Arts Council Gallery Exhibit MICHÈLE KARAHALIOS and BOB BIRD

Description

Arts Council welcomes MICHÈLE KARAHALIOS and BOB BIRD

 Announcing our October Gallery exhibit at the Arts Council of Greater Palatka! We are featuring two artists from the Melrose area with very different genres of art that blend together harmoniously in color tone and the appreciation of our natural world. The show will be on display through Oct. 26^th during regular Center hours of 10am to 4pm, Mon through Thurs and during special events.

 French born Michele Karahalios paints in a loose Impressionistic style with soft colors in warm earthy tones.  Upon moving to live on Lake Santa Fe and taking a day off from work for a painting workshop twelve years ago, Michele was inspired to make room in her life to paint.  She states, “In that 12 years’ time, I’ve studied drawing, watercolor and oil painting with excellent artists, locally, nationally and abroad.”  Michele now paints in oils either with a brush, palette knife or both.  Of her work style Ms. Karahalios says,” I enjoy the challenge of figurative painting, the calmness of still life and the serenity of painting landscapes and plein air.  Painting is a constant source of joy to me.”

 “That joy shows through in the lovely work she creates,” says Evelyn Snyder, gallery Curator for the Arts Council, “viewing her art soothes the senses.”

 Bob Bird a Vietnam Veteran who grew up on army bases, moving every two years until his family moved to Florida in the fifties, says he feels no need to leave this area. Bob is an artist with wood, he developed a deep love of the natural world that surrounds him. Of his work he says, “What I see and experience goes through me and comes out in my carvings. I like to spend a lot of time in water and swamps. The sounds of amphibians, the surrounding plants, hidden animals and other visual delights make my days flow by.”

The subject matter he carves in his 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional art includes creatures and trees seen in his water and swamp excursions.

 Bob likes to use cypress mostly because it is local and he uses the pieces that people throw away or burn. Mr. Bird feels trees here are very important.

According to Evelyn Snyder, “Bob’s work is a lovely interpretation of our natural flora and fauna. He includes enough realism to identify his subjects, without getting too involved with minute details. His work is rather a cross between representational art a a sort of folk art style.”