2008 Woodie Awards
N.Y. graces Orlando art scene
Mary Cristobal
Issue date: 7/24/08 Section: Variety
At Millenia Fine Art Gallery's The Best & The Brightest exhibit on July 18, guests were greeted by a portrait of Sen. Hillary Clinton.
The realist painting was illustrated by Sarah Ferguson and hung across the gallery's doorway, where the senator appeared face-forward, with her index finger touching her thumb.
Meant to make a strong political statement, the painting was showing the senator as she was trying to make a point in a speech, with an American flag as her backdrop.
Ferguson is one of the 12 artists from New York City's School of Visual Arts who is showcased at the Millenia Fine Art Gallery's show titled The Best & The Brightest.
"I was looking for quality and diversity," said Josh Garrick, organizer of the exhibit and also a previous SVA instructor, in a press release. "The excitement derives when one considers the future in art that these extraordinarily talented artists may look forward to."
Fifty-two small paintings covered one wall with one subject matter: a tree near a body of water. Artist Jeffrey Blondes did an evolution study of a landscape and how climate affected the tree and body of water. Across the paintings, there was a digital video of the scenic view conveying the idea of observation.
Another artist, Min Pang, twisted an observation. She looked up and saw the ceiling. She looked down and saw the bed. She looked across the room and saw the chair.
Pang took the style of realism to another level. Her paintings, Ceiling, Bed and Chair, conveyed what Edward Norton could have viewed his surroundings as the manic-insomniac in 1999's Fight Club. Pang's paintings captured a delusional perspective of those everyday objects.
The exhibit was officially unveiled at around 8 p.m. by former Florida Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings, who welcomed the guests in her zebra -patterned sequined jacket.
David Rhodes, SVA's president, made a surprise appearance at the exhibit's opening night.
Also, two artists whose work is being showcased attended the opening night. One of them was John Turner, who graduated from SVA in 2006. He had seven paintings, divided into two series, in the show.
The realist painting was illustrated by Sarah Ferguson and hung across the gallery's doorway, where the senator appeared face-forward, with her index finger touching her thumb.
Meant to make a strong political statement, the painting was showing the senator as she was trying to make a point in a speech, with an American flag as her backdrop.
Ferguson is one of the 12 artists from New York City's School of Visual Arts who is showcased at the Millenia Fine Art Gallery's show titled The Best & The Brightest.
"I was looking for quality and diversity," said Josh Garrick, organizer of the exhibit and also a previous SVA instructor, in a press release. "The excitement derives when one considers the future in art that these extraordinarily talented artists may look forward to."
Fifty-two small paintings covered one wall with one subject matter: a tree near a body of water. Artist Jeffrey Blondes did an evolution study of a landscape and how climate affected the tree and body of water. Across the paintings, there was a digital video of the scenic view conveying the idea of observation.
Another artist, Min Pang, twisted an observation. She looked up and saw the ceiling. She looked down and saw the bed. She looked across the room and saw the chair.
Pang took the style of realism to another level. Her paintings, Ceiling, Bed and Chair, conveyed what Edward Norton could have viewed his surroundings as the manic-insomniac in 1999's Fight Club. Pang's paintings captured a delusional perspective of those everyday objects.
The exhibit was officially unveiled at around 8 p.m. by former Florida Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings, who welcomed the guests in her zebra -patterned sequined jacket.
David Rhodes, SVA's president, made a surprise appearance at the exhibit's opening night.
Also, two artists whose work is being showcased attended the opening night. One of them was John Turner, who graduated from SVA in 2006. He had seven paintings, divided into two series, in the show.