New alt_space exhibition in May April 18 2018
Beau Redmond
Florida Before Disney
On View: May 5 - June 16, 2018
Opening Reception: Saturday, May 5, 4-7 PM
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
For this exhibition, Beau Redmond returns to a favorite theme — the concept and spirit of place. Redmond seeks to capture the essence of unique Florida locations by embedding remnants of the past in the form of newspaper and magazine articles, brochures and postcards. He shares that "these collage materials date from the turn of the twentieth century until the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971, an event which forever changed the face of Florida tourism.” Redmond continues, “As an artist, I wanted to find Florida destinations that were meaningful to visitors who came here from different environments. In exploring these sites, I became aware of their unique natural beauty and cultural significance. In many ways, to me, these sites represent the 'real Florida'." The images in this exhibition are the result of this exploration and the subject matter derive from the artist’s experience of each place as it appears today. The only exception is the piece titled Cypress Gardens Aquamaids. This attraction no longer exists except as a remnant in the giant Legoland Florida complex, so Redmond chose to base this painting on a familiar postcard from the 1950s.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
A native of New Orleans, Beau Redmond graduated with honors from Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, with dual majors in Economics and Fine Art. Redmond began his banking career at the Bank of New Orleans and spent his final corporate years at the Commercial Bank and Trust Company. He continued to paint while working in the financial industry, and in 1968 and 1969 had successful exhibitions at the Downtown Gallery, in the French Quarter of New Orleans. In 1980 Redmond retired from the corporate world and began a new career as a full- time painter.
Redmond’s work can be found in many private, corporate and public collections, including the permanent collection of the New Orleans Jazz Museum; Gulf Coast Museum in Largo, Florida; the Alabama Business Hall of Fame, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa; the Alabama Capitol Complex, Montgomery; and the St. Augustine Art Association. He now resides in St. Augustine, Florida.