Purple Rain Artists
Below read about each of the artists that entered artwork into the Purple Rain Show and watch the video interviews in which they speak on what inspired their submitted pieces to the exhibit. MAKE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO SEE ALL OF THE ARTIST'S VIDEO'S AND BIOS. THANK YOU!
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ARTISTS IN SHOW:
KIM BEAULIEU ELAINE BEDELL DESTINY BELANGER JULIE BURLEIGH BRONWEN CHANDLER TERESA COOK COOKIE DAVIS RHASHID DUKES |
ANNELIES DYKGRAAF RONALD EPISCOPO WILLIAM GARCIA RUIZ TIMOTHY GRUNSBY PEGGY HARRELL JENNINGS BRIAN HOLDEN ERIN HURLBERT |
DR DALJIT KAUR PAUL LADNIER MARY CATHERINE LEWIS SEAN LOFTON ED MALESKY PATRICK MAHONEY JOHN MERWIN |
COREY MOORTGAT VALENTINA NEDELCHEVA JACQUELYN PFAFF-PRATT CYNDY REYNOLDS JANICE RIPPON ANNE STEEL DENISE SAWYER-JOHNSON |
Artist Corey Moortgat
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Corey Moortgat is an acrylic artist from Jacksonville, Florida. She’s explored a variety of media throughout her life—paint, pencil, collage, photography—just to name a few. She graduated college with a BFA in Painting in 1994, then went on to earn her Master’s degree in Art Therapy in 1996.
She’s worked as an art therapist, an art teacher, a custom framer, an art store manager, and currently manages a paint and sip studio while teaching acrylic painting classes. In her spare time, she’s taught mixed media classes, written articles for magazines, and even owned her own artistic rubber stamp line for a bit! In 2007, she published a book called The Art of Personal Imagery about using personal and meaningful imagery in your artwork. Corey has three amazing pieces in the Purple Rain Show: Artemis, Lillian, and Valeria. |
Artist John Merwin
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John Merwin is a Central Florida based artist. His primary focus is abstract and minimalist art.
John has two wonderful pieces in the Purple Rain Show: Purple Rain and Century Rain II. |
Could brush strokes have value of their own, even if they were not just part of a realistic representation of the painter’s subject?
The artist abstract artist Yayoi Kusama said, “Bring on Picasso, bring on Matisse, bring on anybody! I would stand up to them all with a single polka dot.“ This bold statement, that a single mark could not only be art, but stand up to works of artists like Pablo Picasso and Henri, Matisse, was intriguing. If you break down a painting, it is nothing more than a series of brush strokes. Could a single brush stroke have meaning or convey a concept? |
Artist Paul Ladnier
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Paul continues to travel, paint, exhibit his works, teach privately at his CoRK studio and conduct painting and drawing workshops. In June 2019, he taught a plein-air workshop for Il Chiostro at San Fedele, Italy and has been invited back to teach again in 2020. Paul has two pieces in the Purple Rain Show: Purple Tempest and Purple Mascara. |
Paul Ladnier, Professor Emeritus, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, taught painting and drawing for nearly forty years. He received numerous awards and recognition for the quality of his teaching and dedication to his students, the community and the university. Upon his retirement, UNF honored him with an eponymous scholarship, which provides educational funds for exceptional painting majors. He received the MFA degree from Syracuse University and the BFA degree from Ringling School of Art, Sarasota, Florida. Paul has exhibited in solo exhibitions and numerous group shows throughout his career. He is an invited artist to many plein-air competitions and events, including the prestigious, annual Publisher’s Invitational, “Paint the Adirondacks,” and 2016’s Publishers Invitational, Cuba. He taught two summers in Italy as part of UNF’s study abroad program. He has painted throughout the United States, Central America, the Caribbean, and Europe.
