M Gallery will proudly exhibit the works of three exceptional oil painters, each the winner of multiple awards including acceptance into the prestigious Oil Painters of America National and Regional Exhibitions. The paintings of Hodges Soileau, Bill Farnsworth and Dominic Avant will grace the walls during the month of May with a reception for the artists during the First Friday Gallery Walk held May 4th from 6:00 - 9:00pm.
More about the Artists
Hodges Soileau
Hodges Soileau is a native of southwest Louisiana. The “Cajun" accent is all but gone from living in different parts of the country for so many years, but his cultural ties are still strong. Hodges left Louisiana after graduation from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in pursuit of his art. That journey took him first to Texas and then to Connecticut.
He had a successful illustration career which lasted twenty five years. During that time he worked for most of the major publishing houses in New York and his art graced the covers of more than three hundred book covers. Hodges was a twenty three year member of the prestigious Society of Illustrators in New York. During this time, he received many citations of merit for work exhibited in annual shows and was selected to do the painting for the twenty ninth call for entries and chaired the thirty fifth annual exhibition.
After twenty five years of executing the ideas and concepts of others, he now paints subjects that are of interest to him. Hodges has had five one man shows, and has participated in numerous group shows. First place in the T.S.A.A. exhibition in Tarpon Springs 1997, the Artist Magazine 2001 Art Competition finalist, the Artists Magazine 2002 Art Competition finalist. 2004 Face and Figure exhibition, best in show, Venice Art Center, Venice, Florida. 2004 Spring Exhibition, best in show, Venice Art Center. Most recently he received an award of excellence in the 2004 Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Exhibition.
His work hangs in private collections as well as the United States Air Force and U.S. Coast Guard permanent collections. The permanent collection of Golf Digest Magazine includes several of his paintings.
Hodges does most of his work in a studio, but he likes to get outdoors as often as possible with a few friends to paint field sketches. He finds Plein Air painting personally beneficial to his growth as an artist. At the very least, it is loads of fun and very challenging whether it be Florida or Maine, where he spends a month each summer.
Hodges and his wife, Marilyn, presently reside in Venice, Florida.
Bill Farnsworth
As a 1980 graduate of The Ringling School of Art and Design, I have spent the last twenty-three years creating paintings for magazines, advertisements, Children\'s Books, and Fine art commissions of portraits and landscapes. Several times a year I make school visits to talk with students about how an illustrator works.
The subject matter of my work ranges from a canoe trip on the Mississippi to Native American History. I spend a great deal of time collecting reference through my local library, the internet, my own extensive collection of books and photos, and sometimes traveling to the location of the story.
Back in the studio, following a process of preliminary sketches and color studies I work out all the problems before painting the finished piece. This discipline was developed from years of working as an Illustrator.
Using light, color and texture, I try to bring the viewer into the painting, so they too can feel the moment in time.
My goal is to tell the story "Without Words".
Dominic Avant
Dominic Avant received a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Rhode Island School of Design in 1991. After leaving school he worked as a free-lance illustrator and teacher. In 1996 he was recruited by Walt Disney Feature Animation where he worked on feature films such as Mulan, Tarzan, Emperor’s New Groove, Lilo & Stitch, Brother Bear and numerous shorts. It was this creative community that he pays credit to for jump starting his career as a painter. While having a deep interest in the visual development aspect of film production and being introduced to Plein air painting, Dominic found the need to better himself as an artist. His tenacious approach towards painting quickly grew into gallery exposure. Since 2003 and the closing of Disney\'s Orlando studio, he has shown nationally with Oil Painters of America, Arts for the Parks, and numerous galleries around the country. He will also be featured in the Artist Magazine in June 2007.
Dominic is presently teaching traditional animation and concept art at Ringling School of Art and Design.
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