72ND STREET STUDIO @ GALLERY 364 PRESENTS DRAW TO PAINT WORKSHOP WITH DAVID JON KASSAN TUESDAYS & SUNDAYS 7-10PM .

Following his initial drawing studies at University of the Arts in Philadelphia, David attended Syracuse University in New York, where he studied under the auspices of Jerome Witkin, Robert Dacey, and Sarah McCoubrey learning a complete painter should have a strong grasp of the picture making process and a well thought out concept behind a painting. While earning his B.F.A, he was able to take advantage of the school's exceptional Art History Department, and on completion of his degree, moved to Brooklyn to continue his studies at The National Academy of Design and the Art Students League of New York, where he had the good fortune to study with a number of artists whom he respects, including: Aaron Shikler, Mary Beth Mackenzie, David Levine, William Behnkin, Harvey Dinnerstein, Burton Silverman, Steven Assael, and Costa Vavagiakis.

His honors and awards from Arts organizations and magazines include: The National Academy of Design School of Fine Art, The Portrait Society of America, The Art Students League of New York, The Artist's Magazine, The Society of Illustrators, and Communication Arts, The Newington-Cropsey Foundation's Travel Award, which enabled him to enrich his Art History studies with classes in Italian Renaissance from the British Institute in Florence, Italy. While there, he assembled his thoughts and sketches into a limited edition book titled "Lentamente Italia". David currently writes an ongoing feature for Drawing magazine on anatomy and also contributes to myamericanartist.com. Recently his work has graced the covers of American Artist's Drawing Magazine(winter 09) as well as Australia's contemporary art publication Emtpy Magazine. David's work is currently featured in Die Gestalten's recent showcase book of young contemporary artists called The Upset.

He has lectured at Universities and schools around the nation including The Rochester Institute of Technology, Western Illinois University, Syracuse University, The National Academy School of Fine Art, and The University of Alabama, The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. He has taught painting workshops at The National Academy of Design and the Salmagundi Center of American Art, NYC. David teaches international workshops as well, including stops in Australia with the Practicing Artists Network (PAN) in Byron Bay and in Portugal with the Artistas Sociedade de Faro. He has also served on the faculty of the Andreeva Portrait Academy, Santa Fe, The Scottsdale Artists School, Scottsdale, AZ and the Richeson School of Art, Kimberly, WI.
Exhibitions include: The United Nations in New York, Gallery Henoch, The Park Avenue Armory, The National Academy of Design Museum of Fine Art, Gallery 1199, The Cork Gallery, Lincoln Center, and The Salmagundi Club and nationally at the Mobile Museum of Art, AL, Art Chicago, The San Francisco International Art Exposition, Los Angeles Art Show, The Museum of American Illustration, Huntington House Museum, and The Wethersfield Museum.

David's work has been placed in important collections domestically and worldwide, most notably; the collections of the Art Students League of New York, The Bhammer Family of Mumbai, India, Seven Bridges Foundation, Greenwich, CT, The Howard A. Tullman Collection, Chicago, IL,

David Jon Kassan is currently represented by Gallery Henoch, New York. To see David's work online please go to http://davidkassan.com

HAPPY SPRING!!! NEW ART COMPETITION "BEGINNINGS" APRIL 29th

Gallery 364 "Bay Ridge's First Fine Arts Gallery" is pleased to go forth with our April Art Competition, entitled "Beginnings".

We believe in giving just a keyword/s to our artists and see what they come forward with in terms of visual artwork.

If you are interested in submitting work for this competition (all mediums accepted), for consideration please call Georgine for an appointment to show your work, or email jpegs for review. No URL's please. You will be notified by email of acceptance. And we look forward to seeing you at our opening reception.

The entry fee is $25.00 per piece, for work accepted, with a limit of 4 pieces per artist. All art must be ready to hang.

