❤️ Atlanta, with love

This article from Rough Draft's Sketchbook newsletter highlights two Atlanta-focused art stories. Painter Carlos Solis, who left Venezuela for Kennesaw nearly two decades ago, curates "In the Beginning," a group exhibition opening May 9 at the Hudgens Center's Fowler Gallery in Duluth, featuring 15 artists from around the world who now call Georgia home. Separately, designer and illustrator George F. Baker III, originally from Nebraska and shaped by Detroit, was commissioned by the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs to create the key art for the 49th annual Atlanta Jazz Festival, and he discusses how the musical souls of both Detroit and Atlanta influenced his design.

The Italian Way of Symbolism in the Exhibition at the Fondazione Magnani-Rocca

La via italiana del Simbolismo nella mostra alla Fondazione Magnani-Rocca

The Fondazione Magnani-Rocca in Mamiani di Traversetolo, Parma, recently made headlines due to a dramatic theft targeting its permanent collection. Despite the incident, the museum's temporary exhibition spaces remain unaffected, and the show "Simbolismo in Italia" (Symbolism in Italy), curated by Francesco Parisi, continues without disruption. The exhibition aims to update critical discourse on Symbolism, a movement that spread across Europe from the 1880s to the early 1900s and arrived in Italy with a distinct, often tradition-rooted character. It features works by artists such as Cesare Saccaggi, Giulio Aristide Sartorio, and Adolfo Wildt, organized into thematic sections exploring literary sources, mythological landscapes, and the dual nature of femininity.

Loved by the public, but not by art critics. Jack Vettriano on show in Rome (interview with the curator)

Amato dal pubblico, ma non dai critici d’arte. Jack Vettriano in mostra a Roma (intervista alla curatrice)

A major retrospective exhibition of Scottish painter Jack Vettriano has opened at Palazzo Velli in Rome. The show, which originated in Bologna at Palazzo Pallavicini, was transformed into a posthumous retrospective following the artist's death in March 2025. It features both original oil paintings and high-quality, limited-edition reproductions on museum paper, a curatorial choice made by Vettriano himself to make his work more accessible.

In Florence, Art Creates Community and Dialogue in the Bagasseria Space: An Interview with its Founder

A Firenze l’arte crea comunità e confronto nello spazio Bagasseria. Intervista al suo fondatore

Painter Samuele Alfani has launched Bagasseria, a new independent art space and studio in the Sant’Ambrogio district of Florence. Named after the Catalan word for a house of prostitution as a gesture of reclamation and freedom, the venue functions as a porous community hub that blends artistic production with public engagement. Its inaugural exhibition, "Bau Bau Baby," is a group show curated by Luigi Presicce and Anna Capolupo featuring artists such as Francesco Lauretta, Davide Serpetti, and Thomas Berra.

Art Haus Unlimited in Columbus showcases fine art, photography

Artists Elliot Twelvetrees and Daniel Snouffer have opened a new gallery called Art Haus Unlimited in Columbus, Ohio, located at 765 Summit St. in a historic building. The gallery features fine art and photography by Twelvetrees, Snouffer, Colin Dearth, and Tamera Bryant. Twelvetrees, an abstract painter and former interior designer, and Snouffer, an award-winning photographer and designer, launched the space in November 2025, with Twelvetrees returning to the very studio she once used. The gallery participates in the Short North Gallery Hop and hosts events like Twilight Soirées with live music to create an inviting atmosphere.

British art museum exhibit offers glimpse into East India Company

The Yale Center for British Art has opened a new exhibition, “Painters, Ports, and Profits: Artists and the East India Company, 1750-1850,” on January 8. Curated by Laurel Peterson and Holly Shaffer, the show features over a hundred works—including watercolors, portraits, and a 37-foot-long scroll of Lucknow—drawn from the museum’s collection and beyond. It explores the artistic networks and innovations that emerged around the British East India Company’s colonial and economic activities in India and China.

MONSTRARE - Raminta S. R. Mint SOLO SHOW

Contour Art Gallery in Vilnius is presenting 'Monstrare', a solo exhibition by emerging artist Raminta S. R. Mint. The show explores the human body through three layers—exterior, interior, and invisible—using painting to critique social media's filtered self-image, anatomical abstraction, and digital medical imaging. Influenced by Gothic literature and H. R. Giger, the works combine red, black, and white palettes in a 'Frankensteinian' visual language.

