ST. PETERSBURG — Two exhibitions delving into different aspects of the human experience – the spiritual and the corporeal — will debut in November at the Werk Gallery, 2210 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg. Both exhibitions will run Nov. 6-29.
In the Main Gallery, “Eye of the Beholder” will present the unique visions of two extraordinary artists exploring themes of emergence, being and connection to the divine feminine. Cynthia Louise Longobardi’s elongated figures are set in surreal landscapes lush with oddities and animals that reveal the artist’s exploration of our innermost desires, emotions, and insecurities. All her figures have the proverbial “third eye,” indicating their enlightened states of being and offering the notion that Longobardi’s paintings are messages from another realm asking us to look deeper.
Nikita Rosalind’s color-saturated approach to figure painting seeks to connect to the vibrational energies tying us to the universe at large. With her work, she intends to conjure the divine feminine within us all, ushering its strength, softness, sensuality and power through every stroke of paint. Driven by her love to express in color, creating waves of feeling deep in the subconscious, her greatest hope is to connect deeply with the viewer to inspire a bright feeling of love and a desire to create an artful world.
Longobardi is a contemporary surrealist narrative oil painter and mixed media artist whose distorted realistic paintings of humans, animals and landscape explore deep emotions, fears, insecurities, secrets and desires. Her work is inspired by nature, oddities, curios, fairy tales, old classic movies and magic. Originally from New England and now based in Bradenton, she studied classical realistic oil painting with the acclaimed George Gabin at Montserrat School of Visual Art.
Rosalind is a St. Petersburg native who works full time in the studio she shares with her sister Naomi Glueck in downtown Gulfport. She graduated from Pinellas County Center for the Arts in 2005 and has been painting independently ever since. Her works are bright, colorful expressions of individuality, with a focus on striking portraits exposing a vulnerable beauty.
An opening reception for “Eye of the Beholder” will take place on Friday, Nov. 6, from 5 to 9 p.m. An artist talk is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, from 5 to 9 p.m.
In the Gabinetto Gallery, 15 artists hailing from St. Pete, Clearwater, Tampa, Sarasota and Orlando will present fresh impressions of the flesh in “Body Language.” With a focus on the nude figure, each artist explores how the body alone can be used to communicate emotions and ideas, illuminating the intuitive understanding all humans have about our shared experience and the limits presented by mortality. Artists include Christina Antoniou, Ashley Cantero, Michael Erickson, L.E. Fen, David Kafer, Cristi Lopez, Cake Marques, MikeyBear McGrath, Chad Mize, Karen Mullendore, Whitney Paige, Gillian Probert, Terry Scopelliti, Margherita Tibaldo, and Wilmer Vergara.
An opening reception for “Body Language” will take place on Friday, Nov. 6, from 5 to 9 p.m.
The Werk Gallery and Object Lab was born three years ago from the passion and overflowing collection of Fritz and Matthew Faulhaber. It is a locally focused art venue with an international scope and “the world’s greatest gift shop.”
The Werk is conveniently located in downtown St. Petersburg, easy walking distance from many of the city’s famous breweries, eateries, shopping and entertainment venues. Hours are Wednesday, noon to 5 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, noon to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.