Show Preview | Howard/Mandville Gallery: Andre Kohn

Kirkland, WA
November 14-December 8

Andre Kohn, Waiting for the Sunset, oil, 10 x 10.

This story was featured in the November 2013 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art November 2013 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story!

Andre Kohn grew up in southern Russia near the Caspian Sea. At age 15 he was chosen to apprentice in the studios of some of Moscow’s prominent impressionist and social realist painters. Today Kohn lives in Southern California and is known as an expressive figurative painter with the self-appointed mission of capturing the poetic in the everyday moment. He lists paintings by a multi-cultural cadre of artists as influences, including works by Nicolai Fechin, Ilya Repin, Edgar Degas, John Singer Sargent, and Joaquin Sorolla.

This month Howard/Mandville Gallery presents 15 new works by Kohn in a show titled Impressions of Amalfi. The show opens with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on November 14. As the title suggests, the paintings are inspired by the artist’s recent foray to the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy. The picturesque area is dotted with colorful towns graced with steep, rocky slopes that rush down to the sea. “For me, traveling has always been a treasured source of inspiration,” Kohn says. “Each new journey seems to generate a fresh burst of creativity, inspired new hues, and a multitude of people and places that I am compelled to capture in my art.”

Andre Kohn, Cucina Italiana, oil, 17 x 14.

Kohn adds that Italy has served as inspiration for new paintings several times in the past. But this was his first exploration of the Amalfi Coast, and he says it was “love at first sight.” The artist recalls that the region “virtually explodes” with scenes to paint, such as charming boutiques, bustling marketplaces, lively cafés, and emerald seascapes at every turn. “I could have painted it all. But I still prefer to express myself through the form of the human figure,” Kohn says. “I invite viewers to enjoy the Amalfi Coast exactly as I saw it—through my eyes and my palette.”

In addition to presenting Kohn’s latest works, the gallery is also releasing a wine from nearby Pondera Winery that features one of Kohn’s paintings on its label. The winery is a family-owned business known for its varietals and Bordeaux-style blends. —Bonnie Gangelhoff

contact information
800.544.4712
www.howardmandville.com

Featured in the November 2013 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
Southwest Art November 2013 print issue or digital download
Or subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss a story!