Andrei Kushnir

Andrei Kushnir was born in Regensburg, Germany, the son of Ukrainian parents who immigrated to the United States to escape Soviet communism.

He began painting in oils in 1980 and quickly progressed to painting landscapes on site. While essentially self-taught, Kushnir studied with artists Michael Francis"Galleries and Art Spaces," Weekend, Washington Post, October 7, 2011, p. 36 and Michele Martin Taylor.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} He developed his own naturalistic realist style, and has worked primarily outdoors, in every season and type of weather.{{cite magazine |title=Artist Andrei Kushnir's Paintings of the C&O Canal |magazine=Leaves Magazine |date=September–October 1998 |volume=79 |number=5 |pages=cover, 3, 11 }}{{cite news |last1=Gerasimos |first1=Ann |date=October 4, 1999 |title=Font of Inspiration|work=The Washington Times |page=C4}}{{cite news |last1=Pfoutz |first1=Sally |date=April 2008 |title=A Poetic Summary |url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-55996725 |work=Élan Magazine |pages=62–65 }}{{dead link|date=September 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Magner |first1=Jim |date=August 2006 |title=Artist Profile: Andrei Kushnir|department=Art and the City|work=Hill Rag|page=94}}

In the 1980s, his works were shown in Washington, D.C. area exhibits.{{cite news |title=Potomac Fever |work=Hill Rag |date=November 1998 |page=11}}{{cite news |title=Apolitical 'Potomac Fever' |work=Roll Call |date= October 22, 1998 | page=23}}{{cite news |title=En Plein Air |work=Montgomery Gazette |date=July 10, 1998 |page=C7}} In the 1990s, Kushnir began showing his work nationally. He was elected a Signature Member of the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society,{{Cite web|url=http://www.noaps.org/html/signature_artists.html|title=NOAPS Signature Artists List|accessdate=May 9, 2015}}{{Dead link|date=May 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} a member of the Salmagundi Club, NYC,{{Cite web|url=http://www.salmagundi.org/members/index.cfm|title=Members Profiles|accessdate=May 9, 2015|archive-date=September 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906031419/http://www.salmagundi.org/members/index.cfm|url-status=dead}} the Washington Society of Landscape Painters,http://www.wslp.org/WSLPartists.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907091912/http://www.wslp.org/WSLPartists.html |date=2015-09-07 }}, accessed May 9, 2015; see also, http://www.outdoorpainter.com/news/100-years-the-washington-society-of-landscape-painters.html{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, accessed on May 13, 2015. and was elected a juried Official U.S. Coast Guard Artist."Exhibition Catalog," New Additions to the Coast Guard Art Program Collection, COGAP 2003, June 25, 2003, p. 11. Kushnir's works were shown in competitive exhibitions throughout the United States.Holter Museum of Art, "ana 27" National Juried Exhibition Catalog, August 28, 1998; Bob Keefer, "A little art goes a long way," The Register-Guard (Eugene, Oregon), November 15, 1998, Arts & Books; "Artist Shines at Museum," News-Sun (Sebring, Florida), February 1, 1998; Jerry McClish, "'Art Alive' exhibit has invigorating art," The Longboat Observer, October 29, 1998, p. B2; Laurie Harrington, "Artist Andrei Kushnir," Highlands Today, February 22, 2000, p. 7; The Crane Collection, Exhibition Catalog, Little Picture Show, Nov. 1-Dec. 1, 2001, http://www.artnet.com/ag/fineartthumbnails.asp?cid=10434&page=3&group=1&max_tn_pa, accessed on November 26, 2001; "Kushnir to exhibit at Rehoboth Art League, Delaware Coast Press, July 30, 2003, p A60; "Andrei Kushnir," Delaware Beachcomber, August 8, 2003, p. 42 "'Old School Painters'" exhibit at UIA, The Ukrainian Weekly, May 1, 2005, p. 18; Alexander Gallery, "Artists Handled by Alexander Gallery," http://www.alexandergallery.com/gallery_artists.asp?offst=198{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, accessed June 28, 2010; University of Maryland University College, "1st Biennial Maryland Regional Juried Art Exhibition," Art at UMUC, Adelphi, Maryland, 2012, http://www.umuc.edu/visitors/events/art/upload/ARTS-Fall-2011.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080854/http://www.umuc.edu/visitors/events/art/upload/ARTS-Fall-2011.pdf |date=2016-03-04 }}, accessed on May 13, 2015; "Exhibition Catalog," Oil Painters of America Juried Salon Show of Traditional Oils, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey, Michigan, 2013, http://www.oilpaintersofamerica.com/events/exhibitions/2013/salon-petoskey/acceptance.cfm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150501235836/http://www.oilpaintersofamerica.com/events/exhibitions/2013/salon-petoskey/acceptance.cfm |date=2015-05-01 }}, accessed on May 20, 2015;