He is a member of The American Impressionist Society, The Society of Illustrators, since 1984, and in 2017 he was elected to the prestigious Salmagundi Club, New York. He was one of six charter members to start the CoRK Arts District in Jacksonville, which has become a focal point of the arts in Jacksonville. It has grown to more than 65 artists and studios. |
Artist Rashid Dukes
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Rashid Dukes is a wonderful photographer. He speaks of walking, observing and capturing the beauty in nature. He has a natural talent for finding the right composition for his photographs. We hope to see more of Rashid's work at the Art Center Cooperative, Inc in the future.
Rashid has one piece titled, Purple Passion Flower. |
Artist Peggy Harrell Jennings
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Peggy Harrell Jennings is a local artist, dancer and instructor, and author. She is a longtime board member of the Jacksonville Artists' Guild and for years a contributor to the Resident Community Newspaper.
Peggy works in acrylics and lately has immersed herself in mixed media. Her submission to the MOSH exhibition, "The Essence of Jacksonville", won her first prize. Peggy continues to experiment with different mediums and create visual art. We are happy to have Peggy in the Purple Rain Show. Please take a close look at her piece; Purple Passion. |
Artist Annelies Dykgraaf
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Annelies Dykgraaf was born in Nigeria where she lived for 18 years. She has a BFA from Calvin College and studied in France through the Cleveland Institute of Art. Annelies moved from Michigan to Florida in 2001.
In 2008, Annelies was awarded an Art Ventures grant from the Community Foundation in Jacksonville. She is a founding member of Jacksonville Cultural Development Corporation (2004)(f/k/a JCAAA) and The Art Center Cooperative Inc. (2005). She served on the Board of the Beaches Fine Arts Series for 12 years and is currently the President of the Jacksonville Artists Guild. Her art is mainly in relief work; carving into a block of wood or linoleum depicting people, symbols, textile patterns and motifs of West African culture/myths. She also has a variety of acrylic paintings. Here pieces for Purple Rain include; Zorro Jungle Rain and Purple Mystery. Annelies is a founding and current member of TAC and a Honorary Board Member. You can see more of her work on our site by visiting her artist page CLICK HERE
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Artist Denise Sawyer-Jonhnson
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Denise is a new artist and a member of TAC, who enjoys painting faces using pencil sketches, acrylic and mixed media to create. Denise has exhibited in Maryland and has participated in juried shows. She has sold works to art enthusiasts from DC, Maryland, Boston, Miami, Savannah and Jacksonville. Denise is also a board member.
Denise has several pieces in this show; Purple Reign. You can see more of her work on our site by visiting her artist page CLICK HERE. |
Artist Dr Daljit Kaur
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Although Dr Art Daljit Kaur is not an artist member of the Art Center Cooperative, Inc -she is a board member and a wonderful contributor to the Art Center.
Dr Art Daljit Kaur was inspired, motivated and encouraged by her parents and the rich cultural surroundings in her native place. Despite being a girl in the rural environment, her father was instrumental in encouraging her creativity and letting her explore her inner instincts and imagination. Her mother being a creative house wife provided her the initial impetus by drawing folk art figures and crafts and making the relief’s on the walls. Being creative and having an artistic bend of mind, Daljit went to Patiala for her higher education in Fine Arts. She successfully completed her Master’s in Fine Arts with honors, achieving a gold medal. She was always a creative person enjoying the challenges in Fine Arts, holding various exhibitions and working as an Arts teacher in a prestigious Military School, Chail India. |
In 1993 she moved to Canada and setup her home studio. She has been painting abstract art and drawings using mixed media such as Oil, Acrylics, Oil pastels, Water based colors and charcoal. She has never limited her style to one specific medium or surface including photography. She always follows her inspirations which guide her style of art. Her typical style of work is to develop a series of paintings projecting a common theme, a social cause or philosophy. Her work evolves around the rich and vibrant colors, with bold lines, combination of long and short strokes and textural variations in any form of material available from her surroundings. Furthermore, her work represents her curiosity about the world around her and her interaction with abstract figures, folk motif, symbols and bright color combinations. Accomplishing a doctorate in Fine Arts with her thesis being: “An Analytical Study of the Works of Artist Sohan Qadri” - helped her polish the finer aspects and analysis of visual and life journey of an artist. Her thesis has been recommended for publication. Daljit has one piece in the Purple Rain Show called Purple Life Mystery
Artist Erin Hurlbert
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Erin Hurlbert is not a TAC artist but her work in this show speaks for itself. Erin had one of the prize pieces from the last exhibition at TAC. She is a versatile artist working in acrylics but also a wide variety of mixed media that includes fibers, wire, clay.... The list goes on and on.
