Cultural Council For Palm Beach County Announces 2024 Artist Innovation Fellows

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

May 2, 2024

10 recipients have been awarded fellowships of $7,500 and the opportunity to showcase their work at the Cultural Council

LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL —

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County has announced 10 recipients of its 2024 Artist Innovation Fellowships.

The Artist Innovation Fellowship program was originally launched in 2020 as a funding program for professional artists in all artistic disciplines. Designed to honor and support the creative individuals who form the core of Palm Beach County’s cultural sector, the program awarded five inaugural Artist Innovation Fellowships in 2020, followed by six fellowships in 2022 and now 10 in 2024. The program’s funding is made possible through a grant from the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation.

“Supporting professional artists is essential to our work, and we’re very grateful to the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation that we’ve been able to expand the program to 10 fellowships this year,” said Dave Lawrence, the Cultural Council’s president and CEO. “The Artist Innovation Fellowship program is a journey of discovery, creativity, and innovation. The fellowship offers an opportunity for artists to breathe and think outside daily constraints, and to celebrate creativity and the act of making.”

This program is part of the Cultural Council’s Year of Extraordinary Support, or YES! campaign, an initiative that represents the largest 12-month investment to the cultural community in the Council’s 46-year history. The culmination of planning and the creation of new funding initiatives combined now total nearly $12.6 million to support the cultural sector in Palm Beach County.

The Artist Innovation Fellowship is unique among professional development opportunities as it focuses on personal creative growth and the belief that an entire community will benefit through investments in creative individuals. The program is designed to address the pursuit of innovation in either existing avenues of creative expression or through the pursuit of new ideas and projects without the constraints of budgets or specific project outcomes.

Each of the 2024 fellows has been awarded $7,500 to pursue their work. This includes exploring new ideas, new or familiar avenues of artistic expression, apprenticeships, conducting research or receiving instruction, culminating in an exhibition and performance showcase that will take place at the Cultural Council in summer 2026.

Selected by a regional panel of discipline-specific arts professionals, applicants were evaluated according to the quality of the applicant’s artistic work, the strength of their proposed fellowship activities and its relation to their work, and the intended impact on the applicant and his/her work. Fellowships were awarded to applicants who demonstrate a sustained level of accomplishment, commitment, and artistic excellence.

The 2024 Artist Innovation Fellows are:

Suzanne Ankrum, Theater Artist, Jupiter
Suzanne is a theater artist who works as an actor, director, and devised-theater practitioner. She has performed in productions at several South Florida theater companies since making the region her home in 2019, including Palm Beach Dramaworks, Island City Stage and the Maltz Jupiter Theatre. She is passionate about sharing her love of the craft of acting and physical storytelling – leading courses and workshops at Lynn University, Hartford University, Momentum Stage, SUNY Albany, Housatonic Community College, Middletown Circus, Hartbeat Ensemble and more.

Molly Aubry, Visual Artist, West Palm Beach
Molly’s work explores entangled perceptual worlds through the matrix of print media. Mining the tension between organic materials and digital processes, the work imagines artifacts from a world in which the natural and artificial are inextricably linked. Selected exhibitions include Molly Aubry: Dark Luminosity at the Cultural Council, Strange Paradise: A Window into Surrealism at the Annmarie Sculpture Gardens and Art Center in Solomons, MD, and Intimacy at Science Gallery of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. She received her BFA from the University of Florida and her MFA from the Cranbrook Academy of Art.

Victoria Cardona, Musician, West Palm Beach
Victoria is a multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter and composer that has been performing extensively throughout Florida and internationally through Spain and The Canary Islands for over a decade. Her one-woman-band and live-looping performances are a sonic and visual experience that take the audience on a ride through the mind of a spontaneous improviser. Victoria’s Cuban American roots and passion for multicultural and ethnic world music genres are the inspiration behind her creations.

Eli Cecil, Glass Artist, Boynton Beach
A glass artist, much of Eli’s work orbits the dialogue of a conscious and sustainable future. His sculpture reflects on the balancing act between humanity and nature. Many of the themes are a narrative about growth, causality and the legacy left from one generation to the next. In 2021, Cecil created his first public art installation, titled Take Flight, for the Maltz Jupiter Theatre. He is currently the creative director at the Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts, as well as an alumnus of Leadership Palm Beach County Class of 2023.

Noah Garbarino, Musician, Delray Beach
Noah is a music performance artist and educator primarily focused in Japanese taiko drumming and traditional music. He is a member of the ensemble Fushu Daiko, which performs across South Florida and nationally for various cultural festivals and programs. In addition to drumming, he is currently studying koto, the thirteen-string Japanese zither, under the traditional Yamada school.

Tracy Guiteau, Visual Artist, Greenacres
Tracy is a celebrated artist whose work transcends boundaries and captivates audiences worldwide. Her distinctive style, characterized by rich colors and emotive storytelling, has garnered attention on the international stage, including exhibitions at prestigious events like Miami Art Basel. What truly sets her apart, however, is the profound influence of her Haitian heritage and independent spirit on her art. Her work is a testament to her ability to blend tradition with innovation, infusing each piece with a timeless perspective and vibrant energy.

Jeanne Jaffe, Visual Artist, Boynton Beach
Jeanne is a multi-disciplinary artist working in installation, sculpture, drawings, and stop motion animation. Her work is influenced by an interest in language, literature, psychology, and history and explores how we construct identity, our world and our value systems. Jeanne is Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and has been a visiting artist for five years at Xian Academy of Fine Arts in Xian, China.

