From March 5 to April 6, Troika Gallery in downtown Easton presents “A Passion for Portraits.” The exhibit showcases original portraits by Troika Gallery owners Dorothy F. Newland, Laura Era, and Jennifer Heyd Wharton. All three women have been professional artists for more than 20 years each. The show features their portraiture in oil, watercolor, and pastel. An Opening Reception and Artists Talk will take place during Easton’s First Friday Gallery Walk, March 5, from 5-9pm.
Newland, Era, and Wharton create commissioned portraits, including children, families, pets, and homes. Visit them at their gallery for a lively, fun experience with some of the region’s most talented artists and best art experts.
Dorothy Newland has been painting professionally for almost 30 years. She teaches drawing and painting and has conducted workshops. Newland attended the Pennsylvania Museum School of Industrial Art and the Maryland Institute College of Art. She has studied extensively with Leonard Bahr, Jack Foflygen, Cedric Egeli, and John Howard Sanden. She has attended intense workshops by Burton Silverman, Henry Henche, Raoul Middleman, and Daniel E. Greene. She is a member of the Maryland Society of Portrait Painters, Working Artists Forum, and is a past president of Chesapeake College Art Advisory Board. Newland says, “I love to paint people! It seems that each time I paint something else, I get itchy to get back to portraits.”
Laura Era was raised on the Eastern Shore near Cambridge, and has considered herself an artist since the cradle. Although basically self-taught, she has taken workshops from Daniel E. Greene, Burton Silverman, and Raoul Middleman. After painting part time while working on the water alongside her waterman husband, Era turned professional in 1988. She has painted hundreds of portraits on commission in pastel and oil. She also teaches classes and workshops.
Jennifer Heyd Wharton is a versatile, award winning artist who is flair with portraits. Using light, color, and texture, she enjoys bringing to life the unique spirit and personality of her subjects (both humans and animals). Wharton graduated with honors from Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, before beginning her career as a successful illustrator, package designer, and art director. After raising two children, she began her professional career as a fine art painter. Wharton is a member of the Maryland Society of Portrait Painters, Baltimore Watercolor Society, and the Academy of Arts in Maryland.
“A Passion for Portraits” will be exhibited from March 5 to April 6, 2010. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet the three artists and discuss their work in person at an Opening Reception during Easton’s First Friday Gallery Walk on Friday, March 5, from 5-9pm.
Specializing in fine, classically based original art, Troika Gallery is located at 9 S. Harrison Street in historic downtown Easton. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 10am to 5:30pm. This sophisticated gallery has an elegant ambiance, yet offers the charm and warmth of a friendly working studio found nowhere else on the Eastern Shore. The gallery features more than 30 artists throughout the year. The gallery owners often work on commissions in an open studio setting behind the main gallery. Artist portfolios and gallery information are available online at www.troikagallery.com. For more information, email at art@troikagallery.com or phone at 410.770.9190.