All images copyright edobermeyer.com, LLC

Contact: edobermeyer@cox.net

Artist’s Statement

Painter/Photographer

An Occasion For The Arts Show, Williamsburg, VA, 2013

The evolution of patterns in my art began in the late 1970’s when I started my teaching career. As an avid gardener, surfer, and world traveler, I appreciated the intricate patterns of the flora and fauna that surrounded me. As a result, my art focused on the smallest of natural subjects. These images were fragmented in a cubist style and presented in a highly realistic manner, yet contained the intricate dots and lines that later became the trademark of my contemporary works of art. As time progressed, my subject matter focused more intensely on the oceans of the world.

My immersive journeys led me to Australia where I had a profound experience studying the types of patterns and symbolism used by many aboriginal artists throughout the country. The paintings began to transform into images made of cross hatched lines, concentric circles, and stylized subject matter as opposed to realism. This style later morphed into one which I created using the smallest of lines and patterns that reveal my visions of the oceans and gardens of the world.

The tools of this creative process are an important and unique way of creating a painting. I use very long liner, scroller, and pin stripe brushes to create my works of art with my own marking system of patterns. I like to give the impression of realism from a distance, but when viewed up close, you can see the abstract patterns that make up the subject matter. I enjoy creating a complicated yet fanciful patterned surface that evokes an emotional response in the viewer.

Much like my painting, my photography of ocean waves and surfers is from a very unique angle, while treading water well over my head with no board or floatation device, all year in virtually every temperature range. I use a canon 7D Mark II and a custom carbon fiber CMT water housing with a variety of lenses for conditions all year long in the frigid Atlantic Ocean. I capture the dynamic ever changing turbulence and beauty that waves create in diverse conditions and environments with a passion for everything ocean related.

Education: BFA-VCU and MIS-VCU

Teacher of the year 2009 at Larkspur Middle School, Virginia Beach, VA

Teacher of the year 1989 at Salem Middle School, Virginia Beach, VA

Teacher of the year 1987 at Kemps Landing Intermediate School, Virginia Beach, VA

Early years at VCU in the Painting and Printmaking Department

Awards

Rusty and Raven have had a huge impact on my life. We only get to borrow them for about 14 years before they go to doggie heaven so I plan on making sure every moment is noticed and will paint lots of pics of them!

Awards

•2024-Virginia’s Finest Award (2nd highest in show) at the MOCA Boardwalk Art Show, Virginia Beach

•2023-First Place, Ocean View Art Show, Chesapeake Bay Art Association

•2023-June 2023, Surfline Interview, East Coast Summer views by Matt Pruett

•2023-Award of Merit at the Charles Taylor Arts Center Members juried exibition

•2023-Third Place, “What’s New”, The Va. Bch. Arts Center, The Artists Gallery

•2022-Honorable Mention, H2O National Juried Exhibition, The Va. Bch. Arts Center/The Artists Gallery

•2022-Peoples Choice Award, Chesapeake Bay Art Association Show, Suffolk Cultural Arts Center

•2021-Third Place Award at the Port Warwick Sculpture and Fine Arts Festival

•2021-June, 2021, Best In Show, H2O juried regional exhibition, The Virginia Beach Arts Center/The Artists Gallery

•2021-Best In Show, 757 Juried Exhibition/The Artists Gallery/Va. Beach Arts Center (for one of my photos)

•2021-Award of Excellence In Painting, Frank Stick Memorial Show, Dare County Arts Council, Manteo, NC.

•2020-April, 2020, The Artists Gallery/Virginia Beach Arts Center, Waterways juried exhibition, Award Of Excellence

•2019-August, 2019, Acrylic and Oil Painting Award, Seawall Art Show, Portsmouth, VA

•2019-February-March, Coastal Conversations, Exhibition at the Suffolk Cultural arts Center featuring the original paintings of Ed Obermeyer and Stephie Jones

•2019-Honorable Mention, Hampton Arts League Open Member Exhibition, Charles Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA

•2018-Award of merit, New World Arts Festival, Manteo, NC

•2018-Award of Excellence, Juried exhibition "Local Treasures" at the Artists Gallery, Va. Bch.