Janis McDavid, Musician, Palm Beach Gardens
Janis, also known as Ms. Janis or Jahnice, is a multi-talented individual who has made significant strides in both education and music. As Ms. Janis, she performs as a children’s music entertainer, spreading joy and positivity through her lively performances. As Jahnice, she performs adult contemporary music that is based in soul and reggae vibes, captivating audiences with her powerful vocals and meaningful lyrics.

Jose R. Mendez, Visual Artist, Lake Worth Beach
Jose is a self-taught artist, educator, gallery coordinator, curator, and co-founder of Day of the Dead Lake Worth Beach & Taco Fiesta. Jose works with nonprofits, government agencies, and private organizations to coordinate, collaborate, and promote art, cultural events and activities. Leading cultural organizations he works with include the Norton Museum of Art, Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, City of Lake Worth Beach and LULA Lake Worth Arts, among others.

Gillian Kennedy Wright, Visual Artist, Lake Park
A multi-disciplinary artist, Gillian creates fabric collages, raw edge mixed media quilts, and functional art. Influenced by her Jamaican, Canadian and American heritage, her professional graphic design and textile training melds multi-cultural portraiture, Adinka symbolism, native plants, and environmental themes. Gillian’s socially uplifting creative energy is fueled by Wilma Rudolph’s words to “never underestimate the power of dreams,” and Georgia O’Keeffe’s bold colors and shapes.

To learn more about the 2024 Artist Innovation Fellows, the program and past recipients, visit www.palmbeachculture.com/artists/artist-innovation-fellowship.

About the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is the official support agency for arts and culture in The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®. Headquartered in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building in Downtown Lake Worth Beach, the Council presents exciting year-round exhibitions and performances featuring artists who live or work in Palm Beach County. The Council features spectacular work by Palm Beach County-based professional artisans in its Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store and offers complimentary resources for visitors in its Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Visitor Information Center. The Council is open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information and a comprehensive calendar of cultural events in The Palm Beaches, visit palmbeachculture.com.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Experience a Powerful Mixed-Media Installation at New Exhibition at Cultural Council For Palm Beach County

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

April 29, 2024

Autumn Kioti Horne’s ‘today i am a monster’ tells a tale that addresses mental health, climate change and the search for home

LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL —

A performance and visual artist based in Lake Worth Beach, Kioti Horne began by writing a poem. Then, using found materials and waste items, reusing depleted sunlight-sensitive solution reconstituted with rain and seawater from the nearby lagoon, Kioti Horne has stitched, knitted, sketched and cobbled together a visual tale addressing the confluence of mental health, climate change, and the struggle to navigate a world where one can never quite find a comfortable home.

Kioti Horne’s exhibition today i am a monster will take place at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s Solo Gallery from May 9 through June 15. Free and open to the public, hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

“The first time I saw Autumn Kioti Horne’s work, I understood the story of that ethereal installation, but also enjoyed the visual dexterity of the artist’s use of material and light,” said Jessica Ransom, the Cultural Council’s director of artist services, who curated the exhibition. “Their work emanates from questions, thoughts, and feelings and is manifested into objects that tell their own tale, all the while allowing the audience to engage and experience the installation as filtered through their own eyes and life experiences. Kioti Horne’s work is an echo, a creation, and a shadow of the artist — as they spin tales with fabric, metal, string, paper and other materials given new life.”

As an interdisciplinary artist and master naturalist, Kioti Horne, who is nonbinary, mixes art and nature as humanity’s common languages to create their work. Kioti Horne’s diverse materials include garbage, video and sound, poetry, fiber arts, cooking and food, plant and animal companions, and more traditional 2D and 3D work. Kioti Horne’s work confronts issues such as the changing climate, the Anthropocene urge to conquer the environment, food justice, identity, and the intersection of access to wild space and mental health.

The exhibition at the Cultural Council will be site specific, with works that will never again be shown in the same way.

“I often use repurposed materials and media that are not predictable; imperfection is what makes a thing uniquely beautiful to me.” Kioti Horne said. “The imperfection informs how and what I create, sometimes humorous, sometimes grotesque, but what I really search for in my work is that one singular moment of connection with another person when we really see each other.”

Selected through a highly competitive application process, they are one of six Palm Beach County-based professional artists whose work was chosen by a committee for one of the Cultural Council’s coveted Solo Gallery exhibition spots during its 2023-2024 season.

Kioti Horne’s visual and performance work has been shown internationally and at numerous locales in New York City, and is currently on view in the Cultural Council’s main gallery exhibition Beyond Blossoms: The Power of Pollinators through June 22. Kioti Horne’s work was also recently seen in the Cultural Council’s main gallery exhibitions She. Her. Hers. in 2024 and Visualizing Climate Disruption in 2023.

In Florida, Kioti Horne’s work has appeared at Studio 18, Arts Warehouse, GallerRE (Resource Depot) and more. Kioti Horne has been in residence with the NYC Audubon, the Santa Fe Art Institute and more, and recently created the first site-specific performance artwork to be shown at the Norton Museum of Art, commissioned through the Art After Dark program, and received a commission to create an installation and performance for the City of West Palm Beach through ArtLife WPB in partnership with the city’s Mandel Library.

