Victoria Horne

Originally from New York Victoria Horne is known Internationally for her  Jazz Blues and More music concerts and club performances from Italy to Japan with her band.  Aside from being a  premiere entertainer, Victoria is also a photographer and songwriter linking the arts and  her worldly travel into  an interesting photo journal and music CD aptly entitled "New Horizons."

Romeo Caseria

Romeo Caseria never attended an academic study to develop his God-given talent. He served as a missionary to the primitive tribes living in the Philippine mountains. It was during this time that he began to capture on canvas the beauty of the rare orchids and wild flowers growing in the rainforest. Since moving to Jacksonville,Florida where he spent teaching and also won some awards, Romeo's talents are extremely versatile in both realistic and modern styles. His works are primarily pastels, oils, and acrylics but he loves to experiment in many medias.

Raymond Cohen

A Jacksonville Native. A lifelong career as an Illustrator/Designer. He studied art and design at the Long School of Art. His paintings are an eclectic collection of subjects rendered in acrylics. His painting style is determined as inspired by the individual subject he is painting. He is the owner of Raymond Cohen Creative Resource and has received more than 15 awards of excellence in illustration and design. One of his clients, Jeff Foxworthy, for whom he designed packaging for his Back Yard Bar B Q sauces that won several awards.

George Tobi

George Tobi is a Jacksonville native and has been painting in watercolors as a hobby for over 30 years. He is a founding member of the Jacksonville Watercolor Society and has served on the board of the St. Augustine Art Association. He is retired from a career in the US Navy and a career in Jacksonville as a professional engineer. He credits his early training in engineering drafting as an introduction to his interest in art. Engineering communicates primarily in a language of graphics and he feels it is a natural parallel to communications through art.

He paints almost entirely in the traditional transparent watercolor medium on paper. He has always been attracted to the spontaneous, bright and luminous effects that watercolor can achieve. He especially enjoys the challenge of watercolor and it’s resistance to being reworked.

Eve Albrecht

My paintings are a visual expression of a story that I wish to convey to the viewer.  I use color to express sensuality, activity, and mood.  For my landscapes,  my work gravitates towards warm, sun drenched tuscan landscapes as well

as flowering gardens in a lush tropical landscape.  My colors are bold and impressionistic. I have begun to move into portraiture the last two years in an effort to further convey meaning in my paintings.  
My portraits and figures are created in an impressionistic/realistic style.  It gives me the greatest pleasure to be told that I have really “captured” the essence of the person posing.

My love for painting and drawing has allowed me to explore several mediums to a great extent such watercolor, acrylic, pastels, and now oil.  I feel the different mediums have their own qualities that depending on the motif, tell the story’s drama best.

Jan Bloom

Jan Bloom began her art career as a young child, her talents being nurtured by her parents and encouraged by her teachers. She earned her B.A. in studio art and art history from the University of Maryland in College Park. Eventually her talents took her to the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, FL where she worked as assistant to the curator and to the photographer; she also headed up the slide library. After several years at the museum, she decided to begin her career as a professional watercolor artist.

After relocating to Jacksonville in l999, she became a member of the Jacksonville Watercolor Society. An emerging classical realistic painter, she calls her art form “Spiritual Realism” as she feels her artwork is a gift from God and attributes her talent to Him.

Jan is also a member of the Portrait Society of America and participates with the Ponte Vedra Presbyterian Church’s Bethel Gallery.

She is currently pursuing a career doing watercolor portraits.

Rita Blüm

Rita Blüm graduated from the Art Institute of Boston and pursued a career in Advertising and Commercial Art for many years in Boston.  Living four years in The Netherlands and traveling throughout Europe in the 1980's inspired her to paint unique architectural scenery and local landscapes.  Returning to Massachusetts she won numerous awards for her paintings at Art Festivals and shows. Living in Florida since the early 90's created a new vista of Exotic tropical colors challenging her to capture the beauty of natural Floridian landscapes and local southern architectural styles.  She has won many awards for her Watercolors locally.
 
