New Feature Exhibition in February January 16 2019
On exhibit: January 25 - February 23, 2019
Opening reception: Saturday, February 2, 4-7 PM
Exhibition On View During Images- A Festival of the Arts:
Extended Gallery Hours During Images: Friday, January 26 – Sunday, January 28, 10 AM – 5 PM
Join us on February 2 between 4 - 7 PM as we celebrate the opening of New Artists Exhibition 2019, a group exhibition featuring artwork by eleven artists who have recently been added to the gallery’s roster.
"Our collectors and visitors have come to expect quality artwork in Arts on Douglas,” states Gallery Director, Meghan Martin. She continues, "Each of the 11 artists possess the creative vision and authentic approach that upholds our reputation for excellence."
Of these new artists, two are ceramic sculptors, two are mixed-media painters, five are jewelers, one specializes in mixed-media drawings, and one is a mixed-media installation artist. Martin states, “These artists may be new to exhibiting at Arts on Douglas, but they are seasoned professionals. Each artist has refined their practice, developing a unique, signature style that is inherent in their work.”
During the reception, light snacks and cocktails will be available alongside live music, featuring smooth jazz by TRio, with Tyler Rosenke on the drums, Ron Gilotti on the bass and Howard Post on the guitar.
About the Artists
Eliana Arenas is a North Carolina based jeweler known for her contemporary style and use of nontraditional materials. Metals, garnets, and newspaper are frequently combined in her jewelry designs along with other materials inspired by her immediate surroundings. Her pieces are intricately detailed yet possess a bold simplicity. Her incorporation of collaged newsprint, in select pieces, adds a strong graphic quality to the work.
Based in Micco, Susan Currier has worked in a range of media throughout her career as an artist, including photography, painting, drawing, and jewelry design. She is currently exploring her love of free-associative drawing through live sketch and gesture. Susan draws through direct observation in the field and then, returning to her studio, she continues to refine her work. Currier uses a range of materials, such as charcoal, pencil, pastels, and markers, to complete each piece. Her most recent subject matter depicts moments in the lives of domesticated animals.
Stacey Fletcher is an Ormond Beach painter working with bold, vibrant colors to create striking abstracted fields. She states, “As a cathartic painter, I create work to evoke emotions, question backgrounds, and explore the journey of one’s self.” Stacey experiments with a range of materials and practices intuitive mark making in her work to create pieces that “layer thoughts, memories, and ideas with sensual materials.”
Orlando-based sculptor, Todd K. Fox works with raku clay and found objects to create narrative works that represent ethereal entities and allegorical references. Fox explains that his work is inspired by his study of African and Caribbean cultures, while also hinting at biographical experiences and life events. He elaborates that his work allows him to “express and share journeys of past and present that evoke universal stories of love, joy, hope, sorrow, and discovery.”
Based in Deland, Carly Gibran Hamid is a ceramicist working in porcelain, a material that she considers both difficult and rewarding. She explains, “I love the texture, brightness, and translucency. I also love how it challenges me to be a better craftsman. I work as thin as possible to accentuate its translucent qualities.” Her sculptural work consists of wall hanging forms that allude to fossilized sea-life, often incorporating repetitive shapes, patterns, and textures. She also creates patterned functional forms, from mugs to vases, with a light airy feel and subtle splashes of color.
Gabrielle Gould is a St. Augustine based jeweler whose work is inspired by coastal Florida. Gould fabricates animal forms representative of the southern landscape, such as indigenous birds and fish, with enameled colors. She also frequently incorporates elements such as feathers and shells in her designs, set against a silver or high karat gold framework. She states that her goal is to, “convey harmony in design, grace in execution with a sense of elegant simplicity.”
The work of Leigh Griffin, a jeweler based in Atlanta, Georgia, is strongly rooted in texture. Griffin uses a combination of processes to create her signature look, often layering or fusing different metals together to accentuate their inherent qualities. She also frequently uses a process known as reticulation which melts silver from the surface to produces a wavelike effect. Each piece is then adorned with a range of gemstones to add a splash of color, such as drusy gems, amethysts, sunstones, and moonstones.
Ormond Beach artist Karlene McConnell works with acrylic paints and graphite to create abstracted landscapes. She combines representational elements such as trees, vegetation, rocks, water and sky with fields of color, lines and organic forms. In her words, “I reintroduce drawn lines and infuse symbolism, with nature serving as the substrate.”
Based in Denver, Colorado, Nikki Nation’s jewelry is comprised of simple yet elegant forms in gold and silver. She explains that she draws inspiration from the “different properties of her materials, along with design elements, patterns, systems, and repetition.” All of Nation's jewelry is handmade using traditional methods of metalsmithing such as fabrication, forming, texturing, granulation, and forging.
St. Augustine based Jan Tomlinson Master specializes in environmental installation and public art. Her creations often intertwine natural and man-made elements to explore human relationships with the natural world. Each installation that Jan creates is site-specific, allowing new connections and interpretations to present themselves in each environment. Jan notes about the process, “Installing in a gallery setting becomes a site-specific performance. It is a metaphor for struggle and redemption, with each location sparking new challenges that allow my work to evolve and new ideas to materialize.”
Que Throm is a jeweler based in Orlando. Her jewelry design has been nurtured by her foundation in painting where her use of strong colors, textures, and patterns first emerged. She is inspired by global cultures and frequently uses beads from her travels to places such as India, Thailand, Mexico, and Nepal. She also expresses strong interest in repetitive design. Throm’s extensive background in art history coupled with personal insight gained from her travels has fostered a strong appreciation of traditional adornments that fuels the bold, highly patterned jewelry she creates.