powder mixed with oil, could compete with the masters of Florence, Italy.
Bill Megrail – his landscapes are an extension of where he lives, as Bill paints plein-air. His work includes banana plantations, cactus fields, floral gardens with a view of the ocean and garden scenes of San Miguel. His commitment to detail shows in his finished masterpieces which you feel you can walk into.
Luis Espiridion – will be in town this week for the unveiling on his latest monument, Vaca Loca at La Peninsula. Luis has exhibited with Galleria Dante for more than 10 years. His thin figures and animals always personalized with his signature grafitti are always playful, bringing a smile to your face.
Lee Chapman – aside from his fun Lencho style, he also paints more seriously under his given name, but still with such a flare for humor. Lee has a great following of clients for his paintings, as well as his children’s books.
James Knowles – hails from Kent, England, but has been living in Mexico more than 20 years. He is very prolific and his floral paintings are best described as sensual. Since the birth of his son almost 2 years ago, he has been more experimental with new ideas and subject matter, ranging from beach scenes to markets.
John Anderson – copper fountains, pelicans, herons and wildlife are John’s forte. The sound of water falling has been a big draw to get people into the sculpture garden area of the gallery. The light dances off the copper and as the light hits them, it shines.
Peter Spataro – new to the gallery this year. He often asked: “Why do the locals not paint this beautiful city?” So that is just what he did.
David Leonard – glass tables, beds, chairs, room dividers, serving bowls, flower vases, mirrors. David keeps busy. If you have frequented the restaurant, Vitea, you will have seen his tables and chairs. David just returned from a show in Lincoln Center in New York, and is anxious to fill many orders.
Bill White – if you have seen Bill’s portraits, you know how talent ed he is. He has spent several years painting the famous Xuitla dancers. He is currently working on a huge commission, capturing with his brush the unique characters of the priests from the local parishes. But he will soon be delivering a group of small gems, portraits of charras & charros.
Cherie Sibley – when she is not selling real estate and giving painting classes, she is traveling the world to photograph material for her own paintings. This year she traveled to Ecuador and Morocco. She also made her mark on the local art scene by painting famous people’s cats – everything from Andrew Lloyd Weber, Marilyn Munroe to Jack the Ripper’s cat.
Rogelio Diaz – has a unique style, but has definitely been influenced by Picasso and Basquiat. Rogelio believes that we all have something of a child within us. The older we grow, the closer we come to returning to the innocence of childhood. You either like or dislike his paintings. He leaves little room for middle ground. But collectors who would have never considered his paintings in years past have now become fond admirers of his work.
Dana O’Donnell – working in stone, marble and alabaster, her works have an inner light. She also experiments with metals, both bronze & iron. Dana has worked in studios in Mexico, Colorado, Pietrasanta and Volterra. She has an enthusiasm for sculpture that attracted us to her work, as we are passionate about sculpture.
Javier Lampreabe – hails from Argentina. Javier used to paint large murals and worked in theatre. Most of his paintings are in a 3-dimensional. They all have a dream-like quality. There are many hidden elements in his works. The paintings have a sense of peacefulness, as does the artist.
Richard Baker – at age 80, he started painting oils. For years many collectors fell in love with his watercolors, but he has also gained recognition for his oils. In the watercolors, his use of the white paper amazes professionals, as well as art teachers. His oils have a softness in is brush stroke and use of color.