MAGNUM OPUS will revolve around the ecological themes of creation and self-preservation.  It will feature selections from my Goddess series and new themed artwork by Christopher Michael Zenger, Gary Randall, Gina Rathbun, J.Alfonso, Jason Moriarty, Jedd Lancaster, Jeff Cinco, Julia Ozimek, Kat Wilson, Katy Alderman, KLAAREN, Linda Alexander, Mary Martinez, Matt Moore, Melia, Melissa Fair, Nelani Palomino, Robert Wegmann, Rory O’Neil and Warren Gibson to debut at the event.

Over 80 local artists will be on display with all artwork available for purchase by the general public.

Show times for the MAGNUM OPUS stage shows will take place from 8pm to 9pm and 10pm to 9pm and will feature original performances by Bella Danza (Artistic Director: Maria Capitano Pardo), Enigma Dance Kru, Kinetic Dance Group, HEMISPHERE Dance, a Wear To The Tear Fashion Show (with the Bentley Salon), Disco Dolls, Anye Cole and Jeremy Gloff. Jeremy Gloff will hold an album release party and performance for his upcoming 16th studio album, 21st Century Love Songs, in the side Royal Room from 9pm to 10pm.

MAGNUM OPUS will be open to the general public of all ages. Guests are encouraged to wear the colors green and white to the event. There will be an optional $1.00 donation at the doors of the event to help benefit Dalmation Rescue of Tampa Bay. Reserved Seats for $5.00 each and V.I.P. Tables for $10.00 each will be made available for purchase by visiting Square One’s Magnum Opus event info page.

Natalie and I will be taking part in The Progress Energy Gallery’s newest exhibit, “Myth, Mystery and Religion.”  The exhibit will feature images inspired by spiritual and cultural tapestries, ritual, and religion throughout the ages of our shared human history. See what happens when artists attempt to interpret the divine and place that experience on canvas, in steel, or in clay.

The opening reception will be held on October 2nd, from 6 – 9 pm.

Natalie is creating some new pieces inspired by the last few photo shoots we have done that will be exhibited in the upcoming opening.  Its been quite a bit of fun how things are turning out.  Not too long ago, our friends and acquaintances we posing for Natalie to use as reference material for a pastel.  Recently, we started working with some talented models whom we met through Model Mayhem.  We eventually developed a work flow.  Two of her most recent paintings that will be in the exhibit are Nyx: Goddess of Night and Amaterasu along with some of her other work.  I was honored when she asked me to exhibit with her.  A couple of my photographs from the photo shoots are going to be exhibited to showcase the creative process.  Natalie is then able to take the images we get during the shoot and then use them as reference or an inspiration for a new piece of artwork.  Its very cool to see her work.

Natalie spends quite a bit of time preparing for the photo shoots.  She plans nearly every aspect, from set, to theme, and costume. Then we spend the day photographing reference shots that try to find the essence of the goddess Natalie wants to bring to life in her soft pastels.

This last photo shoot we worked with Mai Dang, a model we met through Model Mayhem.  Mai is a runway model who has quite a bit of experience in fashion modeling.  She was a joy and a pleasure with which to work.  Highly professional and very punctual.  We were impressed, from an artistic perspective, at her ability to take direction.  She was eager to get the shot just right.  She brought along costumes and spent time studying and reading up on the goddesses Natalie wanted to portray.  Everyone involved worked long hours.  Mai endured costume changes, and constant hair and makeup. She put her all into the shoot.  What an adventure!

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During the shoot, our good friend George Tau serendipitously was able to attend.  Natalie  wanted to capture the essence of  a goddess in action so she decided to have Mai  in some poses with traditional weaponry, from swords and blades to staffs and spears.  George acted as our weapons consultant that day.  Mai was very eager to learn the proper poses and forms for each weapon and George provided his extensive martial arts training to create some very dramatic shots.  He was very creative with the poses, superimposing traditional goddess poses with weaponry and a sense of action.  George has is Black Sash in San Soo Kung Fu , a Krav Maga artist, and is also available for Tibetan Bowl Sound Therapy.

Micheal also acted again as the sun.  I love having him around for shoots, he is always willing to do whatever it takes to make for a successful shoot.  He is getting good at the lighting rigging.  We’ll probably have to get him some strobe lights and soft boxes soon to play with.

