The Cove Gallery Laguna is pleased to announce the arrival of two new Artists to the Gallery;
Teri Starkweather and Yuri Kuznetsov
Teri Starkweather was born in California and raised in a suburb of Los Angeles. She discovered her passion for art in high school while taking an oil painting class that concentrated on direct painting from life.
She went on to study at the Art Center College of Design and the Atlanta College of Art, where she got her BFA. Several years later she studied art education at Cal State University, Northridge, and received a teaching credential for art.
After teaching drawing and painting for several years, Teri decided to concentrate on painting and began studying oil painting at the California Art Institute. Later she studied painting the figure from life with renowned artist Jeremy Lipking in his studio.
Teri has received many awards for her artwork and has been in many group shows. She has shown at Greenhouse Gallery in San Antonio,Texas as well as Luminarte Gallery in Dallas. She likes to paint in both watercolor and oils. Painting ocean landscapes in oils is one of her favorites and often goes to paint plein air at the local beaches close to Laguna Niguel, where she lives with her husband. Teri is a member of Laguna Plein Air Painters and has been in their group shows at Forest and Ocean gallery. This summer Teri exhibited her watercolors at the Laguna Festival of Art. She looks forward to showing at Cove gallery throughout the coming year and is excited about this new opportunity. Her website is Teristarkweather.com.
Yuri Kuznetsov
Yuri Kuznetsov is a Russian born artist currently living in Southern California.
To look upon a painting by Yuri is to transcend the time, distance, and faith that separate us. When face to face with one of his works, the possible oneness of the world is painted clearly for you across his canvas in vibrant reds, yellows, blues and greens. And, for one brief moment, all the chaos that is our modern way of life slips away and you are smiling.
Yuri Kuznetsov was born in Almet’evsk, Russia and as a child would visit his mother where she worked as a college professor of the arts. The cans of multicolored paints available to his mother’s students fueled Yuri’s imagination. Like many Russian artists, Yuri’s natural talents were apparent from an early age and those talents were nurtured. Being drawn to clean lines and precision, Yuri dreamed of becoming an architect. However, in his last year of high school, the artist within him took control of his destiny and he took the path of a painter. At the highly acclaimed and renowned Mukhina Art Academy in St. Petersburg, Yuri and fellow students were encouraged to develop an individual style to make their mark in contemporary art and in 1986 Yuri graduated.
In 1998 Yuri came to United States for the first time under the auspices of the “People to People International Art Ambassador Program.” It was People to People’s aspiration to bring individuals together from across thousands of miles in the name of a common passion. As a winner of the competitions Yuri was invited to USA to Northridge College in California to participate in the event. Yuri participated in more than thirty exhibitions in Sochi, Krasnodar, Moscow, Ludwigshaffen, Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Aspen, Telluride, Santa Fe. His works are in private collections throughout the world, including Sweden, Great Britain, Holland, Germany, Japan, France, Australia, Finland and more.
With colors and patterns appealing to our inner child, his work feeds our basic human desire for happiness. Quoting the artist, “ Of all the evils of the world, I choose none, I prefer not to show dark sides”. Instead, the world Yuri depicts on his canvases evokes a sense of paradise on earth, referencing the world of Henry Rousseau. Yuri’s world is beautiful, positive and kind. While Rousseau’s archaic style and grave icons were meant to model the tradition of classical painting, Yuri’s idyllic fantasy exists in a more graphic, simplified reality. Natural enemies of the food chain lie side by side or hold hands. For Yuri, these figures, these characters are touching and sympathetic, and most importantly they are amusing. The edges of their forms are painted in clean lines and their bodies fit together simply like a child’s puzzle.
His Technique: He loves to mix different styles, techniques and textures. He desires his work to look decorative with a touch of humor. Yuri continuously makes small ink sketches and then selects which will be his next subject. He then primes a canvas and redraws the image in pencil on canvas. He makes a layer of modeling paste in some spots, next he paints the figures with acrylic, and later continues the process with oil paints. Applying acrylic under the oil paints gives the surface additional texture and enhances that enigmatic look he likes to achieve.
When asked what mark he hoped to leave in this world Yuri answered plainly, “I haven’t given it any thought.” Yuri wishes to touch individual lives with his work and does not need to leave a message to the masses. Whether it be a long time collector who leaves his work for future generations, or it be passerby who is caught off guard by his light-hearted characters; Yuri wants to bring laughter and happiness to all those that look upon his work. That being the mission of the artist Yuri Kuznetsov, he can safely say he has achieved all that he wishes, for he is scattering joy across the miles and time that is this world, one painting at a time.
Come and meet Teri and Yuri in person at the October Laguna First Thursday Art Walk Reception on Thursday, October 1, 2015 from 6 – 9 pm in the Cove Gallery.
Submitted By: Garry Abel
About the Cove Gallery
The Cove Gallery is an artist-owned Gallery featuring 14 accomplished artists specializing in a contrast of styles of beautiful original art in all mediums; oils, acrylics, ceramic and mixed media. They are presented in an ever changing exhibition with the artists there for you to meet and enjoy.
We are steps away from the Surf & Sand Resort in the ART CENTER at 1492 South Coast Highway. Look for the gold Art Center sign and come in to the charming Laguna Style courtyard and relax while you visit great original art and approachable artists who want to help you find your perfect new artwork.
Cove Gallery
1492 South Coast Hwy, #8
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Phone: (949) 494-1878
Email: covegallery@verizon.net
Gallery Hours:
Wednesday through Monday:
Spring/Fall/Winter: 11am to 5pm Summer Hours: 11am to 6pm
