As the New Year begins, art lovers are in for a unique change of pace. An exciting exhibit of new mixed media paintings by Neil Jansen, American Na<b>ï</b>ve artist and Bluffton resident, will open downtown at the Beaufort Art Association Gallery on January 6, 2014.

The artist chose the title Naive, because his work is not created in all one subject matter or style. The Na<b>ï</b>ve artist has a genuine personality, distinguished by an original unmistakable stylistic independence. This cannot be duplicated.

<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/IMG_3679.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-14366" alt="IMG_3679" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/IMG_3679-300x236.jpg" width="300" height="236" /></a>His subject matter varies from farm scenes of his beloved Berkshires to floral studies and farm and domestic animals. Neil’s cat portraits celebrate the lives of the felines who have found their way through his door over the years.

Neil studied at Pratt Institute and is a graduate of Ringling College of Art, Sarasota, Florida, where he majored in Commercial Art and Graphic Design.

While serving in the military, Neil helped develop strategic visual aids for training. In his free time he nurtured  his art by offering painting classes to his fellow soldiers. A first place winning painting from his army days was exhibited in the De Young museum in San Francisco.

After the military, Neil began a 25 year career on Madison Avenue developing promotional campaigns for leading distillers. On the lighter side, Neil was part of the  creative team that developed DeKuyper Peachtree Schnapps and  the popular cocktail “The Fuzzy Naval”.

To escape the fast pace of Manhattan, Neil’s family relaxed in their weekend farmhouse in the Berkshires, where he relished the freedom to paint the bucolic scenes around him.

Neil, now living in Rose Hill, is an active member of BAA and exhibits on a monthly basis. Along with painting, Neil continues to be a creative consultant for leading department stores involving high-end  products. Neil’s work may be seen in Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue.

The BAA exhibit will run from Monday, January 6 through February 15. The opening reception for Na<b>ï</b>ve will be on Friday, January 10, 2014, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Beaufort Art Association Gallery, 913 Bay Street. All are cordially invited.

For more information, please visit www.beaufortartassociation.com.
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