Floating
The ocean has always been my greatest source of inspiration. Its movement, rhythm, and constant change guide my work as a linoleum block printmaker. Through hand-carved blocks and traditional relief printing, I translate my experiences of the beach—waves, tides, marine life, and shoreline textures—into images that balance structure and spontaneity.
Printmaking appeals to me for the same reasons teaching has shaped my life for over 26 years: it requires patience, intention, and an openness to discovery. Each cut into the linoleum is deliberate, yet the final print always holds an element of surprise. I embrace these variations as part of the process, much like the ocean itself, which is familiar but never the same from one moment to the next.
My years as an art educator have influenced how I approach my studio practice. I value clarity, craftsmanship, and curiosity, and I see printmaking as both a disciplined tradition and an inviting medium. Teaching has reinforced my belief that art is a way to slow down, observe closely, and connect more deeply with the world around us.
Through my work, I aim to share the sense of calm, wonder, and respect I feel when I am near the sea. Each print is a reflection of time spent along the shore—an invitation to pause, breathe, and experience the quiet power of the ocean.
This linoleum block print explores the dynamic energy of the ocean through imagery of waves, surfers, and mermaids. The design combines realistic ocean movement with imaginative elements to show both the physical power and mythical mystery of the sea. By carving flowing lines and bold shapes into linoleum, the artwork captures motion, rhythm, and contrast while emphasizing the handmade quality of relief printing.
The ocean is a powerful and familiar subject that connects nature, sport, and mythology. Surfers represent human interaction with nature and balance with powerful forces, while mermaids symbolize imagination, storytelling, and cultural myths tied to the sea. Together, these elements allow for creative expression while reinforcing important relief printmaking skills such as planning, carving safely, and understanding positive and negative space.
This project encourages both technical skill and personal interpretation, making it an effective way to explore printmaking while engaging with a meaningful and visually dynamic theme.
Patricia Micca is a linoleum block printmaker and art educator with over 26 years of teaching experience, whose work is deeply inspired by a lifelong love of the ocean and the natural rhythms of the beach. Through hand-carved linoleum blocks, Patricia translates coastal landscapes, marine life, and shoreline patterns into bold, expressive prints that celebrate movement, texture, and light.
Years spent teaching art have shaped a thoughtful and disciplined approach to printmaking, where craftsmanship and process are central. Patricia values the tactile nature of relief printing, embracing the subtle variations that occur in each hand-printed piece. This practice mirrors the ever-changing nature of the sea—familiar yet never the same.
The influence of the coast is evident in recurring imagery such as waves, tides, shells, seabirds, and horizon lines, reflecting both observation and emotional connection to place. Teaching has remained an essential part of Patricia’s creative life, fostering curiosity, patience, and respect for traditional techniques while encouraging personal expression.
Through both studio practice and education, Patricia continues to share a deep appreciation for the ocean, using printmaking as a way to honor its beauty, power, and quiet moments of calm.
Floating In Blue
Natalya is a passionate artist who uses her art to explore and express herself. Studying the meaning and spirituality of colors, she connects deeply with her emotions and beliefs. For Natalya, art is more than personal expression; it’s a way to communicate and share the depth of her inner self and spiritual beliefs with others. Her vibrant artworks reflect the vitality and feelings she experiences, aiming to connect with people on a profound level through her expressive creations.
Natalya was born in Russia (Siberia) and moved to the United States in 2003. She is currently based in New York City with her family. Natalya’s journey into art began in Russia at the Art School for Youth, but she eventually chose to become a doctor. She had to put her art interests on hold for many years to study and practice medicine in her early career. When her family moved to the U.S., Natalya returned to her old passion – art and design. In 2016, she graduated from the Art School of Pittsburgh as an Interior Designer. Working in an Interior Design company, she continued to study academic and abstract drawing and painting with professional artists in the USA, Europe, and Russia.
Since 2022, Natalya has embarked on her career as a therapeutic art practitioner and currently serves as the director of Therapeutic Art in an international supportive group for women with breast cancer. Natalya’s artworks have been exhibited in art shows and can be found in private collections in the USA, Europe (Latvia, Spain, Germany, Finland), and Russia.
