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This site provides a survey of art by Nick Savides. The artwork is organized by subject; the seven sections are:
New York City (NYC) - cityscapes, street scenes, park scenes, cafe and interior scenes in oil, with an emphasis on the Times Square, financial district and downtown.
Paris - cityscapes, street scenes, park scenes, garden scenes, and train stations in oils inspired by Paris
Upstate New York - country landscapes in oils, inspired by such locations as Amenia in Dutchess County, NY and Sharon in Litchfield County, CT. Includes horses, people, dogs, cows, and the hunt theme.
Martha's Vineyard - landscapes in oils and watercolors inspired by Martha's Vineyard, MA.
America West - landscapes in oil inspired by the Grand Canyon, the Badlands of South Dakota, Yellowstone National Park, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks, Monument Valley, and Arches National Park.
More - landscapes and portraits inspired by settings in Arkansas, Massachusetts, Carmel (California), Bermuda, Budapest.
Figure Drawings - nude figure drawings in conte crayon, graphite, and oils.
Artworks are for sale unless marked "private collection". Prices are not listed, but use the contact link on the top of the page to inquire about prices.
"I find inspiration in the beauty of the world around me. The paintings that I make are representational, and they also tell a story. They are as much “about” what I see as what is going on inside me – they express a state of being. With Vermeer as an early influence, there is a certain drama to them created by capturing the effects of light or defining interesting spatial relationships. A dramatic sky depicting an oncoming storm may dominate the scene or light may shine on part of the painting, leaving large areas of darkness, shrouded in mystery. At times moody, there is always a quiet energy that instills a peaceful sense of calm. They capture a sense of time and place with a certain understatement, as many of the titles would suggest, such as “Wall Street – Early Morning” or “Grand Canyon at Sunrise”. They grip you by inviting you in with the familiar and showing you more than you expected. In essence, they mirror my personality, so if you know me, you will know my paintings, and vice versa. The element of mystery is evident in the handling of darkness and light, and as in a dream, even inanimate shapes may come to life. They invite you to become engaged and interpret your own version of the story behind it, and answer questions like, why is that couple kissing passionately in the shadows, why is that woman walking barefoot in the middle of the parking garage. Sometimes the foreground is in darkness or deeply troubled, and far off in the distance there is light or hope. Often there is a Hopper sense of isolation that you feel from the figures in the scene.
The majority of the paintings depict the outdoors – landscapes, cityscapes, street scenes (though I have also painted portraits and interiors.) These scenes often include people and animals to make up the composition, though sometimes the story is told without them. The interactions are very expressive and personal and subtle. Collectors say that they see new things in the paintings over time.
I paint using traditional oil and canvas, using traditional methods. It is a process that starts outdoors, which could be in the city, in parks, in the country, or where I am traveling. I look for a setting that inspires me. It is there that I work out the basic composition and start to get ideas about what I will do. I like to spend time with the composition and reflect, and for this reason, I continue the process in the studio. I often go back to the original scene to get a fresh perspective, get more details, see a different point of view, or see it under different light. I do a very small oil sketch to work out the colors and make sure the composition is bold enough to carry across the room. Working on the painting itself, I concentrate on sections at a time and try not to rework as I’m doing this to keep the energy fresh and the painting alive."
-- Nick Savides
Nick Savides learned to paint as a young child from his mother (an amateur painter) and never stopped. At Brandeis University, he studied under the New York figurative painter Paul Georges and learned formal composition and painting techniques. It was then that he knew he wanted to make a career in the art world.
He has always been a representational artist and over the years has done landscapes, cityscapes, portraits, and figurative paintings. His paintings tell a story, and at once have a sense of mystery, drama, and calm.
Starting out, Nick focused on paintings of people in interior settings, drawing on Jan Vermeer as an influence. It was then that the effects of light became ─ and stayed ─ a key ingredient in his paintings.
Moving to New York in 1980, he moved on to city scenes. Living in the Village, he painted people in the context of the city streets. Later, after moving to Brooklyn, he drew inspiration from his new surroundings and over time made paintings that included scenes from Park Slope, Prospect Park, Coney Island, and the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Verrazzano Bridges.
Inspired by the beauty of Martha’s Vineyard, he started to focus on New England landscapes. Influenced by Edward Hopper, Winslow Homer and Albert Pinkham Ryder, among others, he continued to work in oils and for a time also in watercolors.
From the cliffs of Martha’s Vineyard, Nick moved on to the canyons of the American West, painting scenes inspired by national parks in Utah, Arizona, South Dakota, and Wyoming – the Badlands, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks, and Zion National Parks.
In the past few years he has split his time between city and country subjects, painting scenes inspired by downtown New York and the farmlands of Dutchess County, NY and Litchfield County, CT. More recently, Nick has traveled to Paris and is painting scenes inspired by from those trips.