Here submission pieces include: For Mother's Sake (Mother Rests) and Perched over the Maroondah Reservoir at Sunset. We look forward to seeing more of the stunning work by this artist in the future. |
Artist Cyndy Reynolds
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Cyndy has one piece in the Purple Rain show titled; Cleansing. She is also a member of TAC and more of her wonderful work can be found on our site by clicking here.
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Cyndy Ira Reynolds, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, developed her love of pottery during the long winters in Wisconsin where she managed a hotel for Marriott. Upon retiring in 2017, she and her husband moved back to Jacksonville where she, with the support and assistance from her father, established her own pottery studio in the family’s former car shop and began her new venture, Cirama Pottery and More.
Based on her love of gardening and achieving Master Gardener status in both Wisconsin and Florida, her work has been nature-inspired and driven by intriguing textures and shapes. Cyndy doesn’t just admire leaves on the neighborhood trees, but takes samples and turns those leaves into planters, bowls, platters and trays. An enthusiast of both wheel and slab creation, Cyndy has successfully marketed her functional and garden whimsical work at art and garden events. She uses primarily mid-range clays and glazes and is at work most days in her shop amid the leftover tools from the shop’s history of creating national championship racing cars. |
Artist Jacquelyn Pfaff-Pratt
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Jacquelyn Pfaff-Pratt is from upstate NY. She lived there for 58 years before she started her journey south. Jacquelyn has always had a strong interest in the visual arts. In sixth grade she stated that she was going to be an artist when she grew up. That is just what she did. She spent 32 years teaching high school art in NY.
Jacquelyn has won many awards in visual arts in New York, Maryland, and Florida. She has work in a variety of collections around the world. Her mediums of choice are oil paints, colored pencil and pastels. She is currently relearning watercolor painting. She pretty much can draw whatever is in front of her but her preferences are flowers, gardens, landscape, pets, architecture. She is also active in the Plein Air movement. She will work on commission, portraits, pets, homes, etc. Jacquelyn is a member of TAC. Jacquelyn has a two wonderful pieces in this show; Purple Lupine House 1 and Sol & Violets. You can see more of her work on our site by visiting her artist page CLICK HERE. |
Artist Janice Rippen
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Artist Janice Rippon is Scottish artist living and working in Florida.
She says, "I use a range of media to create artworks. My three sisters gifted my first easel when I was 14. My high school art teacher introduced me to watercolor paints and I was up and running. I paint what I like being drawn to boats, beaches and all things seaside as they remind me of home. I use photographs of favorite places as inspiration from a distance. I like to create still lives using interesting angles and perspectives. I work in my studio – lovingly called the Arty Bar – or outside in the sunlight. I exhibit my work locally both in Ponte Vedra Beach and St. Augustine. I’m an artist member of St. Augustine Art Association, Cultural Center of Ponte Vedra Beach and Jacksonville Watercolor Society." Her work in the Purple Rain Show is called Pale Purple Exclusion. |
Artist Teresa Cook
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The Art Center is so happy to have artist Teresa Cook in the Purple Rain Show show. She is known for her watercolors. She is an artist from and creating in Jacksonville, Florida. Cook started her love of art solely from drawing with color pencils. What started as colored pencil drawings grew into painting using mainly watercolor paints. She recounts using how-to books in the beginning of her painting journey and keeps them as a reminder of how far she has come in her craft. Today, Cook has developed her own style using watercolors to capture the world around her. She finds that traveling helps to fuel her work by inspiring new landscapes, textures, and skyscapes.
