Artists Registry
Hamburg PA United States
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Artist's Statement
Statement of Work
I am a romantic artist that fuses my life experiences with art history. My paintings are a declaration to the dramatic power of traditional, figurative art. The origin of my inspiration does not lie in academia, rather my past as a child surrounded by the vivid paintings I saw each Sunday during church. Because of this my work differs from my contemporaries who are more concerned with form, color and a contemporary realistic style. I don’t aspire to simply paint a figure; I paint a moment, a human experience, and an emotional dialogue that transcends culture, religion and time itself.
I use oil-based pigments, applying them to wood panels that I prepare. My chiaroscuro technique is based on 17th Century masters like Caravaggio and Artemesia Gentileschi. I paint fast and direct in an alla prima style over a grisaille, then with layers of glazes I finish with a rich varnished surface of richness and depth.
I graduated with a B.F.A. in painting and an art history minor from Pennsylvania State University in 1995 and spent a summer semester abroad in Todi, Italy, where I studied directly from the masterworks of 17th Century artists. In 2010 I won the Chairman’s Award for the Sixth International Art Renewal Center competition out of 1700 submissions from over 30 countries worldwide. In 2003 I was honored to represent the United States at the Florence Bienniale. My work has been featured at the Salmagundi Art Club, Allentown Art Museum, Berman Museum of Art, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, State Museum of Pennsylvania, and at Monsoon Galleries and Progressive Galleries. Over the last few years my art has appeared in the pages of the New York Times, Poets and Artists, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Victorian Homes and American Artist Magazine. My work is in the collections of Howard Tullman, The Trenton Museum of Art and numerous private collections.
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Solo Exhibitions
2010 “48 Hour Marathon Portrait” 27 paintings sold in 30 days, ericarmusik.com
2010 “Fire Sale” May 20-June 20. 19 paintings sold in 30 days, ericarmusik.com
2009 My Place in History, Progressive Galleries, Lancaster, PA
2007 They Had to Look, Mulberry Art Gallery, Lancaster, PA
2006 Right in Front of Them, Suite 3 Gallery, Harrisburg, PA
2005 Captured, Monsoon Galleries, Bethlehem, PA
Recent Paintings, Art Association of Harrisburg, Harrisburg, PA
2004 After the Party, Apollo Grill, Bethlehem, PA
Recent Paintings, Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville, PA
1999 Recent Artwork, Artworks, Ephrata, PA.
1996 Recent Artwork, Mantis Green, Wilkes-Barre, PA
Selected Group Exhibitions
2010
• Catholic Art, Saint Vincent Gallery, Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, PA
• 97th Annual Exhibition, Allied Arists of America, NY
2009
• 6th International Art Renewal Center Salon, Chairman’s Choice Award Winner
• Block of Art, Many Worlds Gallery, Pottsville, PA
• Progressive Galleries Artists, Progressive Galleries, Lancaster, PA
• Featured Artist Series, Reading Symphony Orchestra, Sovereign Center, Reading, PA
2008
• 2008 Realism Biennial, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN
• Realism X, Upstream People Gallery, Omaha, NE
• 31st Annual Juried Show, Goggleworks, Reading, PA
• Saturday Night Explosion, Progressive Galleries, Harrisburg, PA
• 33rd Annual Adam Styka Art Exhibit, Polish Heritage Society, Philadelphia, PA
• Cocktails and Collecting, Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, PA
2007
• Ellarslie Open XXV, Trenton City Museum, Trenton, NJ
2006
• Painted Violins, organized by the Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra, four regional venues
• Winter Group Show, Reading Area Community College, Reading, PA
• Winter Juried Exhibition, Institute of the Arts, Wyomissing, PA
• 29th Annual Juried Show, Goggleworks, Reading, PA
Jurors: Scott Noel and Leslie Kaufman
• American Artist Professional League 78th Grand National, Salmagundi Art Club,
New York, NY
2005
• 29th Juried Show, Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, PA. Juror: Audrey Flack--artist
