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Principle Gallery208 King Street | Alexandria, VA 22314(703) 739-9326 | www.principlegallery.com

UPCOMING SHOW PREVIEW / ALEXANDRIA, VAMay 12-June 2, 2015

Even in the simplest of forms the human figure can entice and intrigue. The many movements, shapes, bends and

folds it creates are alluring to the artist’s eye. There are endless interpretations and projections that can manifest on canvas. This May, Principle Gallery will highlight the portraiture and figurative works of Teresa Oaxaca and Robert Liberace in an exhibition and two live in-gallery demonstrations. The show will be held May 12 to June 2.

In the exhibition, at the gallery’s Alexandria, Virginia, location, Oaxaca will have about 15 paintings, including six small alla prima portraits along with several large-scale Baroque-inspired pieces. Some of the larger paintings will have handmade frames that Oaxaca has been designing, featuring a carousel style with colors derived from the artwork. Along with these influences, Oaxaca inspired by the art of Gustav Klimt.

“I have admiration for Gustav Klimt—the ornamentation in his pieces and how they are filled to the brink with a lot of colors and patterns, and not a lot of negative space,” says Oaxaca, who uses props instead of patterns to fill the space, pulling from different periods and combining items in her own personal aesthetic.

On May 15 at 6 p.m., Oaxaca will host a three-hour alla prima portrait demonstration. “I’m going to set up a model and demonstrate sight-size technique in front of the audience,” Oaxaca explains. “It’s always fun and different from a class where everyone is focused on technique, because with the demos at the gallery, you get a lot of walk-ins, or the collectors

T E R E S A O A X A C A & R O B E R T L I B E R A C E

Figure and form

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1 Teresa Oaxaca, The Black Pierrot, oil on canvas, 32 x 32"

2 Teresa Oaxaca, Woman with a Jules Nicholas Steiner Doll, oil on canvas, 70 x 34"

3 Robert Liberace, Spearthrower, oil on paper, 25 x 32"

4 Robert Liberace, Study in Motion, oil on canvas, 30 x 40"

or artists are not interested in learning how to paint, but the process.”

Liberace’s oeuvre for the exhibition includes his dynamic and energy-filled drawings of the male anatomy, as well as in-depth figurative pieces. The show will also have a personal touch for the artist, who

explains, “I am doing a series of paintings of my two daughters. I’ve been collecting these old costumes for many years, and I thought it’d be a good opportunity to play around with a few compositions with them. I have larger and smaller paintings with the girls that I plan to put in the show. They

have a bit of the playful use of costume.”The inspiration of classic Renaissance

artwork is felt in Liberace’s paintings through the dominant and dynamic figure. He also is influenced by the past artists’ drawing skills, as it is something Liberace focuses on in his own art. Liberace’s works, however, have a sketch-like quality, even though they are finished in areas.

“More and more of my paintings, and the work of the girls, have that feeling where I am trying to maintain the quality of sketch to avoid any possibility of getting too overwhelmed by a finished picture that sometimes has a certain density,” Liberace says.

The artist also is influenced in his work by artists, such as Velázquez, who paint with “great fidelity” and, as Liberace explains, are “faithful to what is in front of them, and through that, they try to capture something that is deeper and more meaningful, which I guess is the ultimate objective of any artist.”

In his painting demonstration, taking place May 29 at 6 p.m., Liberace will demonstrate a portrait that focuses on the face. He elaborates, “I will spend two to three hours just creating a portrait and talking a bit about the power of the portrait and how interesting and compelling it can be.”

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