My work is a message about the Internal Wellsprings of Love, Joy, and Energy. I believe it involves a conscious choice of self-liberation from dependencies on external sources of love, which we often seek in other people, events, and material things.
Throughout my creative practice, especially as a therapeutic and transformative art practitioner, I have witnessed profound changes not only in my own life but also in the lives of others. Connecting with the power of the Internal Source within me, I create layers in my paintings that express my feelings, allowing myself to go through different emotions and thoughts, culminating in the essence of love. I believe that love is the fundamental feeling in our lives, and every other emotion is a metamorphosed expression of this.
Inspired by Kandinsky, I explore the inner meaning and spirituality of color to express emotions and create moods that connect with my soul and others. Through the use of colors and rhyme in my artworks, I create a vibrant energy reflecting our vitality and feelings
My goal is to invite my audience to discover this Internal Source of life in their hearts and embrace the transformative power of Love, Joy, and Freedom.
Flor De Gigi
Daisy Sud is a multi-disciplinary artist residing in Colorado. She’s best known for her work with watercolor, graphic design, and children’s book illustrations. Daisy’s work is imbibed with her Mexican roots, life experiences, and no small note of whimsical inspiration.
Art has broken me, healed me, and continues to shape me. I’m not very good with words, but give me a paintbrush or digital pen and I can express who I am. From my artwork—you will get the full me. The broken, the healed, and I can’t tell you the last one…it remains a mystery. Maybe you will find out!
Flora At Bodega Bay
Barb RydzRoss was born in Belgium to Polish immigrant parents who were concentration camp survivors. Over the years, she has resided in various cities including New York, London, Hong Kong, and Germany. After a successful career in Human Resources spanning 23 years and raising three children single-handedly, she rekindled her passion for painting and pursued art studies at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois. There she achieved a Certificate in Drawing and a Certificate in Painting.
Ross has exhibited in Chicago at the Merchandise Mart and in New York City at the Jacob Javits Center and her work can be viewed on the website of Xanadu Gallery. Three of her larger acrylic paintings are permanently hung in the lobby of One Arlington Plaza, Arlington Heights, Illinois. Additionally, her works adorn various areas of the building. Notably, North Light Books featured one of her collage paintings in the 2014 publication of Incite 2 Color Passions/The Best of Mixed Media. Furthermore, her painting titled “Green Forest” was selected for publication in The Best of Acrylic: 102 Winning Works presented by Artists Magazine. Her painting “Celestial Paradise” was chosen to be part of a city exhibition called “Zip Us Up” at the Birmingham, Michigan Public Library in 2022.
I am an abstract painter and most often, I develop my work strictly from my imagination, and my intuition, without any preconceived idea of where to start or where to take the work. I very often surprise myself, pleasantly, with the outcome and wonder where and how I have created a certain piece. I’ve led a very interesting life and have to assume that my life experiences have some effect on my creativity. It is amazing to me that the brain can come up with and lead me to create such powerful and interesting work and I am so very grateful for the passion I possess to keep exploring what my intuition or the universe has to offer. I am just a conduit and my intention is to be open and ready to receive what is presented.
Flora Incarnate: The Glass Garden Muse Series 3
Gina Whalen is a distinguished abstract artist based in the scenic Hudson Valley, New York. Operating from her home studio, Gina’s creative process is characterized by a dynamic blend of mediums, including mixed media acrylics and oils.
Her work is a testament to her versatility and deep connection to her local environment. Gina has showcased her art in a variety of community and international exhibitions throughout Hudson Valley, gaining recognition for her unique artistic voice.
Notably, her work has been featured at the Orange County Community College Art Gallery, Arts Mid-Hudson, and the Orange County New York Arts Council. These platforms have highlighted her ability to transcend traditional boundaries of expression, making her a prominent figure in the regional art scene. Gina continues to evolve her practice, drawing inspiration from the natural beauty and vibrant culture of her surroundings.
Creating abstract art offers me a profound sense of freedom, liberating me from conventional constraints and allowing me to fully embrace my creativity. In my practice, I focus on conveying emotions of peace and tranquility, channeling these serene energies into each stroke and hue. My work is driven by the belief that art has the capacity to heal, to soothe, and to restore. Through abstraction, I explore the depth of human emotion and intuition, aiming to create spaces where viewers can connect to a sense of calm and restoration. This approach not only reflects my artistic vision but also underscores my message: art is a powerful conduit for healing and harmony.