8-Year-Old Painter Opens First Solo Exhibition and Has Already Landed Sales

Eight-year-old Kevin Kovacs has opened his first solo exhibition at the Tacchi-Morris Arts Center in Taunton, England, featuring his watercolor paintings of boats and coastal scenery. His mother recognized his talent at age two, and by five he was sketching seriously; gallery staff discovered his work through social media. The exhibition runs through April 28, 2025, and several pieces have already sold.

Writer Thomas Clerc casts a tender fictional gaze on Montmartre's 'daubs'

L’écrivain Thomas Clerc pose, à travers une fiction, un regard tendre sur les « croûtes » de Montmartre

French writer and essayist Thomas Clerc has published a new fiction titled "Croûtes" as the fifteenth volume in the "Fléchette" collection by éditions sun/sun. The book draws inspiration from a single autochrome image taken from the Musée Albert-Kahn's "Archives de la planète" (1909–1931), specifically a one-minute film shot in March 1927 at the Foire aux croûtes in Montmartre, Paris. Clerc's narrative tenderly and humorously explores the life of an amateur painter and the infinite possibilities of so-called "croûtes"—a French slang term for amateurish or kitsch paintings that exist outside institutional recognition.

Speaking in Signs: Kwame Akoto’s Worlds Across Contexts.

Ghanaian painter Kwame Akoto, known for his vibrant signboard works blending bold imagery with urgent text, is the subject of his first major French exhibition, 'Almighty God Art Works', at the Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac in Paris. In an interview with ART AFRICA, Akoto discusses how his paintings transform when moving from the streets of Kumasi—where they function as everyday spiritual and commercial communication—into a European museum context, addressing themes of translation, shared authorship, and the shifting meanings of images across cultural and institutional boundaries.

The Practice of Liberation and Sanctuaries of Becoming.

Michaela Yearwood-Dan has unveiled her first major UK institutional exhibition, 'The Practice of Liberation,' at the Whitworth. The immersive installation integrates fourteen new paintings with ceramic vessels and soundscapes, reimagining traditional religious motifs through a contemporary, secular lens. By deconstructing elements like stained glass and the Stations of the Cross into abstract forms, the artist creates a sanctuary that explores themes of ritual, memory, and personal identity.

parties kid cudi documentary screening

Filmmaker Joshua Charow premiered his short documentary *Echoes of the Past* at the Miami Beach Edition, offering an intimate look at Kid Cudi's painter alter ego, Scotty Ramon, as he prepares for his first solo exhibition in Paris in 2026. The screening, attended by collector Larry Warsh and other art-world figures, showcased Cudi's experimental paintings and marked a new creative chapter for the musician-turned-visual artist.

film ronan day lewis anemone interview

Ronan Day-Lewis, son of legendary actor Daniel Day-Lewis, has directed his debut feature film *Anemone*, which premiered at the New York Film Festival. The film stars Daniel Day-Lewis as a traumatized veteran living in self-exile in Northern England after the Irish Troubles, whose estranged brother arrives to trigger a reckoning filled with magic realism. Ronan, who also works as a painter, describes the film as being about brotherhood and the silence within it, developed over five years of collaboration between father and son. A concurrent exhibition of his paintings is on view at Megan Mulrooney gallery in Los Angeles.

tappan collective los angeles unveiling

Tappan Collective in Los Angeles unveiled its latest group exhibition, “ELSEWHERE,” on Tuesday with a festive evening event. The show explores and expands the landscape genre, featuring works by artists including Gia Coppola, Michael Harnish, Sasha Court, Marleigh Culver, Michael DeSutter, Lisa Hardy, and Marina Ross. Founder Chelsea Nassib hosted a conversation with painter Satsuki Shibuya and CULTURED contributor Janelle Zara, drawing a crowd of cultural insiders and LA tastemakers such as entrepreneur Holly Liss Jammet, gallerist Rosa Park, and art advisor Kipton Cronkite.

