Sneak Peek: The Big Gamble at Rehs Contemporary Galleries, NYC

Anthony Waichulis - The Primary Gambit

Rehs Contemporary Galleries in New York City has decided to take a "big gamble." At a time, and especially in a place, where Modern Art is still the reigning power, Rehs has decided to instead focus their energies on the resurgent genre of academic realism. "Our ultimate goal," says the gallery, "is to celebrate the good, the talented, and the skilled through a series of exhibitions featuring established, as well as up-and-coming, contemporary artists in the Academic field."

The first exhibition in the gallery's new series features drawings and paintings from the Ani Art Academy family of artists. Thirty-two artists from the Academy's schools have created over 40 works inspired by the theme of "The Big Gamble" for this show. Some have chosen to interpret the idea literally, some humorously, and some quite personally, exploring the gambles and decisions which have informed their lives.

Among those in The Big Gamble are Anthony J. Waichulis (director of The Ani Art Academies, Waichulis), Timothy W. Jahn (director of the Ani Art Academies, Anguilla), Edward Dillon (director of The Ani Art Academies, Dominican Republic), Tim Reynolds (founder of the Ani Art Academies project), Erin Anderson,  Erika Baez, Jason Brady, Helen Crispino, Jay Davenport , Rodney Davis, Joe Dillon, Brandon D. Drake, Emily Garlick, Lynne Garlick, Chelsea Herron, Emma Hirst, Sharon Hourigan, Alicia Lang, Roger C. Long, Deborah Lloyd , Ricardo Martinez, Elizardo Mojica,  Kevin Moore, Brian O'Neill, Max Reynolds , Romaro Richardson, Omar Rodriguez, Terese Rogers, Kate Sammons, Leah Waichulis , Stephen Yavorski, and Kierstin Young.

The Big Gamble runs from today, April 6th, through May 3rd at Rehs Contemporary Galleries, Inc., 5 East 57th Street, New York, NY 10022. For more information please visit the gallery's website www.rehs.com. And for more information on the Ani Art Academies please visit www.aniwaichulis.com and www.aniartacademies.org.

"Contemporary works led the art market in 2012 and many place a great emphasis on shock value. We (at Rehs Galleries) want to know what happened to the love, support, and celebration of technical skills and talent. When did the ultimate goal of perfecting the human body on paper become less important than spilled paint and scribbles on canvas? In life, you have little choice as to the cards you are dealt and it is up to you to know how to play them right. We believe that the artists from The Ani Art Academies were dealt royal flushes."