Gary Akers, 1951- contemporary master realist - Maine

Pricing & History

Sold for
Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth.
Sold Date
Source eBay

Gary Akers, A.W.S. (American Watercolor Society), (American 1951-) This lot offers a very rare opportunity to own an original work of art by one of the giants of contemporary realism.In pristine condition, unusually large, and perfect Maine image all add up for a major find for the right buyer. His works rarely appear at auction and more and more are being sought by major museums reducing the availability of works. His gallery prices are into five figures for even small works. Lupines Image: 12" x 20 3/4"Framed: 18 1/2" x 27 1/2"signed lower right: Gary Akers A.W.S.Akers is one of America's foremost contemporary realist,painting in watercolor, dry brush and egg tempera. Akers is considered to be a master of light and shadow in his exciting compositions.His works are praised both for their beauty and for their richness of detail, and that level of detail is all the more remarkable considering the medium he works in.The artist specializes in landscapes painted in egg tempera, an egg-based paint that must be painstakingly applied, with each work built up of hundreds of layers. No other medium can match the beautiful luminosity of the traditional Renaissance technique of egg tempera. By the mid-1980s, Akers' egg tempera works were fetching commissions of up to $50,000.Gary Akers, born 1951 in Pikesville, Kentucky. He received his Masters at Morehead State University in 1974, and furthered his egg tempera studies on a Greenshield Foundation Grant. Taking his grant to New York, he studied 14th and 15th century egg tempera paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and then traveled to the Portland Museum of Art to study the work of Andrew Wyeth.Akers is highly accomplished in egg tempera, drybrush, and watercolor painting. In keeping with the traditions of American Realism, Akers depicts objects and places that are well-known to him. Akers is a master of composition, creating powerful, uncluttered still lifes and landscapes through his dramatic arrangement of pure white light and shadow.His work has been exhibited in numerous institutions including the Speed Art Museum, the Frye Museum of Art, the Ogunquit Art Museum, the Asheville Art Museum, the National Academy of Design, the Colorado History Museum, and the Great American Artists exhibition at the Cincinnati Museum Center.Akers is an elected Signature Member of the American Watercolor Society the Southern Watercolor Society, and the Kentucky Watercolor Society. His work was featured in American Art Collector, March 2007. Gary Akers alternates his residence and studio between Kentucky and Maine. Akers is also pretty prolific: A coffee-table book "Kentucky: Land of Beauty," published in 1999, gathers together more than 100 of his paintings of Kentucky rural scenes and landmarks, from covered bridges to Churchill Downs. Akers second book "Memories of Maine" was published in 2003. Recently, one of Akers’ images appeared on 60 MINUTES II, and his work was featured on "Kentucky Life" -- KET's Emmy Award-winning weekly TV series celebrating the fascinating people and places of the Commonwealth. His paintings have been accepted by some of the most highly acclaimed shows in the country including the Speed Art Museum, the Ogunquit Museum, the National Academy of Design, and the Artists of America Exhibition.He has received the Kentucky Watercolor Society’s top award. Akers is a member of both the American Watercolor Society and the Kentucky Watercolor Society. He also received a Greenshields Foundation grant from Montreal, Canada to further his egg tempera work.With his wife, Lynn, and their daughter, Ashley, he lives in Union, Kentucky, where he spends winter months painting in his restored 19th century log cabin studio. Summers are spent in Maine, where he paints the rugged coast. In 1995, they purchased the charming Georges River Road School, also known as The Green Schoolhouse, located two miles down the beautiful St. George peninsula.MUSEUM AFFILIATIONS <... read more

Items in the Price Guide are obtained exclusively from licensors and partners solely for our members’ research needs.

Flag item for content or copyright

If this item contains incorrect or inappropriate information please contact us here to flag it for review.

If you are the originator/copyright holder of this photo/item and would prefer it be excluded from our community, contact us here for removal.