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Self Portrait – Expecting is a finalist for the ARC Salon 2019!

by In Awards &. Competitions Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My Self portrait painting has been selected as a finalist for the ARC Salon 2019 Competition!

I was fortunate to have my painting, “Admiral Vox” travel for last years exhibition and I couldn’t have been happier with how the Art Renewal Center (ARC) handled everything. It was such an incredible experience to have my artwork hanging alongside so many extraordinary pieces. I traveled to Barcelona to see the final installation of the exhibit at the MEAM which is a beautiful space. It’s inspiring to see so many contemporary artists pick up the tradition and make interesting work that’s relevant today. I couldn’t be happier to have another painting selected as a finalist.

Learn more about “Self Portrait – Expecting” in my previous blog post.

This year they received over 4,300 entries from 73 countries. The number of entries grew by more than 1,000 from last year! Winners will be posted July 1– please wish me luck!

CLICK TO VIEW FINALISTS

About The Art Renewal Center

“Leading the revival of realism in the visual arts, the Art Renewal Center (ARC), a 501(c)(3), non-profit, educational foundation, hosts the largest online museum dedicated to representational art and includes works by the old masters, 19th century, and 21st Century Artists as well as articles, letters and other online resources. The ARC is the foremost and only vetting service for representational art schools ensuring that the teaching curricula and quality of teacher and student work meet our strict standards to become ARC Approved™. The ARC Salon Competition, which is the largest and most prestigious competition in the world for realist artists painting, sculpting and drawing today with eleven categories and thousands of works competing, culminating in a traveling live exhibition of many of the winning works. The ARC works with other ARC Allied Organizations™, artist groups, museums, and publications to become a central news hub for the 21st Century Representational Art Movement. Read the ARC Philosophy written by ARC Chairman, Frederick C. Ross, to learn why ARC is so passionately dedicated to representational art.

Congratulations to all of the finalists!!

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Self Portrait – Expecting

by In Portrait Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The idea for the painting “Self Portrait – Expecting” came back when I was six months pregnant with my son and most of my reference images were gathered at that time. Rabbits were a big part of my childhood and I had two rabbits that lived in my painting studio. My rabbit Eleanor, was a natural addition to the painting. Not only did she sit at my feet while I painted, her species has been seen as a symbol of fertility for more than seven-hundred years.

I didn’t start painting “Self Portrait – Expecting” until my son was two and a half and after a series of miscarriages, I had recently learned that I was pregnant again. Eleanor had passed away since the photos were taken and right in the middle of working the painting, I lost yet another pregnancy, the fourth since my son was born. The act of making this painting was such a bitter sweet experience. The painting is about fertility, yet while making it, I was experiencing so much loss. I think that some of my resolve, the strength that I had to keep up for the sake of my two-year old made its way into my expression which changed throughout the painting process. In the end, the painting has become a reminder for me to be grateful and never give up hope.

This painting is on view at Arcadia Contemporary in the group show “ARC Visions 2019“ through March 2nd 2019.

Arcadia Contemporary
39 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105

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ARC Visions 2019

by In Exhibition Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New works for exhibition

I have three new rabbit paintings up at Arcadia Contemporary for the Art Renewal Center “ARC Visions 2019“, a group exhibition featuring the winners of the “Arcadia Contemporary Award” from the 13th Annual International ARC Salon. It’s an impressive group of artwork by eleven different artists and I had the privilege of meeting two of the artists at the opening, and another in Barcelona a couple of weeks before. Lovely people and extremely talented and dedicated artists. Go to Artsy to see all of the artwork in the exhibition. The exhibition is up through March 2nd.

The ARC Salon is an internationally revered competition that attracts submissions from some of the finest realist painters in the world.

The Art Renewal Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation championing the revival of realism in the visual arts and is devoted to furthering the realist art movement and helping talented artists with strong technical skills thrive. Arcadia Contemporary is recognized as one of the premiere showcases for those artists.

Arcadia Contemporary

39 E. Colorado Blvd.

Pasadena, CA 91105

Return to the Wild, 30" x 36", oil on aluminum

Return to the Wild, 30″ x 36″, oil on aluminum, contact the gallery for inquiries

Self Portrait - Expecting, 16" x 12", oil on aluminum by Rebecca Luncan

Self Portrait – Expecting, 16″ x 12″, oil on aluminum, contact the gallery for inquiries

A Silent Gathering (Aspen and Hare), 6" x 4", oil on aluminum by Rebecca Luncan

A Silent Gathering (Aspen and Hare), 6″ x 4″, oil on aluminum, contact the gallery for inquiries

A Silent Gathering (Aspen and Hare), 6" x 4", oil on aluminum by Rebecca Luncan

A Silent Gathering (detail)

ARC visions 2019 exhibition at Arcadia contemporary Rebecca Luncan Installation

Installation at Arcadia Contemporary

IGOR Realist Art Opening at Winfield Gallery in Carmel

by In Awards &. Competitions, Exhibition Tagged , , , , , ,
Artist Rebecca Luncan at art opening with her family

Artist Rebecca Luncan at art opening with her family at Winfield Gallery in Carmel, California

The whole family flew down to California to attend the art opening for The International Guild of Realism’s 12th annual International Juried exhibition.

