Alan Wolton receives prestigious award from Oil Painters of America — Distinguished Artist of the Year
Sedona AZ (June 18, 2014) – Renowned artist and Sedona resident, Alan Wolton has just returned from Bennington, Vermont, where he was the recipient of the Distinguished Artist of the Year from Oil Painters of America – “OPA.”
Already an “OPAM” – recognized as “master painter” by the group, Wolton has had an illustrious career spanning six decades.
Wolton’s work has been accepted by the Royal Academy of London, the Royal Society of British Artists, the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, and the Paris Salon. He has also been a Master Charter Member of the Society of American Impressionists and a member of Plein Air Painters of Northern California.
His work has been exhibited all over the world, including London, Johannesburg and Paris. His peripatetic nature has led to the creation of powerful art from many beautiful places, including his original South African home, New Zealand and Europe – notably Venice.
An excerpt from the OPA’s announcement about the award states, “Alan Wolton is indulging in an artistic freedom brought about by his years of development and the confidence of maturity. Following international recognition, his paintings now show a revised simplicity of statement. Technically, Mr. Wolton´s work is unquestionable. His list of credentials and exhibitions over the years is very impressive.”
In his own words Wolton claims, “Generally, I am not too affected by awards but this decision by the Oil Painters of America Masters, notably retiring OPA president Neil Patterson, along with Masters Zhiwei Tu, Charles Movalli and others, has truly touched my heart. The kindness and honor these wonderful folk showered upon me will remain a lifetime high!”
Regarding his work, the artist recently said, “I like my paintings to stop passers-by who had only by accident caught a glimpse of the picture. What they see should be breathtakingly different, delightfully fresh, something emotionally appetizing and a joy. A subconscious visual high spiked by a happy relationship of colors, tones, forms and cleanliness.”
The award comes on the heels of the publication of “The Art of Alan Wolton,” a 348-page hardbound book which is at once a memoir, a close look at how paintings are made, and a retrospective of a lifetime’s achievement, including more than 400 color images of artworks from every period of the artist’s life. The book is available from Amazon.com, and local residents can find it at the Sedona Public Library.
Oil Painters of America is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 4,000 artists throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. OPA is dedicated to preserving and promoting excellence in representational art. Its primary focus is to draw attention to the lasting value of fine drawing, color, composition and the appreciation of light on canvas.
The mission of OPA is to advance the cause of traditional, representational fine art by providing a forum in which artists can display their art in regional and national competitions. In addition, the organization is committed to providing educational opportunities to its members through its newsletter, critique program, scholarships, workshops, seminars, and demonstrations by today’s masters.