Burton Levitsky -- Landscape Painter

509 Ocean View Avenue
Santa Cruz, California 95062
(831) 458-3226

Burton Levitsky is a modern-day romantic realist whose style reflects that of the Old Masters: exact drawing, rich, controlled color, subtle tonality and luminous finish. He is both a trained and self-taught craftsman with a keen eye and love of nature.

Burton's work was recently selected for inclusion in "Il museo che non c'e' - The Museum Which Does Not Exist" -- a CD-ROM that contains images from an international selection of fine artists.

Gallery

• Click on any "thumbnail" image below for a larger JPEG image and information about the painting. (If your browser doesn't do inline JPEGs, the image won't be displayed on page with text. In that case, use the links [see below] for externally veiwed JPEGs. If you're not sure, try the thumbnails first.)

• Burton's paintings are highly detailed -- unfortunately some of this detail is lost on the World Wide Web due to band-width limitations and screen size.

Irish Landscapes

California Landscapes

Urban Landscapes

Landscapes & Portraits

Fantasy Landscapes

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Comments

" My work as a realist has evolved, during the 35 years I've been painting, with periods of semi-abstract and surrealist overtones which is synthesized in my style today as a contemporary realist. I've been influenced and inspired by my surroundings, both urban and rural, and by personal experiences, perceptions, and reflections on life. I am drawn to strong light contrasts and deep shadows, and their interplay on old buildings, cliff faces, and the human form, and I devote great attention to detail.

Each painting is the culmination of months of work, beginning with a detailed drawing, an underpainting, then multiple layers of color glazes to achieve a smooth luminosity. I use fine sable brushes and portait-quality linens, primed in the traditional method. Each painting is vsrnished approximately six months after completion. "

About the Artist

Burton was born in New York City in 1939. He began painting regularly in his mid-20s. In the early 1960's, he studied at the School of Visual arts in New York City and was trained in drawing by the renowned illustrators Frank Reilly, Burne Hogarth, and Robert Shore. His draftsmanship and coloring techniques were mostly self-taught. Throughout the 60s, Levitsky painted and worked as a commercial artist, traveling occasionally to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East where the varied landscapes and cultures informed and reformed his art. He currently lives in Santa Cruz, California, where he paints and raises his teenage son, Lucas.

Other Links

Burton has been selected to participate in "Il museo che non c'e' - The Museum Which Does Not Exist" -- a CD-ROM that contains images from an international selection of fine artists.