Gallery openings and exhibits in Central Oregon this week

This article lists numerous gallery openings and ongoing exhibits in Central Oregon for the current week. Venues include Amejko Artistry, Art Adventure Gallery, Artists’ Gallery Sunriver, ArtHouse LTA, Belknap Exhibit Center, Canyon Creek Pottery, Deschutes Historical Museum, Dry Canyon Community Arts Center, High Desert Museum, Hood Avenue Art, Jeffrey Murray Fine Art Photography, John Paul Designs, Kreitzer Art Gallery and Studio, Lubbesmeyer Fiber Studio, Makin’ It Local, Nancy McGrath Green Gallery, and Nashwood Gallery, featuring works by artists such as Anna Amejko Peterson, Jana Charl, Kenneth Merrill, Jesica Carleton, Jeffrey Murray, Lori and Lisa Lubbesmeyer, Kara Frampton, and Will Nash.

Inside ‘The Space Between’: A dialogue between craft and contemporary art

The exhibition ‘The Space Between’ at Ojas Art gallery features a collaborative dialogue between designers Siddhartha Das and Chiara Nath, bridging the gap between traditional Indian craft and contemporary design. Das presents architectural interpretations of historic sites like the Jagannath Temple alongside a vast botanical series that evolves from historical Company School naturalism into modern sculptural forms in brass, marble, and plaster. Nath contributes intimate embroidered works that translate personal memories of her family and upbringing into tactile, design-led narratives.

Fulton County launches Nigerian art exhibition connecting Africa to Atlanta

Fulton County's Department of Arts & Culture has launched a multi-week international exhibition titled “Threads of Heritage: A Cultural Confluence Connecting Africa to Atlanta” at the Peachtree Gallery, running through the end of June. The exhibition features 14 Nigerian artists and is delivered in partnership with the Nike Art & Culture Foundation of Nigeria, Nike Art USA, and UniSpectrum Inc. Led by acclaimed artist Chief Dr Nike Monica Okundaye, the program includes masterclasses, public panels, community workshops, and live demonstrations on traditional Adire textiles, with US-based textile artist Shayee Awoyomi co-leading workshops and Nigerian painter Adeleke Akeem directing narrative painting masterclasses.

Artists in Action: Supporting Salem-area artists for a quarter-century

Artists in Action (AiA), a nonprofit organization supporting Salem-area artists, is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a public reception on May 3, 2026, at Elsinore Framing & Fine Art Gallery in Salem, Oregon. Founded by Diane Trevett and about five other artists, the group began as a small support network for struggling artists and has grown into an established arts organization with around 65 active members. AiA hosts monthly openings, critique sessions, open-call shows, and special events like Paint and Write the Town, providing opportunities for artists to exhibit and sell their work across various mediums.

Brooklyn Artist Kelly Ahern Presents Solo Exhibition at Bushwick Gallery

Brooklyn-based painter Kelly Ahern is set to debut a one-night solo exhibition titled 'Surface Tension' at the Bushwick Gallery on April 14, 2026. The show is part of the gallery’s 'Solo Statement' program, specifically the series 'Doesn't Play Well with Others,' which grants artists total creative autonomy to curate and present their work. The exhibition will feature Ahern's latest abstract compositions and conceptual pieces, focusing on her unique approach to the medium of painting.

Phillip Island exhibitions start small but it's a big summer

The Phillip Island Contemporary Exhibition Space Inc (PICES) has launched its 2025-26 Summer Art Exhibitions at the Berninneit Art Gallery in Cowes, Australia. The first of three exhibitions, 'Small Works,' features 50 affordable and unique pieces by artists from Bass Coast and beyond, including local painters Joe La Pira and Peter Walker. The program continues with 'Contempora 1' and 'Contempora 2,' showcasing 64 emerging and established artists across various media through February 1, 2026.

A new Horizon beckons: Stunning Emma Davis art exhibition opens at Studio Two Six One

Scottish landscape artist Emma S. Davis opens a new solo exhibition titled "Horizon: The Journey from Land to Light" at Studio Two Six One in Newton Mearns. The private view takes place on Friday, September 19, 2025, with the public opening on September 20, running through October 11. The show features Davis's expressive, textured paintings that explore the liminal space between earth and sky, dusk and dawn, inviting viewers into quiet, atmospheric moments of transition in the Scottish landscape.

The painter who pulls light from the darkness

Toronto-based artist Laura Findlay presents *Night Vision*, a solo exhibition at Glenhyrst Art Gallery in Brantford, Ontario, featuring ethereal oil paintings of nocturnal garden scenes. Using an Old Masters subtractive technique, Findlay applies dark glazes and wipes away pigment to create luminous images of birds, blooms, and bats that appear to emerge from darkness. The show runs through the spring of 2026.

