Local artists and residents came together Wednesday evening at First United Methodist Church of Gainesville for the Community Art Exhibit “Colors of Gainesville. The Meet the Artist event showcased artwork by local artists and sought to bring Gainesville together through art.
The Community Art Exhibit started on Sept. 27 and ends on Sunday. The event uses the church Fellowship Hall and Chapel as an art gallery for residents and artists. There are 31 local artists displaying artwork from Alachua County. About 20 people showed up to meet the dozen or so artists who were present.
Michael Ekbladh, an organizer of the exhibit, has been shaping music, conducting community ensembles, fostering creative spaces, and bringing people together through concerts and art exhibits. He has had other generations of his family as artists as well.
“Artistry has served as the central thread of my life,” Ekbladh said. “It is the language through which I process mystery, express gratitude, and reflect God and my faith.”
The art exhibit includes different forms of art, including photography, paintings, digital art, sculptures and other forms. The event was organized by a 13-member team of curators.
The curators reviewed artwork that was submitted by local artists and selected it based on the mission of celebrating diversity, supporting talent and building a community. The artwork was grouped and showcased based on the choice of the curators. This included spacing and lighting as part of the process.
“The Team of Curators worked behind the scenes to ensure the gallery space serves as a safe and inspiring destination for reflection, fellowship, and celebrating local artistry,” Ekbladh said.
The exhibit's goal is to celebrate diversity and create connections with different backgrounds of artists and the Gainesville community.
“Through their combined talents, the exhibition creates a space where faith, culture, personal reflection, and community identity intersect,” said Ekbladh.
The “Colors of Gainesville” provides an opportunity for many artists to showcase their work, especially for the first time.
Jamie Ancion, a local artist, has been cross-stitching for about two years. For the exhibit, Ancion created a piece with 45 items from the video game “Stardew Valley”.
Ancion created a pattern using pixels from the game stitch by stitch. Megan Kuhn, a coworker who attends the First United Methodist Church, is the reason behind Ancion submitting the piece for showcase at the exhibit.
“I have never had any of my work displayed anywhere, so I'm excited for a new audience to share it with,” Ancion said.
Rachel Carpenter, one of the exhibit's curators and a local artist, is showcasing a lace shawl that was made for her mother's 70th birthday, who passed away two years ago. Carpenter's mother was a fiber artist and enjoyed crocheting.
Carpenter found the shawl recently when unpacking boxes and showcased it as a way of remembering and honoring her.
“Showcasing this piece is special to me because I am very proud of this piece, but also I see it as a way to honor my mother,” Carpenter said.
Carpenter is new to Gainesville. Before arriving, Carpenter would attend different art festivals and galleries with her family in Michigan. When she found out about the art exhibit in the community, she decided to join and help organize the event.
“Art is one of the things that makes us human,” Carpenter said. “It connects us together. I think right now we need that more than ever.”
Suzanne Miller, a local self-taught artist, uses graphite, charcoal, and colored pencils to create drawings of realistic animals and wildlife. Miller lives close to San Felasco Preserve, where animals nearby are the inspiration for her pieces.
“When you’ve been given a gift, your purpose is to give it away,” Miller said.
Her three pieces in the exhibit are “Curious Fawn,” a drawing of a fawn; “Pounce,” depicting a cat preparing to jump; and “Hanging Out,” which shows a cat sitting in a window.
Miller's goal is for her work to encourage people not only to appreciate art but also to recognize their ability to make it.
“I hope they see the magic of a mere pencil and a line and piece of paper and how that can bring something to life and evoke emotion,” Miller said.
Lisa Marie Mercer, a local digital collage artist, uses public domain images to create new stories in her artwork. Mercer is displaying three pieces in the exhibit: “Bonjour Kitty,” “Mary Had a Crazy Dream” and “A Learned Woman.”
After moving to Gainesville, Mercer joined the Art Committee at Trinity United Methodist Church. During a Gainesville Fine Arts Association art show, Mercer was encouraged to begin showcasing her artwork. Mercer later won a merit award at the first show she entered and has since become active in Gainesville’s art community.
“They show the abundance of artistic opportunities here in Gainesville,” Mercer said.
Michael Passwater, a local photographer, uses photography to capture the wildlife, plants and the environment. Passwater is a volunteer photographer for Kanapaha Botanical Gardens and a member of the Gainesville Fine Arts Association.
Passwater has three photos in the exhibit. They are “Dolphin Delight,” “Manatee Mother & Calf” and “Bluebird.” Passwater's photography is inspired by the connection with nature and family.
“Alachua County and Gainesville truly is where nature and culture meet,” Passwater said.
Passwater involvement with local organizations creates a bigger connection with the city of Gainesville.
“A vibrant healthy arts community is a pillar of a vibrant healthy city,” Passwater said.
Jack Hutto, a local artist, uses his retirement time to learn a new art form. Hutto is learning pottery and described the experience as his “second childhood.”
Hutto is showcasing a rustic pitcher, pasta bowl and vase—the pitcher is inspired by well-water and buttermilk pitchers used by his grandparents. The vase represents a part of the creative process. Learning from past imperfections and unexpected results.
Hutto interactions with other artists within the community have helped improve his skills in pottery. Hutto appreciates the “Colors of Gainesville” for focusing on sharing artists' artwork rather than just selling it for money. Hutto believes that the name “Colors of Gainesville” represents more than just art.
“The Colors of Gainesville are not individual primary colors but a ‘melting pot’ of cultures that change the colors as we view them from different backgrounds and perspectives,” Hutto said.