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I want to thank you for visiting my online gallery. I do hope you will return to view new works as they are added in the future. I would enjoy hearing from you if you have any questions or thoughts to share. Please send an e-mail from the link at the bottom of any page should you wish to be placed on our mailing list to advise you of new paintings, products, shows and events as they occur. After many years in the commercial and corporate sectors as an illustrator and business owner, I have returned to my original love of fine art painting. During my years as an illustrator I had limited opportunity to exhibit and sell my work to individual and corporate collectors at noted public businesses. My decision to focus full-time on painting, and creating unique products from them and my photography, was inspired by a circumstantial event. An opportunity to become acquainted with internationally acclaimed master of painting, Kenneth M. Freeman presented itself. This proved to be a defining moment in my career. I have been extremely fortunate to have his guidance, tutelage and encouragement ever since. I have also studied under nationally acclaimed watercolorist, official U. S. Navy and freelance National Geographic photographer, Cliff Segerblom, deceased. I hope your visit to my online gallery will enhance the joy that art brings into our often hectic world. Please come back often.

Graduate of Famous Artists School Westport, CN Fine Art Studies at University of Nevada Las Vegas, NV Drawing Studies at Nevada Art Center Las Vegas, NV Sylvester Advertising Commercial Artist/Still Photographer Las Vegas, NV Head Illustrator for many prime contractors of the Dept. of Energy, including: Reynolds Electrical & Engineering Co Lawrence Livermore Laboratories Sandia National Laboratory Westinghouse Corporation Hughes Tool Company EG&G, Inc. Shutter-Brush, Ink ~ Las Vegas, NV Owner/Illustrator of graphics and awards business with clients including: Wells Fargo Hoover Dam Las Vegas Hilton Hotel Nevada State Supreme Court and entertainment stars, such as Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra. Delta Phi Delta Honorary Academic Art Fraternity Member, Fountain Hills Art League Member, Fountain Hills Cultural Council

	I didn't make the decision to be an artist. It was in my fabric from birth, leaving no doubt about my destiny. Of all the variations that my life has gone through, my art has been the constant thread for me. As vividly as yesterday, I remember the total thrill of seeing the emergence of my first swan finger painting in second grade. The sheer joy I experienced is etched in my memory and gave me the awareness of my life's calling. The joy of seeing an image emerge from a blank canvas is the ultimate thrill...creating something that didn't exist before. That exciting anticipation never fails to be there for the beginning of each painting I do. I love painting a great variety of subject matter, but my truest desire has always leaned toward portraiture with strong design elements and that sense of attitude defining the personality of the subject. A major part of the fun for me is creating those personalities...from making their features "speak" to designing the attire that reinforces each of their identities. They all become my close friends and represent a part of me. In the early years, my favored media were acrylics and watercolors. In recent years, I couldn't resist the lure of oil paints. I have found the combination of oils and acrylics in a painting gives me the best of both worlds for executing the elements of design and portraiture into my work. My brush strokes disappear like the finish of porcelain and I incorporate a color palette fitting each personality. The sense of design from my days as an illustrator and the use of strong contrast of values develops the energy for my subjects. My love for drawing and painting the human form and facial features, creating that aura of a unique personality, brings great satisfaction. Of course, the eyes..."the windows of the soul"...are of critical importance. They let you get acquainted with the personality, but they also lock away parts of the subject's soul that belong only to themselves. My greatest joy away from painting is studying the techniques of the Renaissance painters, of legendary portraitists such as John Singer Sargent as well as the great contemporary master portraitists I so greatly admire...Kenneth M. Freeman, Nelson Shanks, Burton Silverman, Daniel Green, and Everett Raymond Kinstler. I feel very fortunate to have been blessed with such a destiny...to create, to paint. I can't imagine it any other way.

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We welcome hearing from you with your inquiries and comments. We would be honored to add you to our mailing list to advise you of new paintings or gift items as they are added to our site. Just type the words "Mailing List" in the subject line of an email. You can contact us at:

B J Calvird Fine Art

480-577-0316 (Will reach either location.) Las Vegas, NV ~ Fountain Hills, AZ

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©2005-2008 B. J. Calvird. All rights reserved. The images and contents in this website are for viewing purposes only and are NOT public domain. They may not be derived, copied, reproduced or disseminated in any manner. Images are watermarked and can be traced. International copyright and trademark laws of intellectual property apply.