ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Morean Arts Center proudly presents Fresh Squeezed 10: Emerging Artists in Florida, opening Saturday, April 11, from 5-8pm. This annual showcase celebrates eight up-and-coming artists evolving in the Sunshine State, selected from nearly 150 applicants.
“As we enter year 10 of this project, we get a broad view of the incredible art being made in our state today. From West Palm Beach to Tallahassee, and many cities and towns in between, these emerging artists are showing up and creating some extraordinary work,” said Amanda Cooper, Chief Curator at the Morean Arts Center, “Visitors to this year’s show will notice themes of yearning for home, family (both born into and chosen), and our relationship with nature.”
Get to know Alberto Alonso (Winter Haven) and Ysabel Flores (Tallahassee), who create work based on nostalgia and longing for their homes- Puerto Rico and the Philippines, respectively. Their paintings ask the question: What is “home”? How do you synthesize the culture of your family members with your new place?
Angelina Palmisano (Maitland) shares engaging, figure-based paintings celebrating life’s beautiful and tender moments; a tribute to friends, family, love and subtle humor. Gillian Probert (St. Petersburg) uses animal imagery in her carved glass sculptures to relay human characteristics and emotion.
Birds and other wildlife play a prominent role in this year’s exhibition. Clancy Reihm (Largo) renders stylized digital versions of flora and fauna, while Gwen Mehler (Fleming Island) paints endangered birds specific to Florida in painstaking detail on whimsical, patterned backgrounds. Jamie Rodriguez (West Palm Beach) uses handmade, sculptural animal forms as a stand-in to exemplify humans and our often chaotic relationship with the natural environment.
Kimberly Vorperian (St. Petersburg) uses earthy found materials and leans on traditional crafting techniques to explore the folk traditions of her Armenian and Eastern European ancestry. She then combines them with her experience farming in Florida and living in tune with the land, creating an immersive, site-specific installation.
“Our community has come to anticipate the Fresh Squeezed series of exhibitions every year,” noted Cooper. “It’s a terrific way to get a pulse on exciting new art being made in our region. We are thrilled to give a platform to these diverse voices (64 artists from 27 Florida cities to date!) and to include the featured artist gallery at the Chihuly Collection again in this year’s exhibition, allowing us to amplify even more artists.”
Fresh Squeezed 10: Emerging Artists in Florida will be on view at the Morean Arts Center at 719 Central Avenue from April 11 through June 25, 2026. The two Fresh Squeezed 10 artists in the Chihuly Collection at 720 Central Avenue will be on view March 29 through July 19, 2026. The Morean would like to thank Fresh Squeezed 10 sponsors The Gobioff Foundation and Lisa and Perry Everett for their continued support.