Art San Diego 2023 Artists to Watch

Taking place at the beautiful San Diego Convention Center in the heart of the city, Art San Diego welcomes its esteemed exhibitors and attendees to a contemporary gallery-style venue. Artists from around the world will be exhibiting at Redwood Art Group’s Art San Diego fair this November.

Here are nine artists to watch during this year’s fair. Get to know the talented group below.

Alessandra Silvaberg

Self-taught photographer, Alessandra Silvaberg was born in São Paulo, Brazil, and currently lives in California. Her interest in photography started at an early age, inspired by her grandfather who was an incredible artist by heart, she states that he had a profound influence on her life and passion for art. Alessandra has been working with outdoor portraiture photography for the past 18 years, including celebrities, international destinations, and fundraising events, She uses the beautiful outdoors as the background of her artwork. “It is an amazing dance to connect with people and places as one subject” -she says Alessandra always separates a time to take her camera and go out to explore places capturing the moments it was one of the travels that she felt the calling to share her artworks that she had put aside for years. Alessandra is attending for the first time an Art Show as a SOLO and she is thrilled that finally she can share with the world what has been saved until now.

Q: What is your work philosophy and how does that impact your work?

A: I am grateful for my gift of translating how I see the world. My spiritual journey keeps me centered, sensitive, and strongly connected to human beings, animals, and nature and I have always felt passionate about photographing the beauty I see everywhere and in everyone. I am not a technical photographer. I shoot from the heart. I always say that “I see with the eyes of the heart” and that is how I connect with my subjects I allow them to connect with me by being present in the moment, and that is how I find inspiration for photography. I am grateful for all that life has given me. I am surrounded by so many amazing people and I consider myself extremely blessed to have created a beautiful family who gives me extraordinary positive support, and also to get to use my gift to bring beauty to empower, uplift, and connect everyone who comes across my work. Being able to do what I love, with love, is an incredible power to have.

My artwork is a result of 100% inspiration, love, and gratitude! I believe that my true gift is my capacity to connect with my subject by being fully present and feeling a real sense of belonging with all. I use the camera as the vehicle to capture and bring to life that powerful moment. I always feel empowered and grateful for the results of each photograph. My vision is that everyone who comes across my work can be affected in the same way, feeling as if they are there in that moment.

Q: What artist(s) inspire you?

A: I appreciate many artists but my biggest inspiration comes from my grandpa Aristides Eudocio.

Q: What is the best advice you’ve received?

A: I have two strong pieces of advice that I carry with me for my life: The day I left Brazil to pursue my dreams in the US, my dear grandma Anna Bolonhanni held my hands, looked into my eyes, and said “ALWAYS REMEMBER – WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG.” Someone I dearly respect for his work and life of bringing peace to the world, the spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said “Clarity in Mind Purity in Heart Sincerity in Action.”

Q: What does exhibiting at Art San Diego 2023 mean to you?

A: Exhibiting at Art San Diego 2023 is a result of a mental image, that I have created in the past, with a burning desire of sharing my artwork with the world. I feel incredible accomplishment, gratitude, and excitement and I am honored to be part of this event together with so many amazing artists in my hometown.

Alius Fine Art

“We are the recipients of nature’s compassion, nourished by millions of invisible creatures that allow our food to grow and keep us alive. We are cared for by a bounteous and forgiving planet, inseparable from the earth that we came from. I hope my work is a reminder that all of creation is connected, codependent and profoundly beautiful.” – Alius Fine Art

Q: What is your work philosophy and how does that impact your work?

A: I need to keep challenging myself to change, so even as I approach the age of seventy I am still learning about who I am as an artist and how far I can stretch myself creatively. In the past I focused too much on detail and effect, working very tight and slowly. Now I am learning to experiment, and allow chance and accident to play a role in my work. More importantly, I am learning to overcome the fear of what people will think of my imagery and to pay attention to my own voice. 

Q: What artist(s) inspire you?

A: Artists who continue to work in spite of severe handicaps and personal difficulties have my undying admiration, whatever I think of their art. Creativity is hard work! It’s physically demanding and mentally exhausting, so I am inspired by artists who dare to think big and overcome hurdles imposed by their chosen media, their subject matter, their community, or their own limitations.

