This year at Venvi, we hosted seven artists who showcased their works, each presenting a diverse and unique collection in the gallery. As the manager of Venvi, I had the privilege of viewing these works both before and during their exhibition. Here are some of my favorite pieces from each of the exhibitions we held this year.
During the beginning of this year, we had Debbie Bzdyl's works on display for her show With Each New Day until late February. Out of the works she had on display, my personal favorite is Neptune's Garden II.
When looking at this piece, you can see how intricate and beautiful the sea landscape she painted is. The cool and dark background helps the coral and sea life stand out well. During this show's run, I would look forward to viewing this piece each time I came into Venvi.
After Bzdyl's show, we showed Drawings Through Time by Leon Hicks. From his show, I enjoyed his works from the My Home Town series. This series of graphite drawings is about Mr. Hicks' hometown: Gainesville, Florida. Mr. Hicks grew up in the early 1940s in Gainesville, making it intriguing to compare his depictions of Gainesville during his upbringing with the current state of the town. Based on the collection of images drawn together in his works, he took a lot of inspiration from Synthetic Cubist art movement.
Mr. Hicks' work is internationally known and as a master printmaker and scholar, it was insightful talking to him about his works and the methods he used to make his pieces.
From May to June this year, we showcased works in Brinda Pamulapati's show, Dance of Hues. From this show, I enjoyed her piece Solar Echoes. When viewing Brinda's works, you can see how vibrant and bold the colors and brushstrokes are on the canvas. When looking at Solar Echoes, the yellow brush strokes with the hints of black and white brushstrokes really stood out to me. The bright and bold colors in this piece flow well together, making it one of my favorites from Dance of Hues.
From Sam McCoy's show Subtropical: Living in a Sinking State, we had many beautiful pieces depicting nature from all across Florida. However, my favorite piece out of the works she had on display is her work, Ginger. The vibrant pinks contrasting against the greens of the leaves really showcase the beauty of this piece.
Our next show Hidden Layers, Visible Boundaries featured artists Cheryl Eggleston and Anne Stagg. Both Eggleston and Stagg work in abstract, while Eggleston leans more towards the surreal. From this exhibit, my favorite work of Eggleston's is Lost Without a Compass. Eggleston works with alkyd, a fast-drying oil paint, and the smooth finish the alkyd gives to her works is beautiful. The organic shapes and soft colors in this work are another part of this piece I enjoy. The whimsical shapes in the main area have to be my favorite part of the work.
From Anne Stagg's works in this group exhibit, my favorite has to be Systems and Facades: Relapse. Her process of working in layers and creating intricate detail through this is incredibly fascinating to me. The patterns created from this process are intricate and wonderful. The bright yellows, greens and blues also provide a stark contrast to the layers hidden underneath as well.
Currently, we are showing Nan Liu's Locales: North Florida's Plein Air Landscapes until January 18th, 2025. From his show, my personal favorite of his pieces is Fishing Boats at Millpond Apalachicola. The composition of the piece and the cool background of the water helps make the white boat in the front stand out. It serves as the focal point for this piece.
As we finish off the year, Venvi has showcased a variety of unique and diverse artworks. To view more amazing and thoughtfully curated artworks, check out our website at www.venviartgallery.com.
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