- October 14, 2026
Gallery500 will celebrate the life, career and legacy of local artist Beau Wild with a special exhibition opening on Thursday, Sept. 17.
"Beau Wild: From the Studio" features the final collection of artwork from Wild's studio, according to a press release. Wild died in February of this year after a battle with cancer, just days after celebrating her 83rd birthday.
"A prolific and accomplished artist, she spent decades developing an artistic practice defined by continued repetition, emotional depth, and an ongoing willingness to evolve," the press release stats. "Her work encompassed painting, mixed media, assemblage, sculpture, and abstraction, with expressive brushwork and vibrant color becoming hallmarks of her artistic voice."
The exhibition brings together many works featured in Wild’s 2023 solo retrospective at Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens, along with never-before-available pieces from her private collection.
A native Floridian, Wild returned to her childhood hometown of Daytona Beach in 1983 after spending 22 years in New England. She studied occupational therapy at Tufts University and painting at the Museum School/Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
Throughout her career, Wild exhibited in museums, galleries, competitions, and art festivals throughout Florida and nationally. Her work was shown at institutions including the Museum of Florida Art, Florida Museum for Women Artists, Foosaner Art Museum, Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens, Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry, and the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art at St. Petersburg College.
"Beau was an inspiration to so many people, and the more I learned about her as an artist and as a person, the more my admiration grew," said Amber O’Neal, Gallery500 director and curator. "What impressed me most was her ability to continually evolve. She wasn't afraid to experiment, fail, try something completely different, and keep going. She found inspiration anywhere, a sign of a true artist in my opinion."
The exhibition will be on display at Gallery500 at One Daytona, 1870 Victory Circle, Suite H810, through Oct. 4. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from 12-6 p.m. Monday hours are by appointment.
