Artists Christos Calivas & Michele Byrne To Open Exhibit Mar 7th Of New Works At Gingerbread Square Gallery

Artists Christos Calivas & Michele Byrne To Open Exhibit Mar 7th Of New Works At Gingerbread Square Gallery

This upcoming exhibition at Gingerbread Square Gallery will feature a rich assortment of new work by Michele Byrne and Christos Calivas and is sure to be intriguing to collectors of fine art. It begins with an opening reception on Monday, March 7th from 5:30 to 8:30PM and continues through March14^th.  However, it will be available for early viewing beginning at Noon on Sat, March 5th.

Christos Calivas’ paintings are an exploration of the spectrum between realism and abstraction inspired by his surroundings in Maine, Greece and Key West. Michele Byrne’s work is centered around her theme “The Art of Conversation” depicting people gathering together in fun and lively social situations, such as the beaches, streets and popular cafés of Key West.

Christos Calivas, a self-taught painter, works in Maine and spends part of his time in Greece and Key West.  This is his fourth show at Gingerbread Square Gallery. He has studied painting with many notable artists at the Massachusetts College of Art. In addition to being a full time artist, he is also an avid sailor, a licensed Merchant Marine Captain, holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree, and is a musician with an interest in Middle Eastern, Armenian and Greek Music.  Christos brings to his painting the richness of all these experiences, which for him is an expression of the world he loves.  His passion for sailing and the outdoor world is reflected in his subject matter, often encompassing waterfront wharfs and vessels, local architecture, the sky and water in its infinite variations of color and light.  The inspiration derived by his surroundings in Key West, Maine, Greece & is evident in his work.

Calivas’ paintings are an exploration of the spectrum between realism and abstraction. Speaking about this element of his work he has said:  “In my painting, I always consider the creative tension between the abstract elements the canvas and my immediate, intense response to the landscapes before me.  Over the years I have become increasingly aware of the danger of creating pleasing but emptied-out shapes that may have decorative strength but can become too far removed from my original source and inspiration.  As I advance in both directions, my emotional and aesthetic response to a particular place is now tightly joined to the colors, abstract shapes and forms I quickly find within that scene.  My objective is to create paintings that are strong and convincing aesthetically while still conveying an intensely felt sense of place.” His work is exhibited in many galleries in the US and internationally.

Plein air artist Michele Byrne has received numerous awards for her work and is present in permanent museum collections. She has been an Artist-in-Residence at TSKW several times. For this upcoming exhibition at Gingerbread Square Gallery, she will be exhibiting the work she produces in Key West and paintings inspired from her recent trips to Cuba and Paris. Michele frequently travels to paint in plein air competitions throughout the US. “Plein Air Magazine” has featured her and has participated in the national Plein Air Convention in Monterey.

Most of Byrne’s work is centered around her theme “The Art of Conversation”.  People gathering together in fun & lively social situations, such as the beaches, streets & popular cafés of Key West.  Michele Byrne says, “I prefer to paint outdoors directly on site. I feel that it is the best way to capture the immediacy of the moment. It allows me to immerse myself in the subject. Whether standing next to a busy café, an umbrella filled beach or inside a jazz club, I know that it is not just the visual information that becomes a part of the painting. The sounds, the smells, the mood and the environment all become integral to the finished image. My plein air paintings are meant to be mirrors of our lives.”

This upcoming exhibition with works by Christos Calivas and Michele Byrne at Gingerbread Square Gallery will feature a rich assortment of new works and is sure to be intriguing to collectors of fine art. It begins with an opening reception on Monday, March 7th from 5:30 to 8:30PM and continues through March14^th. However, it will be available for early viewing beginning at 12:30PM on Saturday, March 5th.

Gingerbread Square Gallery is located “Uptown” at 1207 Duval Street, Key West, Florida 33040.  The gallery is open daily from 10AM to 6PM.  Phone: 305-296-8900. www.GingerbreadSquareGallery.com  Email: [email protected]

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