NEW YORK, NY.- The Salmagundi Club will host the fourth annual American Masters at SCNY on May 13th, featuring many of the nation’s finest artists – from Richard Schmid to Jacob Collins. Proceeds from the show and sale will benefit the Salmagundi Club, one of New York City’s most historic and valued art institutions since 1871.

The 2011 American Masters welcomes back many of last year’s artists and several new faces as well. The show and sale includes works from artists Christopher Blossom, Scott Christensen, Quang Ho, David Leffel, Walter Matia, Sherrie McGraw, Dean Mitchell, Dan Ostermiller, Tucker Smith, John Stobart, Curt Walters and 42 others. Artists new to the show include Jacob Collins, Rose Frantzen, Jeremy Lipking, and Laura Robb.

Of special note is the exhibition by honored Master Artist Doug Allen that will be held in the Patrons’ Gallery. This is a rare opportunity to see a body of his remarkable work. We honor his more than 50 year career as an illustrator and wildlife artist.

The Lower Gallery of the Club will be featuring former Salmagundi member Robert Lougheed, 1910-1982. A Plein Air painter, Lougheed was a nationally recognized artist. This is the first retrospective of Lougheed’s works in New York City. A reception for this event will be held Thursday evening, May 12th.

“We are eager to present the American Masters show as it enters into its fourth year of maturity. This show is evolving to truly represent the great masters of representational American art, as it has attracted even more of the finest artists in the country” said Tim Newton, founder and curator of the event. “Almost never in the life of the Club have we seen three such extraordinary shows at the same time.”

Artist Sherrie McGraw states that “American Masters was conceived of in a time when the Intelligentsia of the Art world has branded beauty a shameful thing. In this show, a defiant curatorial stance heralds some of the finest realism produced today in one of the most prestigious art clubs in America, showing that beauty is indeed thriving, relevant and nourishing to the human soul.”

"It's an honor and a challenge to exhibit my work in the American Masters Show at the Salmagundi Club” says noted plein air painter Donald Demers. “The two principle reasons are the esteemed history of the club and what it has meant to representational American art and the other is because this is a tremendous opportunity to align myself with some of the greatest painters and sculptors in the country. Opportunities to exhibit with great artists as a group are rare, particularly on the east coast.”

The exhibition will be on view from May 4th through May 19th. The American Masters Gala will be held May 13th, 2010 from 5:30PM to 8:30PM. Attendees at the gala event will have first opportunity to purchase the artwork. Sales will be open to the public beginning Saturday, May 14th. All events will be at the Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003. Tickets to the Friday night gala are $175 per person and $300 per couple. Net proceeds of the sale will go entirely to the benefit of the Salmagundi Club.