Autumn Kioti Horne: today i am a monster will run from May 9 through June 15 at the Cultural Council’s headquarters in Lake Worth Beach. Exhibition hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Visit palmbeachculture.com for more information or to register for the opening artist reception on Thursday, May 9, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; to RSVP, visit palmbeachculture.com/horne. To see more of Kioti Horne’s work, visit www.autumnkioti.com on Instagram at @autumn.kioti.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Calendar item:

Exhibition: Autumn Kioti Horne: today i am a monster — May 9 – June 15, 2024
A storyteller at heart, Autumn began by writing a poem. Then, using found materials and waste items, reusing depleted sunlight-sensitive solution reconstituted with rain and seawater from the nearby lagoon, Autumn has stitched, knitted, sketched and cobbled together a visual tale addressing the confluence of mental health, climate change, and the struggle to navigate a world where one can never quite find a comfortable home. This free public exhibition will take place in the Solo Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

Go Behind the Scenes and See Art in the Making During Palm Beach County Open Studios

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

April 23, 2024

Presented by the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, the free two-day public event will offer the chance to visit more than 90 creative professionals where they work

LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL —

A unique chance to take a behind-the-scenes peek into the world of professional art in The Palm Beaches is almost here with Palm Beach County Open Studios.

Now in its second year, the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s annual free, public event will offer the opportunity to visit more than 90 Palm Beach County-based creative professionals at their studios or workplaces. The weekend-long event will take place May 18 and 19 from noon to 5 p.m. at studios across the county.

“Our inaugural Palm Beach County Open Studios event was so popular last year that we’ve expanded it from one day to a full weekend, and we have more artists signed up than ever before,” said Jessica Ransom, director of artist services for the Cultural Council. “This free event is a unique opportunity to discover artists who live and work in your own neighborhood and beyond. It’s a chance to ask them questions about their processes and to see them making their work.”

Visitors will be able to interact with artists and observe a wide range of demonstrations in painting, blowing glass, photography, jewelry making, sculpture, printmaking, woodworking, fiber arts, mixed media work and more.

The Cultural Council serves creative professionals throughout Palm Beach County through funding opportunities, artist calls, a robust artists’ directory, professional development opportunities and more. This event is an opportunity to support and learn about the work of professional visual artists, said Dave Lawrence, the Cultural Council’s president and CEO.

“Palm Beach County Open Studios is a chance to celebrate our county’s incredible creative professionals,” he said. “I’d like to encourage everyone to visit our website to download the artist lineup and the digital map, where visitors can start saving the studios they want to see and planning their days. It’s a wonderful event and not to be missed.”

Palm Beach County Open Studios 2024 is sponsored by PureHoney magazine, WLRN Public Media and Palm Beach Media Group.
Visit www.openstudiospbc.com for a detailed guide and digital map of participating artists and locations.
About the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is the official support agency for arts and culture in The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®. Headquartered in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building in Downtown Lake Worth Beach, the Council presents exciting year-round exhibitions and performances featuring creative professionals who live or work in Palm Beach County. The Council features spectacular work by Palm Beach County-based professional artisans in its Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store and offers complimentary resources for visitors in its Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Visitor Information Center. The Council is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information and a comprehensive calendar of cultural events in The Palm Beaches, visit palmbeachculture.com.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Cultural Council for Palm Beach County Celebrates 2024 Muse Award Winners

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

March 29, 2024

The Cultural Council’s ‘An A-MUSE-ing Evening’ honored winners and raised funds with live performances, a cocktail reception and unforgettable food art pieces

LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL —

It was a dazzling, creative evening that celebrated arts and culture in The Palm Beaches and its supporters.

Held March 7 at The Hangar in West Palm Beach, guests donned their most stylish, food and art-focused cocktail apparel for the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s annual fundraising soirée, An A-MUSE-ing Evening. Taking a cue from the success of 2023’s “Met Gala” inspired event, the lively rendezvous was led by the Council’s Advocacy, Outreach, and Events Committee Chair Cheryl K. Crowley and featured the much-anticipated Muse Award presentations, exhilarating live performances, artist-foodie collaborations, culinary and cocktail delights and a silent auction featuring original artwork by Palm Beach County-based professional artists. The Cultural Council paid the artists for their work and additional proceeds went to the Cultural Council.

The Cultural Council continued its annual tradition of honoring outstanding businesses and individuals who support arts and culture through the presentation of the 2024 Muse Awards. Northern Trust received the Muse Award for Outstanding Business Support for the Arts, while Edith Bush (community activist, cultural leader and executive director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Coordinating Committee) was honored with the Muse Award for Outstanding Cultural Ambassador. Founded to increase funding to local nonprofits (including many cultural organizations), The Great Charity Challenge received the Muse Award for Community Arts Champion, and The Thalia Award for Lifetime Achievement went to Frances Fisher, a volunteer, donor, board member, advocate and ambassador for many cultural organizations, including the Cultural Council.

“We are honored to recognize the outstanding companies and individuals who continually work to make Palm Beach County’s arts and cultural community such a vital part of tourism, our economy and our quality of life,” said Dave Lawrence, the Cultural Council’s president and CEO.

Recipient of the Muse Award for Outstanding Business Support for the Arts, Northern Trust has a long history of supporting arts and culture in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast. From hosting student art exhibits, noted authors and artists to supporting and providing valuable knowledge and resources to cultural organizations (such as the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Loggerhead Marinelife Center, Palm Beach Dramaworks and the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum), Northern Trust’s employees have contributed countless hours, expertise and their own resources to supporting and serving many of Palm Beach County’s cultural organizations.

