Exhibition Archive

Ray Lawler: Tales of a Traveler

Ray Lawler Portrait of a Traveler

Nov 1-Nov 28
Opening Reception Thursday, Nov 3, 5:00-7:00

Artist Statement
I was born in Connecticut during the Second World War. Other than visiting relatives in Long Island I never left the state until I joined the Navy in 1963. That experience turned me into a traveller want-to-be. Fortunately, after getting 2 academic degrees, I satiated my ambition to be. I have lived, worked, or travelled in more than 84 countries around the globe. And, I got paid for most of it.
I currently live in Florida, with two cats and Wonder Woman. I have been, at various times a logistics consultant, photojournalist, sculptor, writer, and currently an award-winning artist.

I am primarily a self-taught. At 3 years old I was the happy recipient of a box of Crayola’s from my grandpa. My first work of art reached about 3 feet high and extended along all 4 walls of my bedroom. My mother was furious and was going to give me a good whooping. Grandpa came in just in time and yelled. “Don’t touch that boy. I guess I should have given him some paper too.” About 3 weeks later I was probably the youngest kid in my neighborhood with his own drafting table. I started painting by numbers at 5 and completed a free hand painting of Saint Thaddeus at 7. Why? Because he had a huge beard that was easy to draw and paint. At 13 I completed a detailed pencil drawing of the “Ben Hur” chariot race after viewing the movie 10 times. (It was ultimately stolen off my mother’s wall some 25 years later by an intruder.) Subsequently, I illustrated both my high-school class year book and my squadron cruise book during the Vietnam War.

International Society of Scratchboard Artists (ISSA)

On display November 30 – December 30, 2022
Kellogg Gallery

Online Gallery

We end the calendar year with three exhibits, including the exquisite scratchboard work by members of the International Society of Scratchboard Artists (ISSA).

This exhibit will be featured in the December issue of American Art Collector Magazine in an ad and editorial. Cathy Sheeter, MSA, who specializes in wildlife and western art, is the president of the group and one of only 16 living Master Scratchboard Artists in the world.

Scratchboard, often called direct engraving or subtractive art, can be black and white or colored using inks, watercolor, acrylic or markers.

The ISSA has over 110 active members from eight countries. We are pleased to welcome them to our Gallery.

AWARD WINNERS

Gold Award: Best in Show: “On the Prowl” by MSA Patrick Hedges
Silver Award: “Mighty Contender” by MSA Shalese Sands
Bronze Award: “The Gathering” by MSA Linda Lunnon
Award of Excellence: “Bond of Affection” by MSA Amy Stauffer
Award of Excellence: “Native Elegance” by MSA Diana Höhlig
Newcomer Award: “Looking Through You” by SSA Sheryl Unwin
International Artist Award: “Masquerade” by MSA Lori Dunn
Pushing Boundaries Award: “Standing Above the Others” by SSA Danna Fruetel
Ampersand Active Level Award: “On the Bit” by Denise Brown
Ampersand Signature Level Award: “The Sea Horse” by SSA Ruth Sanderson
Active Level Memorial Award: “With the Leader” by Han Zhang
Signature Level Memorial Award: “Charmed” by SSA Sally Terrell

About ISSA

The International Society of Scratchboard Artists (ISSA) was launched in 2011. ISSA is dedicated to the promotion of scratchboard as fine art, providing support to artists, and education to the public about this amazing medium! The organization offers membership levels for all artists from supporters, to beginners, to professionals. It hosts an annual juried Exhibition, and demonstrations, and creates friendships that last a lifetime.

What is Scratchboard?

Scratchboard is a fine art form that uses a surface covered with white clay and then a layer of black India ink. Artists use abrasive tools to remove the black ink to create an image. Artists may choose to keep their boards black and white or proceed to color them with a variety of mediums. Any area that is white will accept color. White boards are also used, in this case, the artists adds ink or color and then uses various tools remove the ink/color. Please visit this page for more information and a demonstration of the process on black scratchboard.

Color Outside the Lines

The Plan by Carla Rudolph

An open, all media, juried exhibit
On display October 11-October 28
All Galleries

Pick-up Oct 29

Award Winners

1st Place	The Plan by Carla Rudolph
2nd Place	Reservations by Elaine Anagnos
3rd Place	Lancaster County Barns by Victoria Wortley
Best in 3d	Seahorses by Nancy Dubin
Merit	Crossing the road Will Change Your Life by Jean Cormier
Honorable Mention	Patio Flower Garden by Marjorie Crawford
Honorable Mention	Taos Teal by Elise Manieri
Honorable Mention	Morning Comes Karen de Leon Stuart

Juror: Janet Mishner ARTIST STATEMENT
“On and Off the Grid” is a series initially inspired by the perimeters of isolation necessitated by the pandemic and the nature of human need for connection, two conflicting ideas. As the pandemic continues, my interest in grids that represent boundaries and my enjoyment of obliterating them in some way with lines, mark making and shapes, I have continued this series and renamed it from its original “Connection v Isolation.”

