- April 22, 2024
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Arlene Volpe, Tom Gargiulo, Charlie Badalati, Diana Gilson, Betty Jo Sansbury and Harry Messersmith. Photo by Paige Wilson
Tom Gargiulo, Gargiulo Art Foundation CEO and president, starts the panel discussion. Photo by Paige Wilson
Photographer Charlie Badalati talks about transitioning from his normal photography to creating art pieces. Photo by Paige Wilson
Artist Diana Gilson speaks about her painting process. Photo by Paige Wilson
Forty-six pieces of art were on display in Gargiulo Art Foundation's exhibit "WORK." Photo by Paige Wilson
Harry Messersmith talks about the proposed sculpture garden. Photo by Paige Wilson
Artist Betty Jo Sansbury speaks during the panel. Photo by Paige Wilson
Artists featured in Gargiulo Art Foundation's "WORK" exhibit discussed what goes into being an artist during a panel and closing ceremony Aug. 8 at the Flagler County Art League venue.
Seven professional artists were encouraged to step out of their comfort zones to create a total of 46 pieces for this month-long exhibit. As a photographer, Charlie Badalati did just that.
"I capture moments," Badalati said. "I don't create moments usually."
While some of his captured photographs were on display, such as a photo of the sea oaks at Marineland, other pieces he made stretched his artistic abilities, like a piece titled "The Cabbage Patch," which focuses on shapes and shadows.
Badalati said once he formed the ideas for his non-photography pieces, the work just flowed out.
Another artist on the panel, Diana Gilson, noted that once she's in the zone, painting away, an interruption would flaw her whole creative process.
"An artist's work is a strange thing," she said. "We're not exactly digging ditches, but we're digging ditches with our minds."
Artist Betty Jo Sansbury said she thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the exhibit in collaboration with the other local artists.
Three artists whose work was featured in the gallery were not present for the panel: Carol Baker, J. J. Graham and Petra Iston.
Gargiulo Art Foundation CEO and president, Tom Gargiulo, continued the panel discussion by unofficially announcing a proposed sculpture garden that, according to plan, would be housed in Town Center.
Gargiulo brought Harry Messersmith, of Messersmith Fine Art in DeLand, aboard the panel to cultivate ideas for the proposed art project, which would ideally start showcasing pieces in 2018.
The GAF hopes to feature existing sculptures, made of strong materials like bronze, cast stone and brick, from local professional artists in the garden for an extended period of time.
"It must be excellent in order to inspire and engage the viewer," Messersmith said.
Gargiulo and Messersmith said their goal is to work with the city of Palm Coast on this project. All funding for the artwork would come from GAF and local sponsors, if they are acquired, Gargiulo said.
Next to be showcased at FCAL is an exhibit called "Just Photography." The exhibit will open with a free reception on Saturday, Aug. 12 from 6-8:30 p.m. and will run through Tuesday, Sept. 5, at 160 Cypress Point Parkway, Suite 207C.
For more information, call GAF at 446-0617, call FCAL at 986-4668 or visit flaglercountyartleague.org.
