People often ask me what exactly is “Contemporary Realism” in painting.

Contemporary Realist Artists paint straightforward subject matter. It can be tightly rendered or have a more academic approach, but what they all do in obvious or subtle ways is incorporate the compositions and structure of Modern Art.

The description of “Realism” at the Open Directory Project–dmoz, (www.dmoz.org) is terrific:

“Realism in the visual arts began as a 19th-century style and depicts people, objects and events in a manner considered accurate or true to life. It began as a reaction to the idealistic approach of romanticism.”

Dmoz’s definition of Contemporary Realsim is also great:

“Contemporary Realism is a subtle combination of straightforward, traditional, representational painting with Modernist concepts. It differs from “Classical Realism” which is romantic in nature and does not reference concepts of Modern Art, and “Photorealism” which is often ironic and conceptual in nature.”