All art will be for sale. Gallery 364 retains 30% of all sales. Gallery 364 will award: One "Best In Show" $150 Prize (Winners will be announced at Opening Reception) One "Honorable Mention" $50 Prize

Deadline for submissions: Sunday April 25th, 2010 Artists Opening Reception: Thursday, April 29th, 2010

Contact Georgine for more info: Gallery 364 364 72nd Street Brooklyn, NY 11209 917-767-3848 www.gallery364.com

LOVE/DESIRE OPENING NIGHT March 4th, 2010

Art

Gallery 364’s Showcase Gets ‘Classier’ in Bay Ridge by Harold Egeln (edit@brooklyneagle.net), published online 04-02-2010

Classes for Students Helps Hone Artistic Skills and Talent By Harold Egeln Brooklyn Daily Eagle BAY RIDGE – Three years ago, a new art “star” first lit up in southwest Brooklyn, brightening an art gallery void and acting as a center of gravity for attracting creative people out of the woodwork and into the limelight. Since its auspicious opening in the spring of 2007, Gallery 364, housed on the first floor of an historic brownstone on a tree-lined street now ready to blossom, has achieved growing popularity and success as word of its theme shows spread throughout Brooklyn. A big step forward, said Gallery 364 founder, curator and photographer Georgine Benvenuto, happened when the gallery, at 364 72nd St., was included in the borough president’s annual bus tour of Brooklyn galleries. Now famed for its crowd-drawing theme shows and sales, Gallery 364 is hosting more classes in its studio space. “We’ve launched a drawing class that has been a hit for students,” said Benvenuto, standing in the front-room gallery studio surrounded by chairs and drawing equipment. On the walls were paintings and photographs from the gallery’s recent “Love/Desire” exhibition. The drawing class is an eight-week-long course that has been conducted in the evenings and is taught by artist David Jon Kassan (www.davidkassan.com), known worldwide for his realistic paintings and drawings, in the studio. “The students really get into their drawings, and David is superb in the way he conducts the classes and guides the students,” Benvenuto said. “It’s such a cool experience to get out of the studio to share and develop painting concepts with students all over the world,” said Kassan on his web site. He has taught classes in Australia, Santa Fe and Belgium, and his art is in the model of the Ashcan School of American Realism. Among the winning entries chosen by the judges in the recent Love and Desire exhibit and sale were “Lover” by Roz Sterling as best in show, and honorable mentions “Loveless” by Marina Bozen and “Love and Desire” by Dave Foss. Another highly regarded work among all the gems on display was “You Belong to Me” by Michele Delfin. Benvenuto said, “She’s 15 years old and already an amazing talent. Everyone here was really impressed by her work.” As with many of “Bay Ridge’s first art gallery and studio” theme shows, guest judges selected the winners. Judges for Love/Desire were painter Kassan and photographers Anthony Almeida and Gary Heller. Expansion of Gallery 364’s cooperative efforts into the community and partnership with civic, business and nonprofit venues are in the works, Benvenuto said. She was excited among the gallery’s growing role in southwest Brooklyn and the constant increase of creative people drawn to Gallery 364. Already Gallery 364 has been active with the Brooklyn Women’s Services office in Bay Ridge, providing photos for its walls. The gallery also conducted a pilot program of photographic therapy classes that Benvenuto said had a positive impact on its participants, encouraging them and providing them with creative and usable skills. With warmer weather around the corner, Art In The Park will soon resume in cooperation with the Narrows Botanical Garden at Shore Road Park between 69th and 73rd streets, which provides outdoor space for artists and photographers to display and sell their works. Art in the Park is a joint effort by Gallery 364 and the nonprofit, volunteer garden organization. It has been in action since 1995, when it cleaned the parkland and created Brooklyn’s second botanical gardens spot with a crew of community “green thumbs.” The Love/Desire show and sales has ended, and Gallery 364 is preparing to announce a new theme exhibit soon. For appointments for gallery visits and information about classes and other activities, call (917) 767-3848 and visit www.gallery364.com