Welcome to Albert Rhea Fine Arts

 The first section of my fine arts web site covers my metal sculpture in the figurative form. Most of my work in the last thirty years is in the figurative style. I utilize abstract yet recognizable elements. The theme of my work is the human condition or relationship. 

To me, macrophotography, sometimes also referred to as close-up photography, is magical because it takes us into a smaller universe of vibrant colors, exquisite details and extraordinary patterns that can literally take your breath away. This is especially the case when doing macrophotography of wildflowers and butterflies which provide an incredible variety of shapes and colors that could potentially keep me engaged for a lifetime. Macrophotography can be challenging because it involves moving in close and magnifying what is there beyond our normal perception of it. Macrophotography is magical realism as seen through other eyes.

 I started painting simple India ink paintings of the natural world on the back of medicine boxes. I am painting on the inside what the outside is communicating as a selling/marketing strategy. Butterflies are used as a Metaphor for freedom and a metamorphosis from pain. I use the unfolded boxes as a canvas. Using India ink colors I have painted a series of delicate flowers and butterflies, and posted them to the inside of the packaging.