Perilous Fight
Born in Japan in 1949, Franne has been immersed in art since childhood. She studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology and later continued her education at Trenton State College, majoring in art with a minor in art history. Art has remained a constant throughout her life—woven into painting, drawing, photography, jewelry making, sewing, cooking, and more. She believes creativity is fundamental to the human experience and that everyone holds the spark of an artist within.
As both a lifelong learner and teacher, Franne shares her passion for exploration through classes and workshops. She has authored and taught three courses—Art from the Heart, What’s on Your Palette? Basic Color Theory for Aspiring Artists and Acrylics Basics. Her teaching style encourages curiosity, playfulness, and a willingness to truly look and see. She has taught at OLLI-RU (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Rutgers University), Perkins Center for the Arts, Sacred U, and privately from her home studio. She also hosts a Zoom-based acrylic painting studio and, since 2024, has been teaching at the Franklin Township Youth Center.
Franne’s artwork has been exhibited across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and online. She has earned First Prize for Pastels and Best in Show at the Somerset County Senior Art Show, as well as First Prize for Acrylics at the New Jersey State Senior Art Show. Recent highlights include the Phenomenal Women exhibition at El Barrio Art Space in New York City, a 2022 solo show at Gonzo Glass in Mount Holly, NJ, and group exhibitions with the Staube Center, the Garden State Watercolor Society, the West Windsor Arts Council, and the Dupree Gallery in Lambertville, NJ. She has also been selected for CAFed’s upcoming women’s exhibition My Art, My Voice, Our Zen at Taller Boricua Gallery in New York City.
Art, for me, is a journey of seeking and synthesis—a bridge between the seen and unseen, a way to express what words cannot through color, form, and movement. My practice is rooted in both observation and intuition, responding to the outer world as well as the shifting inner landscape of thought and emotion. Each piece is as much about the process as the finished work—an invitation to be present, to experiment, and to follow where curiosity and spirit lead.
I am an eclectic artist, moving fluidly between representational and abstract work. I paint predominantly with acrylics, pastels, and watercolor, letting each medium guide the form of expression it best supports. Landscapes—earthly, emotional, and spiritual—are ongoing sources of inspiration. My work reflects a balance of discipline and discovery, where technical exploration meets openness to the unexpected.
Spirituality is deeply woven into my art. The act of painting feels like a quiet conversation with life itself, one in which intuition guides my hand and reflection shapes my vision. Change and transformation are central to both my path and my practice, and this awareness is mirrored in the evolving nature of my work.
My aim is to create art that resonates emotionally with those who encounter it, inviting them to see something of themselves within the work. A piece especially dear to me is Courage, completed just weeks before the pandemic. It’s bold yellow, a new direction for me, radiated strength, vitality, and hope—qualities I came to lean on in the years that followed. What I love most is how differently each viewer experiences it; everyone sees something unique and meaningful. That exchange of vision and emotion is, for me, the true power of art.
Period
Siyi Tang’s work focuses on feminism, self-exploration, and the information crisis. Her work is based on photography, but also uses printmaking, illustration, and other processes. She was born in China and is currently working on her MFA degree in photography in the United States. Her works have been exhibited at the CICA Museum in Korea and she won the second prize in the IPA Student Book in Fine Arts Category.
As a normal physiological phenomenon faced by about 50% of the world’s population, the period has long caused women some problems: the weakness, pain, and vulnerability associated with the period; the lack of sex education; the discrimination and criticism of the period by social customs; etc.
People should know: development, illness, aging… these are the most normal physiological changes. Women, there is no need to be afraid. It is usual for menstrual blood to be of different colors, it is normal for periods to behave differently, and it is normal to be sick. We should get more people to look at the period differently and “talk about it normally,” as most women would like to do.
Periwinkle Perfection
Krista Oremus is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed colored pencil artist whose distinctive vision transforms wildlife, animal portraits, and botanicals into unexpected masterpieces. Fueled by an unwavering commitment to conservation, she creates artwork with a style that’s as bold as it is rare, blending meticulous details and textures. A published artist celebrated worldwide, Krista has turned heads in international galleries and core industry publications. Her colored pencil masterpieces radiate a warmth and joy that sets her apart. Krista’s works, steeped in a profound respect for nature’s hidden marvels, defy convention while honoring the wild, earning her a singular place among today’s most inventive creators.
I am fascinated by the hidden stories of the world, its colors, details, and textures. With every pencil stroke, I aim to capture what we feel, not just what we see. The softness of fur, the gleam of an eye, or the delicate veins of a flower petal create mesmerizing bonds deep within our soul. My works have been recognized internationally, but the true reward for me is when someone connects deeply with my art, seeing something new with each glance. Human emotion, animals, and nature are the heart of my work. My goal is to fuse deep emotional resonance and technical mastery to make each piece not just a drawing but an experience.
Permanent Reflections: Life In Pieces
Born and raised in Columbia City, Indiana, Natalee Wright creates in a small studio on her family’s farm. Art has always been a part of her life, from selling artwork as a young child under the tree in her front yard to her current explorations in art to promote growth, healing, and creativity in others at Artful Transformations. Her early artistic influences were O’Keefe, Dali, and Munch. Natalee’s work is as eclectic as her influences. She enjoys working in many mediums with many subjects in many different styles with the firm belief that each piece should not be limited by a specific movement or medium.
