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As we transition from Mary Drastal’s role as President of Heartland Art Club, we take a moment to reflect on her incredible leadership and tireless dedication over the past [...]

Gino Santa Maria reflects on his discovery of plein air painting and its profound impact on his art. Learn how plein air transformed his creative process, leading to 910 completed paintings and deeper connections with the Heartland Art Club and Missouri Plein Air Painters Association.

Heartland Art Club proudly presents the annual VxVII Art Exhibition, featuring a collection of small but powerful works created by talented artists. Each piece measures 5x7 inches, making this [...]

The Group of 8 Show at Heartland Art Club’s Members’ Gallery offers our members an exclusive opportunity to showcase their work. The eight artists featured in this season’s show are exceptionally skilled, each bringing a distinct voice and mastery to their craft. In this post, Kara Dicker asked some of them to share the best advice they’ve received as professional artists.

She paints the natural world in wild, exuberant color. Beneath the drama is a multi-layered approach that is ordered and disciplined. Jo Jasper Dean shares how her love of color evolved and the influences behind her unique style.

Instructor Shawn Cornell and class  at Kirkwood Park On October 5th and 6th, 2024, Heartland Art Club had the pleasure of hosting a sold-out plein air workshop with [...]

On the surface, her student’s comment seemed simple and straightforward. Then, her teacher gave it deeper thought. Tracey Maras muses on what makes art hard. By Tracey [...]

From plein air landscapes to found object sculpture and more, M. Shawn Cornell’s recent retrospective retraces pathways that led him from graphic designer and illustrator to fine artist. [...]

Are you passionate about the arts and ready to lead? Heartland Art Club is seeking a dynamic Executive Director to inspire creativity and support our mission. Work with artists, [...]

“The Heartland Art Club’s AP Prep six-week class is the best opportunity in the St. Louis region for high school art students to prepare for the rigors of Advanced [...]

Carol Strock Wasson, "Bare Minimum," pastel over monotype. Acclaimed pastel artist Carol Strock Wasson will visit Heartland Art Club Sept. 14-15. Her workshop, designed for artists at [...]

Tracey Maras, "Juneberry Bounty." Tracey Maras, who is best known for her pastel paintings of the natural world, invites artists to discover the colorful richness of black. [...]

Jane Flandars' "Hostas" won the Spencer Meagher Use of Light Award. Featuring more than seventy-five works from members, the annual showcase generated palpable excitement, awards, refreshments, even [...]

Michael Halbert’s first-place artwork at the Members’ Showcase celebrates the American farmer and the beauty of a traditional printmaking medium. Michael Halbert's "Giant in His [...]

Landscape painter Dennis Babbitt captured first prize at last year’s Members’ Showcase. The award comes with responsibility. He was tasked with judging this year’s 75-piece show, where he awarded [...]

The new Group of Eight show features the work of artists representing a range of mediums and backgrounds. The show, which opened last month, will be on display in the Members’ Gallery through Sept. 29, 2024. Four presenting artists participated in a Q&A discussing their medium, inspiration, and more.

Fundraiser & Exhibition Announcing 2024 Ticket to Pick It, putting the “fun” in “fundraiser”! This popular event helps support Heartland Art Club while giving artists an opportunity to [...]

Group of 8 Show Summary and Application We are excited to collaborate with talented artists like you and showcase your exceptional work in our Group of 8 Show [...]

From creating masterful paintings on discarded tin cans to designing and producing majestically scaled 50-foot high stain glass windows, Harvey found inspiration in all of his diverse and creative endeavors. Starting October 5th, this retrospective exhibit is open for you to enjoy a selection of works that will give light into his 92-year artistic journey. Prepare to be inspired.

If you happened to stop by the Kirkwood Farmers’ Market on a Wednesday morning in early June, you might have seen, among the flowering plants and the colorful displays of fruits and vegetables, a scattering of artists hard at work endeavoring to capture the lush bounty of early summer in oil, watercolor, pastel or graphite. The Wednesday Group, an offshoot of the Missouri Plein Air Painters Association (MOPAPA), is out and about town again this season. The group gathers at a designated location every Wednesday morning, summer, and winter, to paint or draw, and to enjoy the camaraderie of fellow artists.

While Karasek employs traditional technique in her representation of people, it’s her extensive use of symbol that gives her work its signature that she describes as magical realism. “I love painting people in portraits but not in the traditional sense of a formal portrait,” she says. “I enjoy making it into a magical realism by adding the symbolism and meaning.”

There’s something special about seeing a beautiful piece of artwork in an unexpected place. I had this experience a few weeks ago when I took my vehicle for routine service at the Seeger Toyota dealership in Creve Coeur.

What happens when two art educators get together wearing their dream hats? Spoiler alert -it’s a pretty rich opportunity for student artists.

