Artist Ed Copley – The Genius Is In The Genes
Modern Day Old Master Brings Global Attention to Scottsdale Art Walk in One Man Exhibition
On Thursday, April 7, the Mainview Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona hosts the one-man exhibition of Ed Copley, the great, great, great grandson of John Singleton Copley (Colonial America’s foremost portrait painter). Copley developed his considerable artistic skills as a commercial illustrator, a restoration expert, and a master artist whose work is collected by museums and prominent private collectors worldwide. “More Than a Handful,” included in the exhibit, is a piece using copper as a canvas like works by Rembrandt, DaVinci and Renoir.
(Scottsdale, AZ – April 4, 2011) - The Scottsdale Art Walk features a very special artist for its April 7 First Thursday event - Ed Copley, a Master artist whose work is collected around the globe is holding court in Scottsdale this week. But the genes of artistic genius that make Ed Copley (www.edcopleyfineart.com) one of world’s finest painters are more than just heredity. Copley is known as a modern-day old master when it comes to art because he paints with an ‘old master’ technique - mixing his own paints, adding glazes, stretching his own canvas and even carving a frame for that special masterpiece. And for the artistic genes, John Singleton Copley (http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg60b/gg60b-main1.html) was the greatest American painter of the 18th century. His great, great, great grandson Ed Copley is following in those footsteps in the 21st century.
A one-man exhibition held at the Mainview Gallery (http://www.mainviewgallery.com/mainview/) at 7137 E. Main Street in Scottsdale opens on Thursday, April 7. Opening night includes an artist reception from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. allowing collectors and fans to meet the artist personally.
Copley’s work will be exhibited for one month. Copley notes that longevity is the test of the legacy of an artist.
"Look around at the great museums and see what stands the test of time. It is classical art, which is something that people can relate to and understand,” explains Copley. “It is a responsibility if you are going to execute quality paintings. It requires a lot of study, work and sensitivity. Every artist must try to accomplish his or her highest level of excellence.”
With a classical attention to composition, meticulous attention to his use of light and devotion to the Old World application and mixing of his own pigments, Copley paintings are masterpieces. Copley also uses a glazing technique which develops richness in detail and color without the use of heavy applications of paint. But because it is such a slow process, few artists choose to use it at the present time. Video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfpItEq2URo
If you have ever stood in awe in front of a great painting and wondered how on earth they created it then you can understand why restoration work can be so challenging,” Copley said. "Answers to the mystery of how they painted came via my work in the restoration and conservation of old paintings. Art restoration is a highly specialized field that requires several unrelated skills from its practitioners. Those who excel in art restoration are combination scientist, historian, artist and exceptionally talented craftsman all rolled into one.”
Copley will also be showcasing one of his paintings, “More Than a Handful,” that uses copper as a canvas. Painting on copper was popular from the mid-sixteenth to mid-eighteenth centuries. Masters from Europe to South America, including Rembrandt to El Greco, found copper to be an intriguing surface on which to paint, but the techniques used to paint on copper were guarded by these masters and many consider it a lost art. Copley uses the color, reflectiveness and luminosity of the copper as an integral part of the palette. The paintings often feature 80-120 coats of paint to achieve the depth of a Copley copper masterpiece.
About Ed Copley
Working from his studio in Scottsdale, Arizona, Ed is a man of many visions. He is equally as comfortable painting a landscape of the Sonoran Desert with its majestic saguaro cacti piercing a storm tossed summer sky, a Tarahumara Indian woman with a weathered face, or a classical image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. No matter what the subject, he portrays it with realistic depth and brilliance, attempting only to bring it to life in a most exquisite manner. His representational style draws together many techniques dating back to the renaissance, masterful and painstaking skills that have nearly vanished.
Ed's studio calls to mind images of a European master from the 16th or 17th century. More like an atelier, replete with antique furniture and rustic walnut wooden floors, it is one in which many paintings and drawings sit on easels, as the artist busies himself going from one to the other, working simultaneously on several compositions.
With a classical attention to composition, meticulous attention to his use of light and devotion to the Old World application of pigment, Ed's paintings will remain perpetually enchanting in the mind and heart of his collectors. There is no doubt that his paintings will earn their place in the contemporary history of art.
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Ed Copley has an Online Press Room with high resolution images, HD video and more. We have excellent B-Roll footage for television interviews of Copley painting at the Timken Museum.
DM Productions
Douglas Collins - Public Relations - (623) 825-9122 Ext. 1 or by email to Doug@DMProductionsLLC.com
Ed Copley - A Modern Day Old Master - http://EdCopleyFineArt.com
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