Fabian Perez Gallery Showcases 20 Artists in Neo-Emotionalism Exhibition

Fabian Perez Gallery in Los Angeles is hosting the Neo-Emotionalism Group Exhibition, featuring 20 artists working in painting, photography, and sculpture. The show, running through May 23, centers on feeling and memory, with artists like Shaylen Nelson, Awadé Wade, James Smith, and Martinos Aristidou presenting works that explore personal and cultural narratives. Nelson, an Afrocentric Realism painter, uses Black figures and music to place culture within traditional painting, while Wade’s piece "Abstract Love" draws on a Prince song and uses a tree as a symbol of life and transition.

Gallery openings and exhibits in Central Oregon this week

This article lists numerous gallery openings and ongoing exhibits across Central Oregon, including venues such as Amejko Artistry, Art Adventure Gallery, Artists’ Gallery Sunriver, and the High Desert Museum. Featured shows include nomadic woven artwork by Anna Amejko Peterson, a 40th anniversary exhibition of Jefferson County artists, “A Man Named York” at the Belknap Exhibit Center, and “Drawn West — A History of Promoting Place” at the High Desert Museum, among many others spanning pottery, photography, fiber art, and historical displays.

Tom Vattakuzhy’s Mumbai exhibition follows the feeling a story leaves behind

Tom Vattakuzhy's new exhibition "Where Words End" opens in Mumbai from May 3–17, 2026, at ICIA Gallery in Kalaghoda. The show presents a series of "story paintings" that explore the emotional residue left behind after reading a narrative, focusing on moods and sensations rather than plot or illustration. Vattakuzhy, who began his career as an illustrator, shifts here toward open-ended scenes where figures appear mid-gesture and rooms feel charged with unspoken meaning, drawing from literary sources as points of departure rather than literal subjects.

New works by oil painters Betz Green and Jim Green at Stover Mill Gallery

Oil painters Betz Green and Jim Green will showcase their work at the Stover Mill Gallery in Erwinna, Pennsylvania, on weekends from May 9 through May 31, with an opening reception on May 9. Betz Green creates representational, portrait-oriented still lifes with whimsical narratives, while Jim Green works in an impressionistic and expressionistic style with vibrant colors and exaggerated forms. Both artists have won top awards at local venues such as Phillips Mill and Stover Mill.

Pasadena’s American Legacy Fine Arts Debuts ‘Mastering the Mood’ Exhibition

American Legacy Fine Arts, a private gallery in Pasadena, has opened a new exhibition titled 'Mastering the Mood: Atmospheric Emotion.' The show, running from April 24 to June 6, features 14 nationally recognized painters, including Peter Adams, Warren Chang, and Jean LeGassick, whose works use light, color, and atmosphere to transform landscapes and still lifes into immersive emotional experiences.

Choe Vio's solo exhibit at Seoul's Page Gallery explores time as an interactive experience

Seoul-based painter Choe Vio has launched a new solo exhibition titled “Time Interface” at Page Gallery in Seongsu-dong. The show, which marks the artist's first solo presentation in four years, features new paintings and a central interactive installation titled “137 Silent Observers.” This centerpiece invites visitors to move stones on an aluminum plate, triggering a process where the changes are recorded at specific intervals and eventually translated into video and painting.

Renowned painter set to showcase more than 30 paintings in exhibition

Cornwall-based artist David Mankin is set to debut a major solo exhibition at the Vanner Gallery in Salisbury, featuring over 30 abstract landscape paintings. The collection spans a diverse range of scales, from intimate works on wooden panels to expansive, dramatic canvases, showcasing both new and existing pieces that capture the rugged beauty of the Cornish coast.

Sienna Art Gallery & Gifts Opens at 129 S. Gay Street

Sienna Art Gallery & Gifts has officially opened at 129 S. Gay Street in Knoxville’s downtown Arts District. Founded by watercolorist Gayla Seale, fiber artist Judi Gaston, and painter Blanche Nicoll, the space serves as both a working studio and a retail gallery. The venue debuted during a recent First Friday event, featuring original works, architectural cityscapes, handwoven garments, and guest artist rotations, including pieces by Cynthia Markert.