•2018-2nd Place, Chesapeake Bay Art Association Spring juried show

•2018-2nd Place, Art On the River, Yorktown, VA

•2018-Featured artist for the Seashore arts festival poster, Cape Point No.2, Shelley Island, Cape Hatteras, NC

•2018-A large reproduction of my painting "Blue Wedge" is on display at the Ocean Sands Resort, Va. Bch., VA, 2207 Atlantic Ave., VB 23451

•2017-Poster Artist for the Port Warwick Sculpture and Fine arts Festival; Selected for judging

•2017-Honorable Mention, The Art Of Saving A River Festival, Virginia Beach Vibe Arts District, sponsored by Lynhaven River Now

•2017-Poster Artist for the Steel Pier Classic and Surf Art Expo in Va. Bch., VA

•2017-Second Place, Artists Alley, Va. Bch. Flower and Garden Show

•2017-Honorable Mention, The Artists Gallery, The Palette of Spring, May 2017

Shows and Accomplishments

•2019-MOCA Boardwalk Art Show, Virginia Beach, VA

•2019-ArtiGras, Jupiter, FL

•2019-Surf Art Expo, Virginia Beach, VA

•2019-Stockley Gardens Fine Arts Festival, Norfolk, VA, Spring 2019

•2019-New World Arts Festival, Manteo, NC

•2019-Charles Taylor Arts Center Members Show, Honorable Mention, Hampton, VA

•2019-Frank Stick Memorial Art Show, Dare County Arts Council, Manteo, NC

•2019-Article in the Virginia Beach Beacon paper on the exhibition, Coastal Conversations, Suffolk Cultural Center

•2019-Suffolk Cultural Arts Center, Coastal Conversations, Solo Exhibition

•2019-The Artists Gallery, juried exhibition, Imagine.

•2019-Norfolk Academy Show, Norfolk, VA

•2019-A Sea For Yourself, Artists Gallery, VB

•2019-February-March, Coastal Conversations, Exhibition at the Suffolk Cultural arts Center featuring the original paintings of Ed Obermeyer and Stephie Jones

•2019-Plant Pop Interview about my process, https://plantpop.com/blog/2019/1/14/ed-obermeyer

•2018-•Interview on Channel 13 news for the Surf Art Expo

•2018-Solo Exhibition, Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library, Ocean and Earth, August 1-31, 2018

•2018-Solo Exhibition, "Emerging Patterns", Sandler Center For the Performing Arts, Va. Bch, VA, July 5-August 21, 2018

•2018-Mirlo Centennial Celebration, August 3-25, 2018. My painted shingle the featured art work for the exhibition to support the Chicamacomico Historical Assoc.

•2018-Solo Exhibition, "Ocean and Earth" (over 62 large original paintings), The Runneymeade Corporation, Pavilion I Gallery, 2101 Parks ave., Va. Bch., VA 23451 April 12-June 28, 2018

•2018-CBAA Spring Show, MacArthur Center, Norfolk, VA May 23-May 31, 2018

•2018-Frank Stick Memorial Art Show, Dare Council Arts Center, Manteo, NC, January 2018

•2018-Hampton Arts League Juried Exhibition, Charles Taylor Arts Center•2017-Third Place, the Art Of Saving the River juried exhibition, Va. Bch., Jan. 2018

•2018-"Red", juried exhibition, the Artists Gallery, Va. Bch., VA, February 2018

•2018-Artis Gras, Jupiter, Florida, February 2018

•2018-The Painted Garden, Beach Gallery, Va. Bch., VA, April 2018

•2018-Seashore Arts Festival, Va. Bch., VA, April 2018

•2018-Sensational Spring Show, Norfolk, VA, April 2018

•2018-Art Speaks On The Bay, Mathews, VA, April 2018

•2018-Norfolk Academy Show, Norfolk, VA, April 2018

•2018-Art On the River, Yorktown, VA, April 2018

•2018-Stockley Gardens Spring show, Norfolk, VA, May 2018

•2018-Steel Pier Classic and Surf Art Expo, May 2018

•2018-MOCA Boardwalk Art Show, June 2018

•2018-Neptune Festival Art Show, September 2018

•2018-An Occasion For The Arts, October 2018

•2018-Port Warwick Sculpture and Fine Arts Festival, October 2018

•2017-Featured artist on poster for the New World Arts Festival, Manteo, NC

•2017-2nd Place, Virginia Flower and Garden Expo, Va. Bch. Convention Center, Artist’s Alley

