About the Artists
Scott Balfe
"Many of my paintings are done on or near the same locations studied by the Early American Painters. I try to use the same techniques that these Hudson River School Artists used. An under painting is a strong foundation for helping to unify and achieve luminosity."
Scott Balfe began painting early as a child and is primarily self taught. He started his professional career as a wildlife artist and has had work shown with the world’s leading wildlife artists. Exhibits include / Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum ( Birds in Art), and the Southeastern Wildlife exposition Charleston, SC. In recent years, Scott has been inspired to paint the Hudson Valley Landscape as well. Gallery representation includes the Gallery at Four India St. Nantucket, MA, Mark Gruber Gallery in New Paltz, NY and Arlington Fine Arts in Arlington, NY. balfepainter@aol.com
Jane Bloodgood-Abrams
“There is a never ending source of inspiration in the landscape, light and atmosphere of the Hudson River Valley. Reverence for nature, and finding a connection to Spirit there, are things I share with the artists who have painted this region before me.”
Jane Bloodgood-Abrams received a Masters of Fine Arts in Painting from SUNY New Paltz, and is listed in "Who's Who in American Art." In 2002 Bloodgood-Abrams was inducted into the National Association of Women Artists. She has received grants from the Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation and the New York Foundation for the Arts. Her work is represented by galleries across the country, and has been chosen for numerous exhibitions including venues in Austria, Italy and Germany, New York, Santa Fe and Los Angeles. www.JaneBloodgoodAbrams.com
Kevin Cook
“I believe landscape painting to be a vital and integral expression in the contemporary art scene. It is inspired by the past, yet defined by present environmental realities. Although my subjects are largely familiar local scenes, they serve merely as a framework or vehicle for expressing the spiritual truths I seek. I am inspired by nineteenth century views on romanticism and communion with nature, and by the work of John Constable, Frederic Church, and Martin Johnson Heade.”
Kevin Cook received a B.S. in Art Education from SUNY New Paltz. His work is exhibited extensively throughout the Hudson Valley. In 2006 he received a Fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts. He is participating in the Artists In Embassies Program at the American Consulate in Hong Kong and his painting, “The Valley Of Light”, was chosen by the New York Pops to grace the cover of their CD “American River Suite: Celebrating the 400th Anniversary of Henry Hudson.” www.KevinCook.com
James Cramer
“I was influenced and inspired by paintings I saw at the Albany Institute of History and Art when I was in grade school. The Hudson River School is important to me, though I have been drawn to the freedom to explore the world of landscape painting en-plein-air for many years now, as were the Impressionists. The Hudson River Valley is where I was born. I've lived here all my life and it's the perfect place for me as an outdoor landscape painter. This Greene County, birthplace of the Hudson River School, is my home.”
James Cramer has exhibited in group and one person exhibits at the Mark Gruber Gallery, New Paltz, NY, The Albert Shahinian Gallery, Poughkeepsie, NY, Sherry French Gallery in NYC, and many other venues. His paintings are in many private and public collections. Artbird@mhonline.com.
Roberta Griffin
“I became interested in the Symbolist movement-the idea that natural things could represent multiple philosophical meanings. From then on I was intrigued with finding a way to express this duality-the realism of the image and the expression of what I felt stretching beyond. I began to see landscape painting not merely as a static view of a site but also as a record of how that view had been interpreted over the years. The modern world has irretrievably changed many of the landscapes that inspired the Hudson River School. I feel that my art attempts to explore and question the original assumptions of this movement, the first truly native American school of painting.”
Roberta Griffin studied painting with Frank J. Reilly and has a BA from SUNY Oswego. Recent exhibitions include solo shows at Gallery 384 in Catskill, NY and group exhibits at the Woodstock Art Association, Woodstock, NY, The Bard Curatorial Center, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, The Bannerman Island Gallery, Beacon, NY and the Affordable Art Fair, NYC. www.robertagriffin.com
Keith Gunderson
“For a long time the Hudson river has been for me a continuous presence, either within sight or just a short distance away. Whether from my time in Manhattan, a Jersey City Waterfront studio or Hudson Valley home, the river seems to pull one into its gravitational field and keeps you there. The image of the river extends into the subject matter of my own work and no doubt has inspired me as well as other artists before me.”
Keith Gunderson has studied with George Sotos, Frank Mason, David Leffel, Harvey Dinnerstein, and Nelson Shanks. Known primarily for his Landscapes and Still Life paintings, his body of work also includes Portraits and Interiors. His work is shown extensively throughout the Hudson Valley, Connecticut and Florida. He also conducts classes, workshops and painting demonstrations throughout the Northeast. www.classicrealism.com
Thomas Locker
“The work of the Hudson River School has had an important influence on my work. If I could paint a landscape that in addition to singing praise to the glory of creation but also expressed my intense feeling about nature’s fragility, then my painting might be useful to the growing movement to find a new and sustainable relationship of man and nature.”
Thomas Locker received a BA from University of Chicago and MA from American University. He has produced over 30 illustrated books, winning many awards. Thomas Locker has had over 65 solo exhibitions at galleries and museums throughout the U.S. and England, and enjoys teaching the techniques of the Hudson River School painters. canclay@fastmail.fm
Robert Schneider
“The Hudson River School has been a major influence on my work. It was very dificult to find anyone who was teaching this academic style when I was first studying art. Thankfully, appreciation for this first movement of American art has flourished in recent years.”
Robert Schneider has studied with Frank Mason and Richard Goetz. Together with his wife, painter Susan Goetz, Schneider founded the Hudson Valley School of Art in 1987, and more recently, the Cooperstown School of Art. In 1996 Schneider was a recipient of the Hudson River Keeper Award presented to him by the United States Congress. His work is included in many private, public and corporate collections and is exhibited throughout the country. www.robertschneiderfineart.com