   "Millennium Night" Toast the Coast 2000 celebration. The Beginnings of a Master Painter Photos and story by Faye Yonker Abraxas is talented, good looking, with beautiful blue eyes, and a young creative artist who paints with heart. Abraxas, and that is with an "as," is only 22 years old and possesses the drive to make each painting greater than his last. This same drive allows him to master the secrets used by master painters many years ago. Study his work and observe the talent and feel the compassion and emotion with which he paints. His work is extraordinary for such a young man. Abraxas has a goal to bring realism back to art and says, "There is so much trash in the art world today -I want to bring back beautiful realism." This local talent was born in Sussex County and graduated from Cape Henlopen High School, but has been groomed to produce diamond-quality paintings by master painter Libby Berry, founder of the New Renaissance Academy in Freeland, Wash. New Renaissance Academy is a private school, which teaches fundamentals of realistic oil painting, basically like the old masters in their natural Renaissance styles. Abraxas paints nostalgic scenes of the Delaware coast and favorite portions of rain forests he likes in the state of Washington and on tropical islands. He loves history and enjoys trying to incorporate history and realism into his paintings as much as possible. He has done several portraits in oil. Abraxas recently made available in print the oil painting entitled "first Light," which is a dramatic sunrise portrait of Delaware's Cape Henlopen Lighthouse. The painting depicts a view of the lighthouse never done before. Abraxas did extensive research to produce an exactness of the lighthouse as it stood in 1924 on its last day of glory at sunrise.  Remember that photographs were not in color at that time, but through comparative research, Abraxas determined the colors. The oil painting is correct in every detail and sold for $23,000 in the spring of 1998. The original painting of "First Light" was photographed by Gamma One of Soho in New York City and then printed on a Heidelberg press by the Stinehour Press of Lunnenburg, Vt. These are top professionals who do the work of Andrew Wyeth, The National Galleries and others who demand the best prints produced. Those purchasing one of the 900 signed editions of "First Light" will have the opportunity to purchase future prints starting at $200. A replica of the oil on linen "First Light" is showcased on a wine named Cape Rose in honor of Cape Henlopen and Abraxas. Cape Rose is blended and bottled by Nassau Valley Vineyards, L.P., Lewes. Peggy Raley of Nassau Vineyards states," Abraxas, at 22 years of age, shows the promise to become one of the truly great painters of our time." Very much publicized is his most recent painting entitled "Toast the Coast." Abraxas was contracted to paint something bright and fun as a symbol to welcome the year 2000. He says, "The idea was to make the last sunset of this millennium, so I sort of highlighted off the point of the Cape Henlopen with fireworks. A huge New Year's Eve celebration is planned to close out 1999 and welcome 2000. My idea in the painting is to communicate this celebration. The committee loved it."  Jody Hudson is dad to Abraxas as well as manager. Hudson says, " Abraxas is my favorite client because he has the best work ethic of any I have studied. In comparison, the work of many master painters was less famous at 22 years of age." Master Berry taught Abraxas the tools and techniques of Lenardo Da Vinci, which were those later learned by Rembrandt. The same oil pigments, linen canvas and layering techniques of these masters are used to get the unique illumination that is characteristic of these famous artists. Berry's fame is in the wildlife art field with several of her works reported to be in several private art collections. The U .5. State Department considered her painting of a Himalayan snow leopard, entitled "The Summit Meeting", as a gift to Mikhail Gorbachev from President Bush. Berry was a very talented painter, but says, "1 wanted to upgrade my caliber of work to masterpieces." For years, Berry traveled and researched how the master painters of the Renaissance period achieved their exquisite level of work. It was after much research that she began applying the principle formulas of the interrelationship of light and color, and Berry began producing astounding effects on canvas, which have been  "Morning Glow" - captures the satin touch and sweet fragrance of the rose. coined "The Lost Secrets of the Old Masters." Berry teaches the Fundamentals of Masterpiece Painting course, which comprises three phases (perspective, drawing and painting) to talented artists. "When these fundamentals are united and well executed, masterpieces are born. With them, the great masters of the past, present and future reach out and stir the minds and emotions of man," Berry says, during a telephone interview. Abraxas has applied Berry's teachings to his works. Abraxas knew at a very young age that he wanted to paint. It is almost as if he were born to paint, he knew what he wanted and had a dream and is pursuing that dream. Abraxas needed no prompting, he just knew he could paint. He sketched and dabbled with watercolors but never strayed from oils. Abraxas developed firm roots in the technology of drawing and perspective and was enrolled shortly after graduation in formal tutelage under Master Berry. Libby Berry says of Abraxas, "He is a very fine painter, his work is as exquisite as painting done 500 years ago. He has natural talent. "I discovered life and depth through color in masters' work. When I then added heart, I learned how old master painters produced dramatic results. Paintings have to communicate and this is what the old masters mastered. I try to duplicate what I learned, and this is what I try to teach to painters. It is not easy for them, it is very trying and emotional, but that is what it takes to produce paintings of worth. Colors are the key, talent comes in, then understanding. What a painter goes through is far beyond what a normal person goes through. Abraxas is all heart and it comes through his paintings. Buying a painting by Abraxas or a painting of the old masters is different than buying ordinary pictures to place on walls. Paintings by masters or Abraxas grow and grow with the one who has it." Leonardo Da Vinci is quoted saying, "Painting is concerned with all the 10 attributes of sight; which are: darkness and light, solidity and color, form and position, distance and nearness, motion and rest." Observe the paintings of Abraxas and notice that it appears he has mastered these attributes at the young age of 22. It has been said, "If you love what you are doing and are dedicated, you can always get there and find a pretty good life." Abraxas is dedicated and loves what he is doing and it shows in his beautiful paintings. Abraxas paints for beauty of nature itself. There is softness in his paintings and enchanting emotions. His painted roses almost lend themselves to the smell and touch of a real rose. Cascading waterfalls are cool and the dramatic lighting of light and dark colors is captured in his paintings. Abraxas is well on his way to completely mastering the secrets of Renaissance masters. It is exciting and refreshing to see such talent. Delaware should be proud of this gentleman and his talent. He is definitely one of Delaware's fine gems to grow in worth as he continues to learn "the lost secrets of the old masters" and implement those secrets into his paintings. |