Recipient of the Muse Award for Outstanding Cultural Ambassador, Edith Bush was a founding member of a committee that began in as the Black Educators Caucus in 1971 but expanded as the membership became more diverse and merged with the Women’s International League for Peach and Freedom, sponsoring remedial tutoring services. From those early beginnings, the committee grew to include oratory, poster and drama contests commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s January birth date, the provision of African American cultural programs and participation in the Cultural Council’s annual multicultural festival. In 1981, she established the Martin Luther King Jr. Coordinating Committee to further the messages and work of Dr. King and provide programs and services to inspire the community. She has received numerous awards including the Individual Leadership Award from Palm Beach State College.

Recipient of the Muse Award for Community Arts Champion, The Great Charity Challenge was founded in 2009 to increase funding to local nonprofit organizations at a time when donations were scarce following the 2008 economic crisis. In its first year, their signature event generated more than $400,000 and benefited 24 local charities. Today, the event — which brings the local equestrian community together with a stadium full of passionate nonprofit advocates in a colorful and exciting show — has grown to benefit more than 30 local charities competing for more than $2 million each year. To date, the organization has distributed $19.4 million to 318 Palm Beach County nonprofit organizations, including many cultural organizations.

Named after one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology, The Thalia Award for Lifetime Achievement is presented to individuals who have exhibited strong and sustained leadership in developing, supporting and/or promoting Palm Beach County’s arts and cultural assets. Recipient Frances Fisher has worked tirelessly with many cultural organizations throughout Palm Beach County, including the Cox Science Center and Aquarium, Mounts Botanical Garden, the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County and the Ann Norton Sculpture Garden. She has been integral to the development of the NeuroArts movement in Palm Beach County focused on brain health and wellness through the arts. Fisher continually shows passion, sensitivity, grace and a commitment to arts education and historic preservation.

The evening’s performance artists included award-winning jazz vocalist Yvette Norwood-Tiger — who began her set perched on a rare Ducati motorcycle courtesy of The Hangar — and a performance by South Florida-based Japanese taiko drumming group Fushu Daiko, who brought the house down with their high-energy set. Soul musician Matt Brown kept the crowd moving and grooving during the cocktail reception, and artist Kyle Lucks painted a piece live throughout the evening as onlookers watched.

Showcasing the concept of “food is art,” “foodies” or chefs were paired with talented commissioned artists to create unforgettable food-art inspired pieces purchased during the event’s silent auction. With hors d’oeuvres by Northern Trust’s Executive Chef Grant Gillen, edible treats included a “Painting Palette Charcuterie Display,” inspired by artist Jennifer Noelle’s crochet charcuterie spread and a cocktail shrimp skewer inspired by artist David Bergstein’s painting. Artist Josh Fradis collaborated with ice sculpture company Styled Ice to display three of his blown glass pairs in a vine ice sculpture box, and artist Pat Crowley’s artwork was turned into a mini-cake by Earth and Sugar.

“The event was a reflection of the spirit of arts and culture in The Palm Beaches: upbeat, fun and creative,” said Jessica Lavin, the Cultural Council’s associate vice president of development. “It was so wonderful to see so many people coming together to celebrate the individuals and businesses that make arts and culture in Palm Beach County a roaring success.”

The Cultural Council provides services to cultural organizations and creative professionals, administers public and private grant programs, advocates for cultural funding, and promotes cultural tourism. In November, the Council announced that it is poised to provide more funding for Palm Beach County’s arts and cultural sector over the next 12 months than it has at any single point in its 46-year history.

Named the YES! Campaign, the new campaign is the culmination of planning and new funding initiatives supported by the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council, the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, and individual philanthropists that combined now total nearly $12.6 million to support the cultural sector in Palm Beach County.

Sponsors include The Angelwish Fund, Northern Trust, The Roe Green Foundation, Roe Green, Cheryl and Brian Crowley, Karen and Richard Bodwell, David Cohen and Paul Bernabeo, Donald M. Ephraim and Terri Sriberg for The Donald M. Ephraim Family Foundation, Stephen Jacobs and Marilyn Wilson, Lisa H. Peterfreund, Merrill G. & Emita Hastings Foundation, J.A.R. Moeller LLC, Lessing’s Hospitality Group, The Hangar, and Ma’am Kind. Special thanks to the members of the Cultural Council’s advocacy, outreach, and events committee: Committee Chair Cheryl K. Crowley, Bruce A. Beal, David Cohen, Phillip Edwards, Jean Sharf, and Davicka N. Thompson.

Planning is already underway for next year, and sponsorships are available. For more information, contact Jessica Lavin, associate vice president of development, at jlavin@palmbeachculture.com.

About the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is the official support agency for arts and culture in The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®. Headquartered in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building in Downtown Lake Worth Beach, the Council presents exciting year-round exhibitions and performances featuring artists who live or work in Palm Beach County. The Council features spectacular work by Palm Beach County-based professional artisans in its Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store and offers complimentary resources for visitors in its Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Visitor Information Center. The Council is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information and a comprehensive calendar of cultural events in The Palm Beaches, visit palmbeachculture.com.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Cultural Council Announces Delray Beach Artist Renée Rey as 2024 Dina Baker Fund Recipient

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

March 26, 2024

A thought-provoking exhibition of Rey’s mystical ecospheres will take place at the Cultural Council April 12 through June 8

LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL —

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is pleased to announce that Delray Beach-based professional artist Renée Rey has been named the recipient of the 2024 Dina Baker Fund for Mature Female Artists.

