Amy Nelder

Art Brokerage: Amy Nelder American Artist: b. 1971. Amy Nelder is a versatile painter of diverse genres, who has been engaged in the last several years with "contemporary" still-life painting. Nelder meets the challenge with her Pop-oriented, romance-skewed set ups, wherein lipstick-kissed wine glasses meet Scrabble boards and designer party shoes, tossed aside with black tie, amidst scrumptious chocolates and desserts – not to mention the occasional cereal box or champagne bottle – trade names and all! Here is a truly superb draughtsman, who can draw like an Old Master, while at the same time delivering a still life genre that is all about the hip here and now. In her San Francisco studio, one is treated to seeing Nelder's actual still life props, set up on a table. Watching her transmit the model's image to canvas with stunning realist accuracy is both fascinating and uncanny. She purposely seems to pick the hardest subject matter to conquer: sterling silver, glass with its many-faceted reflective qualities, elaborate typefaces curving round bottles, and the like. Here is a Raphael realist, whose subject happens to be cuddly cupidity, pulled off with amazing chic and glamour, yet as down to earth as your last date (off-screen, of course!). Listings wanted.