I am enjoying this self-imposed “rule” followed by playful subversion. Sometime in my childhood, I enjoyed the mischievousness of doing something “bad” while no one was looking. The grid still represents the boundary (parental limits) while the obliteration is the chance to ignore or rebel against them sometimes. As my mentor, Gladys Goldstein said many times, “Just have fun!”

Create 2022-23

An Open, All Media, Juried Exhibition

Exhibit: Sep 7 – Oct 7
All Galleries

Create pickup has been moved to October 8, 9-12 pm
due to power outages from the storm

The first show of the 2022-2023 season is Create, an open, all media, juried exhibit with high cash awards. The work is wonderfully diverse. The all media work is displayed in all Galleries.

AWARD	ARTIST	TITLE	MEDIUM
1ST	Carla Rudolph	Cake Mix	Acrylic
2ND	Jill Lindsay	Petunia	Mixed Media
3RD	Cheryl Kinderknecht	Prayers Riding The Thermals	Acrylic & Ink
Best in 3D	Kathleen Carrier	Ms. Mantis And The Garden Of Whimsy	Mixed Media
MERIT	Janet Flickinger	Traveling Abroad In Israel	Pencil

HONORABLE MENTION	Gary LaParl	Somerville	Oil
HONORABLE MENTION	Martin Dunn	Revelation 18	Oil
HONORABLE MENTION	Griffin Koutny	Fight For Jerusalem	Mixed Media

Juror: Rachel Stewart is a visual artist and educator. She has a BFA in sculpture from Boston University College of Fine Arts and a MA in Creativity Studies from the Union Institute and University. She lived and taught art in Jamaica, making it her home for 20 years. Her sculpture, Two Waves, is in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Jamaica. Currently, Rachel resides in St. Petersburg, Florida where she teaches and exhibits her sculptures, drawings and prints in galleries and museums throughout the state. In 2017 she exhibited her work at the Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland, Florida. In 2018 she completed a print making course at St. Petersburg College and received a second place award for her print, Book of Casualties. She continues to create monotypes and linoleum prints in her studio in St. Petersburg. Her sculpture Re-Defined was accepted into ArtFields 2021 to be exhibited in Lake City, South Carolina.

Rachel is a recipient of the Artist Resource Fund Award from the Pinellas Arts Council of Florida (2003) and Individual Artist Grant from St. Petersburg Arts Alliance (2016 and 2020). Stewart is a recipient of the 2022 Creative Pinellas Professional artist Grant.

4th Annual Holiday Extravaganza

4th Annual Holiday Extravaganza
On display Wed. Nov 30, 2022 to Fri. Dec 30, 2022

Thursday, December 1, 4:30-6:30 – Holiday Extravaganza Opening Reception and Artful Holiday’s Party & Sale.

Stop by for a festive display of ornaments and holiday goodies. From glass work to quilts to clay Santa’s, you’re sure to find something to delight you. All handcrafted. All make wonderful co-worker gifts, stocking stuffers or are perfect to add to your collection.

Artist Pick-up: Tuesday & Wednesday–Jan 3 & 4, from 10-2

International Watercolor Society Florida USA Exhibit

International Watercolor Society Florida USA
ACM Curated Exhibit

March 9 – April 9, 2021
Kellogg Gallery

An ArtCenter Manatee curated exhibition featuring master watercolor artists from around the world. The International Watercolor Society has chapters in over 110 countries, and gathers together one of the largest and most diverse group of watercolor artists and art lovers alike. Being of many nations, cultures, and backgrounds, it provides a platform for the continual development, learning, and sharing of the art of watercolor. In addition to the exchange of ideas between artists in the field and industry, it advocates and supports the next generation of artists with the events and exhibitions that are difficult to come by for many.

This is the inaugural exhibition of the recently formed IWS Florida USA Chapter at ArtCenter Manatee.

Read: ACM Creates IWS Florida Chapter

Artists from the following countries are represented: Albania, Australia, Bulgaria, China, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, Germany., India, Iran, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Peru, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam

We offer a preview below:

ArtCenter Manatee Creates New IWS Florida Chapter

Craftsman by Richard Tiegun Chao, Australia

ArtCenter Manatee has partnered with the International Watercolor Society (IWS) a non-profit worldwide organization, to create a Florida Chapter, one of only five branches in the United States. We are part of their worldwide network of over 100 branches, galleries, and education centers.

The intent in forming a chapter in Florida is to promote the art of watercolor in our community and the state as a whole. The IWS, founded in 2012, is committed to bringing people together despite differences in race, religion, culture and distance. With over 100 branches worldwide, they promote love, peace and harmony around the world through art, the common language of people throughout the world. Education is of great importance to the IWS. Learning and sharing knowledge and experience of watercolor through exhibits, discussion, seminars, workshops and master classes.

As a new member of IWS, we hope to build a membership within Florida. A number of our members are members of The National Watercolor Society and the American Watercolor Society.

ArtCenter Manatee has scheduled the first Florida International Exhibition, inviting international watercolor artists to display their work in the Kellogg Gallery, the largest of our three galleries. The Exhibit will be on display March 9 through April 9, 2021.

International Watercolor Society Florida USA Exhibit

IWSglobe.org for more information.

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Ray Lawler: Tales of a Traveler

International Society of Scratchboard Artists (ISSA)