Nick talks about paintings from his recent show New York/Parks on Minding Your Business Part-1 Part-2
Walkthrough of the New York/Paris show at the Nabi Gallery, 2009
Nick talks about the show at the New York Chamber Virtuosi French Connections concert at Nabi
Education
Graduated from Brandeis University, Magna Cum Laude with Highest Honors in Fine Arts. Studied under Paul Georges
One to Three Person Exhibitions
Berkeley College Art Gallery, 2011, New York, Solo, "Paris"
Nabi Gallery, New York, 2009, Solo, “New York - Paris"
Nabi Gallery, New York, 2007,
Three Person Show, “In Praise of Summer"
Nabi Gallery, New York,2005, Two Person Show, “New York Stories”
Gallery Alexie, New York, 2002, Solo, “Canyons”
Gallery Alexie, New York, 2000, Solo, “Recent Paintings”
Bridgewater Gallery, New York, 1988, Two Person Show “An American in Paris”
Bridgewater Gallery, New York, 1987, Two Person Show
Pene de Bois Gallery, New York, 1986 Solo Exhibition
State of New York at Stony Brook, 1980, Solo Exhibition
Group Shows
Berkeley College Gallery, Brooklyn, 2011, "Changes in Brooklyn"
Art OffSpace, Brooklyn, 2010, "Paint the Town: NYC"
Nabi Gallery, New York, 2010, Natural Resources Defense Council's Environmental Art Awards Contest
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, Brooklyn, 2010, "Wide Open" --National Juried Art Show
Nabi Gallery, New York, 2008, “Art for Obama"
Tabla Rasa Gallery, Brooklyn, 2008, "Bridge as Icon"
TRA (The Rising Arts) Gallery, Brooklyn, 2008, "Represent Brooklyn"
Nabi Gallery, New York, 2007, “Minatures"
Frederick Galleries, Allenhurst, NJ, 2007, "Breeders' Cup"
Nabi Gallery, New York, 2006,
“Nocturnes"
Van der Plas Gallery,
New York,
2006, "Winter" show
Van der Plas Gallery, New York, 2006, “The Brooklyn Show”
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, Brooklyn, 2005, “Earth Show”
Park Slope Open Studio Tour, BWAC, Brooklyn, 2005
ARTredSpot Gallery, Westport, CT, 2004, Premier Exhibit
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, Brooklyn, 2004, “Solo Show”
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, Brooklyn, 2004, PierArt Show 12
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, Brooklyn, 2003, “Painters Show”
Park Slope Open Studio Tour, BWAC, Brooklyn, 2003
Gay Head Gallery, Gay Head, Massachusetts, 1995, Watercolors
Field Gallery, West Tisbury, Massachusetts, 1993, “Island Paintings”
First Street Gallery, New York, 1992, National Competition
Gay Head Gallery, Gay Head, Massachusetts, 1991, “Vineyard Landscapes”
Helio Galleries, New York, 1991, “Summer Salon”
Helio Galleries, New York, 1990, Showcase Exhibition
Helio Galleries, New York, 1990, International Competition
Bridgewater/Lustberg Gallery, New York, 1989, Landscapes
Home Box Office, Corporate Headquarters, New York, 1989
Open Studio Tour, Park Slope Artists Council, Brooklyn, 1988
Bridgewater Gallery, New York and East Hampton, 1988, Summer Show
Bridgewater Gallery, New York, 1988, “New Romantics”
Bridgewater Gallery, New York, 1987, “New Romantics”
Dramatis Personae Gallery, New York, 1986, “A Man and a Woman”
Torn Awning Gallery, New York, 1986, Five Person Show
Torn Awning Gallery, New York, 1986, “A Walk Through the Forest”
Torn Awning Gallery, New York, 1986, “A Day at the Beach”
Outer Space Gallery, New York, 1986, “Love”
Educational Alliance, New York, 1986
Pene de Bois Gallery, New York, 1985
New Art in New York Exhibition, New York, 1985
Selected Bibliography
Marion Wolberg Weiss, "Environmental Show at Nabi Gallery", Dan's Hamptons.com, July 2, 2010
Harold Egeln, "Tabla Rasa Gallery in ‘Bridge as Icon’ Celebrates Brooklyn Bridge’s 125 Years", The Brooklyn Eagle, May 15, 2008
"A Bridge to Inspiration", The Daily News, May 18, 2008
“Exhibit celebrates thoroughbred racing”, Atlanticville, October 25, 2007
Marshall Sponder, “Nick Savides at NABI Gallery – NYC”, Art in New York, February 7, 2007
Pick of the Day “New York Stories”, The L Magazine, December 6, 2005
Cover - “Over Sixty Artists Put out the Welcome Mat”, Park Slope Courier 24Seven, May 9, 2005
Nis Kildegaard, “Two-Week Show at Gay Head Gallery Presents Views of Island Landscapes”, Vineyard Gazette, July 23, 1991
Publications
Nick Savides - New York - Paris, 2009
Nick Savides - Paintings, 2008
Professional Associations
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC)
Collections
Rose Art Museum, Waltham,
MA
Numerous Private Collections
Copyright©1997-2010 Nick Savides. All rights reserved. Reproduction of artwork or these pages is prohibited without prior written permission of Nick Savides.