Show Preview | American Impressionist Society

New York, NY
Salmagundi Club, September 19-October 2

Anton Nowels, Late Afternoon Still Life, oil, 16 x 20.

This story was featured in the September 2019 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art September 2019 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.

“YOU CAN GO to museums and see Monet. But if you want to see what’s going on with impressionism right now in America, this is the show to see.” That’s the compelling reason offered by Cheryl St. John, vice president of the American Impressionist Society, to encourage lovers of fine art to attend the organization’s 20th Annual National Juried Exhibition. The show offers an opportunity to see approximately 150 recent works by “the cream of the crop of American impressionism,” she says, along with an additional 20 paintings from the organization’s officers, founders, and members who have achieved AIS Master status.

: William Schneider, A Simple Gift, oil, 24 x 18.

: Ray Hassard, Into the Light, pastel, 12 x 16.

: Calvin Liang, Newport Sailboats, oil, 20 x 16.

Open free of charge to the public, the exhibition debuts with a reception on Thursday, September 19, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the historic Salmagundi Club—a venue once frequented by the likes of Thomas Moran, William Merritt Chase, Louis Comfort Tiffany, N.C. Wyeth, and Childe Hassam. During the evening, awards are presented by AIS Master and show judge Kevin Macpherson, who himself won Best of Show at the very first such exhibition 20 years ago.

: Durre Waseem, A Warm Day in Pasadena, oil, 14 x 18.

: Romona Youngquist, Jewels of Summer, oil, 18 x 24.

: Jenny Buckner, Fur, oil, 14 x 11.

The following two days offer a wealth of opportunities to experience impressionism firsthand. Friday’s events at Salmagundi begin with a panel discussion from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. during which Macpherson and fellow artists C.W. Mundy, Michelle Dunaway, Derek Penix, and Debra Joy Groesser cover a wide range of topics related to impressionism and its practice. A dual painting demonstration by Dunaway and Penix follows from 2 to 4:30 p.m., and then Macpherson gives a demonstration from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday features a highly anticipated pair of events sponsored by Southwest Art. From 8 a.m. through mid-afternoon, participating members fan out across New York City’s Central Park for a plein-air paint-out, where the general public can watch the artists in action. The magazine then hosts a closing party for artists and guests that evening.

: Michele Byrne, Fifth Avenue Sunlight, oil, 12 x 9.

: Maggie Cao, A Sunny Afternoon, oil, 16 x 12.

: Wanda Choate, Children of Hope, oil, 15 x 12.

Although the artists themselves may be heading back home after the opening weekend, all of the artwork remains on view to the public at the Salmagundi Club through October 2. As St. John notes, the uniformly top-notch quality and wide-ranging variety of the paintings make the show a not-to-be-missed experience of impressionism in America today. There are landscapes like Romona Youngquist’s vibrant JEWELS OF SUMMER; harbor scenes such as the dynamic NEWPORT SAILBOATS by Calvin Liang; still-life works including the bold LATE AFTERNOON STILL LIFE by Anton Nowels; figurative paintings including the tranquil A SIMPLE GIFT by William Schneider; bustling cityscapes filled with light and shadow like Durre Waseem’s A WARM DAY IN PASADENA; and much more.

“You’ll see some names you recognize, including AIS Masters, along with a lot of newcomers you may not have known before,” says St. John. “This art is all fresh and new. So go for the excitement of it, and support living artists.” —Norman Kolpas

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