Arthur John Elsley | Genre painter

Arthur John Elsley (20 November 1860 - 19 February 1952) was an English painter* of the late Victorian and Edwardian periods, famous for his idyllic genre scenes* of playful children and their pets. He achieved great popularity during his life and much of his work appeared in calendars, magazines and books.

Elsley was born in London, one of six children of John Elsley, coachman and amateur artist, and Emily Freer. Elsley's father had exhibited at the British Institution Exhibition in 1845 but later in life contracted tuberculosis which forced him into early retirement.

Michel Delacroix, 1933 | Paris painting in Naïf Style

French painter* Michel Delacroix is an acclaimed master of the Naïf tradition and one of the most popular and successful artists in the world today.

Artist Michel Delacroix studied at the Lycee Louis-le-Grand.

Delacroix was educated at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and spent years experimenting with several different painting styles until, at the age of 35, he began producing works in the Naïf tradition, his characteristic style.

Michel Delacroix was born in 1933 on the Left Bank, in the 14th Arrondissement of Paris. He started painting at the early age of seven just as the German Occupation of Paris began. Paris as it was during the Occupation is the Paris that appears in his paintings even today; there was a virtual absence of automobiles and streetlights, the city was quiet and isolated.

Ora Tamir, 1980 | Fly with me

Born in Israel, Ora Tamir immigrated to California. Ora’s Oil Paintings are purely intuitive, surreal with a futuristic quality and haunting beauty.

The images are personal, touch the soul and have a distinct unique feel to them. Each of Ora’s original oil paintings are a long labor of love. The first step is an idea.

A wooden board is coated with gesso (a painter’s medium) and sanded until a very smooth undercoat results.

Frederick Morgan | Genre painter

Frederick Morgan (1847/1856-1927), was an English painter* of portraits, animals, domestic and country scenes. He became known for his idyllic genre scenes* of childhood.

Morgan was born in London. He was commonly known as Fred Morgan and was the son of John Morgan, a successful genre artist sometimes known as 'Jury Morgan' (after one of his paintings The Gentlemen of the Jury).

Ron Hicks, 1965 | Impressionist Figurative painter | Part 2

Ron Hicks* masterfully guides viewers into the emotional realm of art. His paintings draw viewers into the very personal worlds of stolen kisses, handwritten letters and mysterious bedroom scenes.

"I open a dialogue for a story, and it’s up to the viewer to interpret it", Hicks says.

Just as he employs muted tones - often grays - to render his paintings.

His more traditional style, with influences including 17th century Dutch masters*, blends representational art and impressionism*, yet the ideas and stories within his paintings convey a much more contemporary feel.

His loose brushwork and his allowance for models to find their own comfortable poses imbue a depth of humanity and a natural fluidity in his paintings. As he continues to depict slices of life nationwide, he strives to keep his work "as fresh and new as possible", he says. "My hope is that whoever views my work will have their own intimate encounter with it".

For biographical notes -in english and italian- and other works by Ron Hicks see:

• Ron Hicks, 1965 | Impressionist Figurative painter* ⟿
• Ron Hicks, 1965 | Romantic Soul* ⟿