•2017-Solo Exhibition, “Ocean And Earth”, Norfolk Botanical Gardens

•2017-21st Street Art Gallery, Featured Artist, January thru February

•2017-Taste, Featured Artist, March thru August, Hilltop, Va. Bch., VA

•2017-”In Ella’s Lifetime: 100 Artists for Ella Fitzgerald, April 2017 thru April 2018, international exhibit, Downing Gross Cultural Arts Center, Newport News VA., Germany, France, and China

•2017-2nd Place, Seashore Arts Festival, April 2017, First Landing State Park, Va. Bch., VA

•2017-Sensational Spring Festival, The Fred Huette Center, Norfolk, VA

•2017-East Beach Plein Air Paintiing Escape and Show, April 2017, Norfolk, VA

•2017-May, Palette of Spring, The Artists Gallery, Va. Bch., VA, honorable mention

•2017-Norfolk Academy Show, Norfolk Academy, Norfolk, VA, April thru May

•2017-The Art Of Saving The River, Va. Beach VIBE District, Va. Bch, VA, May 2017

•2017-Spring Stockley Gardens Arts Festival, Norfolk, VA May 20-21, 2017

•2017-Virginia Beach Surf Art Expo, May 27-29, Va. Bch., VA

•2017-June, Artists Gallery, Va. Bch., VA Capturing the light

•2017-Halls Of Art IXX, Hampton Roads Convention Center, June thru November, 2017

•2017-2017 MOCA Virginia Beach Boardwalk Art Show, June 15-18, 2017

•2017-Knotts Island Peach Festival, June 24-25, Knotts Island, NC

•July-Extravagance of Color, the Artists Gallery, Va. Bch., VA

•2017-Solo Exhibition Tour, Ocean and Earth, Dare County Arts Council, Manteo NC, August 2017

•2017-36th Annual New World Arts Festival, Manteo, NC, August 15-17, 2017

•2017-August, Local Treasures, The Artists Gallery, Va. Bch., VA

•2017-September, Earth, Wind, water, and Fire, the artists gallery, Va. Bch. VA

•2017-Seawall Art Show, August 26-27, Portsmouth, VA

•2017-October, Reflections, The Artists Gallery, Va. Bch., VA

•2017-An Occasion For The Arts, Williamsburg, VA, October 7-8, 2017

•2017-Port Warwick Art And Sculpture Festival, Oct. 14-15, Newport News, VA

•2017-ArtiGras, Palm Beach County, Jupiter, FL, February 18-20, 2017

•2017-Tidewater Art Alliance Show, “Off The Wall”, January 2017, Cape Henry Collegiate School, Va. Bch., VA

•2017-Tidewater Art Alliance Protfolio Exhibition 2017, Suffolk Art Gallery, Suffolk, VA. April thru June 2017

•2017-Chesapeake Bay Art Association Spring Show, Suffolk Center For Cultural Arts, May thru June 2017

•2017-Virginia Beach Neptune Festival, September 29-October 1, 2017

•2016-Best In Show, New World Festival Of The Arts, Manteo, NC

•2016-Second Place, Ocean View Art Show, Norfolk, VA

•2016-Third Place, Dismal Swamp Art Show, Chesapeake, VA•2016-Best In Show, New World Festival of the Arts, Manteo, NC

•2016-Thomas A. Felton Jr.Award of Distinction for Fine Art, MOCA Va. Bch. Boardwalk Art Show