Thanks to the generosity of local artist and longtime Cultural Council supporter Dina Baker, the Dina Baker Fund for Mature Female Artists was created to help stabilize and strengthen the careers of female artists ages 60 and up with financial need and recognizable merit. The artist may use the $10,000 grant for professional development, arts-related exhibitions, equipment and supplies, healthcare costs or basic living expenses.

“I feel so honored to be recognized for my art by such a prestigious art community,” Rey said. “The opportunity to show my work at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is very exciting, and the financial support will really help to elevate my work. It’s allowing me to invest in higher quality supplies, exhibition expenses, and pursue marketing development opportunities that I otherwise wouldn’t have considered.”

In addition to the funds, each award recipient receives an exhibition in the Cultural Council’s Donald M. Ephraim Family Gallery at the Cultural Council’s headquarters in Lake Worth Beach. Curated by Director of Artist Services Jessica Ransom, the exhibition will run from April 12 through June 8. The paintings in the exhibition were produced from 2017 to 2023 and are part of her continuous Mystical Ecospheres series that displays an evolution over time.

“In large and intimately scaled paintings, I create other-worldly mystical ecospheres that explore the concepts of place, memory, transformation, and reconstruction,” Rey said. “The works focus on the connection between awe-inspiring nature, the risks of technology and the rewards of kinship with people around the world. Central to my work is a belief in a ‘Grand Unity,’ an internal oneness with nature and people rooted in equality, inclusiveness, and a healthy global environment.”

This vision is deeply rooted in her paternal American/Jewish and maternal Armenian/French/Christian heritage and birthplace in Japan. Growing up hearing multiple languages and experiencing different cultural traditions, her artistic vocabulary has always had the common thread of diversity.

In her work, Rey aims to provoke a dialog between paint and a higher state of consciousness. Created with oil and acrylic on paper (as well as graphite), she gradually reveals layers of symbolism and mystery through unexpected visual relationships with dripping paint, sweeping brush stokes, and both abstract and surreal imagery that points to the earthly and the transcendent.

Rey’s intention is to transport viewers into expansive mystical worlds that awaken wonderment, inspiration, and deep connection to viewers’ personal experiences.

Rey’s award-winning work has been shown locally in solo exhibitions at Bailey Contemporary Arts Gallery (where she currently serves as curator for the gallery retail window) and the Tauni De Lesseps Gallery at Palm Beach Atlantic University, as well as dozens of group and juried exhibitions across the world.

With a career spanning 30 years, Rey has been an international curator and visiting artist and lecturer at several universities, in addition to teaching ongoing art classes. She is currently a Bailey Contemporary Artist in Residence through June 2024.

Past Dina Baker Fund award recipients include:

2023: Patricia Lappin
2022: Michele Hundt
2019: Glenda Green
2018: Hegina Rodrigues
2017: Debra Yates
2016: Batia Lowenberg
2015: Alyssa Di Edwardo

The exhibition will take place in the Cultural Council’s Donald M. Ephraim Family Gallery at its downtown Lake Worth Beach headquarters; exhibition hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

About the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is the official support agency for arts and culture in The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®. Headquartered in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building in Downtown Lake Worth Beach, the Council presents exciting year-round exhibitions and performances featuring artists who live or work in Palm Beach County. The Council features spectacular work by Palm Beach County-based professional artisans in its Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store and offers complimentary resources for visitors in its Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Visitor Information Center. The Council is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information and a comprehensive calendar of cultural events in The Palm Beaches, visit palmbeachculture.com.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Something New is Coming to the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

March 25, 2024

The Council is seeking Palm Beach County-based artists for a new large-scale mural

LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL — The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County has announced an opportunity for Palm Beach County-based artists to submit proposals for a large-scale public art project at its headquarters in downtown Lake Worth Beach.

The project will consist of painting a new mural on the south-facing exterior wall of the Cultural Council’s Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building on Lake Avenue. The Cultural Council is asking artists to celebrate the concept of community in their design proposals, with themes that include healing, unity, connections, wellness, and/or belonging. As the mural will face the outdoor property that will be developed into a future Art & Wellness Space, themes highlighting nature and tranquility are also encouraged.

Artists have until April 19 to submit their plans, and a panel of arts professionals will then select up to three finalists to present concepts.

“As Palm Beach County’s local arts service agency, our mission is to support and serve creative professionals and cultural organizations in The Palm Beaches,” said Dave Lawrence, president and CEO of the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County. “This new mural project provides Palm Beach County-based professional artists with an opportunity to think big.”

The Cultural Council plans to involve the community in the selection of the final design by displaying the final concepts in its lobby this summer and providing feedback forms for public comment. The selection committee will then reconvene and select the final concept. The selected artist or artist team will have approximately three months to complete the project, slated to debut by early fall 2024.

The historic Art Deco building — whose south wall has showcased Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra’s iconic “I Have a Dream” mural since 2017 — needs repairs to fix cracks and other damage to its facade. The mural itself has also reached the end of its lifespan, as the artist’s original design has sustained significant damage from the sun and graffiti that has needed patching through the years.

Standing at 54 feet wide, the current mural was originally painted as part of the CANVAS mural festival in 2017 and depicts Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous speech during 1963’s March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Since then, the mural has served as a backdrop for the Cultural Council’s outdoor events, as well as a destination for residents, visitors, and photographers alike.

