Visionary, folk hero, environmental legend and consummate artist, those are just a handful of words often used to describe Ansel Adams. His iconic black & white photography is known by shutter bugs, nature lovers and artists worldwide. However, there may be some folks that have yet to discover his brilliance. For them, here’s a glimpse at a true master of the lens:

Born in San Francisco, Adams was taken with a love of nature early in life. When he reached his teenage years, he parlayed that into work with organizations like the Sierra Club. It was there, in the mid-1920s, that he is said to have launched his remarkable photography career. A series of his initial, notable works was published during the same time period. Known as the Parmelian Prints of the High Sierras Series, it contained 18 jaw-dropping prints, including the Monolith, The Face of Half Dome. It truly shined a spotlight on the region’s unparalleled beauty.

From there, his career expanded to include black & white photography with political and social connections. Among them were his Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico and World War II photos taken at Manzanar. He also switched styles. Some of his early work has been described as pictorialist for their soft focus. Photos taken in his later years, on the other hand, were considered to be more modern and sharply focused. At the time, he wasn’t the only consummate artist to change direction. Others were Laura Gilpin, Edward Weston, Margrethe Mather, Imogen Cunningham and Edward Steichen.

Later, in the mid-1970s, Adams and several others founded the Center for Creative Photography. It is a renowned depository of artwork that remains in existence to this day. It, along with various other institutions scattered across America, contain examples of Adams’ black & white photography. Enthusiasts may also opt to buy prints of his outstanding work through Fulcrum Gallery.

One look at Diane Romanello’s seaside paintings and you’d be hard-pressed to correctly identify the modern artist’s birthplace. She’s certainly one native New Yorker who can capture an ocean sunset and present it with a hefty dose of romantic realism. Of course dream-inducing seaside vistas are not the only ones Romanello has painted over the years. Her true-to-life paintings have also featured such coveted, tranquil places as country roads, rivers, gardens and lakes. Here’s a look at several of her paintings that are suitable for decorating a beach house:

One serenity inspiring painting to hang on your beach house’s wall is Twilight Time. It features sand dunes, a wooden boardwalk and a romantic view of the ocean. Because of the cool toned colors used throughout the painting, it would look lovely on a navy blue or gray display wall. You could also easily pair her painting with textured pillows, a sand colored carpet and driftwood furniture.

Diane Romanello’s Blue Skies Panel is another piece of art perfect for a beach house’s display wall. It features the artist’s iconic Adirondack chairs, which are frequently found throughout her seaside scenes. In this case, the chairs are placed on a wooden deck situated between two sand dunes. The chairs face out towards the ocean that appears luminous under the summer sun.

If you like your seaside scenes to include swaying Queen palms, Diane Romanello’s Paradiso Sunset may just tickle your sandy toes. Gazing at the painting will leave you feeling as if you’re standing under the palms watching the waves roll up onto the shore. Romanello used a series of warm toned colors to create the painting. Thus, it would look attractive paired with earth or fire toned walls and furnishings.

If you're searching for framed art that will add interest, color, and a touch of humor to a modern workspace or living room, take a look at the work of pop artist, Roy Lichtenstein. Known for replicating classic comic imagery on a large scale, his panels satirize 1960s American life while demonstrating a gift for bold composition. Lichtenstein rarely worked outside the color palette of comics - atomic yellows and reds fill vast planes of space, divided by magnified ink work. Lighter colors are rendered with dots to create an honest duplicate of Lichtenstein's source material.

The artist lampoons himself - or predicts his own eventual legendary status - in 1962's "Masterpiece." In the panel's dialogue box, a painter's girlfriend flings high hopes on her lover:

Why, Brad darling, this painting is a masterpiece! My, soon you'll have all of New York clamoring for your work!

The artist pictured looks somewhat doubtful, perhaps aware that his girlfriend is merely swooning. 

In 1964's "Kiss V," Lichtenstein creates a gripping composition that divides the page diagonally, placing singular emphasis on the stream of tears flowing from the blond woman's simply rendered eye.

In "Washing Machine," the artist satirizes the image of femininity and motherhood with a line drawing of a hand pouring detergent into a load of laundry. Only the soap box and the clothes in the washer are filled with color, both of them yellow. By using color to specifically illuminate the action of washing, Lichtenstein could be implying that the woman to whom the manicured hand in the drawing belongs has been consumed by domesticity itself.

While Lichtenstein rarely disclosed his comic source material, a project by David Barsalou, "Deconstructing Roy Lichtenstein," has paired many of his paintings with their original source material. The side-by-side comparison demonstrates both the artist's devotion to replicating commercial comic production and his improvements upon the source. The artist tended to remove unnecessary elements, creating a bolder, simpler composition. Occasionally, shadows are added and colors are brightened for artistic effect and to heighten their intentionally mass-produced appearance.

For archival, museum-quality prints of works by Lichtenstein or other modern masters, peruse our extensive collection at FulcrumGallery.com. Framing options are available, and most orders ship the same day.