Floral Blues
Prof. Galina V. Volkova is a multidisciplinary artist and mathematician born in Lugansk, currently Lugansk People’s Republic, Russia. Her dual gifts comprised of passion for Fine Arts and Science. She graduated with an M.S. degree in Applied Mathematics from the School of Mathematics at Kharkov University (founded in 1803 as Imperial Kharkov University of South-East of Russia) and completed doctoral studies in Foundations of Mathematics (Axiom of Choice by Ernst Zermelo and Continuum Hypothesis). During her student years, she participated in the Exchange Abroad Program at Halle University, Halle-Saale, Wittenberg in Germany. She worked at the Space Science Laboratory, Radio-Physics Department of Kharkov University and Walter A. Haas School of Business, University of California at Berkeley, and the Office of the President of the University of California. Currently, she is teaching various courses in Mathematics, Computer Sciences, and Fine Arts at university (California State University at Chico), college (City College of San Francisco, Marin College, and St. Mary’s College), and high school level (Red Bluff High School).
She had been exposed to Fine Art since her childhood at the Museum of Fine Arts in her hometown of Lugansk, inherited drawing skills from her father, studied techniques from various Russian and American artists, and got a formal education in Art in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since 2014, she has been an exhibiting artist at the Pleasanton Art League (Museum-on-Main and Harrington Art Gallery in Pleasanton and Aspen Art Gallery in Walnut Creek, California), Livermore Art Association, Fremont Art Association, and Tehama County Arts Council (Main Event Gallery and TCAC Gallery and ArtWalk Festivals in Red Bluff, California). In 2022-2023, she completed the online Artist-in-Residence Program ‘Artist on Standby’ at Belgrade Art Studio, Belgrade, Serbia. In 2023, her mixed media painting titled “Bon Voyage” was selected for the “Love-2023” Art Exhibit by biafarin.com Toronto, Canada. Since 2017, her Art Studio has been established in Red Bluff, No. California. Her paintings could be found at the G7 Art Studio (No. California) and in private collections nationwide (including California, Florida, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Utah, Oregon, New Jersey, and Texas) and in Western Europe (Germany and Italy).
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My art is based on the trilateral unity of the concepts of hope, harmony, and humanity as a spiritual foundation of art. Hope is the necessary condition for any creation to belong to the category of art. Harmony is a balance of the artist’s inspiration and materialized on canvas as a result of effort. Humanity reflects on our eternal search for the truth and healing through improvement. Art in all its manifestations should serve the self-knowledge of man’s purpose, as I believe, and implement it as a credo in my artwork.
Currently, I am working – among other things – on the augmentation of a dancing silhouette collection focusing on Anna Pavlova’s art and images. Pavlova is an appealing subject not only because of her great professional contribution to human achievements but also on the level of her individuality. As Victor Dandre, her friend, husband, and impresario, indicated in his book “Anna Pavlova in Art & Life”, it’s a combination of her qualities such as wisdom, intelligence, intuition, faith, and “extra-ordinarily child-like nature”. Those are steps to a hard labor habit raised to a degree of professionalism to manifest perfectionism in a non-perfect world.
Floral Chain In Blue
I have been creating art all of my life. I won an egg decorating contest in third grade and a poster contest in fourth grade. More recently, my art was accepted into the juried Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 2020 West Michigan Area Show. In 2023, 2022, and 2021, my art was accepted into the juried Westminster Art Festival. At the Cultural Center of Cape Cod, my art was accepted into the juried online exhibitions You & Your Camera and Animal Kingdom. My art was accepted into the juried 2022 NCCA-Artsplace Statewide Photography Competition Exhibition. My art was accepted into the juried Biafarin exhibitions Extinction 2023, Valentine 2023, Love 2023, Noel 2022, and Magix 2022. My art was also accepted into the juried exhibits Furry Friends 2023 and Art 4 Animals 2022 at Red Bluff Art Gallery, and the juried exhibits Celebrating the Holidays and All You Need is Love at 6th Street Art Studios. Finally, my art has been displayed online at Las Laguna Art Gallery and HMVC Gallery New York.