Q: What is the best advice you’ve received?

A: Pay attention while you’re dreaming! I began keeping a dream journal years ago because so much weird and wonderful material floats up while I’m asleep.

Q: What does exhibiting at Art San Diego 2023 mean to you?

A: San Diego is my favorite place on earth, the part of the world I call home, even though I also maintain a studio in Canada and sometimes work in Asia. Exhibiting at Art San Diego means showing my latest work to my very best friends and collectors, sharing my vision with my Southern California community, and unveiling my latest ideas to the world at large.  

Arendt Graphics

“Born in 1945, I spent my formative years in Vienna and entered the professional School of Graphic design. Early in my youth, I was drawn to the visual arts and music.” – Arendt Graphics

Q: How long have you been an artist?

A: As a result of my early childhood experiences and dealing with the aftermath of World War II the arts symbolized beauty and permanence for me and I fell in love with music, paintings, sculpture, dance, and theatre. In the mid-50s and 60s, Vienna was a great place to enjoy the arts. The city had recovered from the war and there was a powerful renaissance in music and the performing arts with many famous people coming to perform. We were fascinated with modern jazz and listened to performances from John Coltrain to Beethoven. We did not know it then, but we were able to enjoy some of the best performers of the time. I hung around many of the art places throughout the city and soon became familiar with the struggles and expectations of being an artist. When I reached fourteen, I made the decision to enter the graphic field with the goal of becoming a graphic designer. I took evening classes from some of the best-known designers of the time and immersed myself into this lifestyle learning about composition, design, and typography. On the weekends I played jazz music with several bands to earn extra spending money. I went to all the gallery invites and openings and got exposed to many artists including my two favorite artists Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt. I can truly say that I spent most of my life with a pencil in my hand.

Q: Where do you find your inspiration?

A: Faces are to me the most fascinating thing. They are the mirrors of our passions, our struggles, failures, and triumphs. They are the calendar of our collective experiences and a most reliable read/reflection of our feelings. Studying people is almost second nature to me wherever I go, particularly when I see a face that happens to fit the subject that I am presently working on, I look for a combination of body language, the tilt of a face, the sudden drop of a head, the look of an uncertain smile, the narrowing of the eyes, an expression of hate or sorrow down the cast of sham, the shimmering of the cheeks as tears are emerging. These are faces that belong to all of us as we experience joy, sorrow, love, and hate. There are many combinations and you can find them. All you have to do is look around you and watch what people are saying silently. 

Q: What do you like about your work?

A: I am looking forward to developing different series like the “Children of War” and I have just begun with a new series called “Structures.”

Q: Professionally, what is your goal?

A: I would like to find a broader audience for my “Children of War” series. It is a subject that I eel deserves a place in our conscience and needs to be presented as part of our overall understanding of war. The violence and horrors that children experience around the world should no longer be ignorable. 

Bruce Swift

Bruce Reeves Swift, a distinguished painter with over four decades of professional experience, has earned a well-deserved reputation as “America’s Artist” through his remarkable depictions of everyday American life. With a deep passion for capturing the essence of the ordinary and the extraordinary in the American experience, Swift’s body of work resonates with a profound connection to the heart and soul of the nation.

Swift’s journey as an artist is a testament to his unwavering dedication to portraying the rich tapestry of American life. His paintings are windows into the heartland, cities, and suburbs, revealing the diverse stories, traditions, and moments that define this great nation. Through his skillful brushwork and keen eye for detail, he has immortalized scenes that range from bustling urban streets to serene rural landscapes, from joyful celebrations to quiet moments of reflection.

What sets Bruce Reeves Swift apart is his ability to infuse his canvases with a palpable sense of nostalgia and familiarity. His work evokes a deep emotional resonance, stirring feelings of nostalgia and pride in viewers who recognize the quintessential American scenes he portrays. Swift’s paintings capture the essence of small-town diners, Fourth of July parades, family gatherings, and the unassuming beauty found in everyday life.

Over the course of his prolific career, Bruce Reeves Swift has become not only a masterful painter but also a cultural historian, chronicling the evolution of American society, culture, and values. His dedication to preserving these moments in time has earned him a revered place in the annals of American art.

