Auseklis was born in Latvia in 1941 and came to the United States with his parents in 1950. His formal training began at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and later at the Trenton School of Industrial Arts. He has been recognized with numerous awards including the William Emlen Cresson European Traveling Scholarship from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, several awards from the Annual Exhibitions of the National Academy of design in New York, and the first Edward Marshall Boehm Award at the New Jersey State Museum. His work has been exhibited throughout the country and is represented in public and private collections. He teaches a variety of advanced classes at the Academy as well as the Color & Design course open to students of all levels.

Education:
Tyler School of Art at Temple University: MFA, 1967
University of Pennsylvania: BFA, 1965
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts: 4-year Certificate, 1965

 

At the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, we strive to better ourselves in the art of seeing--first seeing the world around us and then the world within us. Then we must express these things in visual terms, by transferring them to paper or canvas. And that is where the technical aspects become important.

We believe the firmest roots of creativity come from the intense study of nature. The joy of discovering a simple truth of the human figure, a line that expresses a stance, a gesture, a movement, is just as great an accomplishment as painting the Sistine ceiling.

To paint, draw and sculpt is to search for truth and, as truth is beauty, it uplifts, inspires and heals. To raise attention above the commonplace and to find others like themselves in a place that tolerates and even encourages the attempt has been extremely healing to many - even sometimes desperate - individuals. It has transformed them, bringing them out of themselves to find new light and a new joy of life.

This is a place where we have fun. We enjoy learning together and discovering each other's eccentricities. Above all, we are here to develop our individual potential. We are in competition only with ourselves, never with each other.

To view course descriptions, please visit the "Painting Courses" page.

Advanced Life Drawing
Advanced Life Painting
Advanced Portrait Painting
Advanced Still Life Oil Painting
Color & Design
Landscape Oil Painting
Life Painting

 

"Gran Pere": Oil on Linen

 

 

Coming of Age: Oil on Linen, 2003

 

 

The Honorable Judge Calogero:Oil on Linen, 2003

 

 

Portrait of Governor Mike Foster: Oil on Linen, 48" x 48" (2004)

 

 

Night Bloomer: 1997

 

 

Delft and Friends: Oil on Linen, 2001

 

 

The Studio: 1995