Art at the Castle

Ralph Velasco

Ralph Velasco is Founder and CEO (Chief Experience Officer) of PhotoEnrichment Programs, Inc. d.b.a. PhotoEnrichment Adventures, as well as a travel photography instructor and international guide who has photographed in over 70 countries on 6 continents.

Drawing on over 14 years of experience planning, organizing, administering, scouting and leading more than 100 international trips around the world, and over 100 domestic trips in the United States, Ralph has created Tour Organizer Training, a free webinar and online course series that trains everyday people, step-by-step, how to organize and lead their own tours, whether around the world, or around the corner.

Ralph was a finalist for the prestigious 2016 and 2015 Travel Photographer of the Year awards and was selected to a group of the Top 100 Travel Photographers in the World for 2014 by a site in the U.K., as well as one of the Top 10 Travel Photography Bloggers by USA Today’s 10best.com. And two years in a row he was chosen “Open Photographer of the Year” by the Professional Photographers of Orange County, California.

You can see a variety of Ralph's work at www.photoenrichment.com

Beth Ruggiero York

Beth Ruggiero-York is a landscape and travel photographer. She spends summers on Cape Cod and winters in Arizona, where she teaches photo workshops for Arizona Highways Photoscapes as well as her own workshops in the US, Asia, and Europe.

Beth has led groups for National Geographic, Smithsonian, American Museum of Natural History, and other organizations, so we are very excited to be hosting this special workshop at Marouatte Castle.

You can see a collection of Beth's work at www.BethRuggiero.com

BOB EVANS

Bob Evans has lived in Northern California since 1960. He has spent over 30 years photographing America, including the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Yosemite, and most of our National Parks.

In all of my workshops you will learn advanced composition techniques and design for creating better images. I also help you with the latest skills in Lightroom , Photoshop layering techniques and advanced methods in hand blending High Dynamic Range images. I have always had an intense interest in the arts; Music, and Photography. The outdoors has been my most comfortable environment. Studying with the renowned climber/photographer, Galen Rowell for almost 10 years, I am able to share this knowledge with you as well. Following the light is my goal to create dynamic images. If you like my images then I know you will enjoy our learning based workshops, and of course the great locations we travel to.

You can see a collection of Bob's work at https://sceniclight.com/

Chris Brandley

Award winning artist, Chris Brandley specializes in oils, but also has many years experience in acrylics and watercolors. She is known for her vivid use of color, and works in the “Alla Prima” method of painting, which allows her to achieve a spontaneous, fresh result.

Being the daughter of an Air Force pilot, Chris grew up in Europe, Asia, and the United States. The diverse cultural experiences she encountered play an instrumental role in her art. She is especially inspired by the contrast of colorful flowers against ancient architecture. Chris received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education from Baylor University, and has taught and worked in the Visual Arts field for 30 years. She has a deep passion to connect with other artists and share what she has learned through the years.

Her work has been featured on television backdrops, documentaries, International magazines and other products. Her most recent feature is of her painting “First Snow”, found on popcorn tins at “Big Lots” stores throughout the Unites States and Canada.

You can see a collection of Chris's work at www.ChrisBrandley.com

Thomas Kitts

Thomas Jefferson Kitts is a world-renowned plein air painter noted for his deep knowledge of art and practical teaching methods.

He has been painting en plein air for 39 years, beginning in 1984. He has been teaching in private colleges and workshops over the past 25 years.

Thomas is inspired by how light plays across the landscape and has devoted his life to traveling and capturing it in oil. He prefers to work from direct observation for its honesty and immediacy, incorporating alla prima techniques developed by master artists such as Sargent, Sorolla, and Zorn.

Thomas is a signature artist member of the Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society, and the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association. He is also an artist member of the California Art Club and California Plein Air Painters. He exhibits regularly with all of these associations and his work is collected world-wide. His paintings can be found in the permanent collection of several museums.

Thomas has published many feature articles in PleinAir Magazine & FineArt Connoisseur. He has also produced two 15+ hour demos focusing on the methods & techniques of Sargent and Sorolla – information which he generously shares with student in his workshops.

To view Thomas’ work, or learn more about him, visit: www.thomaskitts.com

V.... Vaughan

An impressionist oil painter, V.... paints on location all across America. “My favorite subjects are wild places and around the countryside near America's small farms."

V's work focuses on special projects that are heartfelt and comprehensive; treating her subjects to documentary style study. She completed 365 daily small works depicting her family's "Last Year on the Farm"' before they moved from the land in 2008. The paintings were featured at various museums and venues, and received great revues.
In October of 2011, V.... presented a follow-up exhibit entitled "Passing America" in which she explored America's disappearing family farms. Both shows debuted at the Great Plains Art Museum at the University of Nebraska.

V….Vaughan spent many years as a graphic designer/art director/illustrator, working in advertising and winning Addy Awards. Her clients included Samsung, The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and Harcourt Publishing. V....Vaughan Arts grew through RockSports Inc. which still features V’s colorful designs in national catalogs and websites. For over 20 years V.... has been a part-time high school art instructor. She also teaches painting workshops all across America.

Her paintings are part of the permanent collection of the Gadsen Museum of Art, the Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art and the Great Plains Art Museum as well as in countless private collections.