Arts for Act: Jerry McGreens, Stephen Heymann and Art by Kids wi...

Arts for Act: Jerry McGreens, Stephen Heymann and Art by Kids wi...: Join Arts for ACT Gallery, located at 2265 First Street in downtown Fort Myers on Friday, February 6, from 6 to 10 pm for the opening recep...

Jerry McGreens, Stephen Heymann and Art by Kids with Cancer at ACT Gallery for February

Join Arts for ACT Gallery, located at 2265 First Street in downtown Fort Myers on Friday, February 6, from 6 to 10 pm for the opening reception and art walk for our February featured artists: Pop-Surrealist, Jerry McGreens in the main gallery. Showing off the main gallery: Painter, Stephen Heymann combines nature and abstraction for a fresh new look and the Art by Kids with Cancer Fundraising Project.  This exhibit continues through March 2, 2015. 

 

In the Main Gallery – Jerry McGreens

Jerry McGreens began his art career after high school. He took on an apprenticeship to tattoo, while attending some art classes on campus at UNLV. After his apprenticeship was over, he began tattooing full time in his home city of Las Vegas. Ten years later, he moved to Florida to continue his career.  Jerry always dabbled in painting, but work had kept him too busy.  After spending an additional ten years tattooing and recreating someone else's ideas, he felt the need to express his own through painting full time.

Jerry’s art consists of a dark blend of cute and creepy that invites the viewer to move into a world where these creatures have their own agendas. These eccentric souls explore their odd worlds and guide us through what is their reality.  The world around him, his dreams, and other artists that he comes in contact with musically, lyrically, and artistically inspires him. Funny things that may occur in his daily life, ridiculous things, that humans do is also a big inspiration.

Jerry states, “What makes my world go round are: My wife, our Boston Terriers, self sustainable home farming, wrenching on, and restoring vintage import motorcycles and of course...to PAINT!”

In the White Gallery – The Art by Kids with Cancer

“The Art by Kids with Cancer exhibit” is produced, drawn and painted by the children at The Pediatric Oncology/Hematology program at the Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida.   The program raises awareness in the general community as to the importance of the arts in healing and the challenges faced by local families of children diagnosed with cancer.
The Young Artists Awards, a not-for-profit organization serving area children, mats and frames and then showcases, sells, and auctions selected pieces of the children’s artwork.  Trained volunteers will be available to talk about the artwork and program during the opening. More information can be found at www.youngartistsawards.org.  The program will also be accepting donations of art supplies during the opening on February 6.  Small canvases, acrylic paints, brushes, and frames are especially needed.  

 Off the Main Gallery – Stephen Heymann

Stephen Heymann is a new resident of Fort Myers from Jacksonville, Florida.  His inspiration is derived from his varied personal experiences outdoors, from crewing sailboats and working with the Florida Park Service to spending three months in the wilderness and hiking 1,200 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail, Stephen accumulated a large volume of visual references to portray. By studying animals, plants and insects closely, he witnessed endless complexity in both color and form.  He believes there is vast intelligence and beauty in nature and strives to convey that through his artwork.  By combining realism and abstraction in an ever-evolving process, each of his paintings will typically influence the next. A small blotch of paint in a previous piece may be the main theme in his next endeavor. This process of diving deeper and deeper into his work somewhat resembles an abstract fractal. A never ending and constantly evolving landscape that he and the viewer may explore. It is his hope that his work will encourage people to look closer at their true surroundings and find both inspiration and connectivity in the natural world.

January 2, 2015 ACT Gallery features Martha Dodd, Ellen Sayet and John Scopps

Join Arts for ACT Gallery, located at 2265 First Street in downtown Fort Myers on Friday, January 2, from 6 to 10 pm for the opening reception and art walk for our January featured artists: Realist Oil Painter Martha Dodd in the main gallery. Showing off the main gallery: Stills and Figurative Works of Ellen Sayet and the Abstracts of John Scoppa.  This exhibit continues through February 2, 2015.  

In the Main Gallery – Martha Dodd  Painting has been Martha Dodd's passion and full time occupation for the past 27 years. 