Beginning next month, area high school students will have the opportunity through Heartland Art Club to prepare for the rigors of Advanced Placement Art & Design, the pinnacle of most high school art programs.

There it sits, all along, untouched, forgotten. The white pastel. Rarely does a white pastel ever get used in any of my paintings. Maybe as a final touch in the center of the sun, but rarely at any other time.

Heartland Art Club is set to host a new exhibition in the gallery in May that will feature works from artists who are creating exciting new work in the ever-growing art movement of printmaking.

Spencer Meagher (1961-2024) was a beloved Founding and Signature Member of Heartland Art Club. He was a strong supporter of our mission, and we continue to offer his work in the gallery. We are deeply saddened by his passing. Heartland Art Club would like to commemorate his life and honor Spencer with a Memorial Award to be offered annually at the Membership Showcase Exhibition, beginning this summer. If you would like to donate to his award fund, please use the link below.

Wehrman likes the level of precision that colored pencil allows. It’s also portable, versatile, and clean. Additionally, color pencil can be applied to a variety of surfaces such as wood or porcelain, which she uses in her work. Recently, Wehrman has been experimenting on fabric, where she is learning to incorporate silk ribbon embroidery. “This is really different,” she said about adding a third-dimensional element.

Upon viewing Harry Starr’s landscape photography, one is struck by the captured beauty within his work. “Fall Blanket” depicts a barn isolated within a field of early November snow. The colors are stark – red barn, white snow. And yet, there is a textural softness to the piece that pulls you in, revealing hints of autumn- leaves and sticks momentarily suspended, insulated by the sudden burst of weather.

The Gallery is closed, and the walls have been stripped of work. On the floor is where the action is. A new exhibit is about to take form. Paintings are unpacked and laid out, staring up as Shawn Cornell determines the larger piece that will anchor the midpoint. From there he decides the breathing room that is critical in sustaining the energetic installations for which Cornell is known. He will play with spacing and the arrangement of every piece until he achieves the visual pulse he is looking for. “I much rather have each piece have some breathing space,” Cornell says. “I do my best to give as much space in between so that there’s almost like an EKG going on.”

One of the ways to take one’s art to the next level may be hidden in the shadows. When asked to identify the color of a shadow, it is common to respond that it would be a darker color of whatever is in shadow. A shadow of a tree on green grass would be a darker green. A shadow of the same tree on dirt would be a darker brown.

It’s Saturday morning at the Galleries at Heartland Art Club. The sold-out figure drawing workshop has nine artists situated behind their easels. Their focus is on Violet le Fae, the model who is standing counterpose in a slightly forward lean. Her left arm crosses her body, and her right arm rests gently aside. Her eyes look far across the room.

Throughout this immersive two-day workshop, Gino will delve into a myriad of captivating subjects, including materials, composition, color theory, values, edges, framing, and even the often-overlooked realm of social media. Indeed, the latter holds immense potential for artists, yet is frequently underestimated.

Nicole Petrescu spent the first part of her life in Romania, whose rich culture and people she loved. It was the country’s dictatorial regime she could not accept. “I proudly participated in the anti-communist revolution of 1989,” says Petrescu. It was a movement that liberated Romania from the autocratic, socialist regime of the previous 45 years.

Threads began in 2019 when Carter, who resides in the City’s Tower Grove East neighborhood, became interested in the growing, vibrant immigrant community there. Initially, the artist made connections to her subjects through the nearby International Institute and at the annual Festival of Nations celebration.

What do you think about when you hear the word nature? Green, soothing, fresh, natural? I am a botanical artist whose greatest joy is rendering what Mother Nature so artfully created. The color combinations are second to none. The curves and intricacies of flowers intrigue me. Even faded flowers take on a new softer hue. They are so beautiful, even at the end.

Have you noticed how the world looks a little different from season to season?  It isn’t just the presence or absence of leaves and snow. The light itself seems to take on a different look.  Consider the comments we often hear about a winter day being “clear and crisp” or the “light being thin.”

Perfectionism is the counterfeit of excellence. It demands good results now, while pursuing excellence aims for progress, not perfection.

Perfectionism makes it hard to start painting (“What if it doesn’t come out well?”) and hard to finish one (“It’s not good enough, I have to keep painting on it.”).

Upon publishing this painting, I received a very nice comment from one of my supporters, followed by an interesting question: "How much LOVE do you put in your paint?" How Much Love?

Ferguson, Mo. native Lisa Perez returned to the St. Louis area in 2020, retiring from a career in marketing on the West Coast. The move turned out to be more than geographical.

“I missed painting,” Perez said.

Shortly after her arrival she rented studio space in Webster Groves and embarked upon a new journey --rediscovering her passion for art instilled in her as a child. “We were always looking at paintings and talking about painting,” Perez said of her family.