As “America’s Artist,” Bruce Reeves Swift’s enduring commitment to celebrating the everyday American experience through his paintings serves as a testament to the enduring spirit of the nation. His work continues to resonate with people of all backgrounds, reminding us of the shared stories that unite us and the beauty that can be found in the simplicity of life. Bruce Reeves Swift stands as an iconic figure in American art, capturing the heart and soul of the nation with each stroke of his brush.

Deborah M G Cassolis

“My name isDéborah M. GiVogue Cassolis and I have a love for nature and enjoy expressing my studies of cycads, palm trees, monocots, and tropical plants for over a decade, and a lifetime of loving the contrasts of light and shadows.  Fawn and fauna have always inspired me from my backyard and traveling to tropical places like Africa, Australia, Hawaii, Mexico, San Diego, California, and other places around the world.

My story began when I was a child, my parents knew I had artistic talents, and my mother entered one of my pieces when I was 9 years old a competition and heard back from them telling her that there was no way a 9-year-old child could ever be that good; I remember her crying because they didn’t believe her child was a gifted child.   Thereafter, in high school, often the teachers would claim my art and keep it for the schools, and I never got my art back, this was starting to get to me then.

After some years of just keeping my art to myself, I did do some commissioned work, and a company I worked for asked me to design logos for their shipping department, an architect asked me to design a banner for his new company, but these things were minor, and I loved to do art in any way I could.  Eventually, after years of never sharing my talents, I went to Africa to meet my husband’s family, I was bored so I painted the children of the family we stayed with, my husband didn’t even realize I was a good artist.   Then, we moved to the United States where again I took up art classes and sold lamps to businesses that did not intrigue me at all, so I quit my job and went straight to college and enrolled to get my Fine Arts and Liberal Arts Degrees, I knew I was in my element, no turning back.  I graduated with Honors and pursued my life as a full-time artist.” – Deborah M G Cassolis

Q: What is my work philosophy and how does that impact your work?

A: As a painter I always believe that I should know everything I can about what or whom I am to paint.  The more I know about the subject(s) the more I feel that I can convey to canvas the spirit of how they impact our lives through my paintings.

I chose palm trees and tropical plants because how I see it is if we know about the environment they are from, we can also help animals who rely on the forests to bring awareness of their importance to the ecosystem.  I feel that giving back to what I believe in by donating art or some proceeds from the sales, is a good way to send a message to the world that our animals forests and ecosystems are important to care about.

Q: What does exhibiting at Art San Diego 2023 mean to you?

A: When I heard about Art San Diego, the city that I yearn to live in, was having an art show at the convention center, I knew I wanted to be a part of this event.  I got tickets to the event but COVID-19 happened, then the next time that the show opened, the Governor of San Diego closed the convention center to the public due to the building may still be contaminated by COVID-19.  So, finally the next year in 2022 I went to the show with the help of Mark Shapiro who helped me get the tickets. He advised me to talk to as many artists as possible to learn about this event.

I left there and I was excited, I got home, and I knew I wanted to be a part of this event in 2023. 
This means I can be in front of a larger audience connect with key people and fellow artists and be inspired to new levels with my skills.  I think it is important to participate in events like Art San Diego to help grow my name and to share my art with people who would love to know the story behind my artwork and acquire pieces. 

Stephen Robeck Photographs

“My more serious work with a camera began through long wilderness treks in the High Sierras around Yosemite. Surrounded by grand vistas and natural wonders, I felt driven to capture grand panoramic landscapes. But once I began to really see the abstract forms, colors, and textures that abound in nature, all my preconceptions of what my work should be were fundamentally changed. In a sense, I was set free. Now I find that images are everywhere.

I love creating photographs whose origins may not be readily clear. This kind of abstraction can lead to images that are peaceful, but also a bit mysterious. I want my work to engage viewers through color, texture, and depth, and to keep their eyes moving. If they ask, “What is that?” I feel I’ve succeeded in some way. My intent is to make photographs that people want to look at and explore every day.” Stephen Robeck

Q: What is your work philosophy and how does that impact your work?

A: The first tenet is, don’t ever try to imagine what others will like or want to collect. It’s impossible. One of the first things I learned as an artist is to focus on those images that speak to me. When I trust my own vision, others are much more likely to respond.