Martha Dodd resides in Fort Myers, Florida, and works in her art studio there. She enjoys painting people, animals, and landscapes. While Martha often travels to client's homes to paint unique murals, working hand in hand with interior decorators, designers, and architects, her goal is to focus more and more on portraits, and capturing life in a natural setting. Her original paintings are created in oils, and occasionally acrylic. She prefers to work on large canvases, and her subjects include horses, birds, people, and mermaids.  This past summer she traveled to Europe for a 6 week long tour to study art in Rome, Florence, Vienna, Split, and Paris.  Website, www.followyourartllc.com.   When Martha isn't painting, she enjoys horseback riding, and sailing with her best guy, Marc.

In the White Gallery – John Scoppa

John Scoppa grew up in Boston, MA. He is now a resident of Cape Coral, FL., moving here 3 ½ years ago from Palm Springs, CA. John was a hair and makeup artist for 20 years and began painting 4 years ago.  Intrigued by abstract art and its fascination, John began painting in California beginning with a course at the College of the Desert in Palm Springs.  What attracts John to abstract versus reality paintings are movement, flow and shape. He strives for a composition that moves your eyes through the painting and provides stopping points for you. Allowing your eyes to move through the painting creates a thought or completing an image.

 Off the Main Gallery – Ellen Sayet

Ellen Sayet has always loved sketching and painting but they took a secondary position between two successful careers.  The world of art has opened up as my primary focus since being retired.  Self taught with an occasional drawing class, I enjoy painting realism with “an edge”.  Ellen’s figurative paintings are classic drawings with an inventive and creative side.  Most important to her is producing works of realism and figurative portraiture in oil and pastel, and capturing the mood, personality and inner soul of the subjects.

Arts for Act: Paul Rodino, Julie "Tink" Markytan and Terry Lynn ...

Arts for Act: Paul Rodino, Julie "Tink" Markytan and Terry Lynn ...: Join Arts for ACT Gallery, located at 2265 First Street in downtown Fort Myers on Friday, November 7, from 6 to 10 pm for the opening recep...

Paul Rodino, Julie "Tink" Markytan and Terry Lynn Spry Featured Artists for November at ACT Gallery

Join Arts for ACT Gallery, located at 2265 First Street in downtown Fort Myers on Friday, November 7, from 6 to 10 pm for the opening reception and art walk for our November featured artists: “Drive-By” by Paul Rodino. Showing off the main gallery: a surrealist exhibit by Terry Lynn Spry and the mixed media art sculptures of “Tink” Julie Markytan.  This exhibit continues through December 01, 2014.   

Paul Rodino

 In the Main Gallery – “Drive-By” by Paul Rodino

Paul Rodino was born in New York, raised in Cape Coral and then went west to find his muse. Receiving his initial photography training at the Colorado Institute of Art in the early 80's. He later went and changed his environment and major to get his degree in Fashion Illustration and Graphic Design from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.

For the past 28 years he¹s worked as a Graphic Designer/Art Director for various ad agencies and publications throughout Southwest Florida. Over the past 14 years, he has been using a combination of traditional and modern photo techniques to expose and explore moments in everyday life. He finds relaxation observing and finding those little moments of time to capture, each one becoming its own keepsake.

 SHOW STATEMENT: "Drive-By" is a showcase of the great American automobile, the roads they travel and the signage that guides them on their journey. Each composite image is transferred to a series of vintage maps from the 50's, 60's and 70's.

"Tink" Markytan

In the White Gallery – Julie “Tink” Markytan

Julie “Tink” Markytan arrived in Fort Myers in 2002 traversing the nation from my previous home in Seattle. In so doing, she retired from my previous career in the film business.  Her artwork encompassed various mediums through the years until settling upon sculpture. The alchemy of creativity ignites within her as she physically touches and works the materials, allowing them to guide her to the result. “Tink” loves using recycled materials. A journey to the salvage yard is like finding buried treasure for her, each item an inspirational jewel. "To everything there is a purpose" and then the potential to becoming art, “ states Tink.