• Immaculata University Art Show, Immaculata University, Philadelphia, PA
• 34th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery,
Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA
Juror: Dan Talley – Director, Sharadin Gallery, Kutztown University
• All Media Juried Show, Plastic Club, Philadelphia, PA
• American Artist Professional League 77th Grand National, Salmagundi Art Club,
New York, NY
• Art of the State, State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
Juror: Dr. Kathryn Calley Galitz, Metropolitan Museum of Art
• 28th Annual Juried Show, Reading Public Museum, Reading, PA
Juror: Elyse Gonzales, Institute of Contemporary Art/University of Pennsylvania
2004
• Self Portraits, Northwest Cultural Gallery, Rolling Meadows, IL
Juror: William Thomas Chambers-artist
• American Artist Professional League 76th Grand National Exhibition, Salmagundi Art Club,
New York, NY
• Artist Equity Exhibition, Phillips Museum of Art, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA Juror: Nancy Miller Batty Curator, Widner University Art Gallery
• Figure and Context Juried Exhibition, Afif Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
• Philadelphia Tri-State Artists Equity 55th Anniversary Juried Exhibition—To Be An Artist,
Berman Museum of Art, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA
Juror: Brian H. Peterson, Curator, James A. Michener Art Museum
• 62nd Annual Painting Exhibition, Cheltenham Art Center, Philadelphia, PA
Juror: Patterson Sims, Director, Montclair Art Museum
2003
• Group Show, MCS Gallery, Easton, PA
•Berks Art Alliance 26th Annual Juried Exhibition, Reading Public Museum, Reading, PA
•Biennale Internazionale dell’Arte Contemporanea, Florence, Italy
•Healing Art, Manhattan Arts, New York, NY
2002
•28th Juried Show, Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, PA
Juror: Hugh M. Davies, Director, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
•International Art Competition, National Academy of Fine Arts, Pocos de Caldas, Brazil
•Berks Art Alliance 25th Annual Juried Exhibition, Reading Public Museum, Reading, PA
•Mid-Atlantic Juried Show, Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, New Castle, PA
Juror: Thomas Hinson, Cleveland Museum of Art
Awards and Honors
2010 Chairman’s Choice Award, 6th Salon, Art Renewal Center
2009 Highest ranked artist worldwide on noenga.com by popular vote.
2008 Andrew and Maria Styka Award, 33rd Annual Adam Styka Art Exhibit,
Polish Heritage Society, Philadelphia, PA
Honorable Mention “Best Lighting in a Painting”, 2008 Realism Biennial, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN
2007 Ben Whitmire Purchase Award, The Trenton City Museum, Trenton, NJ
2005 2nd place, 34th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery, Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA
2004 Semi-finalist - Art Renewal Center Second International ARC Salon Competition,
New York, NY
Allied Artists of America Award, American Artist Professional League 76th Juried Exhibition, New York, NY
2003 Artist Showcase award, Healing Art, Manhattan Arts, New York, NY
Education
1991-1995 B.F.A, Pennsylvania State University
Studied under Julie Heffernan and Robert Yarber
Art history minor, focusing on baroque art
1995 Semester abroad, Penn State University in Todi, Italy
2008 Studio Incamminati – Academy of the Artist Nelson Shanks
Publications
2010
Scheirer, Alexandra, “Hamburg artist is burning up the art,” Chicago Tribune, June 19, 2010,
Scheirer, Alexandra, “Hamburg artist is burning up the art,” The Morning Call, June 19, 2010, Go 2
Cunningham, Pam, "Artist Threatens to Burn Paintings,"
Channel 69 Philadelphia News, June 7, 2010
Ross, Fred. “6th International Art Renewal Center Salon Catalog”, Chairman’s Choice Award
Shelly, Susan, "Art, faithfully created", Reading Eagle, March 13, 2010, Front cover, p. 1, 3 E
Menendez, Didi. Poets and Artists Magazine, April 2010, p. 86-93
Cunningham, Pam, "Local Artist’s Work to Decorate Seattle Church,"
Channel 69 Philadelphia News, February 17, 2010
Rudisill, Jennifer. “Local Artist Paints Christ for Seattle Church,” Hamburg Item, Feb. 17, 2010
Bowen, Ryan. Project Exposure Magazine, January 2010, p.
