Another full week on the blog. In addition to introducing our West Juror, Bill Arning, and reminding everyone to apply to the West Region competition by the April 30th deadline to avoid a late fee, we recommended two exhibitions and did a Q&A with past New American Paintings' featured artist Marissa Textor (#97). After the jump, check out summaries of this week's posts!

Marissa Textor | Trouble in Paradise, graphite on paper, 18" x 16.5"

Ellen Caldwell, our LA Contributor, said in her post, "Her subjects vary, but she often creates images of pre- and post-destruction, conjuring an extreme sense of foreboding or impending devastation.  Somehow this momentum she captures lingers with you as a viewer..." Simply put, we think her drawings are crazy-good. She has been on our radar for a while, and we were psyched to see her selected for issue #97 last year, chosen by juror Anne Ellegood. Learn more about Marissa Textor by reading the Q&A Caldwell did with the talented illustrator here.

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Ellen followed up her Q&A with a nice review later in the week. This time, she visited Jonas Wood’s solo show at the David Kordansky Gallery. She went so far as to say it was her favorite show of 2012! Be sure to see what left Caldwell feeling "shaken and stirred with a new interest in still lifes and a new fascination with Wood’s world." Full Post

Jonas Wood, BBall Studio, 2012, oil and acrylic on canvas, 105 x 138 inches.

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Finally, Seattle Contributor, Erin Langner, stopped by Francine Sedars's house-turned-gallery, to see paintings by Robert Storr and Denzil Hurley. Langner writes, "Without the priming experience of Hurley’s purely experiential paintings, it is hard to imagine a similar desperation for a reference point naturally accompanying [Storr's] S.P. #1, 2, 3, 4.  Storr’s work is, in general terms,  abstracted. However, Hurley’s works make the subtle details of Storr’s design more poignant and graspable. Conversely, the light, easy pace embedded within Storr’s series brings out the heavy, slowness of Hurley’s; moving between the two artists is the exhibition. This conscious exchange between the two sets of work is the show’s greatest success; these paintings percolate when left to talk amongst themselves, in their hilltop gallery, away from it all." Read the full review here!

Robert Storr | S.P. #1,2,3,4, acrylic on linen on board, 2012, each 20” x 24”
Image courtesy of Francine Sedars Gallery.

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Stay tuned to the blog next week...Whitney Kimball reviews Four Paintings at Regina Rex, and Kansas City Contributor, Hallie Miller, discusses the work of artist Davin Watne. And, of course, much more!