She is currently on the Board of The Art Guild of Orange Park, served two years as Vice-President of Programs for The Jacksonville Watercolor Society, member of the Florida Watercolor Society and former member of The Art Center Cooperative in Jacksonville.

Lucinda Halsema

Lucinda Halsema is a lifetime resident of Jacksonville, Florida. Her unique style of fine-line art and Pen and Ink Drawings developed from her fascination with historical structures. It has led her to focus her professional career as an Artist on detailed drawings of unique, historical architecture. She derives her images from her own photographs and research. For over twenty years, Lucinda has been gathering photos of our architectural and scenic heritage in present day surroundings. “This makes it easier for anyone to identify our historical treasures as they exist today. Our history is all around us.” She has also created hundreds of images of homes and businesses. Many of her original and published drawings of structures throughout southeastern U.S. as well as Europe and the Caribbean can be found in bookstores, galleries, gift stores and museum gift shops.

H.S. Ashmead

As a painter and printmaker, H.S. (Helen) Ashmead creates artworks depicting her favorite subjects – angels being a special favorite. Helen holds a B.F.A. from the University of Connecticut. Continuing study includes printmaking with Barry E. Wilson. She conducts classes and workshops in painting and printmaking. Her works of art are in collections across the nation.

“The angels are my response to the day to day travails and blessings that we encounter in our lives. The angels remind us that we have divine guardians watching over us and guiding us. They are the still, small voices that urge us to take a particular path or a certain action. We are not alone and there is more to our daily existence that what we see with our physical eyes. We must learn to be quiet and listen for their wisdom.

Cookie Davis

Cookie Davis a native of Jacksonville, Florida has been successfully exhibiting her figurative sculptures in the southeast region of the United States since the 1970's. Her work is in corporate and private collections both nationally and internationally.

Ms. Davis says of her work, "I call my figures "story people." There is always a story behind where they came from, out of books, everyday happenings...life.  The angels series is entitled "Gospel Truth" and features women that are earning their wings, flying off in all directions and wondering what they would do, if they had wings.  These women are the colors of the world, they live down the street, next door, sit next to you are your office . . . there are angels in your everyday life."

Mary Doppel

Born and raised in Muskegon, Michigan I took an early interest in how things are  put together, by watching my father, Bill Mikesell take them apart! I like to take an object and reconstruct it by using different materials, something unexpected. It gives an object a whole new meaning, or perspective while appreciating "MY" piece of art. I think that is why I love mixed media so much!

I have an associate's degree in Graphic Arts from Muskegon Community College. I ran my own business (Off the Wall Gallery) for over 10 years before moving to Jacksonville, Florida in 2002 with my husband George.

Claudia Dresser

I see the beauty in nature and the human form. My artwork reflects my vision of the world. I have always been a creative person and art is a part of who I am.

In this series of drawings, I am using an ebony pencil on rag paper. I layer the image I create from light to dark. I like the soft texture I can create with this pencil. The images are all about the light. I have always been drawn to the soft shapes and graceful lines of the human figure. It was a challenge to bring that perspective to stone statues.
    

I have been a genealogist for 32 years, researching my family’s history. During my research, I have visited many cemeteries. The statues fascinate me. Stone sentinels guarding the graves of someone’s beloved ancestor. They have a melancholy and beauty I wanted to capture in the perfect light. I started taking photographs for later drawings. These drawings are of angel statues in a cemetery in Maine. I wanted to capture them from many different angles. The light is the key.

Marsha Hatcher

Marsha Hatcher (MHat) was born in South Georgia and received her BA degree in art at Albany State University. “I have been painting professionally for many years. Every painting is a challenge to do better than the last. I love what I do and love being an artist and cannot think of doing anything else”. I have always painted portraits in a expressionistic style, with capturing likeness and emotion as the number one priorities. In this series of paintings, I used color to interpret what each subject feels. Each painting started as an abstract but eventually evolved into the finished figurative interpretation. Using color and broad strokes, the paintings take you towards a contemporary direction. The contrast between the light and dark colors gives energy to the subjects. By changing the size of the brushes I often use, I can change the style of my work with ease.” Marsha lives and works as a professional artist in Jacksonville, Fl.
Marsha has exhibited her work national and internationally. She is also a founding member of JCAAA (Jacksonville Consortium of African American Artists) and The Art Center Cooperative Inc. Marsha is also a recipient of the 2004 Community Foundation Art Venture grant/Independent Life Minority award.

