Warner Nienow Art
Warner Nienow holds membership in the Santa Barbara Art Association (SBAA) and the Goleta Valley Art Association (GVAA). He currently paints urban landscapes (both day and night scenes), hauntingly lit interiors, and sunlit restaurant scenes and traditional still lifes.
GENERAL BACKGROUND: Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1939. BSEE with honors from University of Wisconsin in 1961. Engineer and software manager at General Motors (mostly in Santa Barbara) for thirty-three years while painting part-time.
ART TRAINING: Three years of formal private training in Old Masters’ style oil painting from Claude Buck, a master of Poetic Realism, in Santa Barbara (1968-71). Until 1998, all his paintings used the classical technique of monochrome underpainting and color over-glazing with subject matter and compositional schemes following those of Mr. Buck. In 1999, he was drawn to urban landscapes, especially night renderings, of Edward Hopper and Santa Barbara artist Patricia Chidlaw. Nienow’s resulting synthesis of old masters' techniques to this subject matter created a uniquely pleasing luminous new take on the urban landscape theme as he has expanded his locations beyond Southern California. His work has attracted considerable buyer and critical interest over the past several years, including Santa Barbara Arts Fund’s award for Individual Achievement in Oil Painting in 2004 and a LACMA-ARSG show in summer 2005.
His one artist shows in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles have included four by invitation, with three shows being reviewed by Josef Woodard for the local News Press.
NOTEWORTHY EXHIBITS:
"Eateries" Warner Nienow one-person show - 17 paintings of restaurants, interiors and exteriors - Santa Barbara, L.A., Tokyo, NYC, Paris ...Santa Barbara Public Library, Faulkner Gallery West. Feb 1 - 28, 2014.
"Elegant Inspirations" Warner Nienow one-person show (by invitation) - 18 paintings of interior and exterior architectural scenes, The Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara, January/February 2010.
“Dive Crews" Warner Nienow one-person show (by invitation) - 14 paintings of hard hat divers on location, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, October 2009 – January 2010.
“The Dive Show” Warner Nienow one-person show of 12 paintings. Santa Barbara Library - Faulkner Gallery West. February 2009. Show reviewed by Josef Woodard for Santa Barbara News-Press.
Los Angeles County Museum Of Art (by invitation) – Rental and Sales Gallery exhibit included eight Nienow paintings. June 17 – July 21, 2005.
“Subliminal Celebrations: Mosaic Inspirations” (6 artist show) Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, Chelsea; New York. April 2-27, 2004. Five Nienow urban landscapes including his large painting celebrating the 100th anniversary of Times Square.
“Night and Day” Warner Nienow one-person show of 18 paintings. Santa Barbara Library - Faulkner Gallery West. July 2003. Show reviewed by Josef Woodard for Santa Barbara Independent.
“Dark Hollywood” 2 Nienows as Featured Artists of the Month at Gallery 113. Santa Barbara, CA. 24 paintings depicting night scenes of Hollywood Boulevard. May 2002. Favorably reviewed by Josef Woodard for the Santa Barbara Independent.
INTERNATIONAL
American Art Gallery (Deauville, Normandy, France) had Warner’s Southern California urban landscapes on display from July 2003 to June 2005.
“Women’s and Men’s Legs in the Art at the Beginning of the Third Millennium”. International competition and Exhibition. Chateau des Reaux, Loire Valley, France. Exhibit commenced in February 2009, show in Paris, then return to permanent art collection at the chateau.
Contact information: Email: arttnienows@gmail.com