SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- In the remote Italian hillside village of Montalcino during the height of summer’s warm light, Academy of Art University Undergraduate Director of Fine Art Painting Craig Nelson led a ten-day private painting workshop last August. Academy of Art University instructors Jason Bowen, Suzanne D’Arcy, Frank Lanza, Anna Nelson, and Bill Rhea, along with AAU Fine Art Painting alumna Cynthia Hamilton, joined talented artists from across the country to concentrate on their craft amid a spectacular landscape and invigorating culture. The fruits of their labor come together in the stunning exhibit Impressions of Italy, currently on view at Garden Gallery in Half Moon Bay, CA.

Delving into the nuances of this village’s architectural and natural landscape, each artist followed their own unique approach under Nelson’s energetic leadership. From Bill Rhea’s night portraits of the town’s illuminated narrow alleys to Anna Nelson’s sun-drenched stone façade landscapes, each artist captured the essence of the region’s unique character while staying true to their own stylistic approach. The artists featured in Impressions of Italy channeled the talent they share throughout the year at the Academy of Art University into a radiant collection of vineyard landscapes, whimsical still-life tributes to Italian culture, and vibrant piazza portraits.

“I am very fortunate to represent Craig Nelson, an immensely talented artist who consistently inspires his students at the Academy of Art University,” says Garden Gallery Founder Theron Kabrich. “Impressions of Italy is a testament to the quality of fine art educators at the Academy of Art University. First, Craig and his colleagues motivate their students to constantly improve upon their fundamental painting skills. Second, they succeed time and time again at instilling in their students a passion for pursuing their individual artistic voice. Jason Bowen, Suzanne D’Arcy, Frank Lanza, Anna Nelson, Craig Nelson, and Bill Rhea have all discovered the important unity of great personal artistic inspiration and the disciplined drive to evolve in technical skill.”

The Garden Gallery is located at 530 Main Street, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019. Impressions of Italy runs through May 9, 2009. For further information on the exhibit visit www.artonmain.com.

Craig Nelson has been depicting landscapes and portraits in rich vibrant oils, instinctively balancing originality with tranquility, for over thirty years. Nelson’s popular on-location painting workshops, now in their 29th year, have been featured in national fine art publications and attract professional artists from across the country. Nelson will teach workshops in Sonoma, California and Delft, Holland in 2009, as well as in Asilomar, California and Venice, Italy in 2010. For further information visit www.craigzart.com. Nelson’s internationally collected works are represented by Garden Gallery in Half Moon Bay, CA; Peterson-Cody Gallery in Santa Fe, NM; Ella Richardson Fine Art in Charleston, SC; and Waterhouse Gallery in Santa Barbara, CA.