Claudia Tremblay was born in Amos, Quebec. After studying horticulture,  she left for Guatemala with an non government organization to work with Maya women. She stayed for over 13 years. With no formal training in the visual arts, Claudia began her career by painting these women. Day after day she tried to capture their poignancy and essence. Her paintings represent the melancholic souls and inner strength that motivates the women of Central America. She also likes to explore the universal connection between mother and child as depicted in the painting on this month’s cover titled, Mother and Daughter.

Artist Peter Karis was an expressionist, painting people, flowers, trees and objects as he interpreted them, not as they seem to be. Painting was Peter’s passion and having people see and appreciate his work, his greatest joy. Sadly, Peter, a resident of Hilton Head Island, passed away on January 31, leaving behind a beautiful body of work, a part of his heart and soul.

Vera Levan Espinoza resides in Heredia, Costa Rica where she was born. She is a wife, the mother of one daughter and a French teacher for local high school students. Besides her native Spanish, Vera speaks fluent Russian, French and some English. She loves to travel and is interested in culinary arts.

Paul Jacobs died October 14, 2014.  Pink’s cover piece this month is titled Sunny Gal. It was painted for Jacob’s daughter—Kathy Almeida—last year on her birthday. When her father first saw the magazine picture that inspired the portrait, he said to her mother, “That’s our Kathy.” Below are excerpts from a tribute to the artist by his daughter:

Rose Miller is a fine artist and fashion illustrator, based in Sydney, Australia, and published, collected and exhibited worldwide. She is best known for her glamorous and highly stylized figurative paintings that combine updated contemporary design elements with the classical techniques of oil painting. She studied for eight years in France and was a regular at the Louvre, minutely observing the museum’s classical paintings and mastering techniques for her oils and watercolors. Rose was given the honor of being permitted to work within the Louvre’s painting walls area.

Moroccan born Aziz Kadmiri landed in Atlanta in 2012 and hit the ground racing onto the American art scene. His imaginative vision is as broad and diverse as his background. He grew up in Casablanca, graduated from the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland and moved to Paris where he received his master’s degree in hotel management at the Université Paris-Dauphine. He has lived in Barcelona, Rome and has homes in Paris and Marrakesh, Morocco. He has made Atlanta his permanent residence.

The cover art for this issue is in memory of Shelia McCoy Hamilton, whose art we featured on the September 2009 cover.

Erisha Rubingh considers herself a “fashion and lifestyle illustrator” and is most inspired by style in every form—fashion, food, décor, etc. Her illustrations reflect the naturally bubbly personality that Erisha exudes in all things.

Erisha Rubingh considers herself a “fashion and lifestyle illustrator” and is most inspired by style in every form—fashion, food, décor, etc. Her illustrations reflect the naturally bubbly personality that Erisha exudes in all things.

Most people don’t realize who they are meant to be or what they are meant to do until later in life, if ever. However, Chloe Strickland, at just 17 years old, is not at all one of those people. A senior at Hilton Head Christian Academy (HHCA), Chloe has always had a natural pull, and instinctual tact for what art is; whether it be drawing, painting, designing, styling, photographing. She is the essence of what it means to be a natural. “I always have a vision—whether painting or styling a fashion shoot—I can always see in my mind how I want it to turn out,” Chloe said. To prove that, our cover piece for January, “Lily,” was Chloe’s first attempt at using oils. She strayed from her usual use of acrylics and it was a huge success.

Karen Tarlton began her career as an artist 23 years ago when her husband started his work as an F-16 pilot and test pilot for the United States Air Force.

Although Laura Cody is a New York City native, it’s easy to get lost in the deep southern roots of her art. Currently living in Charleston, S.C., Laura originally moved to Beaufort, S.C. in 2001 with her husband to retire from a 25-year career in the medical field. A move that, according to Laura, sparked her long dormant passion for her inner artist. “Everywhere I looked I saw beauty and I was inspired to capture that beauty with my art.”

Nikolai Oskolkov, simply known as NikO, lives and works in Columbia, South Carolina. He has been involved in fine art since early childhood and has made painting a career since high school. In his 29 years, he has travelled far and wide from Russia to Canada and the US, and throughout Europe and the Caribbean.