Museums filled with color and creative art can be a symphony for the eyes.
The “Visual Symphony” art exhibition debuted on Feb. 7 at the Lake County Museum of Art, 213 W. Ruby St. in Tavares. The exhibition, which will be on display through
March 29, showcases 2-D and 3-D artwork from 16 different members of Area 5 of the Florida Artists Group, which covers Lake, Brevard, Osceola, Orange, Seminole and Volusia counties
The Florida Artists Group Inc, is a professional art organization that aims to “inspire, celebrate and promote excellence in visual arts,” according to the group’s website. For the exhibit, the artists were challenged to show their interpretation of art as it defined by late Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky.
“Color directly influences the soul, color is the keyboard, the eyes are the hammers, the soul is the piano with many strings,” Kandinsky said. “The artist is the hand that plays, touching one key or another purposely, to cause vibrations in the soul.”
Ileanne Buigas, executive director of Lake County Museum of Art, said the museum’s mission is to feature artists from the across the state and to bring talent to Lake County.
The Feb. 7 opening night of the exhibition attracted a crowd of more than 60 people and left visitors feeling inquisitive about the variety of art shown.
It features art showing a detailed acrylic painting that tricks the eyes to appear as a photograph from far away to a colorfully whimsical art piece showing a dreamscape candy land.
Buigas said it was interesting watching patrons express interest in pieces that seemed to be totally opposite of each other.
“This group does a little bit of everything you can think of,” she said.
Since the group has grown over the years, new members and new art are being displayed in museums and galleries across the state.
An art piece in the exhibition at the Lake County Museum of Art done by Cheryl Bogdanowitsch, shows a 3D sculpture of a bright blue bird with green tipped wings sitting on top of a pile of wood.
Bogdanowitsch is a sculptor who has been a member of the Florida Artists Group since 2008.
The artist uses wood in her artwork, because she was inspired being surrounded by natural wood and woodland areas while growing up in Eastern Iowa.
“My favorite woods are citrus, cypress, oak, and crepe myrtle, which are readily available in my neighborhood,” she said. “Each work begins with a branch, log or limb that suggests a figure or a bird to me, and can end with a sculpted ceramic head. This blending of natural materials and sculpted clay helps me evoke a unique look to my work.”
Mixed media artist Peggy Banks has been a member of the group since 2019. She focuses on bright colors and handmade paper. Banks makes paper using dye infused banana leaf fibers and marble-ized silks.
Work created by Banks can be seen in permanent collections regionally and across the nation in the International Airport of Daytona and The White House.
To learn about Area 5 of the Florida Artists Group, visit floridaartistsgroup.org/area-5-of-the-florida-artists-group. For more information about the art exhibition or future events coming to the Lake County Museum of Art, visit lakeartmuseum.com.
Staff writer Brea Jones can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5414, or brea.jones@thevillagesmedia.com.
