Alan Shuptrine

Alan Shuptrine (born March 31, 1963 in Chattanooga, Tennessee) is an American realist painter, as well as a master gilder. He has emerged as a leading practitioner in the centuries-old art of water gilding fine frames, wood carving, sgrafitto etching, antique gold leaf restorations, faux finishing, and decorative arts in several other mediums. Alan is known for his fine, realistic and dramatic watercolors. His desire to pursue a career in the arts grew out of watching his father, the late Hubert Shuptrine, a nationally recognized watercolor realist.

Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Alan's pursuit of the arts included schooling at The Baylor School (Chattanooga, TN), The University of the South(Sewanee, TN), and the University Of Tennessee (Knoxville, TN). Alan is renowned for his precise attention to detail and draws inspiration from studying the techniques of Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, Thomas Eakins, Andrew Wyeth, Stephen Scott Young, and his father's drybrush watercolors. Hubert Shuptrine was known for chronicling the “dying South” as subject matter for his realistic watercolors. Hubert co-created the book Jericho: The South Beheld with the late poet James Dickey, and received a Pulitzer Prize Nomination as well as the coveted Carey Thomas Award.

Like his father, Alan has also won numerous awards in the arts. Alan is a member of the Society of Gilders and The American Institute for Conservation. Honors in 2008 include being selected as a finalist in the American Artist: Watercolor Magazine Cover Competition and invitations to participate in numerous juried exhibitions. Alan is a member and supporter of numerous art organizations including The National Watercolor Society, The Tennessee Watercolor Society, The Southern Watercolor Society, Southern Artistry, the Salmagundi Club of New York City, the Tennessee Arts League, the Association of Visual Arts, Allied Arts of Greater Chattanooga, and the Tennessee Arts Commission. Alan Shuptrine has had an incredible 2012, with the main emphasis on advancing his career as a fine arts watercolor artist. Residing on Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, Shuptrine has recently won several awards nationally. He took The Beauty of Water Media Award at the Tennessee Watercolor Society's 2012 Biennial Exhibition, a juried event, for his painting “Dreamcatcher”. He was then chosen as a finalist in the 35th Southern Watercolor Society Annual Juried Exhibition winning the Colart Americas (Winsor and Newton) Award, for his watercolor “Twisted Dusk”, and also a finalist in competition in the 2012 National Watercolor Society All Member Exhibition in San Pedro, California showcasing “Twisted”. Just recently, Shuptrine was chosen Finalist for the 2012 American Artist Magazine Cover with his painting of “Grace”. Alan's work is exhibited throughout the United States in permanent collections of private art collectors and museums. In 2010, one of Alan's watercolors was added to the permanent collection of the Huntsville Museum of Art in Huntsville, Alabama. His work can be viewed at alanshuptrine.com.

Alan is also the owner of Shuptrine Fine Art Group, which houses Gold Leaf Designs and Shuptrine Fine Art.