Camille Engel to Exhibit Realism Oil Paintings in Three Prominent Exhibitions

            NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 2012) – Internationally awarded Nashville visual artist Camille Engel will exhibit a large array of original contemporary realism oil paintings in a rare solo exhibition from Sept. 12 through Nov. 4 at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center in Clarksville, Tenn.

            Meanwhile, the artist will also step back into the international spotlight when she showcases several original bird paintings in the International Guild of Realism Exhibition in Carmel, Calif., from Sept. 7-30 and at the prestigious Woodson Art Museum “Birds in Art” international exhibition in Wausau, Wis., from Sept. 8-Nov. 11. “Birds in Art” will exhibit “Strike A Pose”, one of her most intricate oil paintings recently purchased by the Tennessee State Museum.


(Painting: "Strike A Pose")

            “This is probably the busiest and most successful year I’ve ever had, and I couldn’t be more thrilled,” said Engel, whose work has been exhibited and collected throughout the world.  “It is rare for me to exhibit locally, so I’m looking forward to presenting this retrospective exhibition in my home state of Tennessee.”

            For her “Impressions of Reality” exhibition in Clarksville, Engel is organizing a large collection of paintings spanning a little more than a decade. Art lovers will be able to see her original oil paintings of still life’s, abstract views of realism, contemporary trompe l’oeil, and her trademark birds. This Camille Engel collection includes the award-winning painting, “Sunflower at the Old Factory”, which won the 2005 TAL Memorial Award, the 2007 cover competition of American Artist Magazine, and recently returned from a 12-city, three-year traveling museum tour being compared to a Vincent Van Gogh sunflower in an educational context. Also exhibiting will be several recognizable paintings that have been featured in national magazines such as American Art Collector, Fine Art Connoisseur, and Southwest Art, as well as Nashville Arts Magazine.

            The artist will celebrate the opening of her solo exhibition in Tennessee with a reception at the historic Customs House from 5-8 p.m. Sept. 20 (Thursday).  The exhibition will continue through Nov. 4.  Viewing hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday.  Admission to the museum is free on the second Saturday of each month.  The Customs House is located at 200 S. Second St. in downtown Clarksville.

            Two Engel bird paintings have been selected for the highly anticipated International Guild of Realism exhibition at the Jones & Terwilliger Galleries in Carmel. “Hello Sugar”, a 12 by 12-inch oil painting from her best-selling “Trespasser” series, depicts an Allen’s hummingbird perched inside a trompe l’oeil ripped hole in blank art paper.  The second painting, “On the Edge”, shows a Fairy Wren standing on the edge of an antique book. The exhibition, which is open to the public from Sept. 7-30, will present the best in today’s realism art featuring a wide spectrum from contemporary to classical realism, created by more than 75 artists from all over the world. This is the seventh straight year one or more Engel paintings have been selected for this important juried exhibition. 

(Painting: "Hello Sugar")

            “For two of my paintings to be accepted into the IGOR exhibition in Carmel is a high honor indeed,” Engel added. “I enjoy painting realistically. With a dedication to creating rich visual intricacies, I revel in the painstaking details. Each brushstroke is a statement, much like the notes in music. Everything matters.”

            On loan from the permanent collection of the Tennessee State Museum, Engel’s “Strike A Pose” painting will appear in the prestigious “Birds in Art” international exhibition at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wis., from Sept. 8-Nov. 11 before embarking on a national tour through Oct. 14, 2013. The trompe-l’oeil painting, which measures 20 inches wide by 16 inches tall, is a witty depiction of a raven posing to resemble the bird on the Rook playing cards.

            “I’ve often heard people express that ravens are ominous,” Engel noted.  “My goal was to depict a raven as beautiful and even humorous. My husband, Todd, is very creative and helped me title my painting ‘Strike A Pose’, which is our light-hearted endeavor to glamorize this ‘bad boy’.”

(Painting: "Rough Around The Edges")

            The artist introduced her first bird painting, “Home Sweet Home”, at the International Guild of Realism in 2006, winning the “Artist's Choice Award”.  Her first Cardinal painting, “Out on a Limb”, won the “People’s Choice Award” at Gilcrease Museum’s 2008 “American Art in Miniature” exhibition.  Her first painting of an American Robin won “Best Wildlife” in the 2010 IGOR exhibition and the “People’s Choice Award” in the Tennessee Art League’s 2010 “Central South National Exhibition”.  She is now internationally known for her colorful paintings of birds.

            After heeding advice to “Pursue the dream that burns inside you,” Engel began oil painting, intuitively in a realistic style. Known for her use of rich colors, textures, and intricate detail, her paintings have been commissioned or acquired by art collectors from around the world, and she has emerged as one of America’s most respected realist painters.       

            The artist is represented by Giacobbe-Fritz Fine Art in Santa Fe, N.M., Dean Day Gallery in Houston; Lovetts Gallery in Tulsa; River Gallery in Chattanooga, Tenn.; Rare Gallery in Jackson Hole, Wyo.; and Dolphin Galleries in Wailea, Hawaii.

            A native of Tulsa, Engel moved to Nashville in 1984, where she now lives with her husband, Todd.

           For more information about Engel or her paintings, call (615) 289-2264, send an e-mail to camille@camille-engel.com, or visit http://www.camille-engel.com or https://www.facebook.com/CamilleEngelArt .  For more information about the "Impressions of Reality" exhibition at the Customs House, contact Terri Jordan at terri@customshousemuseum.org or (931) 648-5780, Ext. 38.