ST. PETERSBURG \u2014 An opening reception for \u201cFresh Squeezed 10: Emerging Artists in Florida\u201d will take place on Saturday, April 11, 5 to 8 p.m., at the Morean Arts Center, 719 Central Ave., St. Petersburg.<\/p>\n
This annual showcase celebrates eight up-and-coming artists evolving in the Sunshine State, selected from nearly 150 applicants.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we enter year 10 of this project, we get a broad view of the incredible art being made in our state today,\u201d said Amanda Cooper, chief curator at the Morean Arts Center. \u201cFrom West Palm Beach to Tallahassee, and many cities and towns in between, these emerging artists are showing up and creating some extraordinary work. Visitors to this year\u2019s show will notice themes of yearning for home, family (both born into and chosen), and our relationship with nature.\u201d<\/p>\n
Visitors will get to know Alberto Alonso of Winter Haven and Ysabel Flores of Tallahassee, who create work based on nostalgia and longing for their homes in Puerto Rico and the Philippines, respectively. Their paintings ask the question: What is \u201chome\u201d? How do you synthesize the culture of your family members with your new place?<\/p>\n
Angelina Palmisano of Maitland shares engaging, figure-based paintings celebrating life\u2019s beautiful and tender moments; a tribute to friends, family, love and subtle humor. Gillian Probert of St. Petersburg uses animal imagery in her carved glass sculptures to relay human characteristics and emotion.<\/p>\n
Birds and other wildlife play a prominent role in this year\u2019s exhibition. Clancy Riehm of Largo renders stylized digital versions of flora and fauna, while Gwen Mehler of Fleming Island paints endangered birds specific to Florida in painstaking detail on whimsical, patterned backgrounds. Jamie Rodriguez of West Palm Beach uses handmade, sculptural animal forms as a stand-in to exemplify humans and our often chaotic relationship with the natural environment.<\/p>\n
Kimberly Vorperian of 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur community has come to anticipate the \u2018Fresh Squeezed\u2019 series of exhibitions every year,\u201d said Cooper. \u201cIt’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 and to include the featured artist gallery at the Chihuly Collection again in this year’s exhibition, allowing us to amplify even more artists.\u201d<\/p>\n
To date, \u201cFresh Squeezed\u201d has featured 64 artists from 27 Florida cities.<\/p>\n
\u201cFresh Squeezed 10: Emerging Artists in Florida\u201d will be on view from April 11 through June 25 at the Morean Arts Center. The two \u201cFresh Squeezed 10\u201d artists in the Chihuly Collection at 720 Central Avenue will be on view March 29 through July 19.<\/p>\n