Will Kayser

I have only been painting for about two years now with acrylics but I have been working in tattoo shops around jax for around 11 years. I just recently started doing watercolor about 3 months ago and have found inspiration from all types of artists in my industry and the art world. Mythology and silly are my prefered subjects trying to keep it light hearted. My focus is just to get better and relax all while trying to impress my son.

Judith Patterson

Judith Patterson grew up in Upstate New York in the Adirondack Mountains and on the Balearic Island of Mallorca in Spain. Patterson earned her B.F.A. from the University of North Florida in 1998. She has had and invitational one person exhibition in the European Oscar winning hotel; Es Moli, Deya Mallorca. After getting her degree from U.N.F. in 1999, Patterson was featured in a two person exhibition "Hidden Places" at the City Hall Art Gallery Cultural Resources Commission in Talla hassee, Florida. She has been a part of various group shows in Jacksonville. Her work is in many private collections.

A minimalist representation of land, sky, and water is the perfect vehicle for experimentation with the subtle variations of light. After developing the image in her mind, Patterson lets the painting have its own existence. This process creates a harmonic rhythm between the brush or knife, the painting, and the elements they come together to represent. Patterson's paintings have  a mystical quality to them.

Chavez Williams

I am a Jacksonville Native. I studied art and design at Florida State College of Jacksonville and received my AA degree in Fine Arts. I have been operating in this God-given talent since a young boy. As a hobby, I enjoy drawing, painting, and jazz music. I am gifted in playing musical instruments such as the keyboard, saxophone, drums, etc. I specialize in figure, landscaping, 3D design and portrait drawings. Also, I specialize in oil and acrylic paintings. Some exhibitions that my work has been displayed in are: Florida State College of Jacksonville and Household of Faith Church. I have received awards and grants for my talent at Florida State College of Jacksonville, Fl. I have painted different murals for churches as well as created logo designs for several businesses. I have visited Greece and Italy where I took pictures and created paintings of my experience. I also had the pleasure of visiting the Sistine Chapel where I was able to view several paintings of Michael Angelo. I take great pleasure in my work and I am always eager to learn and except new challenges that will help me to excel in my God-given talent as an artist.

Francis Judy

A long-term resident of Jacksonville, Florida, Francis most gratefully acknowledges God as provision of all spiritual basis of personal inspiration in artistic endeavors.

Born in Hilliard Florida in 1971, pecan trees, red clay and hydrangeas surrounded her environment. Suzanne Pickett was raised and educated in Jacksonville Florida, where she lives and works today. She graduated from N.B. Forrest High School and received a B.F.A. from Univerisity of North Florida . She has worked as a graphic artist and gallery owner where she has displayed her passion for creating arts education and awareness for children and adults alike.

Suzanne produces two and three-dimensional works that address her love and admiration for people and nature. Her work, constructed from mixed media, including acrylic paint, clay, wood and other textured medium, draws on a variety of sources. Suzanne has worked to develop a unique style of creativity that creates extraordinary illusions.

Suzanne is a founding member of The Jacksonville Consortium of African Artists and the Art Center Cooperative where most of her work is shown. In November 2008 Suzanne was chosen to represent Kingsley Plantation and Timucuan Preserve for George and Laura Bush as an artist for their Christmas ornament design at the White House.

Overstreet Ducasse

Born in Haiti, Overstreet Ducasse came to the United States at the age of six.  Faced with the challenges of an unfamiliar environment, a new language, and a different culture, Ducasse turned to art as a means of expression and communication.  He deems art the universal language and a way to release frustrations and aggravations. 