Teresa has two pieces in the Purple Rain Show: Shades and Shades #2 |
Artist Pat Mahoney
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Pat Mahoney is an artist and art restorer/conservator residing in Orange Park, Florida. Educated at the University of North Florida, this artist has cultivated a love for rendering scenes of tranquility. He has been creating beautifully hued and meticulously detailed landscapers and still lifes in oil on canvas since 1965. Pat is now one of North Florida’s most successful representational artists. Although he is firmly dedicated to the style of realism, Pat’s work is consistently infused with subtle undercurrents of emotion.
Pat is not a member of TAC but we are so happy to have him participate in the Purple Rain Show! His piece is a truly marvelous work called Isaias. |
Artist Anne Steel
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Anne Steel is a local artist who works primarily in alcohol inks to create intriguing abstract works. Anne has two works in the Purple Rain Show, Purple Tempest and After the Storm Diptych.
We are so happy to have Anne's submissions in the Purple Rain show. |
Artist Ed Malesky
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Ed is a Board Member of TAC and the Immediate Past President.
Ed has always been interested in woodworking and developed his skills to focus on woodturning as art. He feels that creating his art always starts with a beautiful form. Turning wood into these forms is a truly tactile and very enjoyable experience, complicated by the fact that wood is an organic material that moves and distorts as it dries or contains hidden defects. Sometimes he can use these features and sometimes he needs to plan ahead to get the form he wants. A beautiful form can be enough, especially when he has used a spectacular piece of wood. However, his real goal is to draw an emotional response from the viewer, so often this initial form is just the canvas for his work. He loves adding color and texture to his pieces using dyes, paints, pyrography and other processes that allows the viewer to see something beyond just a piece of wood. |
The love of color and shapes has also led him into the world of digital images. Ed is amazed at the way a computer can generate beautiful images starting with some simple forms. There is a lot an artist needs to add however, since there are thousands of variables to apply to these simple forms to create a beautiful image. Once all the parameters are set, the computer begins the arduous task of rendering the image, which in many cases takes more than a day. Form and color, texture and complexity are his tools, whether in wood or on paper.
Ed has a wonderful piece he created from wood. It is the Pentatonic Flute and it is a true work of art that actually plays! Watch the video.
You can see more of her work on our site by visiting his artist page CLICK HERE.
Ed has a wonderful piece he created from wood. It is the Pentatonic Flute and it is a true work of art that actually plays! Watch the video.
You can see more of her work on our site by visiting his artist page CLICK HERE.
Artist Elaine Emory Bedell
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Elaine has the piece Before the Storm in the Purple Rain Show. Elaine is a long time member of TAC, to see more of Elaine's work on the TAC website click here.
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Elaine Emory Bedell is a member of the Art Center Cooperative. This
Excerpt below taken from article by the Jax Daily Record staff member Max Marbut, best describes Elaine and her work. Click here to see the article in its entirety. Those familiar with painter Elaine Emery Bedell’s work are accustomed to seeing her canvases capturing the primitive landscapes of North Florida in her signature realistic style. A lifelong painter, she began drawing at the age of 18 months. When she was in the first grade, Bedell said her teacher told her parents their child was destined to be an artist because she was the only student in the class who didn’t draw “stick people,” but instead drew figures with clothing and even fingernails. Bedell said she enjoys painting because it gives her the opportunity to start with a blank canvas and watch as it’s transformed. “I think we all have the creative urge, but we can be afraid to express it,” she said. “The older I get, the less afraid I am.” |
Artist Sandy Harrington
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Sandy Harrington is a native Floridian and has painted as long as she can remember. Her background as an artist began in illustration and advertising for the Daytona Beach. News Journal and Hurd Moss Advertising in Daytona Beach, Florida
After raising a family, Sandy managed a career in real estate, while donating her time to Volusia County Schools. She produced large scale murals, costumes and scenic design for: the Children's Musical Theatre in Ormond Beach, Mainland High School in Daytona Beach and Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach. Her artwork could be seen in many stage productions. Since retiring to Jacksonville in 2014... Sandy has continued to experiment with color both on paper and canvas. Sandy has one piece in the Purple Rain Show titled, Downpour 2020. |
Artist Ronald Episcopo
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Ron has three pieces in the Purple Rain Show: Rain on a Lake, Purple Sunset and First Cloud. |
Ron Episcopo is well know in the Jacksonville Art Community for his art and participation with a number of art groups. He has been created and his creations star in many shows and have garnered many awards. Although he is not a member of the Art Center, we are happy he chooses to participate in many of our shows.
