Anthony Conway

Anthony Conway (born September 29, 1961) is an American realist painter, known for his figurative works on sports subjects, and his contemporary vision of American life. Conway has been compared to Thomas Eakins, in part because he embraced classical realist techniques and favored similar subjects. He is regarded as one of the early initiators of the contemporary classical art revival, although he rejects the stringent exactitude in depicting subjects adopted by many of his contemporaries.
He is known for his use of color, the diversity of his mediums, draftsmanship, Modernist sense of space, and his interpretations on modern life.
Conway had a passion for art early in life, and started copying reproductions in books on the Old Masters works that he admired, especially, the artists of the Italian Renaissance. In August 2001, Conway returned to New York for a one-man show of his paintings on sports themes.
Flag paintings
After the events of September 11, 2001, Conway stopped painting sports scenes. In the first few years after 9/11, Conway changed course, and began to express through his art his personal feelings on the modern day American experience. Inspired by his fellow Americans, Conway began to develop the idea for a series of paintings, and by mid-2000, he became absorbed in creating the flag paintings, which have the American flag as a common element in each work. As the War on Terror expanded, Conway’s son-in-law was deployed to Afghanistan. The differing emotions and contexts that Conway expresses in his flag paintings have demonstrated a historical portrait of America post-9/11.
Artistic style
Conway is often identified with the classical realist revival in the contemporary art world; however, this is an inadequate classification of Conway's art. While Conway's style reflects his respect of the Old Masters, he is constantly pushing new boundaries and experimenting in his art. Conway is willing to employ Modernists techniques and aesthetics, seen in paintings like Trident, one of his most notable flag paintings. Inspired by the abstract expressionism of Robert Rauschenberg's "Combines", Conway has taken painting from a two dimensional object to the third dimension with found objects, thus bridging sculptural and painterly elements. Conway then takes the painting a step further to a fourth dimension, by adding smell and sound. For authentic effect, Conway layers his paintings, often breaking pastel dust into the paint, using an acrylic wash, or by adding transparent glazes. Adding oils or subtle metallics to these layers creates a living texture to the work.<ref name=Jenkins />

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