Off the Main Gallery – Terry Lynn Spry

 Terry Lynn’s paintings have been exhibited in national and local juried art exhibitions.   In addition, her work can be found in private collections across the country.   She won honourable mention in Artist Magazine in December 2012 issue.  She graduated from Phoenix Institute of Technology with a degree in production art and went onto study under Nina Conner.  Terry Lynn paints in oils on canvas.  She loves to create paintings that tell stories.  She considers painting same as breathing and better than chocolate.  

Terry Lynn Spry

Arts for Act: Danielle Branchaud - Sandra Yeyati - Marianne Cush...

Arts for Act: Danielle Branchaud - Sandra Yeyati - Marianne Cush...: Join Arts for ACT Gallery, located at 2265 First Street in downtown Fort Myers on Friday, October 03, from 6 to 10 pm for the opening recep...

Danielle Branchaud - Sandra Yeyati - Marianne Cushing at ACT Gallery

Join Arts for ACT Gallery, located at 2265 First Street in downtown Fort Myers on Friday, October 03, from 6 to 10 pm for the opening reception and art walk for our October featured artists: “Disparate Forces” by Artist Danielle Branchaud and the photography of Sandra Yeyati.  Book signing with Marianne Cushing, “Mahalas Lane.”   This exhibit continues through November 3, 2014. 

Dissolve by Danielle Branchaud

In the Main Gallery – “Disparate Forces” An exhibition of selected works by Danielle Branchaud for Domestic Violence Awareness Month

“Disparate Forces” will try to convey Branchaud’s  work as contrasting forces within or without a person that affects the progress of our lives. Most of the artwork features the emotional and subconscious translation of such forces, be it violent and unbalanced or hopeful and uplifting. Regardless of where such reactions fall on the emotional spectrum, each is essential to the development of the human spirit.  “In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the purposes of the ACT program and gallery, I’ve carefully chosen old and new works to reflect the issues presented. Although during the emotional development of a person there are bound to be obstacles, nothing compares to the onslaught of negative forces that occur to one who has been the recipient of violence, be it physical, sexual or mental. In honor of those who have overcome such obstacles, I present these works with written narratives to correlate to the illustration of that emotional progress; of the propensity for the human spirit to overcome such forces. I myself have only tasted the tiniest fraction of such negative forces; but I observe the ability of people, particularly women, to rise up from the ashes of abuse and neglect. Through this art I wish to share the incredible endurance of the human spirit and the value of every life,” states Danielle Branchaud.

Danielle’s  work walks a tightrope between fantasy and surrealism, into an honest realm of pure visceral emotion.  Her new work is intended to reach new depths, delving into her personal world of dreamscapes. The nightmarish imagery used to illuminate those unconscious thoughts serve as further exploration into the things that make us human.  She was born in Canada in 1985. Danielle has been painting with acrylics since 2003, resides in Florida, and is continuing her series work as well as various commissions and projects.

Hope by Sandra Yeyati

In the White Gallery - Naples Photographer Explores Beauty in Decay

In a show titled “Decay is Beautiful,” emerging photo artist Sandra Yeyati will display more than 40 of her works in the white gallery.  While several of Yeyati's pieces have been juried into local and national competitions and displayed in Naples and Fort Myers galleries, as well as the pages of Gulfshore Life magazine, this is her first major exhibit. All images will be signed, first edition, archival prints of limited lots. In the digital darkroom, Yeyati layers multiple photographs that she has taken of people and textures into one composition, creating painterly images while honoring the photographic elements. Art critic Donald Miller compared one of her pieces to the expressionist paintings of Alexej von Jawlensky.  Yeyati says, “I am mesmerized by the fractal beauty of decay and deterioration as it forms strange patterns in surprising colors and tones. Faces also fascinate me; I look to them for answers to eternal questions about identity and the way our surroundings influence our sense of self. Many of us hide inconceivable secrets behind a simple smile. Every one of my compositions is a confession.”

For more information about the artist, visit SandraYeyati.com.

Book Signing with Local author, Marianne Cushing

Meet local author, Marianne Cushing and pick up a signed copy of her novel “Mahalas Lane.”