•2016-MOCA Virginia Beach Boardwalk Art Show 2016 Poster contest winner

•2016-Best In Show, The Artists Gallery, "Local Treasures" juried exhibition

•2016-Virginia Artists 2016, juried exhibition, Hampton, VA

•2016-Award Of Merit, Tidewater Arts Alliance juried exhibition, "Open Horizons", Charles Taylor Arts Center, Hampton

•2016-Award of Distinction for Painting, Gosport Arts Festival, Portsmouth, VA

•2016-First Place, "The Water's Edge" juried exhibition, The Artists Gallery, Va. Bch., VA

•2016-Third Place, "The Palette of Spring", The Artists Gallery, Va. Bch., VA

•2016-Chesapeake Bay Art Association Spring Show, 2016, Best In Show Overall

•2015-Second Place, 53rd Annual Ocean View Art Show, Norfolk, VA

•2015 Tidewater Art Alliance annual members exhibition, Award Of Excellence, The Kennedy Gallery, One 11 Art Foundation, Norfolk, VA

•2015-Best In Show Overall, The Artists Gallery, Va. Bch., VA, "The Waters Edge" juried exhibition

•2015-Virginia General Assembly building exhibition, Richmond, VA

•2014-Halls Of Art XIV, Hampton, VA "Purchase Award"

•2014-Fourth Place, Seawall Art Show, Portsmouth, VA, 2014

•2014-WAVY Channel Ten interview with Chris Reckling, http://wavy.com/2014/09/09reck-on-the-road-ed-obermeyer/

•2014-Honorable Mention, The artists gallery show, "The Waters Edge"

•2014-Honorable Mention, The Artists gallery show, "Beaches, Beacons, and Boats"

•2014-Earth, Water, Sky", juried earthscapes show, D'art Center, Norfolk, VA

•2014-Third Place, CBAA Spring Show, Hampton, VA

2014-Third Place, The Artists Gallery, "Small Wonders" juried show

•2014-Honorable Mention, Artists Gallery, "An Extravagance Of Color"

•2014-Selected for the "Artists Groups juried exhibition", Charles Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA

•2014-Selected for the Halls Of Art XIII, Hampton Roads Convention Center

•2014-Solo Exhibition, Sandler Center For the Arts, "The Journey To Post Aboriginal Modernism"

•2013-Third Place, Surf’s Up Juried Show, Artists Gallery, Va. Bch., VA

•2013-Best In Show, "Acrylic Painting, An Occassion For The Arts", Williamsburg 

•2013-Award of Merit, East Beach Art Show, Norfolk, VA.

•2013-First Place, Ocean View Art Show

•2012-Best in show, Artists Gallery, Inspiring Places, Vistas, and Spaces juried show

•2012-Second Place, Artists Gallery, It’s Raining Cats and Dogs juried show

•2012-Third Place, Artists Gallery, Surf’s Up juried show

•2011-The President’s Award at the Art Institute’s juried exhibition, Seven Cities Subculture Art Exhibit

•2010-Best in show at the Artists Gallery juried show Fresh Paint: New Works

•2010-Best in show at the Artists Gallery juried show, Surf’s Up

•Selected for judging at the 2011 Neptune Festival Art Show.

•2012-First Place, Artists Gallery, New Beginnings, juried show•2

Shows and Accomplishments

•2016-Channel 10 interview with MOCA on Hampton roads TV, http://wavy.com/2016/06/14/61st-annual-boardwalk-art-show/

•2016-TAA Juried Exhibition, “Open Horizons”, Charles Taylor Arts Center, Newport News, 3rd place

•2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012-Stockley Gardens Art Show

•2016-Virginia Artists 2016 Juried Exhibition, Charles Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA

•2016-Annual Tidewater Alliance Members Exhibition, Portsmouth Cultural Arts Center

•2016-Game On: Sports in Ancient and Modern Art, Peninsula Fine Arts Center

•2016-Best In Show, The Waters Edge juried exibition, The Artists Gallery, Va. Bch.

