- November 20, 2024
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Gallery500 hosted a pop-up show at Rose Villa in Ormond Beach on Saturday, Sept. 7, featuring Palm Coast native Brandon Santiago.
Santiago was the gallery's fifth artist in its emerging artist series and painted live during the pop-up event. According to a blog post by the gallery, Santiago returned to his home in Palm Coast after studying graphic design and studio art at the University of South Florida.
"When asked why he returned home rather than exhibiting in cities such as New York or Miami, he stated 'I want to build a base, a foundation first,'" Gallery500 Director Amber O'Neal wrote. "That’s one thing that I love about Brandon, he understands the depth of his work and the impact that I truly believe it will have in the future."
Art has been a part of Santiago's life for most of his life, and when he was in high school, he was mentored by expressionist painter JJ Graham, co-founder of Salvo Art Project in Bunnell.
"His work is based on experimentation and split-second decision making, often in the moment," O'Neal said. "As an abstract expressionist, he creates intuitively, allowing his feeling in that moment to reveal itself in his work. He will often paint live, allowing those around him to impact his work."
At the pop-up event, Santiago painted four new pieces. Three are still available for purchase at Gallery500.