Friday, October 25, 2019

If his charcoal drawings, oil paintings and four-legged sculptures aren't enough of a hint, yes, Skip Hartzell is nuts about dogs

South Florida artist Skip Hartzell creates large paintings and works on paper that capture the essence of “dog”. His work is inspired by man’s best friend, and he is best known for his unique sculptures recognized immediately by their distinct form and style only Hartzell can produce.

Skip Hartzell Exhibition in West Palm Beach, Florida

His inspiration comes in the form of a morning walk, accompanied by a furry friend. The canine-inspired artworks that he creates are figments of his artistic imagination and creative vision. Hartzell creates directly from his emotions and instincts, his work is inspired by dogs of all shapes, sizes and varieties.

Skip Hartzell’s ‘Dog No.50’, Paper, Concrete and Resin, 13 x 6.5 Inches

“Dogs are always in the moment. Although nothing in life has held my attention longer or has been more fascinating to me than dogs, my work is about much more than that. It is about form, movement, color and texture. The dogs are a recognizable common denominator that allows me to communicate my joy of living, passions and sentiments,” explained Skip Hartzell.

Skip Hartzell’s ‘Toy Four’ (2018), Oil on Canvas, 60 x 48 Inches

“If you love dogs, you are going to love Skip Hartzell’s soulful pieces. His work is representative of caricature features of dogs,” said J. Marshall Adams, the executive director of the A.E. Backus Museum and Gallery in Historic Downtown Fort Pierce where Hartzell has held exhibitions.

Skip Hartzell's art studio in Port Saint Lucie, Florida

Hartzell’s art studio is crawling with canine-based works. Whether he’s painting or sculpting, Hartzell’s dogs have a wonderful quality of friendliness about them, and it’s hard to keep yourself from reaching out to touch. And that’s perfectly okay with Hartzell. He’s never been one to place a rope around his artwork.

Skip Hartzell in his art studio with his dogs

“The texture is so important because the tactile experience of sculpture is so primal for me,” he says. “You grab with your hands and just start to mush things together and get your fingers on the materials, and there is just such a richness to the feel.” He says whenever he’s doing a show, he is quick to hand his sculptures to the patrons so they can enjoy the feeling, too. And whether it’s paint on canvas or sculpture, the texture is one of the most captivating and inviting parts of experiencing his artwork. Hartzell may not set out to mimic the look of someone’s beloved pet, but he says his sculptures and paintings often evoke a fond memory of a furry family member.

Skip Hartzell’s ‘Golden’, Oil on Canvas, 48 x 60 Inches

The artist has held numerous solo exhibitions at notable art galleries and prestigious art fairs such as Art Palm BeachA.E. Backus Museum, ArtHouse 429, Paul Fisher GalleryAqua Art Fair during Art Basel Miami Beach and many more.


Skip Hartzell exhibition in Miami Beach at Aqua Art Fair during Miami Art Week

Skip Hartzell is a longtime supporter of no-kill animal rescues and donates proceeds from the sale of his artworks to animal-rescue, no kill shelters. For sales, commissions, general inquiries or future show information, email: skipperhartzell@yahoo.com / visit www.skiphartzell.com

Mindy Solomon Gallery: Hidden Hour

Nicole Cherubini, Future Perfect

Experience the Opening Reception of Hidden Hour at Mindy Solomon Gallery on Friday, October 25th from 6 – 9pm in the Little River Arts District. Hidden Hour features Pam Lins, Nicole Cherubini, Rubens Ghenov, Amy Pleasant, Craig Drennen, Adam Milner, Shai Yehezkelli. Curated by Linda Lopez and Marc Mitchell. This exhibition features seven artists whose work invokes various notions of “collecting.” This exhibition is on view through November 23, 2019. This Event is Free & Open to the Public. See more here: http://www.themiamiartscene.com/event/mindy-solomon-gallery-hidden-hour/

Storefront Art Studio in Downtown Hollywood, the Gallery and Studio Space of Brian Gefen & Jill Weisberg

Storefront Art Studio presents Ideal Situation exhibition from October 19 – December 22, 2019. IDEAL SITUATION is a dual exhibition of Brian Gefen and Jill Weisberg, this collaboration is a culmination of current social and political situations. Using vintage printed materials, pop-culture iconography and a vibrant color palette, Gefen and Weisberg communicate their views in different ways both using a mixed-media approach.


