Extraordinary Seascape by an American Master

This vividly colored study of a seascape is a work by renown American impressionist painter Curt Walters. 

Walters is a plein-aire (outdoors) impressionist painter whose works features landscapes and city scenes from all over the world, but he is most famous for his depictions of the Grand Canyon. Born in New Mexico in 1950, Walters moved to Taos to work and study with several artists. Subsequently, Walters moved to Sedona, Arizona, close to the Grand Canyon, which features so prominently in his art. In fact, in 1997, "Art of the West" magazine declared Walters to be the “Greatest Living Grand Canyon Artist." Walters has used his artistic skills to help preserve this national treasure, donating his works to the Grand Canyon Trust for fundraisers.

However, Walters has also captured the beauty of other sites in North American such as the landscapes of Colorado, the Canadian Rockies, and the rugged California coast. His travels through Europe, Bali, and Jordan have also inspired paintings. His skilled brushwork and brilliant colors have won him numerous awards, including the Nona Jean Hulsey Buyer’s Choice Award in 1998, 2002, 2011, 2013, 2017 and 2019 and the Frederic Remington Award in 2004 and 2005. In 2011, "Southwest Art" magazine named Walters as one of the Forty Prominent People in the Western Art World. His works are found in public and private collections throughout the world, including the Gilcrease Museum (Tulsa, Oklahoma), Autry National Center of the American West (Los Angeles, California), Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art (Indianapolis, Indiana), and Forbes Magazine Galleries (New York, New York).

Walters is also the subject of a 2018 documentary, "Painting the Air: The Life and Art of Curt Walters." 

Screen Time

This antique screen is a lovely example of the Japanese art of Shibayama. Shibyama features an intricate inlay of a variety of carved materials, such as mother-of-pearl, bone, or coral, on a background, often of contrasting lacquer or wood. Instead of being flush with the background, the carved pieces are slightly raised, giving a three dimensional effect. This lovely and luxurious two panel screen features an elegant dressed woman and a little girl among flowering branches, birds, and butterflies. 

Most of the delicate and detailed inlay is carved from shimmering mother-of-pearl, with the figures' faces and hands sculpted from bone.

 

The shibayama panels are on dark lacquer, framed by red lacquer painted with a stylized floral design. The wooden top and bottom of each panel are intricately carved as well. The top edge features an adorable Japanese dormouse about to feast on some tempting fruit. 

The shibayama technique was developed in the late 1700s in the town of Shibayama. The technique was used on a wide variety of items, from tiny netsukes (carved toggles used to fasten a pouch or container to a kimono sash) to large room screens. The craft reached its peak during the Meiji era (1868-1912), during which Japan moved from an isolated feudal empire to a more modern, industrialized nation. This period saw a flourishing of Japanese art and crafts, as the government not only encouraged artisans, but actively promoted Japanese art for export, such as at the Paris World Exposition in 1867. 

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

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