•2016-New World arts Festival, Manteo, NC

•2016-Seawall Art Show, Portsmouth, Va

•2016-Neptune Festival, Va. Bch., VA

•2016-Handmade, The Hermitage Museum, Norfolk, VA

•2016-Port Warwick Arts Festival, Newport news, VA

•2016-Stockley Gardens Arts Festival, Fall, Norfolk, VA

•2015 & 2012-Norfolk Botanical Gardens Solo Exhibition

•2016,2015, 2014 & 2013 Boardwalk Art Show

•Published twice in the Virginia Beach Schools anthology, A Tapestry Of Knowledge.

•The Hummingbird Gallery, Monteverde, Costa Rica

•The Rainforest Alliance headquarters in Manhattan, New York•2015-53rd Anual Ocean View art Show, Norf., VA Oct. 20-11

•2016-Artisgras, Palm Beach FL, juried exhibition

•2016-Port Warwick Fine Arts And Sculpture Festival, Newport News, VA

•2016-Dismal Swamp Arts Festival, Suffolk,, VA

•2016-Halls of Art XVII, Hampton Roads Convention Center, Hampton, VA

•2016-Art Speaks On the Bay, juried exhibition, Bay School Community Arts Center, Mathews, VA

•2015-An Occassion For The Arts, Williamsburg, VA Oct. 3-4

•2016, 2015-Neptune Festival and Craft Show, Va. Bch, Boardwalk, Sept. 25-27

•2016-Atomospheric Impressions juried exhibition, The Artists Gallery, Va. Bch.

•2016-Fine Artists Plein Air Escape, East Beach, Norfolk, VA

•2016-Norfolk Academy Spring Show, Norfolk, VA

•2016-Gosports Arts Festival, Portsmouth, VA

•2016-Virginia Beach Surf Art Expo, Va. Bch. Boardwalk

•2016-Under the Oaks juried arts show, Corolla, NC

•2016-Knotts Island Peach Festival

•2015-The January Show, MOCA, Virginia Beach Convention Center

•2015-Virginia Beach Boardwalk Art Show, MOCA, June 18-21

•2015-Artisans In The Park, Great Neck Park, VA Bch., Sept 12-13

•2015-Virginia Artists 2015 Juried Exhibition, Charles Taylor Arts Center, Aug.22-Oct. 11

•2015-Seawall Art Show, Portsmouth, VA August 2223

•2015-Knotts Island Ruritan club 22nd Annual Peach Festival, June 27-28

•2015-14th Annual Under the Oaks Festival, Whalehead, Corolla, NC June 23-24

•2015-Virgnia Beach Surf Art Expo, Va. Bch. boardwalk, May 23-25

•2015-Spring Stockley Gardens Arts Festival, Norfolk, VA May 16-17

•2015-Gosport Arts Festival, Portsmouth, VA May 9 & 10

•2015-Small Works, The Artists gallery, Va. Bch., May 5-30

•2015-TAA Open Windows Exhibition, Suffolk Center For cultural Arts May 7-June30

•2015-Art Speaks On The Bay, May 2-May 30•2015-Norfolk Academy Art Gallery, April 7-May 8

•2015-January, MOCA’s January Show and Va. Wine Fest, Va. Bch. Convention Center

•2015-Virginia Beach Boardwalk Art Show, MOCA, June 18-21

•2015-January thru February, Virginia General Assembly Building show, Richmond, VA

•2015-Arts In The Middle, Henwick Plantation, Urbana, VA , May 30-31

•2015--Under The Oaks Fine Arts Show, Vero Beach, Florida, March 13, 14, & 15

•2015-Artigras, Jupiter Florida, Abacoa Town Center, Feb. 15, 16, & 17

•2014-Estero Fine Arts Show, Miromar, Florida, Nov. 15 & 16, Presented by Hot Works

•2014-2015-Tidewater Art Alliance Portfolio Exhibiton, 2014-2015, The Art Institute, Va. Bch., VA

•2014-2015-Halls Of Art XIV, Hampton Roads Convention Center, Hampton, VA

•2014-Hot Works Fine Arts Show, Estero Beach, FL

•2014-Surf And Sand show, The Artists Gallery, Va. Bch.