Here are a few words from Ron, "Although I never went to art school, I constantly had the urge to create. Corporate America didn't take my creativity away, new relationships didn't take it away - and I was learning not to take creativity away from myself. In 2005, I began to study basic photography, I took art classes, I engaged the art communities where I lived - and I fell in love with something other than my husband. After over 48 years of art suppression, I decided it was time to define myself. I decided it was time to art. I've been creating my pieces ever since and have sold numerous small projects and 10 large, mixed media pieces. My art, to my delight, continues to win awards at shows and exhibits. I am proud of what my art has accomplished and I am so excited to push it further, I have 48 years of art to make up for and I am ready to move forward. I am defining myself, I am an artist. |
Artist Julie Burleigh
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Julie Burleigh is a artist living and working in Jacksonville, Florida. Julie usually creates abstracts using oil and cold wax. For the Purple Rain Show she has entered a piece that was inspired by a trip to Islamorada. Florida.
The piece is titled Ménage à Trois. |
Artist Mary Catherine Lewis
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Mary Catherine has two pieces in the Purple Rain Show; Golden Rain and Jen. She is a member of TAC. To see more of her work on our website please Click Here. |
Mary Catherine creates paintings and photographs that express herself visually in poetic terms- metaphorically and symbolically. Her poetic visions travel with her in the natural world finding form for the lines of poetry she visualizes. In her paintings and photographs, she revels in revealing the commonplace in nature as special and unique if we look close, look far, and make connections that are not readily apparent.
Mary Catherine approaches her photography in a painterly style. She seeks not to “be a hostage to reality” but rather to transform an ordinary event or flower as uniquely special, worthy of our time to pause and ponder with gratitude the beauty of our world and our relationships as we see the man walking his dog on the beach at sunrise, a common event made special. |
Artist Kim Beaulieu
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Kim Beaulieu is the current President of the Art Center Cooperative, Inc. Kim is a multi-media artist who has a love for all forms of art and the outdoors. Early on, she would capture the beauty around her through her drawings, paintings, and photography. As she grew up, life took her on a path in which she channeled her creativity through her work as a hairstylist, nail technician and salon owner.
Ms. Beaulieu's life changed dramatically in 2012 and she rediscovered her love for photography, painting, and drawing. She graduated from the University of North Florida in April 2017. Kim earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in Photography and minors in Business Administration and Painting, Drawing & Printmaking. Kim has two pieces in the Purple Rain Show; Unknown Purple Flower and Rain Kissed Blossom. You can see more of her work on our site by visiting her artist page CLICK HERE. |
Artist Cookie Davis
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Cookie Davis is a native of Jacksonville and has been involved in the art community since the early 1970s both as an exhibiting artist and as a volunteer chairperson and board member of a number of cultural organizations and events. Ms. Davis’ sculptures and paintings are stories without words. She says of her work, “Over the years I have filled many sketch books with ideas and themes for sculptures. Beginning in early 2016 I began to translate some of these ideas into paintings...Story People on Canvas.” Cookie has work in permanent collections both nationally and internationally and is proud to have been the first recipient in 2014 of the Robert Arliegh White Award for Art Advocacy presented by the Cultural Council of Jacksonville.
