Ivan Aivazovsky is the most interesting phenomenon of 19th century art. He gained international fame at the age of 25, was elected a member to five European Academies and was awarded the medal of the French Legion of Honor. Delacroix referred to him in reverence and Turner called him a genius.

Aivazovsky's name is intricately bound with the sea. "Perhaps no one in Europe has painted the extraordinary beauty of the sea with so much feeling and expressiveness as Aivazovsky has", writes V. Adasov.

In his best seascapes (and in a legacy of about 6000, there are some works which condescend to his artistic ability and others which merit singular artistic attention) he has revealed his inner self through the spirit of the times, his ideals of humanism, and the love of freedom. The Artist lived by those ideals; the love that he had towards the oppressed, the help he offered and the work that he did for the public good make him an exceptional individual and a true son of his times.

I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.

~ Dr. Seuss

Images of the sea have long captivated our imagination and have been a popular source of inspiration for artists who have found a sympathetic audience with their work. Contemporarily, Sally Swatland’s images of young children playing on the beaches are tinged with a sense of nostalgia that reminds us of a bygone time, when a day at the beach offered respite from the busyness of daily life. Her sensitive images evoke the reminiscences of a period when life was uncomplicated and happiness was found in the simplest of activities. This is just one of the aspects of Sally’s work that audiences are drawn to - the sense that through her pictures one can retreat into the past. Her light-filled palette of rich colors also expresses the richness of a flowering garden and the breeze of a summer day. Her work has become highly sought after for these qualities which are inherent in her work.

"My favorite images are of children playing along the water's edge, mirrored by bright and colorful reflections".

~ Sally Swatland

"On the Coast" by Rehs Galleries, Inc, New York City

Antoine Blanchard was often introduced to collectors as the foremost artist of Parisian street scenes of his day. Like his predecessors, the French masters Galien-Laloue, Cortes, Loir and Utrillo, Blanchard has made an impact on contemporary art. He is considered one of the great impressionists of modern times.

Leonid Afremov is a Belarus born, Israeli modern painter who creates unique landscapes, cityscapes and figures using a palette knife rather than a brush to paint.

"I tried different techniques during my career, but I especially fell in love with painting with oil and pallette-knife. Every artwork is the result of long painting process; every canvas is born during the creative search; every painting is full of my inner world. Each of my paintings brings different mood, colors and emotions. I love to express the beauty, harmony and spirit of this world in my paintings. My heart is completely open to art. Thus, I enjoy creating inspired and beautiful paintings from the bottom of my soul. Each of my artworks reflects my feelings, sensitivity, passion, and the music from my soul. True art is alive and inspired by humanity. I believe that art helps us to be free from aggression and depression."

~ Leonid Afremov

The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself.

~ Alan Alda

For me painting is just like keeping a personal diary where I keep drawing and painting my emotions and imaginations with colors. I think by painting...I can make myself as well as others happy...

~ Reema

An interpretation of The Seven Sins this time by photography of glasses.

"My thoughts, dreams and fears in images."

~ Dave Nitsche