•2014-Pavilion I, Artists Gallery Anniversary Show, Va. Bch.

•2014-Seawall Art Show, Portsmouth, VA

•2014-Tidewater Art Alliance Members Show, dArt Center, Norfolk, VA

•2014-Featured in "Artist's Blok", online magazine

•2014-Tidewater Artists Association, "Eyes Wide Open", juried exhibition, Portsmouth Cultural Arts Center

•2014-"Surfs UP", Virginia Sports Hall Of Fame & Museum, Portsmouth, Virginia

•2014-Anna Maria Art League Festival, Holmes Beach, Florida

•2014-Old Coast Guard Station & Museum, "Our Town", juried exhibition

•2014-Booth shot featured in Sunshine Artists Magazine

•Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (1978) and Masters In Interdisciplinary Studies (1998) from Virginia Commonwealth University

•Art Teacher in Virginia Beach City Public Schools for 34 years

•Published twice in the Virginia Beach Schools anthology, A Tapestry Of Knowledge.

•Ocean Art Gallery

•2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013, The Neptune Festival Art Show

•Tidewater Artists Association exhibitions

•Teaching Artists exhibitions at MOCA

•The Hummingbird Gallery, Monteverde, Costa Rica

•The Rainforest Alliance headquarters in Manhattan, New York

•2012/2013-Stockley Gardens Art Show

•Norfolk Botanical Gardens Solo Exhibition 2012

•Arts In The Park, Richmond, Virginia, 2013

• 2012 & 2013-Surf Art Expo, Virginia Beach, VA.

•2013 Boardwalk Art Show

•2013-The Matadors Of Surfing, Stravitz Fine Art Gallery, Va. Bch., VA, August - Sept. 30, 2013

•2013-Disney Festival Of The Masters, FLA

•2013-September 2013, Artistans In The Park, Va. Bch., VA

•2013-October 2013-An Occassion for the arts, Williamsburgh, Awarded Best In Show, Acrylic Painting

•2013-August 2013 & 2014 (4th place)-Seawall Art Festival, Portsmouth, VA

•2013-Artisans By The Sea, Old Coast Guard Station and Museum, Va. Bch., VA

•2013-October 2013 and 2012, Ocean View Art Show

•2013-DisneyFestival Of The Masters, Lake Buena Vista, FL

•2013-Published in the Virginia Beach Sun Newspaper, two page spread (interview with the artist)

• 2013-The Gallery at Pavilion I, Members Only Show for the Artists Gallery, July 18-Sept. 26

•2013-Published in the Sunshine Artists Magazine, December issue

•2013-The Matadors Of Surfing, Stravitz Fine Art Gallery, Va. Bch., VA, August - Sept. 30, 2013

•2012, 2013, 2014-Surf Art Expo, Virginia Beach, VA.

•2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 & 2010, The Neptune Festival Art Sho•

•2012,2013, 2014-Arts In The Park, Richmond, Virginia, 2013

Custom work on my Chevy SSR using airbrush and pinstripe work.

Surfing at First Street Jetty in Virginia Beach (photo by Juice Box Surf).

Enjoying the performance of Aborigines at Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Center up in the Daintree Rainforest near Cairns, Australia.

I am a retired art teacher with 34 years of service (30 in middle school) in Virginia Beach, VA. I completed my career as an art teacher at Ocean Lakes High School as their AP Art Teacher (AP 2D Design, AP2D Drawing and AP 3D Design), and also taught Sculpture, Art Foundations, Advanced Art, and a very special Art Appreciation class for special needs students. While teaching all those years, I painted surfboards, pinstriped cars and motorcycles, custom airbrush work, did freelance work, local art shows. and gallery exhibitions. I always painted in front of my students to role model my expectations for them in class. I also conducted workshops on Aboriginal culture and how to "make and play your own didgeridoo". Performing in front of students was a joyful experience for those many years, and now I have embarked on my journey full time as a professional artist and performer with the same enthusiasm and joy that was such an important part of my teaching career.

““There are no mistakes, just changes in direction.””

— Edward A. Obermeyer