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Nature Captured Through Light and Color
Pittsford Fine Art
4 N Main St.
Mar 1, 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Canandaigua artist Mark Stash loves light – and color. Landscapes featuring the Finger Lakes Region and the Adirondacks are the staple of what he paints. Lately he has been focusing even more on capturing the vistas that the Finger Lakes provide to the viewer. “Nature is my inspiration,” enthused Stash. “I grew up in the countryside of Pennsylvania and spent a lot of time enjoying the outdoors. That interest has followed me throughout my life, and I want to convey my feelings of calm and peace generated by nature through canvas and paint. I love light and how it interacts with the environment. It can change an everyday scene into a spectacular one. Bright colors and bold brush strokes have become a huge part of how I express myself through my art.”
Canandaigua and Keuka Lakes are his favorite subjects. The mountains at the south end of the lakes make for dramatic compositions. Early morning and late afternoon light provide the atmosphere that appeals to him the most.
Stash uses acrylic paints the majority of the time and plans on working in the oil paint medium as well. He also dabbles in watercolors and sketches a bit with graphite pencils. “Sketching is a useful tool for an artist. It’s like exercising the body, except you’re working the creative side of your brain,” said Stash.
During Stash’s formative years as a teenager, he took art lessons from Sue Hand, a prolific artist in Dallas, PA, who became a mentor to him. He also attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and majored in Commercial Art and Illustration. That led to a career as a graphic designer and editor in the world of magazine publishing. Stash is influenced by artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and contemporary artist Erin Hanson. He has also been influenced by art movements such as fauvism and impressionism.
“I am quite proud of becoming a member at Pittsford Fine Art and having my work available at Artizanns in Naples, NY,” stated Stash. “Various commissioned pieces are also on display around the Finger Lakes Region. It’s fulfilling when a client appreciates my work and it brings them joy to have one of my pieces in their home or business.”
Visit StashArtWorks.com to view more of his work.
Mark Stash will be at the gallery 5-8pm March 1st to greet you and show you his artwork.
Image: “Steuben View of Keuka Lake,” 24×36, acrylic on stretched canvas