Also, we again had the services of the lovely Georgette Khaziran of Verdecia Salon.  She was incredible.  Not only did she do amazing work through four costume changes, several hair changes, and plenty of makeup changes, she stayed on set during photographing process to do constant touch ups and the make sure Mai was present as best as possible for the camera.

We had a great time with this last shoot and we absolutely pleased with how everything came out.  We are very grateful to all the people who worked so hard to make it happen and look forward to the next shoot.  I can’t believe its already time to start thinking about the next one…

Georgette Khaziran is available for appointments at Verdecia Salon in Citrus Park,

call 813-852-1509 to schedule an appointment.

George Tau is available for Tibetan Bowl Sound Therapy sessions, visit

http://www.tibetanbowltherapy.com to learn more.

It’s a Surreal World opened on Friday, April 4, 2008, at the Progress Energy Art Gallery in New Port Richey, Florida. The featured artist of the evening was Patrick Stickney who explores dreams, meditations, and myths in his paintings.  He works in various media depending on what fits the subject matter and his inspiration of the moment – acrylics, tempera, charcoal, ink, colored pencil, paper collage, photo montage, and even enamel spray paints.

The exhibit also included three soft pastel paintings featuring my new goddess series: Polyhymnia, Summoning Brigit, and Mari, Goddess of Dreams.  This series explores various archetypes from the religious to creative muses with dreamlike imagery.  Polyhymnia features a nude transposed against a guitar with little cute goldfish swimming around.  Summoning Brigit is another goddess posing nude this time with a long flowing piece of silk amidst a colorful background with a hidden light bulb.  And finally, Mari, Goddess of Dreams, has a nude cradled by heavenly wings against a full moon and imagery of transformation symbolism with the butterflies against a stark ocean view with deep red poppies.

The exhibit also featured a new mixed media painting created just for the exhibit entitled, It’s a Surreal World.

[Featured in the photo: Polyhymnia, It's a Surreal World, Summoning Brigit, Mari, Goddess of Dreams, Shakti, & Chaos Theory]

Along with these new paintings, the exhibit also features three large scale metallic prints of original paintings that have sold in prior exhibits and on my online Etsy store, Surrealmuse Studios: Shakti, Chaos Theory & Original Desire.

Other exhibiting artists include Eva Diana Berman who was born in Germany and grew up in Bavaria.  For this featured exhibit, she selected works from her portfolio that explore the discrimination, aggression, and violence that impact women, and explains:

Today, on a regular basis we are reminded of the fate of some of these unfortunate women. Some are scarred forever, some go missing, and some become pioneers to stand up for women’s rights.

It is these facts that prompted me to create the “Fractured Roses” series. Through the use of slashes and breaking up the planes of the canvas I intend to invoke feelings of uneasiness in the viewer as a reminder of the vulnerability of women.

Another exhibiting artist, Melissa Fiorentino, who’s influences range from Michelangelo to Piet Mondrian, strives to bring a convergence of the human passions, emotional thrills, despairing nightmares and the conquest of dreams together to the conscious and unconscious level of the human aspirations.  A variety of color schemes, intense and sometimes risky subject matter help Fiorentino’s work to project a very shocking and different motive . She tends to have a unique style bringing a representational piece, abstract and a portrait all into one. It is a way to allow for there to be a reality and dream or nightmare enclosed onto one image. As Melissa explains in her artist statement:

Nothing speaks to me more than our own emotion .. Basically my main goal is to … [bring] together a surreal and abstract idea of what a person feels while they are experiencing life.

Featured below, another one of Melissa’s paintings encompasses an esoteric metaphysical feeling next to Sherry Shamback’s Spellbinding Garden & Altar Stones, spiritual words encased in cement. The small round ones have astrological glyphs on them and double as (stick) incense holders.

Branden Lukes, another exhibiting artist of the evening, displayed very large paintings that were done on different types of wood.  It is surprising how the different textures of wood in each piece really contribute to the whole experience work.  His use of  simple colors and sweeping black lines is evocative of modern comic books, anime, tribal tattoos, and finer graphic novels.