I create art in a variety of media, including pencil, watercolor, pastel, photography, printmaking, charcoal, and calligraphy. I also write poetry, which has won awards and been published, and play musical instruments, including piano, harpsichord, carillon, clarinet, flute, recorder, mandolin, violin, guitar, and viola. In addition, I have a strong educational background in science, math, and engineering. In whatever medium I work, nature is usually my subject, whether I am portraying a single flower or animal, or a landscape. Sometimes, I feel that focusing on details can increase my understanding of a subject. I do try to maintain a balance, however, between concentrating on important minutia and retaining the overall, far-reaching view. I feel that while many subjects in nature can seem fleeting and ephemeral, they also possess a timeless constancy. In my art, I like to explore how nature, imagination, literature, and science collaborate together to enrich our lives.
Floral Composition
Dr. Maureen Creegan Quinquis is a Boston artist who exhibits work nationally as well as internationally. A published author and educator, she is an advocate for the human right to have access to art and art education nationally. Her work is in private collections.
I am always inspired by the experience of being near flowers and observing all of their stages of life. I am fascinated by art history and, in particular, the vanitas still life period, where the honesty and visual surprise of including decay and form breaking down were in the paintings. In these pieces, I tried painting from direct observation, not only the presence of flowers but also their movements, their different physical stages, while trying to capture their aesthetic abundance.
Floral Frenzy
Babler’s work was juried into: “Reflections” MFA juried exhibition; GALEX 59 National Competition and Exhibition 2026; MFA juried “In the City” 2026: Anderson 2025-26 Winter Exhibition; 38th September Competition Juried Exhibit Alexandria Museum of Art; “After Dark 2025”, “Fall Juried Exhibit 2025”, and “Reflecting 2025”– Maryland Federation of Art; 38th Annual McNeese National Works on Paper Exhibition; “In the City” exhibit juror Christina Gomez (Art Institute Chicago); North American Print Biennial juror Elizabeth M. Rudy (Associate Curator of Prints Harvard Art Museums, Boston); Dubuque Museum of Art Biennial juror Pamela Hugdahl (Rochester Art Center); Rockford Art Museum Biennial Juried Exhibit of Contemporary Artists; Andrew James Wulf, Ph.D. (Director – Albany Museum of Art); Gary Freeburg (Professor/Director of Duke Hall Gallery of Fine Art at James Madison University); Amanda C. Burdan (Associate Curator – Brandywine River Museum of Art); Christiane Paul (Curator of New Media Arts at the Whitney Museum of American Art); Felice Frankel (Science photographer/research scientist); Malcolm Daniel (Curator of Photographs – Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC); Kenneth Baker (Art Critic, San Francisco Chronicle); William Lieberman, Director of Zolla/Lieberman Gallery – Chicago; Annette Carlozzi (Sr. Curator Blanton Museum of Art); Dr. Jefferson Harrison (Chief Curator Chrysler Museum of Art); Charlotta Kotik (Curator of Contemporary Art Brooklyn Museum of Art); David Houston (Chief Curator –Ogden Museum of Southern Art); Dr. Russell Panczenko (Museum of Art, Madison Wisconsin); Siri Engberg (Walker Art Center); Stephen Phillips (Phillips Collection – Washington DC); Sam Gilliam; and Ed Paschke.
A Ragdale Residency Fellow, juried member of the Illinois Arts Council’s Arts-In-Education Roster, and she has exhibited at Northwestern University, Concordia University, Rockford Art Museum, and the Alexandria Museum of Art. She was a fine art consultant for Grumbacher/Prismacolor, along with developing a program for Blick Art. Her artwork is in corporate, university, and private art collections.
Spring is an awakening of the senses from the smells to the shapes and the colors! All are invitations to observe and experience beauty bursting forward with life and emotion. Memories come alive as colorful and fragrant blossoms transport us back and forward in time in anticipation. Flowers represent a genuine display of human emotion, from happiness to fragility to sadness. Flowers capture it all. My submission invites the viewer to experience the emotions of flowers, from the colors and shapes of flowers to a close-up of the marvels of nature, and to a vibrant dance of floral designs.