The prestigious Winfield Gallery in the heart of the Carmel Art District is hosting the exhibit this year, held from September 23rd through October 23rd. Artists traveled from all over the world to attend the opening reception. My appearance at this opening gave me the opportunity to meet wonderful artists, as well as the leadership of IGOR. It was also a great opportunity to make new friends that are as passionate about realism as I am. As you can see in the image above, my paintings were in great company. With over a hundred painting’s selected from different guild members, the subject matter varied, but the craftsmanship did not. See all of the works included in the exhibition.

human and animal figurative portraits by Rebecca Luncan

“Admiral Vox”, oil on aluminum, 8″ x 8″ and “Vigil”, oil on aluminum, 15″ x 15″

Two Paintings Accepted

I had two paintings accepted into the show and I was doubly privileged to also receive the “Creative Achievement” award. I usually treat my animal portraits much like my portraits of people and tend to keep them rather formal. Both of these paintings are part of two different larger series of work. Admiral Vox is part of my Into the Country series, which focuses on portraits of a wide array of animals all painted in a classical Dutch portrait style.  Vigil is part of a series of figurative paintings of my lovely sister in law, Molly.

International Guild Of Realism's 12th Annual exhibition

International Guild Of Realism’s 12th Annual exhibition

About the Gallery:

“Winfield Gallery was founded in 1989 by Christopher Winfield. Their principal focus is the representation of contemporary art by established, mid-career and emerging artists whose diverse practices include painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics and photography. The gallery hosts multiple exhibitions a year and maintains a deep commitment to promote our artists’ careers. Winfield Gallery collaborates with museum curators, produce catalogs and books, establish relationships with the press and continue collector education and development. The gallery creates an atmosphere that builds bridges between the creative work, collectors and art enthusiasts at all levels.”

Portraits of a Lady and Gentleman, Formal Portraits of Rabbits in Miniature

by In Available Works Tagged , , , , , , , ,
Pair of rabbit miniature portraits

Portrait of a Gentleman and Portrait of a Lady, oil on aluminum, 5″ x 5″

Making portraits of rabbits is serious (and silly) business

Living with animals means forming unusual patterns of communication and quite powerful loving bonds. These two bunnies reside in my painting studio and we’ve become quite good friends. I’ve made many paintings of them over the past several years, some silly and some serious. These two paintings take the prize for the most formal in the bunch, however, yet these portraits are also as serious and silly as the rabbits they portray.

17th century Dutch portraits heavily influenced how I composed these portraits. Vermeer’s, “Girl with a Pearl Earring” is a prime example of this type of painting. My fascination for this genre can also be seen in my Into the Country monthly miniatures, created at the same time as these two.

The paintings explore our relationships with animals and their relationships with each other. I’ve spent most of my career painting portraits of people and my portraits of rabbits reflect that. There is an irony in a formal portrait painting of a rabbit because relationships between animals are seen as less legitimate than between humans. And more so this diptych since it anthropomorphizes the bond between this pair. Yet these two rabbits did dearly love each other and the feeling that an animal is “part of the family” is certainty not uncommon. So beyond being both silly and serious, they also feel at once ironic and genuine.

Animal Portraits in a Mini Art Exhibit!

by In Exhibition Tagged , , , , , , , ,
animal portrait rabbit art miniature drawing on paper by Rebecca Luncan

Eleanor, pencil on paper, 3.3″ x 5″

The holiday season brings mini artwork!

Come by Ghost Gallery to see hundreds of pieces under 12″ made by artists from around the world. There’s an enormous variety of artwork made using different styles and mediums. Go to their website or to Capital Hill neighborhood in Seattle to see them all in person! I’ve been doing lots of drawings lately and have given them some of these animal portraits to add to the mix.

animal portrait calf art miniature drawing on paper by Rebecca Luncan

Lucy, pencil on paper, 4″ x 4″

Childhood’s End Gallery for Fall Arts Walk

by In Exhibition Tagged , , , , , ,

Print

 

Join me for Olympia’s Fall Arts Walk!

I’m thrilled to show five new rabbit paintings at this lovely gallery in Olympia. Most art galleries fold within just four years, so Childhood’s End Gallery’s 45th Anniversary is really something special. Please join me in celebrating the birthday of this gem of a space.

Olympia only does an art walk twice a year, and it’s a very lively affair that’s well worth the trip for you Seattle folks, especially if you’ve never been.

Three of the paintings are formal miniature portraits fitted into antique frames. I’ve been holding on to these frames for a few years, and I think I’ve found just the right images to fill them. Take a look below and I hope you’ll agree!