“Outdoor public art, by its very nature, is temporary. Unfortunately, the wall’s current deterioration has made it impossible to preserve,” Lawrence said. “The need for a change is expected; the average lifespan for an outdoor mural in Florida is five to seven years. Additionally, our aging building is also requiring some repairs and maintenance.”

As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, the Cultural Council has raised the funds needed to complete and maintain a new mural. The Council has hosted and been a part of community conversations about the current condition of the building and the Kobra mural, as well as providing information about the process for commissioning a new mural.

The Cultural Council is planning a community sendoff event for the current mural on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Details will be announced soon.

To learn more about the project and submit qualifications to be considered for the public art project, visit www.palmbeachculture.com/our-mural.

About the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is the official support agency for arts and culture in The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®. Headquartered in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building in Downtown Lake Worth Beach, the Council presents exciting year-round exhibitions and performances featuring artists who live or work in Palm Beach County. The Council features spectacular work by Palm Beach County-based professional artisans in its Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store and offers complimentary resources for visitors in its Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Visitor Information Center. The Council is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information and a comprehensive calendar of cultural events in The Palm Beaches, visit palmbeachculture.com.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Experience Imaginative Collage Work at Powerful New Exhibition at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

February 29, 2024

In her first solo exhibition, Diana Garcia’s ‘Glue – Paper – Scissors’ transforms rescued print images into works of highly original, layered art

LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL —A collection of intricate layered collage pieces will soon be showcased in a notable art exhibition in downtown Lake Worth Beach.

The exhibition Diana Garcia : Glue – Paper – Scissors will take place at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s Solo Gallery from March 15 through May 4. Free and open to the public, hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

Palm Springs-based professional artist Diana Garcia has long been experimenting with paper, a flexible yet rigid material that serves as her medium of communication. She transforms images rescued from books and magazines, often forgotten on shelves, and reuses paper as an act of love for the planet.

Glue, paper, and scissors are the three essential elements in her work. They have given life to memories, thoughts, and places that captivate her and allow her to imagine what she has yet to experience. Shape, texture, and proportion are vital to her composition process. Humans are always implicit in Garcia’s work, but they are not always the protagonist.

“Diana Garcia’s work is wonderfully meticulous,” said Jessica Ransom, the Cultural Council’s director of artist services, who curated the exhibition. “She has an innate understanding of dimension and size, and she understands how to find disparate imagery and put it together in a cohesive way.”

Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Garcia is an interior architect, illustrator and chef who has gained inspiration from her time living in Chihuahua, Mexico — which inspired her use of color throughout her work — and London in the United Kingdom, where she studied graphic design and fell in love with the fashion and movement of the city.

Her work is completely analog, and said she loves the touch and aroma of working with old magazines and superimposing pieces to represent different realities. This exhibition features 23 collages, and includes topics such as food, people and places, she said.

“Every time I travel, I try to go to secondhand bookstore to conduct research,” Garcia said. “I’ll spend hours reading about a place and looking for imagery that matches my vision for a piece.”

Selected through a highly competitive application process, Garcia is one of six Palm Beach County-based professional artists whose work was chosen by a committee for one of the Cultural Council’s coveted Solo Gallery exhibition spots. All the artists chosen for the 2023-2024 season are women.

This is Garcia’s first solo exhibition; her work was recently seen in the Cultural Council’s Contemporary Art of the Latin American Diaspora exhibition in Fall 2022.

Diana Garcia : Glue – Paper – Scissors will run from March 15 through May 4 at the Cultural Council’s headquarters in Lake Worth Beach. Exhibition hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Visit palmbeachculture.com for more information or to register for the opening artist reception on Thursday, March 14, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; to RSVP, visit palmbeachculture.com/garcia. To see more of her work, visit www.dianalogcollageartist.com or find her on Instagram at @dianalog_collage_artist.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Get Ready for a Delectable Evening of Artistic Gastronomy at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s An A-Muse-ing Evening: Food is Art

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

February 20, 2024

The Cultural Council’s signature fundraising event will dazzle eyes and tummies by expressing art through creatively crafted food at The Hangar in West Palm Beach

LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL —

Get ready for an unforgettable evening celebrating arts and culture at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s signature fundraising soirée of the season: An A-MUSE-ing Evening: Food is Art at The Hangar in West Palm Beach.

Taking a cue from the success of 2023’s “Met Gala” inspired An A-MUSE-ing Evening, the Cultural Council’s 2024 event will take place on Thursday, March 7, at 5 p.m. Led by the Council’s Advocacy, Outreach, and Events Committee Chair Cheryl K. Crowley, this food and art-focused fundraising event will include artist-foodie collaborations, silent auction, culinary and cocktail delights, live performances, and the presentation of the Cultural Council’s annual Muse Awards.

“Our largest fundraiser of the year exemplifies the Cultural Council’s mission to nurture, promote and support a healthy, diverse, and inclusive cultural sector — and that starts with recognizing the outstanding individuals, businesses and organizations that support arts and culture,” said Dave Lawrence, the Cultural Council’s president and CEO.

A not-to-be-missed cocktail affair designed to merge art and gastronomy, “foodies” or chefs will be paired with talented commissioned artists to create unforgettable food art inspired pieces, showcasing the concept of “food is art.” The event’s food art exhibition pieces will be available for silent auction bidding and will be a visual feast, showcasing the magnificent results of the artist-foodie partnerships. Guests will indulge in delectable hors d’oeuvres inspired by the pairing of food and art.

