Lee Alban

{"Id":7583,"Name":"Lee Alban","Biography":"\u003Cp\u003ELee\u0026rsquo;s interest in classical painting was evident early in his life but culminated with the completion of five years of study at the acclaimed Schuler School of Fine Arts, a traditional atelier located in Baltimore, Maryland, established a half century ago. The curriculum concentrated on drawing from casts and life, still life painting, portraiture, sculpture, and painting and drawing the figure with continuous academic lectures in human anatomy. By stretching canvases, applying glue sizing and lead primer, producing traditional gessoed panels, grinding pigments with black oil, and producing Maroger medium, Lee has continued a legacy that began in the 16th century.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to the techniques of producing and applying paint, his mastery of drawing, value, temperature, and color have enabled Lee to gain national recognition. He won the Excellence in Still Life Award at the 2010 National OPA Exhibition in Scottsdale, Arizona. His still life paintings have also been awarded the Editor\u0026rsquo;s Choice Award from \u003Cem\u003EAmerican Art Collector\u003C/em\u003E magazine and the Pioneer in Realism Award from the International Guild Of Realism. His florals, landscapes, portraits, and figures have earned him over a dozen awards from\u003Cem\u003E Artist\u0026rsquo;s Magazine\u003C/em\u003E and five from \u003Cem\u003EInternational Artist Magazine\u003C/em\u003E. His work has also garnered awards from Southwest Art, the Art Renewal Center, the American China Oil Painting Artist League, and major exhibitions nationally.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHis career is characterized by an interest and ability to realistically represent a variety of subject matter and is marked by an evolution of styles from Old Master chiaroscuro to contemporary trompe l\u0026rsquo;oeil, landscape, and portraiture. A review of his work has prompted the artist to remark that, \u0026ldquo;I did not know where I was going until I arrived, and I don\u0026rsquo;t know how long I am going to stay here before moving on.\u0026rdquo;\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERetrospectively, it is easy to see in his paintings that Lee has gravitated toward thematic studies, endeavoring to tell stories that were rooted in nostalgic traditions. His still life series featuring antique toys combined with vintage posters exhibited a sense of humor and attracted widespread recognition\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen he was asked to develop a series depicting the history of oil exploration in America he was inspired to research the topic, tracking down and collecting numerous publications and vintage photographs. The result was an unprecedented production of over 30 paintings, recreating a visual experience of an industry that changed the world.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs Lee explored other subject matter he was inspired to paint diners from the 1950\u0026rsquo;s and steam trains. This led to an opportunity to photograph female models in railroad yards and workshops and to develop a new theme, which he titled, \u0026ldquo;Silk And Steel.\u0026rdquo;\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EModels were attired in \u0026ldquo;Rosie The Riveter\u0026rdquo; style clothing from the 1940\u0026rsquo;s and became the subjects of figure and portrait paintings that celebrated the accomplishments of women in the industrial work force.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs national exposure increased, Lee received an important invitation to participate in the exhibition, \u0026ldquo;Traveling The West.\u0026rdquo; He had accumulated many western landscape references from his travels, but as he became immersed in this project he realized that living on the east coast made it difficult to find models, authentic western clothing and props to include in his compositions. He began searching the Library Of Congress online catalog for solutions when it occurred to him that it might be unique to paint a traditional landscape and just add the figures by painting a trompe l\u0026rsquo;oeil \u0026ldquo;vintage photograph\u0026rdquo; on the surface, as if someone had attached a real photograph to a painting.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAfter completing the first composition, Lee recognized that this was another thematic opportunity. This series was titled, \u0026ldquo;Spirits Of The American West.\u0026rdquo; Painting contemporary landscapes and adding trompe l\u0026rsquo;oeil paintings of Native Americans photographed a hundred years ago, he \u0026ldquo;returned\u0026rdquo; them to their ancestral homes. As a further tribute, each painting was given a title that consisted of an appropriate Native American saying.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELee is currently adding to both the \u0026ldquo;Silk And Steel\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;Spirits Of The American West\u0026rdquo; series, but has also begun traveling and meeting with the Navajo in the Monument Valley area of Utah and Arizona and painting their portraits.\u003C/p\u003E","Awards":"\u003Cp\u003E2016 Southwest Art Magazine, Artistic Excellence, Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2016 International Artist Magazine, Rivers, Streams, and Lakes Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2016 Art Renewal Center, ARC Salon Competition, Landscape Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2016 Art Renewal Center, ARC Salon Competition, Portrait Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2016 Artists Magazine Annual Competition, Interiors Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2016 NOAPS On-Line Spring Exhibition, Award of Excellence\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2015 Artists Magazine All Media Art Competition, Honorable Mention\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2015 Southwest Artists, Art of the Heartland, Second Place\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2015 Artists Magazine Annual Competition, Still Life Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2015 Artists Magazine Annual Competition, Landscape Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2015 NOAPS Signature/Masters Exhibition, First Place\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2015 Art Renewal Center, ARC Salon Competition, Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2014 Allied Artists of America On0line Competition, Elected Member Award\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2014 Allied Artists of America, 100th Anniversary Exhibition, Best Seascape Award\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2014 Artists Magazine Annual Competition, Landscape, Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2014 Artists Magazine Annual Competition, Interior, Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2014 Art Renewal Center, ARC Salon Competition, Still Life Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2013 American Society of Traditional Artists Annual Exhibition, Best Landscape\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2013 NOAPS On-Line Exhibition, Award of Merit\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2013 NOAPS Best Of America Exhibition, Award of Merit\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2013 Artists Magazine Annual Competition, Interior, Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2013 Art Renewal Center, ARC Salon Competition, Landscape Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2013 NOAPS Online Exhibition, Most Innovative Painting Award\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2013 International Artist Magazine, Landscape Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2012 Artist\u0026rsquo;s Magazine, Over 60 Competition, First Place\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2012 Artists Magazine Annual Competition, Still Life, Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2012 Art Renewal Center, ARC Salon Competition, Landscape, Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2011 Flora and Fauna Exhibition, Schuler School of Fine Arts, Second Place\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2011 America China Oil Painting Artists League, Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2011 Salon International, Greenhouse Gallery, Top 50\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2011 Blossom II, Art of the Flower, Finalist\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2010 Artists Magazine Annual Competition, Finalist, Animals\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2010 Artists Magazine Annual Competition, Finalist, Portraits and Figures\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2010 Artists Magazine Annual Competition, Finalist, Landscape\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E2010 Oil Painters of America 19th National Exhibition, First Place Excellence In Still Life\u003C/p\u003E","HasAlbums":false,"HasPortraits":false,"HasRelationships":false,"HasArticles":false,"HasDepictedPlaces":false,"HasLetters":false,"HasLibraryItems":false,"HasProducts":false,"HasSignatures":false,"HasVideos":false,"HasMapLocations":false,"TotalArtworks":29}