Sekula, Robyn. Victorian Homes Magazine, February 2010, p. 18-24
2009
Sekula, Robyn. Victorian Homes Magazine, October 2009, p. 18-24
Sekula, Robyn. Victorian Homes Magazine, August 2009, p. 18-24
Ferguson, Jennifer. “Featured Artist,” International Art Treasures Magazine,
Web Magazine, Toronto, ON, July 2009
Sekula, Robyn. Victorian Homes Magazine, June 2009, p. 24-31
Sekula, Robyn. Victorian Homes Magazine, April 2009, p. 22-26
Sekula, Robyn. Victorian Homes Magazine, February 2009, p. 18-24
Kennedy, Randy. “Realism May Not Make It on Bravo’s New Reality Show,”
New York Times, July 19, 2010, p. C1
Crow, Kelly. “Bravo Holds Casting Call for Arty New Reality Show with Sarah Jessica Parker,”
Wall Street Journal, July 18, 2009
Kramer, Foster. “Bravo’s New Art-World Reality Show Promises to be Patently Ridiculous Awesome – Art,” Gawker.com, Website, July 19, 2009
Rhonda Lieberman. “Assemblage Line,” Scene & Herd ARTFORUM, July 20, 2009
Lau, Derek. “Progressive Galleries,” Lancaster PA TV, Video. March 9, 2009
Morris, Herbert. “Artists in Evil: An Essay on Evil and Redemption in Marcel Proust’s
IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME,” Cover, Hardcover Book, 2009
2008
Skye, Alina. “Featured Artist,” Phosphoresence Magazine, 9 pages, Issue 7, September 2008
Park, Michelle. “Victorian Home on Hamburg Holiday Tour,” Reading Eagle, December 12, 2008, p. B1
Schira, Ron, "NAP Connections," BCTV, Reading, PA, August 26, 2008
Kalan, Susan, "Eric Armusik: Young Talent Inspired by the Old Masters", Meet the Artist,
Express-Times Newspaper. August 22, 2008, p. D4
Linkhorn, Tyrel, "Artist Trying to Uncover Secrets of Painting in Hamburg Church",
Reading Eagle, August 20, 2008, p. 1B
Smith, Joel D., "Church Mural on the Move in Hamburg," Channel 69 Philadelphia News,
August 18, 2008
2007
Seckler, Judy, "Going With the Grain," Victorian Homes Restoration Guide, August 2007, p. 26-32
Peters, Allison, Full Page, American Art Collector, September 2007, p. 227
Dube, Ilene, “Salon des Acceptances,” Princeton Packet, May 11, 2007, Time Off Section p. 18, 19
Posten, Bruce, “The Art of Home Improvement,” Reading Eagle, April 27, 2007, Section C p.1,3
Aposporos, Demetra, “Precipitating Preservation,”
Old House Journal Magazine, June 2007, p. 66-69
2006
Morse, Diane, “Artists Trick Out Junked Violins to Mark LVCO's 25th Anniversary,” Morning Call,
January 8, 2006, p. E.1
Roman, Dan, “Designing Hamburg,” Hamburg Item, May 10, 2006, Front Page
Herne, Maria, “Perfect Pairing,” Pottsville Republican & Herald, October 5, 2006
2005
Kramer, Kristen, “Captured Exhibition,” Berks County Living, November 2005, p.16
Doherty, Stephen M., “Glazing Oil Colors on an Absorbent Surface,”
American Artist Magazine, December 2005, p. 42-47
Kalan, Susan, “Figurative Realism by Eric Armusik,” Express-Times, November 4, 2005, p. E6
Zera, Dawn, “Artist of the Week - Eric Armusik,” Times Leader, November 11, 2005, the Guide, p.8
2004
Gehman, Geoff, “Baroque Realist Draws Meaning from Life’s Uncertainties,” Morning Call
July 8, 2004, Go Art Section, p.4
Auman, Melissa, “Happenings Section,” Two Women painting, ArtMATTERS, June 2004, p.7
Botner, Katie, “Armusik Reinvents Realism,” Tri County Weekly, June 11, 2004, p.11
Schira, Ron, “Emerging Artists: Realists on the Verge,” Reading Eagle, May 30, 2004, Section E p.2
Huang, Ann, “After the Party II,” William and Mary Review, Volume 42, 2004
Veronikis, Eric, “Armusik Does Art His Way,“ Patriot, May 12, 2004, p.14
2003
Spike, John T., Eric Armusik, Biennale Internazionale Dell’Arte Contemporanea,
Quarta Edizione, Grafica La Nave, 2003, p.45
Kershner, Elsa, “Hamburg Artist Nominated to Display Work Internationally,” Times News,
October 2, 2003, p.22
Herne, Maria, “Passion for Painting,” Republican & Evening Herald, August 29, 2003, p. 21
Vourvoulias, Sabrina, “Art, Light, Redemption,” Tri County Record, June 27, 2003, p. 1,13,16
Schneider, Kristina, “A Prestigious Nomination,” Berks County Living, August 29, 2003, p.13
Gehman, Geoff, “An Italian Honor,” Morning Call, June 12, 2003, Go Art Section, p. 5
2002
Grunberg, Ron, BIGNews, July 2002, cover reproduction of “Witness”,
five paintings in centerfold
1999
Lampman, M. J., “Parousia...and man made God,” DaHood Publishing, 1999, “Only the Good” on
book cover
1996
Walsh, Jeff, “Artistic Pursuits,” Times Leader, May 19, 1996, p. 1-2B
Collections
The Trenton City Museum, Trenton, NJ.
Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown, PA.
St. Therese Roman Catholic Church, Seattle, WA.
Kinard Trucking
Plymouth Rocks Recording Studio,
The Apollo Grille, Bethlehem, PA.
M. Jerista Lampman, author
Numerous private collections.