Viewing Neil Drevitson’s paintings, one thing becomes immediately apparent. In addition to being an incredibly accomplished artist, he is a certified romantic. Painting in the tradition of the Boston School, each of his subjects, no matter what medium chosen, becomes an absolutely beautiful work of art. He is fanatically dedicated to creating paintings of great beauty and this tenet has in turn given him many, many rewards and honors.
Neil was born in 1944 in Camp Lejeune, NC. His father was a career Marine and his mother was an accomplished artist. The influence of his mother led Neil to the art world at an early age. He says the first time he held a bunch of crayons in his hand his future life was decided. He went on to art school and graduated from Vesper George School of Art in Boston, MA. He spent eight years studying on an individual basis with four of New England’s finest nationally known professional artists where the tradition of the Boston School of Painting took firm hold on him. His life’s work since has been as a full-time professional artist. Home is in Woodstock, VT, where he maintains a studio with his artist wife, Janice. They also own and operate Fox Gallery Fine Art in Woodstock Village, showcasing their art.
He holds full signature memberships in the American Watercolor Society, New England Watercolor Society, Boston Watercolor Society, Pastel Society of America, Salmagundi Club, Guild of Boston Artists, Oil Painters of America and Pastel Society of Cape Cod. He is the youngest artist to become a member of the Guild of Boston Artists, founded in 1914 by Frank Benson and Edmund Tarbell, and in 1995 Mr. Drevitson was chosen from over 500 Grumbacher Gold Medal winners to be the first living artist elected to the Grumbacher Hall of Fame.
His paintings have won twenty-five major awards, eight of which were gold medals. In the 1993 Arts for the Parks National Competition, his watercolor Cobalt Bottle was awarded the bronze medal in the competition and was given The Founders Favorite Award. He had two paintings accepted for this prestigious national show with one of them purchased by a major museum for its permanent collection. He is also a recipient of two Elizabeth T. Greenshields Memorial Foundation Grants as well as being nominated for the Anna Lee Stacy Grant.
Mr. Drevitson’s paintings are in public, private, and corporate collections throughout the United States and abroad.