Magdalena & Matthew Almy
Michelangelo said, “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” Matthew and Magdalena Almy have made their lives a practice of avoiding this danger.
Although Matthew was born in Evanston, Illinois, and Magdalena in Poland, their mutual love of painting brought them together in Chicago at the American Academy of Art in the early 2000’s. While studying in Chicago, they realized that they wanted something more out of their painting careers. The Almys were hoping for a “…return to discipline gleaned from careful study of the Old Masters, sound instruction, and years of practical application.”
Together, they moved to Florence, Italy to study in the classic style at The Florence Academy of Art, where they rigorously devoted the next few years of their lives to understanding the methods of the great masters. The Almys wanted to bring this ancient tradition to the United States, and upon their return to Chicago, they created the Ravenswood Atelier, a school for artists who are willing to undergo intense training while striving to become better and better every day. This exemplifies Magdalena’s favorite quote by Delacroix: “What moves men of genius, or rather, what inspires their work, is not new ideas but their obsession with the idea that what has already been said is still not enough.”
When they are not at the Atelier teaching this revered method of classic Italian painting, Magdalena and Matthew are creating award-winning masterpieces themselves that can be found all over the world. You can see both of their works at the M Gallery of Fine Art, here in Charleston. Gallery owner Maggie Kruger describes them well: “The Almys represent the highest level painting in the contemporary world—their skill is unparalleled, their spirit undaunted, their will unbowed.”
Awards: Matthew and Magdalena both won Best Painting of the Year at The Florence Academy of Art—Matthew in 2005 and Magdalena in 2006.
words: Nash Steele
Ravenswood Atelier
3009 W Lawrence Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
ravenswoodatelier.com
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