Current Exhibition

John Collins

Sculptor & Painter

Learn more about John »

John Collins, MBA, is a lifelong artist who grew up and studied in Western Massachusetts. His love of art has spanned many forms including drawing, painting, and sculpting. For many years he has pursued his art only part-time while raising his family but in early 2022 he transitioned from the business world, phasing out his own architectural products marketing company to focus on taking his art to the next level.

Fresh into his second act as an artist (June 2022) John entered one of his car portraits (Carrera GTS oil painting) in a national Porsche Club of America art show event and won both first place for a studio art painting and the Porsche Family Award for Excellence which is an award judged by a Porsche AG executive as the ‘best in show” representation of the company's product. Grant Larson, Director of Special Projects for Porsche AG and lead designer for the 25th Anniversary Boxster, was the Porsche Representative.

John loves to paint portraits of people, pets and prized possessions. However, sculpting the three-dimensional human form, although challenging, is by far his favorite subject matter. Sculpting for 30 years, he has experimented with many materials including stone, wood, clay, and even snow, ice and beach sand — winning competitions for his unique larger than life human form sand sculptures on Narragansett Beach. His other “more permanent” sculptures have been exhibited locally and throughout the Northeast including the national juried shows of the Norman Rockwell Museum’s Sculpture Exhibition and the Northeast Fine Arts Show. When he is not painting or sculpting John also trains golden retrievers and has a talent for teaching and sharing his passion for and knowledge of art with people of all ages. John is also the current STAR Artist at Eagle Hill School.

In The Artist's Words

"My artistic goals, whether with painting or sculpture, are to tell a story, make a statement, or capture one's essence in a portrait. Some of my sculptures have been temporary creations made of snow or beach sand that disappear with the next sunny day or turning tide, after briefly making an impression on passersby. More permanent sculptures are modeled in clay or carved in stone giving more time to inspire a reaction or trigger an emotion in the viewer."

 

Barbara Collins

Painter

Barbara Collins

Associations:

  • Avis Neigher Gallery, Springfield, MA - Member

  • Academic Art Association - Elected Member, National Shows
  • Kent Art Association, Kent, CT - Elected Member
  • Springfield Art League, Springfield, MA - Member
  • Salmagundi Club, New York, NY - Sculpture Exhibition

In the Artist's Words:

"I have exhibited in many juried and solo shows and have numerous awards for paintings and sculptures and have work in collections nationally and in Europe. Landscape paintings are done mostly Plein Air on location in nature. I hope my artwork will inspire others to love our beautiful world."

 

Shay Holda

Painter

Shay Holda

Associations:

  • Art Students League

  • National Academy of Fine Arts
  • Art teacher for 35 years, Springfield, MA - Fine Arts Department Chair
  • Springfield Art League - President
  • Avis Neigher Gallery, Springfield, MA - Member

In the Artist's Words:

"I have exhibited in many juried and solo exhibitions nationally. As you stand before these paintings, my hope is for you to be moved, to take time to look more closely at nature wherever you find it, in order that your heart may be opened to and grateful for the experience."