With an indifferent pug at his side, a boy plays marbles in a verdant garden in front of what appears to be a portal into another realm. Scientists stand on scaffolding to document a strange flying cube, while a father aims a projectile at it from below. A shirtless man in a painting stares down at a partially seen woman outside the painting, in a complex study of dimension, perception, and geometry. These works — by Robin Woodward, Nino Liguori, and Richard Ferrugio, respectively — are just three examples of work by the eclectic South Florida artists whose art has been selected for ArtServe’s annual “ArtBRAVO!” juried art competition and exhibition. Distinguished jurors from the Deering Estate, Miami’s Art Momentum Gallery, and Miami’s Arts & Entertainment Council chose the finalists, a dynamic group that ArtServe President and CEO Jaye Abbate believes speaks to the dynamism and vibrancy of the arts in South Florida. This year’s exhibition also marks the first year that digital/projection art will be included along with paintings, photography, mixed media, sculpture, ceramics, and glassworks — thus thrusting “ArtBRAVO!” fully into the 21st Century. The exhibition runs from Friday to January 30 at ArtServe, located at 1350 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 to 6 p.m., and there is no cost to attend. Call 954-462-8190, or visit artserve.org.
Fri., Jan. 9, 2015