The second tenet is, to just keep doing the work and learning from the process. I think this is key for all kinds of artists.

The third tenet is, when the work connects with others, understand this is the gift. Sales are great, but it’s the personal connection with strangers that is the core of the virtuous circle.

Q: What artist(s) inspire you?

A: As a young photographer, I soaked up monographs of the work of many photographers who were known for particular things. Gene Smith made a variety of photo essays that were featured in Life Magazine. He was also famous for his coverage of fighting in the Pacific during WWII. Ansel Adams made the Yosemite and the High Sierra come alive with his dramatically manipulated Black and White images. Eliot Porter was one of the first to open my eyes to color in the natural world. These and other artists were inspiring because their work was so distinctive, each unlike any other. So part of that inspiration was the understanding that they couldn’t really be emulated, only appreciated and admired.

Q: What is the best advice you’ve received?

A: When my mother was nearing the end of her life, I asked if she had any advice for me. After thinking about it overnight, the only thing she said was, “Have no regrets.” Of course, this pertains to everything, not just art, but it has been a lodestar for me ever since.

Q: What does exhibiting at Art San Diego 2023 mean to you?

A: I exhibited in Santa Barbara galleries for a number of years, but usually with just a few pieces at a time. Art Santa Fe was my first Art Fair experience, followed by others in Santa Fe, Dallas, and Miami. The most valuable thing I derive from all these fairs is learning more and more about how to curate more of my own work and present it in a way that gets the attention of others.

World Chinese Art Committee

The World Chinese Art Committee Art San Diego 2023 exhibition mainly focuses on the works of artist Huang Yue. At the same time, they additionally display the works of two other artists Huang Simi, Huang Ziyao.

Huang Yue was born in Beijing, China in 1960. In 1982, he graduated from the Fine Arts Department of Beijing Film Academy; in 2000, he created a new style of oil painting – Huang Yue Bird-Flower Oil Painting; in 2014, he created Huang Yue Ink and Color painting.

Whitney Anderson

Whitney is a self-taught multi-disciplinary fine artist practicing in the mediums of drawing since she was 3, painting since she was 15, and collage since she was 27. Born in Alaska into a 3^rd generation commercial fishing family, she and her family moved to Breckenridge, Colorado in 1996. She took up ski racing for 4 years before switching to cross-country and track. Excelling in sports, she attended Duke University on a full-ride athletic scholarship and in 2009 received her B.A. in Fine Arts.

Whitney’s signature style is contemporary realism with a flare of pop-cultural nostalgia. She considers herself as “old school, raw, a purist”: everything is free-handed and that stems from the thousands of hours refining her fundamental art skills over the past 25 years. This is reflected early on in her childhood: “I didn’t like coloring books or tracing, I was always a blank, white slate kid.” Her blue-collar upbringing also prepared her way as an artist. There were no shortcuts to being successful: pure passion, drive and long hours make up a signature Whitney L Anderson art piece.

Q: What is your work philosophy and how does that impact your work?

A: I’m not going to romanticize becoming a great artist: it’s plain old work harder— in labor and in your smarts– than your peers. That’s it. People who view my art have expressed to me how they see the hard work and depth of emotion put into it—it’s almost 3D in the way it escapes Its 2D nature and permeates the atmosphere around it, uplifting spirits. The subtleties are everything in the art world—one that makes a piece go from good to a masterpiece. You have to catch the soul. I call it the Three C’s: I’m Calculating, Controlled, and Commanding in my craft. By the time I was 30, I had put in my 10,000 hours of mastering my field and I believe it’s because it’s the one thing in my life that I have complete 100% control and confidence in. When it comes to art, I like to capitalize on my emotions—they will bring out the potency of my work (because I was creating it with a lot of heart). One more thing: do art for yourself first and then for the world second. You’re never going to please everyone so don’t turn into a pleaser—you’ll end up losing yourself altogether.

Q: What is the best advice you’ve received?