Guests are invited to find their muse and get creative with apparel; the dress code is “creative food-inspired” cocktail attire. This exciting evening gives all attendees a chance to raise their glass and celebrate the people and organizations that make arts and culture in Palm Beach County a roaring success.

“An A-MUSE-ing Evening will be an enchanting affair where creativity and culinary excellence converge, leaving our guests with lasting memories of a remarkable arts and cultural event,” said Jessica Lavin, the Cultural Council’s director of development. “We’d love to encourage everyone in our community to attend and celebrate arts and culture in Palm Beach County with us.”

Prior to the event, an art-filled online silent auction will offer the chance to support the Cultural Council by placing bids on creative, food-inspired artworks by Palm Beach County-based creative professionals. The online silent auction is open to all, regardless of attendance at the event.

The Cultural Council will continue its annual grand tradition of honoring outstanding businesses and individuals through the presentation of the Muse Awards. Handcrafted by Palm Beach County-based professional artists Luis Montoya and Leslie Ortiz, each Muse Award recognizes monumental achievement in supporting, sustaining, and championing arts and culture in Palm Beach County. The Cultural Council’s Advocacy, Outreach, and Events Committee will select this year’s recipients in four categories: Outstanding Business Support for the Arts, Community Arts Champion, Outstanding Cultural Ambassador, and The Thalia Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Sponsors include The Angelwish Fund, Northern Trust, Roe Green, Cheryl and Brian Crowley, Karen and Richard Bodwell, David Cohen, Donald M. Ephraim, The Hangar, and Ma’am Kind. Special thanks to the members of the Cultural Council’s advocacy, outreach, and events committee: Committee Chair Cheryl K. Crowley, Bruce A. Beal, David Cohen, Phillip Edwards, Jean Sharf, and Davicka N. Thompson.

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s An A-MUSE-ing Evening will take place on Thursday, March 7, at The Hanger, West Palm Beach. Festivities will begin at 5 p.m.; tickets are $250 or $150 for junior tickets. For tickets, sponsorships, underwriting opportunities, and to participate in the silent auction, please call (561) 472-3340 or visit palmbeachculture.com/muse.

About the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is the official support agency for arts and culture in The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®. Headquartered in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building in Downtown Lake Worth Beach, the Council presents exciting year-round exhibitions and performances featuring artists who live or work in Palm Beach County. The Council features spectacular work by Palm Beach County-based professional artisans in its Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store and offers complimentary resources for visitors in its Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Visitor Information Center. The Council is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information and a comprehensive calendar of cultural events in The Palm Beaches, visit palmbeachculture.com.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Explore Upcycled and Repurposed Art at Vibrant New Exhibition at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

January 17, 2024

When Boca Raton-based professional artist Sonya Sanchez Arias learned about a book written by her great-great grandfather in the Smithsonian Libraries’ online archives in 2022, she knew she had found something special.

The book offers a historical snapshot of life on the southern Caribbean island of Trinidad, where Sanchez Arias grew up. A fifth generation Trinidadian (whose mother’s paternal French Creole side of the family stretches back even further), the book so inspired Sanchez Arias that she created an exhibition honoring her ancestors, her rich cultural heritage and celebrating diversity found both in Trinidad and South Florida.

Pairing found objects with digitally collaged hybrid portraits and texts to connect past and future, the result is a dramatic, not-to-be-missed solo art exhibition in downtown Lake Worth Beach.

The exhibition Sonya Sanchez Arias: Then and Now (Something Old Something New) will take place January 26 through March 9 at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s Solo Gallery at its Lake Worth Beach headquarters. Free and open to the public, exhibition hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

Using discarded, recycled and alternative material to create her work, Sonya Sanchez Arias challenges the concept of beauty, addresses nostalgia, and honors the tenacity of her ancestors and various found objects that have survived over time. By pairing these objects with digitally collaged hybrid portraits and texts, she attempts to visually connect the past and the future and start conversations about topics from then and now.

“Sonya Sanchez Arias breathes new life into discarded objects by meticulously recombining them to create her narrative,” said Jessica Ransom, the Cultural Council’s director of artist services, who curated the exhibition. “Viewers should expect to spend some time discerning the individual objects in the amalgamation and then stepping back to view the whole as it has been conceived by Sanchez Arias.”

Selected through a highly competitive application process, Sanchez Arias is one of six Palm Beach County-based professional artists whose work was chosen by a committee for one of the Cultural Council’s coveted Solo Gallery exhibition spots. All the artists chosen for the 2023-2024 season are women.

Sonya Sanchez Arias: Then and Now (Something Old Something New) tells the story of Sanchez Arias’s journey and point of view moving from one multi-racial and culturally diverse island to a new and equally diverse experience in South Florida.

“My work incorporates the wisdom and experience of ancestors — both mine and others — through things they left behind,” she said. “Each piece in this body of work incorporates something old and vintage with something newly created with digital art and present-day technology. My goal is to celebrate the ‘now’ by merging these two together.”

And she was especially moved by uncovering her great great-grandfather’s book (circa 1874-1912), which inspired her to research the history of her home island and how its racial and cultural diversity has evolved through the centuries. That research led to this body of work, and the book itself will be present at the exhibition, she said.

“Sometimes to go forward, we must go back. By revisiting and understanding our history, we can move forward with greater wisdom and appreciation,” Sanchez Arias said.