Portrait of a brown rabbit, miniature oil painting on copper by Rebecca Luncan

Portrait of a Gentleman, oil on copper, 5” x 5” (framed)

 

Portrait of a white rabbit, miniature oil painting on copper by Rebecca Luncan

Portrait of a Lady, oil on copper, 5” x 5” (framed)

 

Portrait of a rabbit, miniature oil painting on copper by Rebecca Luncan

Portrait of an Orphan, , oil on aluminum, 5 ½ ” x 5 ½ ” (framed)

 

Memorial Portrait: An Unexpected Loss

by In Inspiration Tagged , , , , , , , ,
The White Rabbit, Oil painting miniature by Rebecca Luncan

The White Rabbit – September 2016, oil on copper, 4″ x 4″

A Memorial Portrait: The passing of Ellie

My Ellie passed away quite suddenly this past month. The vet saw her for an eye irritation but found nothing too concerning, just a tiny scratch on her eye. But Ellie died the very next evening. We don’t know why she died so suddenly, but we miss her.

It’s a sad thing, but having so many animals in childhood helped teach me to be thankful, that death doesn’t diminish the gifts of life. Ellie was a sweet friend to her brother Charlie, and I’ll miss her hopping around the house, and snuggling at my feet while I paint. She was a great muse, and it comforts me that I was painting her portrait when she passed for the Monthly Miniature – Into the Country series.

We kept one early painting of Ellie for ourselves, and I’m glad we did. A portrait has a freshness and a life of its own that makes the subject feel close, that keeps them alive and well in our hearts. It’s a hard thing to explain why a painting should feel more significant than, say, the photo it’s based on, but I think it’s the care put into making it. Because it’s a totally unique object, we give it meaning.

Please enjoy the newest painting of Ellie and join me in remembering her fondly. You can find more paintings of her in the Monthly Miniature – Rabbit’s series.

Rest in peace little Ellie! You will be very missed.

The Artist’s Magazine 33rd Annual Art Competition

by In Awards &. Competitions Tagged , , , , , , ,
Reclining Rabbit oil painting miniature by Rebecca Luncan

Reclining Rabbit – November 2015, oil on aluminum, 4.25″ x 3/25″

“Reclining Rabbit” selected as finalist in Artist’s Magazine annual art competition

I didn’t win the top prize, but it’s still nice to be selected as a finalist from among 7,300+ entries. A selection of finalists will be featured in online and print publications in the coming months, and all of the finalists will be announced in their January/February 2017 issue. I look forward to seeing the line-up, my congratulations to everyone selected!

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Moon Rabbit, A Miniature Oil Painting and My Journey from the Studio to a Land of Myths

by In Inspiration Tagged , , , , , , ,

The Myth of the Moon Rabbit

As I paint the rabbits in this series of Miniatures, I am also researching their historical role in artwork and mythology. I am especially captivated with the many stories that connect the rabbit with the moon. This month, I am paying homage to this cross-cultural body of mythology.

Busy Bunny, An Example of Virtue and Hard Work Across the Globe

Rabbits do like to keep occupied. Mine busy themselves remodeling their cardboard condos. But cultures around the world have had different ideas about what the rabbit in the moon might be up to.

Asia

A Japanese story written during the late Heian period (794-1185) has him pounding mochi for rice cakes (you can find the story in the anthology Konjaku Monogatarishū). In a Chinese story, he is mixing the elixir of life for the moon goddess Chang’e.

The root of those and other Asian myths is the Buddhist story from Jataka tales (Tale 316),

circa 4th century BCE. The tale opens with the deity Brahmā (Hindu god of creation), coming to the Earth in disguise as an old man. When he begs for food, four animals offer to help: a monkey, an otter, a jackal and a rabbit. The monkey brings fruits, the otter fish, the jackal steals a lizard and a milk-curd for him, but the rabbit only has grass to offer. Knowing that the old man can’t eat the grass, he instead offers himself and jumps into the old man’s fire. The deity then reveals himself and quenches the fire before the rabbit is burnt. He is so touched by the virtue and self-sacrifice of the rabbit that he carries him to the heavens, leaving his likeness upon the moon to remind us of his noble example.

South America

From the opposite side of the globe, a similar Aztec myth features the god Quetzalcoatl, who makes a journey on the earth as a man and finds himself unable to find food or water after walking a long way. Just when he thinks death is certain, a nearby rabbit offers herself as food to save his life. Moved by the rabbit’s offer, Quetzalcoatl elevates her to the moon, then lowers her back down. Her shadow remains on the moon for us to remember how a little rabbit touched the heart of a god.

Adventure and Fertility

And other myths connect the rabbit with the moon as well. Native American (Cree) myth describes the rabbit as an adventurer that visits the moon with help of a friendly crane. In Chinese folklore, the rabbit is so prolific that they can conceive with just the touch of moonlight.

My Muse, the White Rabbit

Rather than feature my rabbit in her ‘natural environment’ (i.e. the painting studio), this month Eleanor dashes into a romantic, otherworldly nighttime scene inspired by German Romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich. I am studying his work for a series of portraits, and his dramatic cliffs made a home first in my imagination, and now in this latest miniature.

My Ellie has been fixed so she won’t be doing any reproducing, moonlight or not. I also have my doubts that she’d impress the gods with shows of selfless generosity. Stealing her brothers treats is one of her favorite pastimes. In this painting, though, she is my Moon Rabbit, running wild and free. Who knows how far she can go!

Though the original painting is sold, you can still get greeting cards of all of the rabbit Monthly Miniatures in the series in my Store.