By permission of the artist, The Cyber Art Show is pleased to feature the second of two 12-piece exhibitions of works by contemporary American landscape painter Curtis Eley (born 1953 in Norfolk, Virginia). 
 

When he was just three years old, Curtis began to show an interest in art and music. While visiting his grandparents in Richmond, he loved drawing on Pop's shirt cardboards and picking out tunes on Mudgie's piano.

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Over the years, his love for both grew, and with the arrival of the Beatles, he found a new love-- the electric guitar. By the time he was 14, Curtis was playing in garage bands at local recreation centers. After graduating from Norview High School in 1971, he went on to play professionally, full-time, for 20 years. He eventually tired of the lifestyle and got a  day job. With extra time on his hands now that his weekends were free, he rekindled his love of art. He dabbled in watercolors, colored pencils and pen and ink. He has been commissioned for house portraits, pet portraits, and the occasional human portrait. He particularly enjoyed doing portraits of his fellow Civil War reenactors, and recreating with sepia-toned pencils the photographs of the era taken by Matthew Brady. Around ten years ago, his interest turned more to the use of bold color, and he was particularly drawn to the work of local pastel artist, Janice Gay Maker. After admiring her work for a couple of years, he signed up for one of her classes and has concentrated on perfecting pastels ever since.

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Curtis still enjoys playing guitar, although it's very part-time these days. And he has his day job as a courier for Sykes, Bourdon, Ahern & Levy. He made his gallery debut at Pembroke 4 Art Gallery's "In the Mood for Color" show in April 2011, and was very pleased to take Third Place.

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His love for pastels continues to grow, and he has been honored to participate in several shows at the Charles H. Taylor Arts Center in Hampton, VA since becoming a part of the area’s art scene. In 2014, that love helped him get through the most trying experience of his life. Art was his main focus as he recovered from extensive reconstructive cancer surgery and the chemo and radiation treatments that followed. He’s grateful for the second chance he’s been given and looks forward to spending many more years parked at his end of the couch, with pastels in his hands and his dog by his side.

Some of Curtis's paintings now have homes in California, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Missouri and Virginia.

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Art Shows & Awards

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- Hampton Arts League Open Members Exhibition (2017) - Award of Merit - The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA

- Small Works: Small Works & Miniatures by Tidewater Artists (2016) -  The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA

- The Artist Studio 2016 - The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA

- Hampton Arts League Open Members Exhibition (2016) - Honorable Mention - The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA

- Small Works: Miniatures by Hampton Roads Artists (2015)

The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA

- Earth, Water, Sky (2014) - D’Art Center, Norfolk, VA

- Small Works: Miniatures by Hampton Roads Artists (2014) - Award of Merit - The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA

- Small Works: Miniatures by Tidewater Artists (2013)

The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA

- Word: Artworks Including or Inspired by the Written Word (2013)

The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA

- Virginia Artists 2013 (Juried Exhibition) - The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA

- Small Works: Miniatures by Hampton Roads Artists (2012)

The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA

- Virginia Landscapes Today: Views of the Old Dominion by her Artists (2012) - The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA
- Small Works: Miniatures by Tidewater Artists (2011) - The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA

- I’m in the Mood for Color (2011) - Third Place

Pembroke 4 Art Gallery, Virginia Beach, VA

 

Gallery Representation

Stravitz Sculpture and Fine Arts Gallery - Virginia Beach, VA

(Entered into contract February 2017)

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Association Memberships 

Hampton Arts League - Hampton, VA