Cookie has one piece in the Purple Rain Show; The Purple Dusk of Twilight Time. You can see more of her work on our site by visiting her artist page CLICK HERE. |
Artist Timothy Grunsby
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At a very early age, he was always fascinated by emotion, color, and ancient civilizations. His art is about evoking a thought, or feeling, reconnecting with a memory, or reciting a dream.
Grunsby finds inspiration in almost everyone and everything he encounters. When asked what fuels, or inspires him, his answers simply, “Anxiety & Love!” Initially trained in photography, and visual communications, Grunsby got immersed in the hair industry where he has achieved accolades as a master stylist & master colorist. Timothy Grunsby works and lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Timothy has three pieces in the Purple Rain Show; When Doves, Purples Rain #1, and Purple Rain #2. |
Artist Valentina Nedelcheva
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Valentina was born and brought up in Bulgaria. She studied in Kiev´s University of cultural Arts. In 2008 she has finished the unique Bulgarian school of untraditional art with well known Stefka Baldjieva.
There are different techniques in finger painting. All her work is done by her fingers with no brushes used, directly on the canvas without preliminary sketches or compositions on subconscious level. Valentina expresses her inner world the harmony of colors, including them as elements of universal harmony. Created on the level of subconscious, these paintings radiate energy which flows into every one who sees them. For Valentina painting is a purification, love and joy. Valentina is a member of the Art Center Cooperative, Inc and has two pieces in the show; Before Rain and Purple Rain. You can see more of her work on our site by visiting her artist page CLICK HERE. |
Artist William Garcia
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William Garcia is a TAC Member and also one of our studio artists. William works in oils to create very thought provoking abstract pieces. He has participated in may of the exhibition shows and earned awards for his work.
William has one piece in the Purple Rain Show; Rain Hard. You can see more of her work on our site by visiting his artist page CLICK HERE. |
Artist Bronwen Chandler
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About Bronwen Chandler:
Growing up in New Zealand spoiled me when it came to scenery...and this factor largely influenced my interest in focusing on nature in fine art. My focus is mainly scenery: landscapes, seascapes, the beautiful local wetlands and marshes in North Florida. I tend to relate to the season and love the brilliance of Fall colors also the bright clarity the summer light casts on the landscape or the ever-changing sea. My favorite mediums are oils and acrylics, also occasionally working with watercolors...and yes, there is almost always some purple to be found - I am always striving to improve and expand to try new challenges and ideas! Painting is about both me and my viewer though: I want the composition to be solid, and the viewer to be drawn into the work and to be able to strongly relate to it. Bronwen has two pieces in the Purple Rain Show: Birthday Lily and Hydrangeas on Purple. |
Artist Sean Lofton
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Sean Lofton is a ceramic artist originally from Jacksonville Beach, Florida. He received his BFA in ceramics from the University of North Florida. He has worked within the clay industry in several ways throughout his career including: studio technician, adjunct ceramics teacher, kiln repair technician, and ceramic retail manager. He is currently working towards a MFA. Sean's ceramic practice has made a diametric shift away from the utilitarian pot to the sculptural vessel. This sculptural work serves to challenge many of the prescriptions that he had learned in the making of pottery. His current work explores the creative possibilities that emerge when utility, and its methods of creation, are left at the periphery of his practice. This has led him to use the formal language of pottery as a vernacular for abstraction. He is attempting to convert the innocuous utilitarian clay vessel into an arresting sculptural object.
Sean has one piece is the Purple Rain Show: Dystopian Teapot. |
Artist Brian Holden
Brain is a new and emerging photographer. He takes photographs of objects and landscapes around Jacksonville. Then He uses editing tools to manipulate the images and colors. He’s been taking photographs for the past 3 years and is self trained. He has a new and modern approach to photograph.