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During the early 21st century, Kushnir established and operated, with artist Michele Martin Taylor, art galleries in Manhattan, New York, and Ellicott City, Maryland, where they exhibited their own works and works of other mid-career American artists.Sabrina Jones, "Main Street Addresses Gallery Owners' Need," Howard Extra, Washington Post, March 14, 2002, p. 5; "Andrei Kushnir and Michele Taylor:American Paintings," The VIEW from Ellicott City, March 31, 2002, p. 15; Sandy Alexander, "Landscape painters take their brushes indoors," Baltimore Sun, May 12, 2006, p. 3G; Marie Gullard, "A joint artistic endeavor," The Baltimore Examiner, Michele Taylor, "American Painting," 10003 Magazine (NYC), Vol. 1, No. 5, April, 2005, pp. 23,24; "'East Village Afternoon' exhibit highlights Ukrainian presence in NYC," The Ukrainian Weekly, Vol. 50, December 14, 2008, p. 17; Gallery Listings, The Village VOICE, February 24, 2009, http://www.villagevoice.com/locations/american-painting-fine-art-354600/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090101060414/http://www.villagevoice.com/locations/american-painting-fine-art-354600/ |date=2009-01-01 }}, accessed on February 24, 2009; also http://www.nyartbeat.com/event/2009/5609, accessed on February 15, 2009; http://www.nysonglines.com/6st.htm, accessed on May 30, 2015. In 2006, Kushnir opened a studio and gallery in Washington, D.C., where he exhibited his works and those of other American artists with whom he has personally painted.Our Picks, "American Painting: Gallery Grand Opening," The Washington Post, September 3, 2006, p. M6; "American Painting Studio Gallery Opens in Washington, DC," Leaves, September/October 2006; "Galleries," Washington City Paper, September 8, 2006, p. 82. The landscape painter Alexangel EstevezJim Magner, "Artist Profile: Alexangel Estevez," Art in the City, Hill Rag, October 2019, p. 54; "Stepping Out," Artists Magazine, December 2019, p. 73. studied with Andrei Kushnir."American Landscape Paintings," American Painting Press, October 2019, {{ISBN|978-0-578-54554-7}}

File:"Autumn, 1990", Andrei Kushnir.jpg

Kushnir promoted the scenic beauties of the Potomac River throughout his career as an artist. He was the founder of the Potomac River School artists, organizing exhibits for the group at the Sandy Spring Museum, Sandy Spring, Maryland, the American University Library and the American Painting Fine Art gallery, the latter two in Washington, D.C.Exhibitions, Maine Antique Digest, June 2008, p. 31B "Galleries and art spaces" section, Weekend, Washington Post, July 30, 2010, p. 38; February Calendar, "Modern Painters, Potomac River School," Washington Woman Online, accessed at http://www.washingtonwoman.com/articles/1002/calendar.shtml {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522061712/http://washingtonwoman.com/articles/1002/calendar.shtml |date=2010-05-22 }}, February 13, 2010. The Sandy Spring Museum in Sandy Spring, Maryland co-published an illustrated catalog about Kushnir's group of Potomac River painters.Sandy Spring Museum, Potomac River School, Lyrical Modern American Landscape Paintings (Washington, D.C.; American Painting Press, 2009), {{ISBN|978-0-9841837-0-8}} Kushnir also devoted two of his own exhibitions of paintings to the Potomac River, My River and River Visions.Ann Gerasimos, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20160305075410/http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/exhibits/andrei-kushnir-river-visions,1252857.html Font of Inspiration]," Washington Times, Metropolitan Life Section, October 4, 1999, p. C4, accessed on May 20, 2015. His painting Potomac Riverscape received the Juror's Choice Award at the 1st Biennial Maryland Regional Juried Art Exhibition, presented by University of Maryland University College, 2011."Our Culture Wars, The 1st Biennial Maryland Regional Juried Art Exhibition," Al Zaruba, Baltimore Examiner, Faith and Culture, August 10, 2011.