Ideal Situation exhibition opening reception on Thursday, October 24th from 7-10pm


Gefen uses pop culture to illustrate how society puts priorities on entertainment, not factual information. Weisberg’s intention is to show how feminism has been commodified for profit by using advertisements from vintage women’s magazines. Both artists’ work are a treat for the eyes, encouraging the viewer to look deeper into the works and find meaning.


Close-up of one of artist Jill Weisberg’s pieces in Ideal Situation


Storefront Art Studio is an exhibition space in the heart of Downtown Hollywood, Florida and the working studios of local artists Jill Weisberg and Brian Gefen. It is a dedicated site for artists and creatives to showcase their work in an environment that melds seamlessly with the traditional architecture of Downtown Hollywood, while also being a rallying point for cultural events and vibrant social interaction.


‘So Close to the Frame’ Digital image, 2019


Brian Gefen received his Bachelor’s in Fine Art from Ai Miami International University of Art and Design in 2007 and Master’s in Painting from the University of Miami in 2011. His style is very diverse, ranging from abstracted digital photography to metaphorical figurative painting. As a working artist, Gefen’s goal is to be a creative individual who pushes boundaries by defying genres and constantly looks for new types of media and materials to work with.


‘Move with it’ Digital Archive Print, 2018


Gefen’s work is publicly collected by the NSU Museum of Art in Fort Lauderdale and has been included in a variety of group shows in South Florida since 2005. These exhibitions include Exposed, Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, FL in 2017, Wrestling the Snake: Open Season in Political Art, The Projects at FAT Village, Fort Lauderdale, FL, curated by Leah Brown and Peter Symons in 2016, 100 + Degrees In The Shade, Laundromat Art Space, Miami, FL, curated by Jane Hart in 2015; Smash & Grab (15th anniversary) at Locust Projects, Miami, Florida in 2013 and Home: Dream Home at Praxis International Art, Miami, Florida, curated by Grela Orihuela in 2011.


‘She Comes First’Exterior, type-based public art installation by Jill Weisberg
Located at Christian Louboutin in the Miami Design District


Jill Weisberg received both her BFA and MFA in Graphic Design from Florida Atlantic University in 1994 and 2010, respectively. She was awarded a Creative Investment Program Grant from the Broward County Cultural Division for ‘She Comes First‘, an exterior, type-based public art installation. Most recently, Weisberg’s work was featured at FAIR: an all-female, alternative, non-commercial art fair presented by Spinello Projects at the Brickell City Centre in Miami, Florida.


Close-up of one of artist Jill Weisberg’s pieces in Ideal Situation


Other exhibitions include Locust Projects (Miami), Design Sublime (Miami), Bailey Contemporary Arts (Pompano Beach, Florida), Girls’ Club (Fort Lauderdale), the Truman State University Gallery (Kirksville, Missouri) and Gallery RFD (Swainsboro, Georgia). Weisberg is the curator and project manager of the Community Redevelopment Agency of Hollywood’s Downtown Hollywood Mural Project, a contemporary exterior mural project. With more than 20 murals and counting, the award-winning DHMP is the largest walkable mural project in Broward County and features renowned local, national and international artists.


Brian Gefen’s, ‘Earth Movers at the Beach’, 40” X 30.75”
Wood, screws, glass, nails, fabric string, acrylic paint, markers, latex paint and archival inkjet print


Storefront Art Studio showcases two open platforms that flank the entrance to the space, these exhibition walls can be viewed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Once inside, viewers and visitors become a part of the current exhibitions, themselves, integrated into a dynamic community environment with locally-driven programming.


Detail of Jill Weisberg’s ‘Holowsexual’


Art exhibitions and events can be staged at Storefront, for details please email: hello@storefrontartstudio.com / Hours are by appointment only. The upcoming exhibition, IDEAL SITUATION, will be on view from October 19th through December 22nd, 2019. For more information visit www.storefrontartstudio.com