The art of Ducasse goes beyond the visual.  His work is captivating, direct and abundant with metaphors and meaning.  As an artist, Ducasse refuses to be locked down by one particular style. “The number one rule in art is that there are no rules.”  He creates on a variety of mediums:  from traditional canvas to wood frame doors. 

Inspired by the desire for reason and understanding, his work is the expression of his life experiences as well as his true intellect. Ducasse describes himself as a Deepressionist, a term he conceived to express both the frustrations experienced by the artist and the depth of thought and imagination an artist must exude.

Adrian Rhodes

Adrian Rhodes, 31, is a multi-faceted artistic revolutionary currently attending FCCJ. He is also one third of an art group known as the Deepressionists. Constantly being surrounded by art in both a visual and textual format Rhodes’ inquisitive, knowledge thirsty mind caused him to read and analyze the likes of Bosch, Michelangelo and Dali amongst many others. He has been interested in art since the age of 6 where he recalls watching Bob Ross on PBS which sparked his interest in painting by numbers. From then on he has progressively layered his artistic talent doing several mediums and various techniques of artistic expression; drawing, painting, sculpting, airbrushing, animation, clothing and even playing music.

Rhodes has always perceived the world with an aesthetic eye and an inquisitive, analytical mind. This allows him to live in his own world of artistry while simultaneously connecting with issues affecting the condition of humanity. His vision combined with the multiple realities affecting everyday existence are conveyed in his works using surrealistic elements. As an artist capable of using numerous styles/mediums to express himself, art is ultimately about presenting a concept and representing the concept as it is seen by the artist.
          
Experimenting with different techniques and mastering them, Rhodes’ artistic endeavor is to constantly push himself to the next level of creation. He says, “…I try to study technique and I try to push myself to the limit, you know, see what I can do.” For Rhodes creating art is more about keeping the emotion of art alive.  He believes it is vital to keep it fluctuating throughout the world so eventually artists can have more productive lives than artists of the past.

Roosevelt Watson 3

Roosevelt Watson 3 is an accomplished artist in both Florida and Georgia. He has been painting for 15 years and creating caricatures for 9 years.

Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Roosevelt focused his studies on visual arts. He earned his A.S. degree from Tampa Tech Institution A.S and his B.F.A degree from The Atlanta College of Art.

Roosevelt considers himself an Abstract Surrealist Expressionistic Painter and Sculptor. Through movement and balance, color and line, Roosevelt aspires to create art that enriches the soul and entertains the mind, both spiritually and emotionally.

Roosevelt Watson 3 currently resides in Savannah, Georgia. His artwork has been exhibited at the Ritz Theatre and LaVilla Museum, the Gullah Creation Gallery, St. Joseph Baptist Church and Starbucks Coffee.

November/December  

Stephanie Sipp

Stephanie Sipp has been creating original art work and active in the art and healing community for the past fifteen years. Originally from New York, she received her master’s degree from FSU in 1982 and has lived in Jacksonville since 1992. Currently Stephanie is a fulltime professor at Florida State College of Jacksonville in the interior design technology department. Her dedication to promoting and teaching the visual arts is evident in her teaching at the college. Her expertise includes hand sketching, perspective drawing and color rendering with markers and pencil. She knows that drawing is a learned skill that will improve with practice. She encourages all of her students to meet the challenge of learning to draw despite what they have been told.

Working within a lifetime interest in the outdoors, healing gardens and in active bird watching, her art expression celebrates the diversity and power of nature. Her work has been described as “sometimes playful, sometimes lyrical and always intriguing”.

Through the years Stephanie has enjoyed showing her art work. Her most recent show was at Reddi-Arts and The Women's Center of Jacksonville 2009. She has exhibited her work during Garden Week at the Cummer Museum in 2005 along with several shows at the First Street Gallery in Atlantic Beach, Karpeles Manuscript Museum, Alford Acherman Gallery and other local shows. She participated in the Thomasville Georgia Wildlife Exhibit in 2002. She appreciates the support she receives from her partner, family, friends, spirit sisters, coworkers and of course, Forrest, Sounder and Mr. Leonardo da Vinci.
Current website: http://stephaniesipp.com/