The exhibit also includes works of art by Virginia Erdie, Kathrine Jakob, Wes Trigger, the curators of the event, Paula Showen and Michelle Collins, along with many other gallery members.  It’s a beautiful exhibit so do check it out if you’re in the area now through May at Progress Energy Art Gallery:

6231 Grand Blvd.

New Port Richey, Florida 34652

Phone: (727) 848-6500

You can read more about the exhibiting artist bios & artist statements here on PEAG‘s website.

After after the art exhibit, we wandered the streets of New Port Richey and discovered the festivities of the Annual Chasco Fiesta that featured pow wow dancing and various vendors from food to arts & crafts.

It’s a Surreal World opening this Friday from 6-9 pm. at the New Port Richey Art Gallery.  I’ll be featuring my new goddess series along with the featured artist of the evening, Patrick Stickney who finds that:

Inspiration comes from our contemporary world, the internal imaginative world, cultural symbols, and ancient mythology.

Other exhibiting artists include: Paula Shown, Eva Diana Berman, Branden Lukes, Virginia Erdie, Melissa Fiorentino, Kathrine Jakob, & Wes Trigger.

Directions to the event can be found here on the event posting.

So far this weekend’s been pretty amazing. We checked out the 2012 show on Friday night. Brian got a ton of great footage that he’ll be going through soon to upload another YouTube video. Then today we had a little party at our place with some new and old friends.
Next Friday, we’ll be going to Permission to Spreak Freely @ International Bazaar in Centro Ybor. It is a venue for all artists and musicians to perform or show pieces of their creative abilities whether it’s through spoken word, visual creations, dance…you name it. It’s a great way to get exposure, make new friends, or just be entertained. So come check it out if you’re in the area.

Ok, I know it’s about time I got around to posting an article about my upcoming art exhibit that is THIS FRIDAY (sorry, didn’t mean to shout there), I’m just glowing from the whirl of events these past couple of weeks in preparing for the event. So if you will be in the Tampa Bay/St. Pete area this Friday night, just take a little drive up to New Port Richey for a change of pace. The art exhibit, Harmonic Movements, will be featuring the artwork of Gus Ocamposilva, a Clearwater muralist, painter & sculptor, along with 20 soft pastel creations of my own from 6-9pm on October 6th at Progress Energy Art Gallery & Greater New Port Richey Main Street. Directions to the exhibit can be found here courtesy of Google Maps. And if you’re unable to attend the opening reception, you can still stop by the gallery until November 25th to catch a peek of the exhibit.

Featured artists include: Bradley Arthur, Susan Banghart, Beverly Barris, Mr. B., Rebekah Belanger, I. LeBow, Sandy Butterfield, Nola Branche, Sali Dalton, Wil Dawson, Dodie, Kaye Dunemire, Boo Ehrsam, Lillian Goodman, Cassandra Gordon Harris, Michael Hanlon, June Harbon, Martin Hennigan, Barbara Hodge, Brian Leighton, Thomas Murray, Jeania Ingle, Jerry Johnson, Brad Nault, Allan Noseworthy, Natalie Roberts (aka surrealmuse), Esther Robertson, Joseph Rotella, Nicholas Sacripante, Susan Duda Shultz, Paula Showen, Scott Spillman, Brandy Stark, Donna Sweigert, Marlene Tenorio, William Wegmuller, and Diana D. Williams.

Most of the artists will be in attendance, including: Brian Leighton, whose work has been featured in the hit HBO series “Sex in the City”, and was recently named Best Nude Portrait Photographer by New York Magazine; Jerry Johnson, whose infrared photographs bring to light everything that is elegant, intelligent, and everlasting about the human figure; Joseph Rotella, award winning international sculptor, best known for his bronze and marble works, and has a piece displayed in the Vatican; William Wegmuller whose abstracts, geometric and storyline paintings have won critical acclaim and have been displayed in museums and galleries throughout Europe.

The public is invited to the Opening Reception on Saturday, July 23, 6:00 – 9:00 PM. Beck Gallery is located at 1720 Land O Lakes Blvd (Hwy 41). Located South of the Dale Mabry/41 Apex. Additional parking is available next door at Tampa Bay Air. Free Admission. Please RSVP by Wednesday, July 20 via email tana@thebeckgallery.com or by calling 813.949.6557. “Exposed” will run through mid October.