New York Spring 2024: Fair Director’s Picks

Affordable Art Fair NYC Fair Director, Erin Schuppert, shares some of her top picks ahead of the upcoming Spring edition. Read on below to learn more about the selected artworks that moved her this Spring.

A FEW NEWCOMERS

Each edition, we are thrilled to welcome new galleries to our fair! Here are a few artists to watch from some of our newcomers this Spring.

Star Magic no. 3 | Havoc Hendricks

Havoc Hendricks is a self-taught artist who was born in rural Idaho and takes his inspiration for his works depicting nature’s beauty from his mountaineering adventures. He calls his artistic style ”detailed minimalism” and that’s exactly what I love about Star Magic No. 3 – it’s intentionally and carefully simple, yet offers so much dynamic dimension. You can find his work at KW Contemporary Art in booth A5.

Gloaming | Adam Zoltowski

Adam Zoltowski is another artist inspired by the patterns and forms of the great outdoors. This Brooklyn-based painter is primarily interested in the dichotomy between the order of our modern, digital world and the chaos of the natural one. There is something comforting and lyrical about the way this tension plays out across Zoltowski’s canvases. Adam’s work can be found in booth A12

“…the dichotomy between the order of our modern, digital world and the chaos of the natural one.”

You Could Be My Silver Spring I Could Be Your Only Dream | Liv Dockerty

Clouds are a common theme for Miami-based painter Liv Dockerty, capturing a fleeting moment that most of us would not even notice was happening in the skies above. This particular painting is titled after Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac, which is a favorite of mine. I was immediately drawn to this image because that melancholy feeling Stevie Nicks is singing about in the song comes through in the colors and composition. This piece and others by Liv Dockerty will be at NAVA Contemporary, booth C1.

FAVORITES FROM THE FELLOWS

If you love coming to Affordable Art Fair to discover new artists and to support emerging galleries, look no further than our Artlogic Fellows! All three galleries in the program this Spring are based in Brooklyn and showcase the incredible diversity of our New York art scene – this is just a teaser from must-see local artists!

Fun House II | Audrey Lyall

Brooklyn-based multi-media artist Audrey Lyall addresses topics such as racial identity, beauty standards, surveillance, and social anxiety in her maximalist Afro-futurist works. Here she asks ”Are you doing too much?”, using a cutout from a Jehovah’s Witness pamphlet. The work incorporates elements such as a mascara wand, faux eyelash, and press on nail to highlight all the ways we try so hard. You can find Audrey’s work at SHEER in booth F3.

Youth | Yusuke Okada

Yusuke Okada is a self-taught artist who was born in Tokyo and currently lives and works in NYC. He relays his unique perspective of the American experience through his darkly comedic paintings.

This work, titled Youth, makes me nostalgic for a time when I imagined carousel horses, stuffed animals, and toys to come alive at night, but also makes me a bit sad to think of the old couple tending to the tethered animals. Youth and other works by Okada can be found at Eleventh Hour Art in booth F2.

“He relays his unique perspective of the American experience through his darkly comedic paintings.”

Room with a View | Rick Secen

Brooklyn-based artist Rick Secen tells a whole story in a single image. Coming from a career in sound editing for film prior to becoming a full-time artist, a sense of rhythm permeates Secen’s work. His narrative paintings, which are typically set in New York City, tend to be saturated with light, making them feel hopeful and uplifting. Rick’s work will be at Established Gallery in booth F1.

FIVE ON THE TOP OF MY MIND

For the Spring edition, I’ve selected five works that are perfect for the season. At this point in the year, I’m ready for flowers, sunny days, and outdoors activities like roller skating and swimming. These artworks will get you ready too!

Flower Bonanza_pink white mint | Stefan Gross

Stefan Gross is a German-born artist who lives and works in the Netherlands. in the 80s, he apprenticed for a stained glass manufacturer, where he learned to think in color. As he continued to hone his craft, he created a new medium that he calls “oil plastic”, which behaves like glass at low temperatures. He uses this material to create beautiful 3-dimensional works that comment on the dark fate of a rapidly growing society. Present at Chiefs & Spirits, booth E1.

Ice Age, Scrat and the Pearl | Peter de Sève

Peter de Seve is one of the most sought-after illustrators and character designers in the industry and was inducted into the Society of Illustrators’ Hall of Fame in 2016. He has designed many covers for The New Yorker Magazine and has contributed to such films as Finding Nemo, The Grinch, and the Ice Age franchise.

If you, like me, love animated films, the chance to bring Scrat home is too good to pass up. You can find Scrat and some other familiar faces at Philippe Lebaune Gallery in booth B5.

Spring | Kelly Moeykens

Kelly Moeykens, an artist based in Maine, is all about process. She uses recycled paper that she paints, cuts, and folds by hand to create these immaculate flower collages. This work is perfect for the season, but it’s also a reminder of the incredible diversity of natural beauty all around us and our responsibility to protect it. Look for Kelly’s recycled paper works at Amai Gallery in booth B6.

Bethesda Spring | Irina Sheynfeld

Irina Sheynfeld was born in Ukraine and currently lives and works in NYC. She uses a variety of media, including watercolor, printmaking, collage, and acrylic, but I love the bright, saturated colors of this oil pastel work. This is definitely a place I would like to get lost in for a while. You can get lost in Irina’s work at Artios Gallery in booth A1.

“This is definitely a place I would like to get lost in for a while.”

Chute en Roller | Julie Rami

French artist Julie Rami draws on her background working for a board game company to create playful images full of wonder. The solid color backgrounds of her paintings allow us to imagine any setting based on the emotions her subjects elicit. I love this rather pouty little girl who has fallen down in her roller skates. It’s so relatable, but not the moment that often gets captured. Find Julie Rami at Agora Gallery in booth C10.

Thanks so much to Erin for sharing her highlights! All of these artworks and many more will be available to see and purchase at Affordable Art Fair NYC Spring, March 21 – 24.

Book your tickets and take a look at our exhibiting galleries to start planning your visit!