- December 26, 2024
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Dex Westphal, sitting in front of her sumi-e piece, is the Gargiulo Art Foundation's 2021 Artist of the Year. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Dex Westphal's most recent dowel painting, "Paisley," is in the show at the Grand Gallery. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Dex Westphal's abstract painting, "Over the River." Photo by Brent Woronoff
Andy Sovia poses next to one of his paintings. Photo by Brent Woronoff
"Crazy Times" by Andy Sovia. Photo by Brent Woronoff
"New Beginnings" by Andy Sovia. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Paul Beaulieu poses next to his painting, "Edge of Autumn." Photo by Brent Woronoff
One of several still lifes in the show by Paul Beaulieu. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Tom Gargiulo, left, with former Artists of the Year Trish Vevera (2018), Lee Richards ('19), Judi Wormeck ('16), J.J. Graham ('09) and Grand Gallery curator Jan Jackson ('20) with 2021 Artist of the Year Dex Westphal, seated.
Dex Westphal has been ill, and it has been a challenge for her to get into the art studio and paint.
But she has managed to get it done, and she has some new works in the latest Grand Gallery show featuring the Gargiulo Art Foundation's Artist of the Year nominees.
Westphal, who was also an Artist of the Year nominee in 2018, was named the 2021 GAF Artist of the Year at the show's reception Nov. 21.
"It's a thrill," said Westphal. "A great honor."
Westphal has a new dowel dot painting, entitled "Paisley," in the show. She also has a new sumi-e Japanese painting on display in the show at the Grand Gallery at Grand Living Realty, 2298 Colbert Lane.
"People keep saying they hope I do more of the dowel paintings, but they take a long time to do," she said.
The other Artist of the Year nominees, whose works are in the show, are Paul Beaulieu and Andy Sovia.
"It's a good show," said Tom Gargiulo, who founded the Gargiulo Art Foundation 29 years ago with his partner Arlene Volpe. "Paul is a naturalistic artist, Andy is more surreal and Dex goes from representational to totally abstract."
Gargiulo said all three nominees are not only exceptional artists but have also contributed a great deal to the Flagler art community.
"It's not enough that you're a good artist. All of the nominees are actively involved in the community," he said.
Westphal, who moved to Palm Coast nine years ago, is the 22nd GAF Artist of the Year. Her abstract and dowel paintings were also featured in a show at the Grand Gallery last spring.
"It's not enough that you're a good artist. All of the nominees are actively involved in the community,"
TOM GARGIULO
She taught art for 10 years at the Community College at Baltimore County and continued to teach after she moved to Palm Coast.
Sovia has been painting with oils since he was 12 and has studied at numerous art institutions. His paintings have been featured in Manhattan galleries, and his art has been critiqued by LeRoy Neiman, Peter Max and Andy Warhol, among other notable artists.
"To me, art is drama. I like reactions," he said.
He also writes books, mostly novels that have been self-published, and he says he collects rejection slips from publishers along with those from art galleries.
While many of Westphal's paintings are intuitive abstracts, and some of Sovia's are whimsical, Beaulieu's show entries are landscapes and still lifes.
"I'm a representational painter with little impressionistic nuances," he said. "Some people would say I'm a realist."
Beaulieu founded a design firm in Boston in 1968 after graduating from the Swain School of Design. He sold the firm in 2010 and moved to Palm Coast. Beaulieu, who has been painting since he was 16, furthered his art studies at the Florence (Italy) Academy of Art.
Sovia and Beaulieu have painted turtles on the Palm Coast Arts Foundation's Turtle Trail.
At the show's reception, Gargiulo also announced that the Gargiulo Art Foundation will be teaming up with J.J. Graham's Salvo Art Project to host art shows at Watson Realty, 1410 Palm Coast Parkway NW.
"It will be another space to give artists more exposure," Gargiulo said.
The works by the Artist of the Year nominees will be on display at the Grand Gallery through Jan. 9.
