Welcome to Sanctuary


Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world. - Joel A. Barker


Art should make us feel like we are inside a Sanctuary. Art should make us think, feel, and dream of the world as we would like it to be. Collecting art should create a space inside us where we play with light, possibilities, ideas, and mystery, a world in between worlds for us to rest, think, and breathe in. A peaceful reminder that we should never lose our wonder or our curiosity, even when finding a compass can be tricky. - Avianne

Overview

My studio is my sanctuary. More than a physical space of creating and experimenting, my artistic practice is an eternal incubator of what unfolds as a result of the worlds and stories that unfold inside, around, and beyond me. I coined my own style as “Etherealism”, a style I wrote a manifesto for in 2015, to describe my approach of embodying a vast array of subjects within dynamic portrayals of light and darkness. I utilize high contrast, dappled light, glistening color, rich metallics, and even holographic reflective media to enhance my creations with a presence that transcends the limitations of paper, canvas, or board.


Gallery Representation

Avianne's artwork has enjoyed extensive representation since 1999 in South Africa and the USA. This is a selected list of art galleries Avianne has exhibited her art with - both past and present.


  • INTERNATIONAL - USA, SOUTH AFRICA

International Gallery of Fine Art; Laetitia Viljoen Interiors; Michelangelo Towers

  • USA - IDAHO

Water's Edge Gallery; Carr Gallery; Jean B. King Gallery at the Herrett Museum of Arts and Science; Initial Point Gallery; Candy Jar Gallery; Art Source Gallery

  • USA - CALIFORNIA

Harrington Gallery; Bankhead Theater Gallery; Studio Seven; Livermore Carnegie Gallery; History Museum of Pleasanton; Alviso Adobe Gallery; City Hall Gallery; US Bank; Bothwell Arts Center; Livermore Art Walk; SWAN; Pleasanton Art League; Livermore Art Association; Pacific Art League; Art Bias

  • SOUTH AFRICA

Pretoria Art Museum; University of Pretoria; Pretoria Art Association; SASOL New Signatures; City of Tshwane; UNISA; Pretoria Deco Juried EXPO

Conservation and Humanitarian Rescue Efforts – A Personal Passion

I believe in the capacity of artists as conduits, bringing full restoration to our the world through advocacy, partnerships, and education. My artistry supports Humanitarian Rescue Efforts and Wildlife Conservation globally  via donations to well-vetted organizations like Operation Underground Railroad, Sea Shepherd, Noah's Arks Animal Rescue, and the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center.  - Avianne

DRAWINGS

Drawing is the life-blood of my art practice. My collectors know they get authentically skilled, quality drawings, created with only the best in archival drawing media when they purchase my art. I work in many drawing media, including mostly charcoal, graphite, and colored pencil. I enjoy drawing animals, people, nature, and still-lives most of all. So far watercolor paper is my favorite  surface to draw on.


An artist who can draw well, can do almost anything well in art, my drawing teacher at university used to say. She was right. I credit my ability to draw from real life subjects, references, and imagination for my ability to notice and render form, light, proportions, and value with precision in my paintings. In a day and age where many "artists" trace images and think they are drawing, or even worse, pretend they can draw by making AI or digital platforms do the heavy lifting in the absence of skill,  I take comfort in knowing that I have applied myself in this discipline with much rigor over the years.

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PAINTINGS

Painting to me is a lot like composing music: a dance between the creator and the subject in frequencies. Musicians use sound and I use light to depict my vast array of subjects in my signature etherealism style. Georgia O' Keeffe said she enjoyed painting seemingly insignificant things in large scale so their beauty cannot be ignored. I share her philosophy and will often paint subjects in large scale to showcase their magnificence to the viewer.


Oil or acrylic - I enjoy and am well versed in both. After a 25 year+ career in the arts industry, I still cannot decide on my favorite. In a sense I have to credit acrylics since it is the medium I am probably the most experienced in and the medium I started my art career with. Still, nothing beats the way color moves and vibrates with frequency in oil. That is not something other media can replicate as proper oil paint is made from living pigments and living oil, unlike other media. I also enjoy watercolor, gouache, and even egg tempera, if the Muse strikes.

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MIXED MEDIA

Science matters, even in art. Not everything can be used together or on just any surface.  One of the reasons my mixed media work is desirable to collectors, is that I preemptively research and experiment with the properties of each medium and surface before incorporating it into my artistic process. This is important to collectors who hope to purchase legacy-worthy art, as some media will fade, crack, or yellow if not used or combined correctly on a proper surface. There are even methods to increase the archival properties of non-archival materials if an artist knows what they are doing.


My passion for mixed media art is increasing at rapid speed. I enjoy this approach to art-making as it is the most versatile. I feel I can get the best of all worlds: the richness of oils, the delicacy of drawing, the softness of pastels, the transparency of watercolor, and more.

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Upcoming Events


Grand Online Re-launch of

International Gallery of Fine Art

- Date TBD -

Event Details

Upcoming Exhibitions


Wild and Free - Online Exhibition*

Claim Your free VIP Tickets by August 15, 2024

- Date TBD -

*Fundraising Exhibit to benefit the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center

Exhibition Details
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