When we were kids, they gave us crayons. Such a wonderful tool to express anything that came to mind. A box would come to us with sticks of colored wax standing upright waiting for a small hand to drive. We could draw and scribble. We drew dogs, cats, houses…stuff that made us happy.

It is wonderful to wrap-up 2023 with piles of gratitude and loads of great news! Dedicated members like you have helped make this past year the best year so far at Heartland Art Club! During 2023 our members participated in multiple exhibit opportunities available to all levels of experience.

Your handwriting is as unique and distinct as you are. Regardless of how we were taught to write, we each develop our own style. Immediately recognizable to those who know us.

As of Saturday, November 18’s opening reception, there are three concurrent exhibits being shown. That is hundreds of new representational art offerings!

October 27-29 was a whirlwind weekend at Michael McClure’s Ananda Kanan Retreat Center in the Missouri Ozarks. It is nestled in the hills just south of Willow Springs, near the Arkansas border. Over 25 people participated, with 20 artists and 5 art mentors: Nyle Gordon, Julie Wiegand, Allen Kriegshauser, Michael McClure, and Shawn Cornell.

Anne Molasky was among the St. Louis-area painters highlighted at the recent national juried RepreSENSATATIONAL show. Her featured work, Goddess in the Making, is part of her evolving Goddess Within series of large-scale portraits that explore feminine strength and empowerment within a natural setting.

Making mistakes as artists is something we are all very familiar with. How we handle mistakes makes a huge difference in our growth as an artist, as well as the outcome of the painting.

The temperature was in the upper 90s when Judy Stroup set out to paint the willow tree and surrounding grasses near the riverbank at Cliff Cave Park. The park’s main shelter provided just enough relief to make painting bearable. Then came the gift of breeze.

I have a lot of reference photos. I mean a lot of photos! There are well over 75,000 photos on my hard drive. Many of the photos have been collected from vacations, gardens, wildlife sanctuaries, zoos, historical locales, and plein air opportunities. One particular photo that I kept revisiting was from a trip to Texas in 2011.

Meet volunteer Daniel Fishback. Since 2019, Daniel has been devoting countless hours in the role of education director here at Heartland Art Club. His dedication behind the scenes is reflected in the impressive workshops he puts together. “It’s hard work, but very satisfying,” says Daniel.

The Gallery at Heartland Art Club was packed with artists and art-lovers for the opening of its national juried RepreSENSATIONAL exhibit. Viewers enjoyed paintings, sculpture, photographs, and even fiber art of immense variety.

Steve Morris has entered dozens of shows over the years and knows what it’s like to have work rejected and accepted. He’s learned a number of things that may be helpful to you when deciding if you should enter your work.

Heartland Art Club is having an exciting 2023, hosting four exhibitions and many workshops and classes in a range of media!

The gallery at Heartland Art Club was brimming with anticipation and energy this month as more than 100 attendees joined in the kickoff of the annual Member’s Showcase. The juried exhibition, representing the talent of 58 member-artists, depicts an array of content and media. The Showcase runs July 7-August 23.

Think back for a moment. Think back to that very first piece of original art that you purchased with your own money.

Learning how to simplify is always the most important and challenging part of starting portraits. That means composing the portrait with general forms instead of particular features.

The sunset is brilliant! The colors are spectacular! The sky is filled with the dance of so many colors. You quickly snap some photos to capture the moment, thinking to yourself about how you are going to create a painting to memorialize this moment. But when you look at the photo, you realize this is not how it looked. The colors are all wrong. And where are all the nuances that made this moment beg to be painted?

I was introduced to Watercolor by a wonderful, patient teacher, Marty Spears. She was giving classes in her basement, and I jumped at the chance to experiment with this most amazing medium. I was immediately captivated by the water and pigment running across the paper, not really caring what I was doing, but enjoying every minute.

Humans have been crafting art and useful objects from nature for centuries, but in today’s mechanized world we have been losing touch with grown and found things. My artwork has found a contemporary way to tell stories with these materials.

Admit it. We’ve all done it. We painted that dramatic sunset sky, capturing all its glory. And silhouetted against the sky was a tree.

I feel that the artists’ journey is one of exploring who they are and finding the best way to express their unique vision.

Halation is the spreading of light beyond its proper boundaries to form a fog around the edges of a bright image (Source:  Oxford Languages Dictionary).   It is a term commonly used in photography.  But it is a term and a practice with which, as artists, we need to be familiar. 

Nyle Gordon shares what he loves about oil painting, and what he sees as the main value of working directly from life.

Spencer shares his thoughts on the value of plein air painting, why he enjoys teaching, and the importance of striking a balance between working and relationships in creative life.

