My clients and various periodicals have said very kind things about me and my work in the past...here is a sample.
Adventure and Enterprise in the Art of Joseph Swenarton.
From Gallery and Studio Magazine
That the realist painter Joseph Swenarton is an artist of many facets is the first thing that becomes obvious on visiting his web site: swenartonfineart.com. One of the more unusual series to be seen there is the painter’s posthumous collaboration with his late father, much in the spirit of the dubbed duets between Nat and Natalie Cole.
Robert Swenarton was an accomplished amateur photographer who shot mostly in black and white, and in the series called “Like Father, Like Son” Joseph Swenarton interprets some of his pictures in color, photo and painting set side by side to create striking diptychs. Since the son is primarily a nature painter, the father inspires him auspiciously with subjects such as the woodsy scene “Golden Shadows,” the lyrical vision of which Joseph Swenarton expands upon with a full palette of luminous hues, the dappled chiaroscuro of the photograph suddenly bursting forth in a symphony of yellows and purples.
Similarly, the son sensitively tweaks the rustic charm of the father’s “Autumn Rapture” by virtue of his chromatic amplification and subtle compositional reorganization. Since Joseph Swenarton seems to be generally more of a landscape than figure painter, his dad appears to encourage him to try a new approach in “Clara.” Rising to the occasion, the son puts a new spin on this rearview portrait of an elderly woman in a sun bonnet, positioning the portion of her head that is cropped out of the photograph in reverse order to jog the viewers’ perceptions in an intriguing manner.
The son slightly alters the composition of the father’s photo “Bird Lady of the Beach” in his painted version, creating the cinematic illusion of a shift from medium shot to close-up, lending a sense of sequential movement to two static images.
Juxtaposed in this fashion, each photographic and painted image in the “Like Father, Like Son” series reveals its own individual merits, making not only for a heartfelt tribute, but also for an engaging aesthetic dialogue animated by complementary contrasts.
Other series on the website feature Joseph Swenarton’s landscapes in oils and acrylics, primarily of locales in Italy and Key West, Florida, where he arrived in 1985 and claims to have found love, spiritual rejuvenation, and artistic inspiration. The paintings in his “Joseph’s Garden” series reflect this sense of epiphany with their exotic vegetation and vibrant tropical colors.
Joseph Swenarton could be termed a Neo-Impressionist, since his light-filled plein air style suggests that he has absorbed the inspiration of Monet, Renoir and other nineteenth-century French masters. Rather than appearing dissolved by light, however, his forms retain more detail and palpable substance. He also seems to eschew the Impressionists’ pseudoscientific theories regarding light and color phenomena, in favor of an exuberantly intuitive interpretation of nature. ––Byron Coleman
TESTIMONIALS
Recent Palate Knife Seiminars
Joseph's palette knife painting seminar was a wonderful learning experience.
Joseph takes you step-by-step through the painting process, shows you little tips, and helps you to see what needs to be enhanced. Viewing the work of your fellow students throughout the process is also very enlightening and helps you to see how everyone's perspective is different and beautiful.
Add in some beautiful music, some laughs and yummy snacks, and it's a perfect weekend!
Lots of Love and Namaste, Deb
I took my second workshop last January with Joseph and I am looking forward to the third.
It was a great experience both times. Joseph teaches in a very encouraging and supportive way. He supplies all the materials and makes an extra effort with bringing in food and beverages so all you need is just to show up.
– Hagit
This past weekend, I (who haven't any artistic ability) stepped into quite an adventure at the lovely Botero Gallery with Joesph Swenarton.
I lost myself in time while expressing my feelings on canvas. Joseph has an innate ability to create a comfortable learning experience. His artful guidance and spiritual consciousness allowed my pallet knife to flow into a painting that my friends hold in awe.
Thank you, Joseph, for a unique and exciting weekend.
Love, Joanna
Recently, we had four persons taking a weekend class with Joseph. I learned that three of the attendees had enjoyed a class with Joseph before and I was the only new person.
I have no prior experience painting and began to wonder if I could accomplish what was expected of me. Soon, I learned a lot about Impressionistic painting and how to paint with a palette knife. Joseph is very patient and encouraging.
Joseph made the weekend an enjoyable experience. I was very surprised at how everyone produced a beautiful impressionistic end-product.
We all interacted and had loads of fun. The wine and goodies were a great touch to the whole process.
Thank you, Joseph, for a great job!
Sincerely, Cindy
More Testimonials Regarding Joseph and his Works...
[Joseph teaches a] great palette knife painting workshop. It was fun and very informative. Because of [his] patience and teaching ability I no longer fear the palette knife but instead have a new tool to work with. I hope to return for an advanced class soon.
Michele Alexander Asheville, NC
Thank you, Joseph, for your talent and your patience. Know it or not, I had a fabulous, fun time. I can't wait for our next lesson.
Peachy
This is only my second canvas and I'm so pleased with it. Taking [Joseph's] workshop has so inspired me to try a whole new medium that I am enjoying immensely. It set me free from the tedious detail work that I had been doing. I am every so grateful that I took the class. Please let me know when you are planning future workshops in Naples.