In addition to creating mixed media assemblages, paper dresses and a popular line of art jewelry, Sanchez Arias has spent more than 25 years working as a successful photographic stylist, commercial photographer, and photographic art director.

Her one-of-a-kind artwork and distinctive style have been recognized internationally, nationally and throughout the Caribbean, with work in recent exhibitions at Resource Depot’s GalleRE, the Armory Art Center and the Box Gallery in West Palm Beach, as well as the Cornell Museum, Arts Warehouse and Arts Garage in Delray Beach.

“All of my art pieces are the result of manipulating or rearranging used and discarded materials,” she said. “These repurposed materials give my art a strong identity with unique characteristics effectively making each piece distinct and unique.”

Sonya Sanchez Arias: Then and Now (Something Old Something New) will run from January 26 through March 9 at the Cultural Council’s headquarters in Lake Worth Beach. Exhibition hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Visit palmbeachculture.com for more information or to register for the opening artist reception on Saturday, January 27, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.; to RSVP, visit palmbeachculture.com/arias. To see more of her work, visit https://sonyasanchezarias.com/ or find her on Instagram at @cre8tivechild.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Cultural Council Invokes the Lived Experiences of Women with Free Contemporary Art Exhibition

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

January 16, 2024

An innovative exhibition of artwork focused on the lived experiences of women will soon be on display at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s main gallery in downtown Lake Worth Beach.

The free public exhibition She. Her. Hers. will take place January 26 through April 6 and features the work of 10 Palm Beach County-based professional artists, all of whom are women. The exhibition will feature a diverse range of contemporary works by Olivia Rachel Austin, Amy S. Broderick, Heather Couch, Nazaré Feliciano, Laura Tanner, Sarah E. Huang, Autumn Kioti Horne, Lisa MacNamara, Quimetta Perle and Lisa Zukowski.

“While women artists are beginning to achieve recognition for their work, they remain under-represented in galleries and museums,” said Jessica Ransom, the Cultural Council’s director of artist services. “This exhibition focuses exclusively on the work of women artists and their responses to perceived requirements of domesticity, the many waves of feminism, and their own lived experiences.”

The exhibition is curated by Véronique Chagnon-Burke, Ph. D., an art historian, researcher, art advisor, art market specialist and co-founder of the Women Art Dealers Digital Archives (WADDA). Based in New York City, Dr. Chagnon-Burke served as a director at Christie’s Education for 20 years and is a co-chair for The International Art Market Studies Association and was a section editor for Bloomsbury Art Market, an online digital resource published by Bloomsbury Publishing in London.

Dr. Chagnon-Burke said the collection of works showcased in the exhibition are particularly inspired by the legacy of pioneering feminist artist Judy Chicago, as well as the works of art legends such as Hannah Hoch, Eva Hesse, Louise Bourgeois, Laurie Simmons and Marta Rosler.

“The ten artists of She. Her. Hers. continue to build a multifaceted artistic narrative to make more visible the diversity of women’s experiences,” she said. “These artists’ work is empowering and celebrates a long tradition of female agency. Led by strong, engaging aesthetic qualities, their art can contribute to the difficult conversations we need to have if we are to move toward a more inclusive society.”

Encompassing a diverse range of mediums and materials such as natural fibers, ceramics, discarded domestic objects and sequins, the materials used by the artists during the creation process are meant to spark a personal connection with each visitor.

“My hope is that people feel uplifted by these works,” Dr. Chagnon-Burke said. “She. Her. Hers. is meant to be energizing and inspiring, and something that people can draw from their own memories to fully experience.”

The Cultural Council’s mission is to nurture, promote and support a healthy, diverse and inclusive cultural sector. By focusing on the shared experiences of women and work by female artists, this exhibition is aligned with that, said Dave Lawrence, the Cultural Council’s president and CEO.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the work of talented Palm Beach County-based female artists,” he said. “As we continue our work to nurture, promote and support a healthy, diverse and inclusive cultural community, exhibitions such as She. Her. Hers. help to amplify voices and highlight the enormous impact women artists have in the arts.”

The exhibition will take place in the Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The council will host an opening reception on Thursday, January 25, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Artists from the exhibition will be present to answer questions and discuss their work. Reception is free for members; $20 for non-members. Visit palmbeachculture.com/whimsy for more information or to register for the opening reception.

On Friday, January 26, artist Autumn Kioti Horne will present their performance art piece red hen (impossible standard) at 11:45 a.m. at the Cultural Council. On Saturday, January 27, a panel discussion will be held at 2 p.m. in the gallery, featuring Dr. Chagnon-Burke and artists Heather Couch, Quimetta Perle, and Laura Tanner.

She. Her. Hers. is sponsored by Ellen Liman, Palm Beach Media Group, Florida Weekly, WLRN and The ArtsPaper (The Coastal Star) and Nason, Yeager, Gerson, Harris & Fumero, P.A. Habitat for Humanity is the exhibition’s community partner.

About the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is the official support agency for arts and culture in The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®. Headquartered in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building in Downtown Lake Worth Beach, the Council presents exciting year-round exhibitions and performances featuring artists who live or work in Palm Beach County. The Council features spectacular work by Palm Beach County-based professional artisans in its Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store and offers complimentary resources for visitors in its Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Visitor Information Center. The Council is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information and a comprehensive calendar of cultural events in The Palm Beaches, visit palmbeachculture.com.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com