Emilio Payés, 1935 | Paris painting

Spanish painter Emilio Payés was born February 28, 1935 in Alcoy, Alicante, Spain. He began to paint at the age of fourteen. Upon turning eighteen, he began his formal training in art. Due to his talent of drawing, he was inspired and encouraged to begin training at this early age. During his education and training, he studied under the Spanish professor, Mr. Edmundo Jorda.

Rembrandt | The Jewish Bride / La sposa ebrea, 1667

Portrait of a Couple as Isaac and Rebecca, known as "The Jewish Bride", Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn, c.1665-1669.

Two contemporaries had themselves portrayed by Rembrandt in historicizing costumes as characters from the Bible. The couple"s tender embrace is at the centre of this poignant painting: the man"s loving gesture is returned with a gentle caress.

The figures and their poses agree with the study, only the figure of King Abimelech spying on them is missing. We, the viewers, assume his role as witnesses of their clandestine love. | © Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

Richard Oversmith, 1971 | Plein Air painter

American painter Richard Oversmith received formal training in Fine Art and Illustration at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan. While at Kendall he was invited to study at the Royal College of Art in London, England. There he gained experience in plein air painting and found direction in his work as an oil painter. He graduated from Kendall College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1995 and moved back to his home state of North Carolina to pursue his dream of becoming a professional artist.

Art of El Greco

El Greco (1541-1614) painted many of his paintings on fine canvas and employed a viscous oil medium.

He painted with the usual pigments of his period such as azurite, lead-tin-yellow, vermilion, madder lake, ochres and red lead, but he seldom used the expensive natural ultramarine.

Scholars' conclusions about El Greco's aesthetics are mainly based on the notes El Greco inscribed in the margins of two books in his library.

El Greco discarded classicist criteria such as measure and proportion.

He believed that grace is the supreme quest of art. But the painter achieves grace only if he manages to solve the most complex problems with obvious ease.

Brent Cotton, 1972 | Tonalist/Luminist painter

Raised on his family's cattle ranch in Idaho, Brent's first lessons in art were taught by his grandmother, a talented watercolorist. He grew up sketching the cowboys and horses he observed every day. His family moved to Lindsborg, Kansas when he was in the 5th grade. In this little town steeped in it's Swedish heritage and love of the arts, Brent's creativity flourished. In high school an influential instructor encouraged him to pursue a career in art. Upon graduation, he spent several seasons as a hunting and fishing guide in the vast wilderness of Idaho and Alaska, experiences that led to many painting ideas. He focused on wildlife art and taught himself woodcarving as a way to express himself. His specialty became gamefish and songbirds.