A: “Stay hungry.” Several people over the years have told me that during my career. I think they saw where I could go and how prolific I was becoming. Other people believing in me helps fuel my drive even more—that angst to produce more and make something of myself. It’s the feeling that time is finite and I need to accomplish great works with the skill set God gave me. There is also another quote that I discovered years ago, one that I have always told myself in order to stave off comparison and self-doubt: Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous line, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” I just love it as it automatically snaps me back to the stoic composure I need in my life because I am such a deep feeler and empathetic—I have this default weakness of feeling like that if I get rejected I have to feel rejected and inferior by the person doing the rejection. Sometimes, yes, we should feel the retribution in certain circumstances, but I have learned that most of the time it is the other person. So, I have had to be very judicious about what I do with it. Never has that been more true in the art world: highly subjective, political, and fickle—“you’re too this” or “too that.” If you absorbed all the critics around you it would make you go crazy. 

Q: What artist(s) inspire you?

A: I discovered George Condo’s work a few years ago after watching the documentary “The Price of Everything” and it was so arresting. Ingenious. The other work I like is Kazimir Malevich whose stark abstract pieces were the forerunner to the hyper-modernist movement. He was ahead of his time. I could name a lot more musical artists that inspire me to actually create art— some pieces that I recall have a “soundtrack” to them because I usually listen to a ton of music while I create. 

Q: What does exhibiting at Art San Diego 2023 mean to you?

A: It means exposure to a larger audience, hopefully, direct sales, and definitely residual sales. I want to be discovered by a formal reputable gallery and be represented by them. When I visited Art Basel in 2021 and got acquainted with several galleries: DTR galleries along the east coast, Galerie Leroyer in Toronto, Space Gallery in NYC, and Art Angels in Los Angeles. Those are the places that would sell my art really well. Any galleries similar to their curation I would love to meet at Art San Diego–my first major art fair appearance!

Art by Joshua

California native, Joshua Rioss, is an oil painter in the abstract, expressionism, realism, and allover styles. When he’s not painting, he works as a K-12 visiting teacher for San Diego Unified. He also plays guitar, makes frames, and writes novels and short stories.

Q: How do you work?

A: When painting at home I put away all distractions, sometimes working in complete silence or playing instrumental music in the background. Working with oil requires patience; it takes a while for the paint to set. However since I don’t have any, I am often working on multiple paintings at a time between sessions. Whether painting on site or in my home I absorb myself entirely and work as swiftly as I can. I will paint until a subject is finished or the canvas is completely wet and I can no longer add layers. I try to be efficient and plan out the amount of time and sessions I will work on a single painting. However, this is hardly the case and I accept my process must be free to continue as long as it takes. The process is a journey. I can only control it so much before I find myself working with a painting as much as on it. 

Q: What has been your favorite experience so far as an artist?

A: I started painting to experiment with color and design and decorate my walls. I was hooked when I realized how much artwork can positively change a living space and add to our lives. The more I painted the more ideas I had, and I fell in love with the possibilities. I look forward to bringing more unique artworks into the world for myself and others to enjoy. My favorite experience has been rediscovering a years-old painting and being inspired and reassured by it. It’s like receiving a message from your younger self hoping to tell you how talented you were yesterday, are today, and will be tomorrow. 

Q: What is the best advice you have received?

A: I learned many years ago that good advice can come from anywhere. One day while painting outside my apartment, my neighbor, an older gentleman who comes from a family of musicians, was walking out of his house and saw me working. He approached my station and asked what I was up to. I told him I was just experimenting with some paintings. He studied my work and then said, “You know, eventually it just comes down to proficiency. How proficient are you at what you do? Because not everybody’s going to like the same stuff. But if you can be proficient at what you do, then you’re doing alright, man.” That might have been the first time I thought of myself as having a distinct style of painting and realizing it doesn’t have to please everybody. 

Q: When you are not working, where can we find you?

A: When I am not working I am working. My day job as an educator keeps me busy during the week. When I come home, I rest, eat, and then start painting, practicing music, or working on a writing project. But aside from work and home, I enjoy exercising, either at the gym, the park, or just around my neighborhood. I like to get out in nature and take hikes or just walk around the city and find a new restaurant to eat at. Sometimes I go out and listen to live music on the weekends at a few different venues. You can find me at Balboa Park, walking through the museums, enjoying the scenery, or just passing through. I also go to Mission Bay or any of the beaches in San Diego when I want to swim or just relax outside. 

For tickets to Art San Diego 2023 visit this link.

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