James Wisnowski Landscape Paintings and Workshop Tours

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STUDIO
2408 N. Beachwod Dr.
Los Angeles CA 90068
www.jameswisnowski.com
310-633-3080
artist@jameswisnowski.com
 
 
Artist Biography
James Wisnowski, a Chicago native, is a graduate of the American Academy of Art and a signature member of the Transparent Watercolor Society of America. In addition, he is a member of the Oil Painter’s of America, California Art Club, Chicago Artists Association, and the Palette and Chisel Fine Art Academy. He has exhibited at the National Academy of Design in New York, the American Watercolor Society, NY, the Palette and Chisel Arts Academy in Chicago, the Rocky Mountain Watercolor Annual Exhibition, and at the Union League Club of Chicago. In 1995, he was accepted for the Arts For the Parks international competition in Jackson Hole, WY, and in 2004, his work was chosen in the Top 100 paintings. Wisnowski has served as juror for many exhibitions. He paints in both watercolor and oil mediums.
 
For 27 years, Wisnowski has taught his painting philosophy at local, national, and European workshops. European locations have included: In France: Provence, the Loire Valley, the Dordogne, and The Latitude School of the Lot Valley. In Italy: Venice, Tuscany, Lake Como, and Cinque Terre. In Greece: Greek Islands of Paros, Santorini, and Crete. In addition: the Western coast of Portugal. Locations in the States have included the vineyards of Napa Sonoma Valley, and the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. (Detailed brochures of the workshops can be found on his web site www.jameswisnowski.com) He has been on the faculty of Ray College of Design-Chicago, the Terra Museum of Chicago, the Chicago Field Museum of Natural History, and the Discovery Center of Chicago. Currently, Wisnowski teaches at the Palette and Chisel Fine Arts Academy in Chicago, the Old Town Art Center in Chicago, and the North Shore Art League in Winnetka, IL  Wisnowski’s painting instruction is geared to a variety of levels. Stressed are the basic principles of classical drawing, composition, color, and technique. Frequent demonstrations complement individual student instruction. Wisnowski’s technique is featured in the book: "Art To Go: A Travelers Guide to Painting in Watercolors" published by Northlight, 1996. 
 
Wisnowski’s paintings can be found in the private and corporate art collections of (partial list) BP-Amoco Oil Corp.; United Airlines; LaSalle Bank; Chicago Hilton Hotel & Towers; Bank of Ravenswood, Chicago; Carpenters Union Pension Fund; Northern Trust Bank; Quaker Oats Co.; Mercantile Exchange; LaSalle National Bank; G.E. Credit Corp.; American Brands; Mitsui Bank, Chicago-Tokyo; Northwestern Memorial Hospital; Elmhurst Memorial Hospital, Elmhurst, IL; Hull Trading Corp., Chicago; Chicago Yacht Club, and Julian Studley Realtors, Chicago-NY. 
His marine paintings have been featured in many boating magazines such as Yachting In Chicago, and covers of the Chicago Yacht Club Annual.  He has also been featured in an annual exhibition of The Artists Magazine. 
 
Artist’s Statement
I am a realist painter who paints my environment as I see it. My medium is transparent watercolor on watercolor paper. My focus is outdoor landscape, which includes city scenes, seascapes, and rural countryside. The beauty of the four seasons allows me to become a colorist, frequently changing my palette of colors when interpreting my subject.  Through my work, I share the rediscovered beauty that may be lost or forgotten in every day subjects. I show the uniqueness found in simple ordinary neighborhood scenes, which are often overlooked, or capture extraordinary majesty, such as the Grand Canyon. Often, I chose to simplify and emphasize the light and color in order to express my feeling. Most of my painting is en plein air. This gives me a more immediate and intimate encounter with the subject, which allows me to translate my experience onto paper. Painting is a visual language. The images express themselves through the painting.
 
Exhibit History
2006                                        "American Artists Abroad" Bennington Center for the Arts VT     
2006                                        Richard Schmid Annual Auction, CO
2005                                        American Watercolor Society Annual Exhibition, NY
2005-Present                          R.H. Love Galleries Chicago
2003-Present                          Kamp Galleries  
2001-2005                              Yearly at Chicago Art Source Gallery, Chicago
2001-2005                              Yearly at Art Resource Gallery  
1999-2004                              Yearly at John Cain Galleries, Oak Park IL and Saugatuck MI  
1985-2003                              Yearly at Mary Bell Galleries, Chicago
2004                                       Top 100-Arts For The Parks 18th Annual Exhibition, Jackson Hole WY
2004                                       Transparent Watercolor Society of America (Elmhurst Art Museum)
2003                                       Union League Club
2002                                       Palette and Chisel- One man show
2002                                       Old Town Triangle Art Galley-one man show
2001                                       Old Town Triangle Art Gallery- one-man show
2000                                       Palette and Chisel Fine Arts Gallery- one-man show
1999                                       Old Town Center- one-man show
1998                                       Chicago Yacht Club (Marine paintings) - one man show
1997                                       Chicago Yacht Club (Marine Paintings) - one man show
1996                                       North Shore Art Association, Gloucester MA
1996                                       American Watercolor Society, New York
1996                                       National Academy of Design, New York
1995                                       Arts For The Parks
1994-’87-’84                         Midwest Watercolor Society
1993                                       Rocky Mountain National Watercolor Society
1988       `                              San Diego Watercolor Society
 
Selected Lecture/ Demonstrations
Dilman’s Workshop- Lac du Flambeau WI ,Valley Art Guild, Encino CA, Niagara Watercolor Society-Niagara NY
Many (50+) local art leagues (names and dates are available upon request)
 
Teaching History
2005-Present Palos Verdes Art Center CA
1999-Present                      Palette and Chisel Fine Arts Academy, Chicago
1997-Present                      North Shore Art League, Winnetka IL
1995-Present                      Old Town Art Center, Chicago
1985-Present                      Workshops in USA and Europe
2004                                    Latitude School, France
1982-95                               Discovery Center, Chicago
1993                                    Terra Museum, Chicago
1987                                    Ray College of Design, Chicago
1984-93                               Art Chicago Gallery, Chicago
 
Workshops
2006 15-day (Spain)
2006 9-day (Port Clyde, Maine)
2005 15-day Port Clyde, Maine w/ Monhegan Island
2005 6-day Napa and Sonoma Valley
2004 6-day Sonoma Valley
2004                       6-day Latitude, Lot Valley, France
2004 1-day Robert Morris College
2004                       14-day Greek Islands
2003                       14-day England/Ireland
2002                       7-day Napa/Sonoma Valley, CA
2002                       7-day Rafting Grand Canyon, CO
2001                       13-day Tuscany, Italy
2000                       6-day Napa/Sonoma Valley, CA
2000                       10-day Lavender/sunflowers fields Provence France
1999                       13-day Cinque Terre/Venice, Italy
1998                       14-day Provence/Paris, France
1997                       9-day Western Portugal
1996                       9-day Barging the Canals of the Loire in France
1995                       13-day Portofino/Lake Como/Florence, Italy
1994                       9-day Dilman Workshops to Provence/Paris/Monet’s Garden, France
1992                       2-day Brown County, IN
 
Wisnowski is represented: Illinois; Chicago: R.H. Love Galleries;  Kamp Galleries, Chicago Art Source,
California: William Lester Gallery, Point Reyes,CA