He worked from 2004 to 2015 painting en plein air landscapes throughout the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, including subjects of historical, cultural, and scenic importance.Jennie Vincent, "DC artist to feature local buildings," The Journal (Martinsburg, WVA), June 16, 2011, pp. A1, 2.

The culmination of this project was the publication of Oh, Shenandoah by George F. Thompson Publishing, Staunton, Virginia, in December 2016.{{Cite web |title=GFT Publishing - Andrei Kushnir |url=http://gftbooks.com/books_Kushnir.html |access-date=February 3, 2017 |website=gftbooks.com}} The book contains 263 of the author's original paintings of the historic Shenandoah Valley and River. 71 of these paintings were exhibited from April 1 through September 11, 2016 at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester, Virginia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.themsv.org/events/painting-valley-works-andrei-kushnir/|title=Painting the Valley|date=March 1, 2016|website=Museum of the Shenandoah Valley}} The book received favorable reviews, especially for the authenticity of its presentation of the Shenandoah Valley and its people.{{Cite web |last=MAURER |first=DAVID A. |title='Oh, Shenandoah' captures abiding love of the land in paintings |url=https://dailyprogress.com/entertainment/oh-shenandoah-captures-abiding-love-of-the-land-in-paintings/article_4a9f9246-1021-11e7-ae8f-232671c5f0a3.html |website=The Daily Progress |date=25 March 2017 |language=en}} An exhibition of 150 of the paintings from Oh, Shenandoah was held at the James Madison University Duke Gallery of Fine Art, Harrisonburg, Virginia, in May/June 2017.{{cite web |url=http://www.gftbooks.com/pdf/Kushnir_Painted%20Shenandoah%20Weekend_Johnson.pdf |title=Scenic Shenandoah - Painter's Landscapes Of The Valley To Be Shown At Duke Hall Gallery |newspaper=Weekend |publisher=Daily News-Record |first=Aleda |last=Johnson |access-date=August 24, 2017}}

An exhibition titled "Oh, Shenandoah: Landscapes of Diversity" of 52 of the paintings from Oh, Shenandoah was held from December 2018 to September 2019 at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, in Richmond,{{Cite web |title=Virginia Museum of History & Culture Events on July 18, 2019 - Richmond CultureWorks |url=https://calendar.richmondcultureworks.org/group/virginia_history/calendar/day/2019/7/18 |website=calendar.richmondcultureworks.org}} and a traveling version of the exhibit was organized by the museum.{{Cite web |title=Oh, Shenandoah Traveling Exhibition |url=https://www.virginiahistory.org/exhibitions/traveling-exhibitions/oh-shenandoah-landscapes-diversity |website=Virginia Museum of History & Culture |language=en}}

A follow-on project of plein air paintings along the interstate highways running through the Shenandoah Valley resulted in publication of Kushnir's book The Shenandoah Valley's Interstates, Plein Air Paintings Along I-81, I-66 and I-64 by George F. Thompson Publishing, Staunton, Virginia, in July 2024.{{cite web|title=GFT Publishing - Andrei Kushnir|url=http://gftbooks.com/books_KushnirInt.h}}

Other publications devoted to the artistic works of Kushnir include the C&O Canal, Potomac River, Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge Mountains and marine scenes as subjects."Painted Seasons, Autumn 1990 Series and Other Paintings of the C&O Canal," American Painting Fine Art, October 2010, {{ISBN|978-0-9841837-1-5}}; "River Visions," American Painting Fine Art, April, 2013, {{ISBN|978-0-9841837-3-9}}."Oh, Shenandoah, Paintings of the Historic Valley and River by Andrei Kushnir," December 2016, {{ISBN|978-1-938086-41-0}}."Blue Ridge Paintings," October 2017, {{ISBN|978-0-9841837-4-6}}."Small Marine Paintings," October 2018, {{ISBN|978-0-9841837-2-2}}. The artist's non-fiction account of his father's life and times was published in 2020."Epic Journey, The Life and Times of Wasyl Kushnir," Academic Studies Press, Boston, 2020,{{ISBN|978-1-64469-109-0}}.

