Fabrice Backes, 1968 | Surrealist painter / iIlustrator

Fabrice Backes is a French artist** born in 1968 and lives in the Ardennes region.
Painter-independent illustrator registered at the Maison des Artistes since June 2005.
"The stories of my characters are intimate, secret, mysterious ... Even I do not know much, but I know their mindset. It's mine", says Fabrice.

Paul David Bond, 1964 | Magic realism painter

Paul Bond's award-winning oil paintings live in the spaces between dreaming and reality.

Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, he draws from the Latin American genre of Magic Realism where symbolic and fantastic elements blend with realistic atmospheres, unveiling a world where anything is possible.

He often refers to then as "fairy tales for adults".

By merging and altering familiar objects - mixed with equal parts whimsy, wonder and mysticism - Bond’s works delight the imagination and stir the soul.

Doris Joa | Watercolor painter

My name is Doris Joa and I am a watercolor and oil artist from Germany.

I started painting in 2002 and what began at first as a hobby turned into one of the greatest passions in my life. In Summer 2003 I decided to become a professional artist.

My mediums are watercolor and oil.

My two favorite subjects are Roses and Figurative work. I paint roses and also other flowers in oil and watercolor.

Catrin Welz-Stein, 1972 | Pop-Surrealist painter

Catrin Welz-Stein graduated from Graphic Design in Darmstadt, Germany and then worked for different advertising agencies in Germany, USA and Switzerland.

In 2009 Catrin started to create digital images by collaging old illustrations and photographs.

At the same time she discovered online social networks and her private images were then open to the public.

The positive responses Catrin got there were her motivation to go on with her art until now.

Derek Gores, 1971

Derek has gained national attention for his collage portrait series, recycling magazines, labels, and found materials to create the works on canvas. The series showcases Gores' contrasting interests in the natural beauty of the figure, the angular design aesthetics of fashion (and machinery), and a fearless sense of play. A successful commercial designer and illustrator for 15 years, clients include ESPN, Lenny Kravitz, Lucasfilm, Kings of Leon, U2, NASCAR, Adidas, Madonna, Harley Davidson, 321 Agency, Van Halen, the National Football League, LiveNation, SEIU, Love Haight Apparel, and JCPenney. Derek lives and works in Melbourne, Florida, surrounded by the intellect and culture of the Space Coast.

Bob Barker, 1954

Bob Barker is a UK based artist, born and bred in Yorkshire. It’s taken Bob Barker twenty years for his long time love of painting to evolve from a hobby to the point where interest in his work has taken on worldwide awareness. As a gift one Christmas he received an oil painting set. Bob Barker was immediately struck by what he could create with basic tools and he has been painting ever since, “I eat, breathe and sleep painting”, he says “I love every minute of it”. Bob Barker was born and brought up within the textile industry of Yorkshire; he reflects, “the subjects I paint, most people would just see soot-blackened stone and polluted skies - I see colour”.

Michael Maczuga, 1957

Michael Maczuga considers himself a native Arizonan. Although born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1957, he and his family moved here in 1964. Michael paints daily wherever and whenever time allows. He became a member of the Oil Painters of America in 2004. He is also the founding director of the one and only major plein aire painters show in Scottsdale, “The Wild Wild West Show,” an invitational and juried show. The plein aire show is extremely important to Michael because it allowed him to incorporate a mentorship initiative for local high school art students.

Rita Kirkman | Pastel painter

Rita Kirkman was born an artist. She has been using pastel since she was 11 years old and had her first paid portrait commission at 17. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1988. Meanwhile, in 1986 she began a 12 year career sketching quick portraits at amusement parks.