From our earliest days of cracking open our first box of crayons, our color of choice for the sun was always yellow. But now as we try to capture that intense glow of the sun in our paintings, at best yellow falls flat, at worst looks garish.

Sometimes an artist doesn’t want to just use what nature gives. The world is filled with infinite beauty and inspiration, but what do you do when you want to paint beyond a blue sky and green leaves?

Kathy Corey interviews Michael Halbert about his work, “St. Louis Imagined,” his artistic and creative process, and his advice for other artists.

The question that every artist hears at some point is “How long did it take you to paint this?” It can be a very complex question to answer.

Kathy Corey interviews award-winning artist, Lisa Ober about her life as a client-based artist, her interesting career path, and her advice to young artists on what it takes to become a successful artist.

Composition and the ability to structure your work on a flat surface takes time and practice to learn and understand. Dennis Babbit recommends, “The Composition of Outdoor Painting,” by Edgar Payne.

Susan Rodgers reports on the 20th anniversary of Belleville, Illinois’ fabulous Art on the Square held on May 14, 15, and 16.

Since many of my paintings incorporate wildlife, I must frequently rely on quickly taken photos to capture the moment. Rarely, if ever, are these photos usable as stand-alone photos. Therefore, my reference photos serve as the initial inspiration only.

Being an artist means learning to see the world through eyes of wonder. Like a child, an artist sees with fresh eyes, beholding beauty in the dandelion, enjoying the way the seeds fly away when you blow on that circle-of-seeds-on-a-stem.

Featuring the photographs of J.B. Forbes and the illustrations of Bob Shay Starting June 15, view over 50 works by Post-Dispatch Chief Photographer, J.B. (James) Forbes and former Post-Dispatch [...]

Garry was a cornerstone of the St Louis art community. May his memory forever be a blessing. The following words are written by Diane: “It is with a [...]

Inspiration can come from anywhere and at any time. But rarely does our source of inspiration provide us with perfection.

Michele Wells was a pastel artist, teacher, and commercial electrician. She will be missed by many!

In memory of Artist Richard Dutton, 82, of Hallsville, Missouri. Richard left us February 14th, 2022. Richard Dutton “Talk about a people person, Richard was one [...]

The past summer and fall season brought many outstanding program events and exhibits to Heartland Art Club.

Our ways of creating, sharing, and exhibiting experienced disruption but artists have a way of turning challenges into opportunities. We would like to celebrate the work you have accomplished over this past year!

This caring and gentle man leaves behind a permanent mark etched on many hearts and will be extremely missed.

Carol Carter’s Workshop: Watercolor From the Heart After several months of cancelled events due to COVID, we have restarted our workshops and classes, with a few modifications for everyone’s safety.Watercolor [...]

Join Patrons, Supporters, Heartland Art Club Members and Lindenwood University for an evening celebrating representational art and our first of many future collaborative events. This exhibition represents the [...]

Heartland Art Club is a relatively new organization.  We already have nearly 200 members!  We are excited about our focus on representational art in the heartland. 2019 was an outstanding first year, but 2020 is going to be bigger and better!

Join Patrons, Supporters, and Heartland Art Club Members for an evening celebration of representational art just in time for holiday season gift-giving. A variety of mediums will be on display from member artists.

Artist Ali Cavanaugh will be in St. Louis to sign copies of her book and to mark the closing of "A Survey of Excellence," Heartland Art Club's 2019 invitational exhibition. The event is free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase, or bring your copy for Ali to sign. 

Heartland Art Club is excited to welcome Jocelyn Russell’s life + 1/2 size bronze sculpture of Secretariat and jockey Ron Turcotte as it travels from the foundry in Oklahoma to permanent display at Keenland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Heartland Art Club is mourning the loss of one of our founding members.  Dawn was an accomplished artist; she worked in pencil and oil. During her art career she received multiple awards. 

The opening night for “A Survey of Excellence” was very well-attended. Visitors, members, and artists enjoyed an evening of food, drinks, and beautiful art!

53 outstanding works of art by 32 of the finest American representational master painters. ​The exhibition aims to inspire all artists and admirers. Participating artists were invited by a panel of the Club’s board members.

We are in the process of hanging 53 beautiful works of art by 32 representational master painters. The exhibition includes artwork by artists from across the middle of the country.  The exhibition opens August 23rd and runs through the month of September. 

As of July 1st, 2019, OA Gallery will become The Galleries at Heartland Art Club. The current owners of OA Gallery have generously given the venue to Heartland Art Club. Owners Lisa Ober, M. Shawn Cornell, Marie Donato and Steve Morris will continue to manage the gallery for the Club.

St. Louis will be home to an extraordinary exhibition of representational art from some of the most respected artists in the country. The exhibition highlights outstanding artwork created by artists from the Central US.