File:"New York, from Central Park", Andrei Kushnir.jpg

The artist's works are in the permanent collections of the U.S. Coast Guard, District of Columbia's Commission of Arts & Humanities, University of Maryland University College, Maryland, Museum of Florida's Art and Culture, Avon Park, Florida, Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, Virginia, The University Club, Washington, D.C. and presidents of the United States and Ukraine.The Salmagundi Club, "[https://www.flickr.com/photos/dccahartbank/4735221865/ Highlights & Half-tones]," Salmagundi Stew, September 2001, p. 4; COGAP 2003, "New Additions to the Coast Guard Art Program Collection," June 25, 2003, p. 11; DCCAH Art Bank, "Andrei Kushnir, 'Potomac at Fletcher's'", oil on panel, accessed on May 13, 2015.

File:"Potomac Riverscape", Andrei Kushnir.jpg

File:"Sky Meadows", Andrei Kushnir.jpg

• Kushnir has been labeled a "true plein air artist."Sherry Hamilton, "Outdoor landscape artist visits Pig Hill," Gloucester-Mathews (Virginia) Gazette-Journal, May 27, 2010, p. 5A. He is known for his ability to capture "a sense of place."Diane Mercado, "Florida landscapes on display Sunday," Weekend Section, Highlands Today, January 30, 1998, p. 6. See also, "Artist Shines at Museum," News-Sun (Sebring, Florida), February 1, 1998 [Ibid.];
• A Washington D.C. art critic stated: "Andrei Kushnir's eye has been his teacher" and "[p]ure landscape painters like Andrei Kushnir…reach back to the way the earth was once and hold it dear."Jim Magner, "Artist Profile: Andrei Kushnir," Art and the City, Hill Rag, August 2006, p. 94.
• Kushnir was the first living artist selected for a single artist exhibition at the Virginia Historical Society (VHS).{{Cite web |title="Painted History: The Landscapes of Valley View Farm," Current Exhibitions, Virginia Historical Society |url=http://www.vahistorical.org/exhibits/exhibits_current.html |access-date=July 24, 2004}}{{dead link|date=September 2023}}
• The VHS published a special monograph for this exhibit, with essay by Lora Robins Curator of Art, William M.S. Rasmussen.Andrei Kushnir, Painted History: The Landscapes of Valley View Farm (Charlottesville, Virginia, Howell Press, 2004), {{ISBN|1-57427-150-4}}
• The United States agency Voice of America produced a video news feature about the artist and this exhibition and broadcast it to Ukraine and other European countries in 2004.VOA "Window on America," Broadcast # 547, broadcast in Ukraine on March 27, 2004, Channel UT-1.
• In 2008, Kushnir's portrait paintings of important Ukrainian Americans were included in an exhibit of persons of Ukrainian descent important in world history at the Ukraine House, in Kyiv, Ukraine."[https://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/12809277?access_key=key-29za3ru44wq9v38fbkk2 American artists commissioned to create portraits of notable Ukrainians]," The Ukrainian Weekly, No. 32, August 10, 2008, p. 22, , accessed on September 1, 2015.
• Kushnir was featured in publications of the Nature Conservancy related to the role of the artist in the protection and enjoyment of natural resources.Danielle S. Furlich, "Painting in Plein Air," Nature Conservancy Magazine, Vol. 58, No. 1, Spring 2008, pp. 52-58; "Nature Inspires Art," Nature Conservancy 2012 Annual Report, p. 33.

• [http://www.andreikushnir.com Andrei Kushnir's website]:
• [http://salmagundi.org/ Salmagundi Club website]
• [http://wslp.org/ Washington Society of Landscape Painters website]

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Category:1947 births

Category:Artists from Regensburg

Category:German people of Ukrainian descent

Category:German emigrants to the United States

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American painters

Category:American male painters

Category:21st-century American painters

Category:21st-century American male artists

Category:American people of Ukrainian descent

Category:Painters from Washington, D.C.

Category:Painters from Maryland

Category:20th-century American male artists