Lighthouse ArtCenter in Tequesta will celebrate Florida artists with “Locals Only: A Florida State of Mind,” beginning May 18. The exhibition will feature works from “The Miami School Art Movement: Sun, Beach, Water & Sky,” which showcases the talents of artists based in Miami to Stuart, as well as the recently published children’s book and original illustrations from Life and Lilly: A Palm Beach Adventure by Lilly Leas Ferreira.
An opening reception will kick things off May 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. Highlights will include an artist meet-and-greet, a book signing by Lilly Leas Ferreira, and hors d’oeuvres and refreshments. Admission is free for members and a $5 suggested donation for nonmembers.
“The Miami School Art Movement: Sun, Beach, Water & Sky” is a collection presented by Manolis Projects Gallery. Located in Miami, Manolis Projects Gallery is the studio gallery of critically-acclaimed abstract expressionist painter J. Steven Manolis. The exhibition celebrates South Florida’s natural beauty, beach weather, and sun, through art that uses combinations of blue and yellow and interpretations of visual joy.
The collection highlights 14 pieces of abstract art from the following extraordinary artists: Ismael Acuna, Ron Agam, Ron Burkhardt, Carol Calicchio, Olivia Daane, Bruce Helander, Jill Krutick, Fernanda Lavera, Aurelia Majorel, J. Steven Manolis, Maite Nobo, Timi Ogundipe, Annemarie Ryan, and Camilla Webster.
In the exhibition, the ArtCenter will showcase pieces by local artists Ron Garrett of Boca Raton, Bob Gibson of Tequesta, Julia Kelly of Stuart, and Dan Mackin of Hobe Sound, as well as a ceramic coral reef installation by the monumental class of Amalia Mermingas. Garrett is an artist and educator whose work is inspired by the sea and maritime tragedies below the sea. Kelly is an impressionist painter who brings nature alive on canvas using color against color with watercolor and oil. Gibson, an award-winning photographer and educator, focuses on wildlife and landscapes. Mackin’s work captures life in the Caribbean, South Pacific, Asia, and the rainforests of the Amazon.
Lilly Pulitzer’s granddaughter and fourth-generation Palm Beach native Lilly Leas Ferreira’s recently published children’s book, Life and Lilly: A Palm Beach Adventure, will be available throughout the exhibition. Ten original illustrations in ink and colorful watercolors from the Lilly Pulitzer Print Studio will be displayed. The book tells the story from a child’s perspective of growing up in Palm Beach as readers follow little Lilly navigating the beaches, bike paths, and landmarks of her hometown. Ferreira will host a book signing at the opening reception on May 18, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. On June 2, from 1 to 3 p.m., the community is invited for a book reading and signing.
