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 Segil Fine Art
Gallery: 110 West Lime Ave Old Town Monrovia CA 91016 Phone: 626-358-5563 Hours: Tu-Sat 1-6pm Online: SegilFineArt.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal Note
Save The Date! I'm extremely pleased to announce our first show for 2008, "Urban LA & the Allure of Southern California," featuring a retrospective of the late Ben Abril and the artwork of Segil Fine Art Gallery Artists. Dorothy Abril has graciously allocated 10 large and important historical paintings of Los Angeles and the surrounding area for us to exhibit that were completed in the 1960's. These, shown with our gallery artist's work, aims to highlight the historical importance of Los Angeles, combined with a contemporary look at life in Southern California from the city to the country and our coastlines in between. The show will open Saturday, February 23rd with an artist's reception from 5-7pm. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Laura Segil Segil Fine Art Gallery | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In this Issue
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 This month I would like to introduce you to the work of Ben Abril.BEN ABRIL
For Ben Abril, an energetic and prolific artist, landscape painting had been more than "just" his chosen career - it was his passion. Born in Los Angeles in 1923, the son of a carpenter and during the depression years, his father would make toys out of scraps of would brought home. His mother, who studied landscape painting in her spare time, lovingly nurtured Ben's budding talent. Each Sunday was an eagerly anticipated day for mother and son, as she would sit patiently by his side while he copied cartoon characters from the comics. After graduating from Glendale High School in 1941, Ben had to put aside college plans to fight in the Second World War. It was in Europe where he saw the first paintings of Constable and Gainsborough, England's most famous landscape artists. "This was a pivotal time in my life, for my eyes were opened to the beauty of landscape painting," stated Abril.
Ben Abril returned to California to continue his artistic studies, honing his craft as a watercolorist (and later in oils) as well as developing his on-the-site Alla Prima technique of completing a painting in one working session. Abril's long-striding, paint-spattered figure became a familiar one as he commandeered a sidewalk position to paint the ever-changing vignettes of Los Angeles' old China Town, railroad yards and surrounding areas.
Ben Abril's paintings reflect a certain oneness that he had with nature. For the viewer, the eloquence of this communication is not only seen but felt through his expert use of vibrant pigments and texture.
Using bold strokes of primary colors with brush and palette knife, he captured the heart and soul of his subjects with a poetic sensitivity which transcends the canvas.
California was Abril's territory and a source of boundless inspiration. With easel and paintbrush tucked under his arm, no road was too busy or lonely for him to explore.
His brush recorded nostalgic Los Angeles scenes such as Angels Flight and Bunker Hill with its once grand mansions and bungalows. Meandering country lanes led him across streams and oak-studded hills to abandoned silver mines, weather-beaten barns, and the gold camps of the Forty-Niners.
Ascribing to no style but his own, he made an incredible mark on the art world with numerous one-man gallery shows, art awards, museum exhibits, and paintings that hang in private and public collections all over the world, including a United States President. Abril was honored with the election to the American Watercolor Society in New York and the National Watercolor Society in Los Angeles. The late Alexander Cowie, an art critic and collector, made this comment, "In his paintings, Ben Abril grasps the moment of vision. His art is a series of fresh looks at landscapes painted while the elation still inspired him." In his search for that perfect scene just over the hill, Ben Abril has the length and breadth of California painting her famous, as well as forgotten, historical landmarks.
His quest for beauty had taken him from sleepy seaside hamlets to the wildflower -strewn meadows of inland valleys, and up to the towering snow-capped mountains of the high Sierras.
Jane Napier Neely | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Collecting Segil Fine Art Artists We are going into 2008 with fantastic new artwork by our gallery artists and here are a few. Click on the thumbnails of their paintings to go directly to theirTaking a Closer Look at the Gallery Artists webpage on segilfineart.com.
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News
F. Scott Garland 
FALKNER WINERY
Segil Fine Art is proud to announce a new venue! We are displaying paintings at Falkner Winery in Temecula, California. The winery is located at 40620 Contento, Temecula, CA - (951) 676-8231 www.falknerwinery.com. The gallery itself can be found in the same building, and just around the corner from the tasting room. For a map and directions, click here.
PLEIN AIR PAINTING CLASSES AVAILABLE
Taught by Mary Archibald Wednesdays from 9am to 1pm through May 28, 2008 For more information contact Mary Archibald at 213-604-7301 or 626-241-7586 or rarchibald@altrionet.com.  SAVE THE DATESSegil Fine Art Presents:
2008 Spring Exhibit Calendar "Urban LA & the Allure of Southern California"
Ben Abril; A Retrospective
Segil Fine Art Gallery Artists February 23-March 22 with an Artist's Reception, Saturday, February 23, 5-7pm "Solo Exhibit"
Trish Kertes
April 5-April 26 with an Artist's Reception, Saturday, April 5, 5-7pm "Visions of California" Linda Brown May 3-May 31 with an Artist's Reception, Saturday, May 3, 5-7pm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
