A new exhibition at the Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach (CCPVB) “Splashes of a Colorful Life,” abstract paintings by Dottie Dorion and “Shadows,” turned wood works by Ed Malesky will be on display at the Cultural Center through Nov. 11. An opening reception for the artists’ works was held Oct. 21 and featured live music, appetizers, cocktails and a chance to be among the first to view the Cultural Center’s newest exhibition and meet the artists.
Coming from an artistic family and taking art studies elective courses in undergraduate and graduate school, Dorion displays a body of work that includes abstracts, landscapes and what she refers to as “alternative visions” where she employs the use of non-traditional paint. One such work, “Goldfish,” which is part of the CCPVB exhibition, uses oil and glass beads to create depth and texture.
Her primary mediums are acrylic and oil. Dorion utilizes bold color and sweeping textures combined with delicate strokes to convey the mood and tone of her paintings. The curator for Dorion’s exhibition, Paul Ladnier, has been her instructor for the past 10 years, but they’ve known each other about three decades.
“It’s amazing,” Ladnier said of Dorion’s work. “There was no shortage of high-quality work, so it was exciting to put it together and see it all come to fruition. I kind of watched it grow for the last 10 years and watched it morph into a very unique vision.”
Proceeds from Dorion’s exhibition sales will benefit the Cultural Center’s educational programs.
“[I] feel like the kids don’t get any art in the schools anymore, so I really am so happy that I get to do that,” said Dorion, who has a master’s degree in special education.
Dorion enjoyed a career in nursing before retiring and is the co-founder of Volunteers in Medicine, an organization that provides free outpatient primary and specialty medical services to Jacksonville’s working low-income and uninsured individuals and families.
Malesky’s ‘Shadows’
Malesky was a chemist before retiring to focus on his art. Drawn to woodworking, he began creating furniture and other projects for the house before turning his attention to woodturning.
The process of woodturning involves the use of a lathe, a machine that rotates the wood on its axis in order to manipulate it. For his creations, Malesky uses native Florida wood.
Malesky is the president of the Northeast Florida Woodturners Association, chairman of the Florida Woodturning Symposium and a board member of The Art Center Cooperative, a nonprofit corporation that supports the arts in Jacksonville.
Works from each of the artists are displayed in CCPVB’s Main, Scene and Community galleries. Gallery admission is free and open to the public.
The Cultural Center is located at 50 Executive Way, Ponte Vedra Beach. For more information, call (904) 280-0614 or visit www.ccpvb.org.