I am an eclectic and intuitive artist on a journey to rediscover and reclaim my self-expression. I came back to art in 2022 in the wake of a series of unforeseen events that reshaped my world and everything in it.
My art speaks to the human experience and all of its eccentricities. My art forges connections to those who have experienced grief, healing, and growth in the wake of struggle and pain. It challenges others to contemplate their own emotions, traumas, and grief. My art encourages people to focus on their resilience, growth, and healing. I am passionate about inspiring others, and through the art I create, I hope viewers will be encouraged to embrace their vulnerability in themselves and find strength through understanding and acceptance.
Persephone
Keith Doles is an Abstract Expressionist painter and Florida native who graduated from the University of North Florida with a BFA degree in Graphic Design. In 2005, he earned a Master of Arts degree in Business from Webster University. His style combined influences from Cubism and Abstract Expressionism. In 2006, Doles began producing commercial art for web designers and small businesses from Florida to Wisconsin. Projects included prototype drawings, logos and illustrations for children’s books and magazines. In 2016, Doles became a resident artist at the CoRK Arts District in Jacksonville’s Riverside neighborhood. His abstract work developed after a period of physical and emotional trauma and recovery. He was a fine arts instructor for UNF Continuing Education and the founder of the award-winning public art team, Bridge Muralists.
“”I create with a childlike, energetic spirit. I use geometric shapes and organic forms and merge them into work that feeds the mind with wonder, reflection, and question. My fascination with architecture began very early in life, and construction sites symbolize rebuilding myself from the ground up. I was a full-time caregiver for my mother and recovery after a collapse provided an opportunity to reevaluate everything I believed was necessary. Infrastructure is the underlying framework essential to make a society functional. The work illustrates my personal infrastructure – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.””
Doles’ work has been featured in exhibitions at the Ritz Theatre & Museum, Haskell Gallery at Jacksonville International Airport, MOCA Jacksonville, and LeMoyne Arts in Tallahassee. Keith is a graphic designer and artist for interior designers and commissioned public art projects.
Persephone was known as the Goddess of Spring who presided over agriculture in Greek mythology. She was also Goddess of the Underworld and her return above the earth each Spring symbolizes immortality. Inspiration for the painting came during a tour of Eartha’s Farm and Market in Jacksonville, Florida and seeing people in the neighborhood tend to certain crops on the land. It was wonderful to hear how the space was intended for building community by being a safe place for children, tackling the food desert problem, and educating future generations about agriculture. This painting was commissioned by the Clara White Mission in Jacksonville to advertise and support the beautiful 10.5-acre organic farm located on Moncrief Road. The property was developed by philanthropist Eartha M. M. White, and was the site of Florida’s first African American museum and nursing home. It is currently an agricultural center and job training facility that offers fresh produce to farmers markets between October – June.
Perseverance
Jeni was born in Mill Valley, California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. Jeni moved down to Santa Monica, CA, and attended SMASH, an alternative school near Venice Beach. At the age of eight, Jeni moved to a small town outside Munich, Germany.
Attending Munich International School, Jeni was taught in German along with English as a primary language. Growing up in Germany gave Jeni unique access to master works from the classical world to modern art. For university, Jeni returned to the States and earned a BA in Liberal Studies and Studio Art from Sonoma State University. After which Jeni worked with the Peace Corps in Central Asia, in Bukhara, Uzbekistan becoming familiar with the art and culture of ancient institutions like the Silk and Spice Road. After the Peace Corps, Jeni returned to the States and now lives in Upstate New York and has been painting since 2021.
Drawing from the ethos that we are all just muses to one another, emotional integrity is central to art. By using visual language, I tell stories of the atmospheric emotionality of life. The work has helped me learn that even the worst parts of myself I have to love. My paintings are forms that are minimal and straightforward, emulating honesty and love, a reality that is a mirror of the dignity of our existence. I paint what I feel when I look out onto the world. My work is atmospheric, organic, and spectral, and it speaks directly to the human experience.
Of particular interest to me is the conjunction of inner reality and external construction. I use the union of realism and abstraction to visually explore the emotional and psychological existence of humanity. My work explores the way realism can push into and through inner abstract landscapes, like figures breaking the surface of consciousness, the thin veil of emotional atmosphere. My paintings clearly represent the relevance of the dialogue and narrative that happens internally and externally when we are engaging with the next global cultural evolution.
Petals Of Love
Mary Ruth Barnes is a Chickasaw Dynamic Woman and her watercolors are on display at the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center, the new Artetian Hotel, and the Capital offices of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma City. One of her watercolor paintings, “Flight of Hope- Fighting Leukemia” was chosen as part of the cover of the American Cancer Society’s Circle of Life Calendar Journal for cancer education and wellness for American Indian and Alaska Native Communities. Her short story and painting “ The Evil Doer” was published in the Spring of 2015 Journal of the Chickasaw History and Culture magazine.
Additionally, three of her award-winning photos and one of her watercolor prints have been selected to be permanently displayed in the new Chickasaw Artesian Hotel in Sulphur, Oklahoma. She was honored in 2015 as one of ten women selected as the Chickasaw Dynamic Woman of the Year. She was also featured in the June issue of 2015 Distinctly Oklahoma Magazine for her art. She was selected and archived in the Heard Museum as a Native Artist in 2017. In 2022 Barnes was inducted into the Chickasaw Hall of Fame and Capitol Hill High School Hall of Fame. Barnes debut her first novel, Little Bird, historical fiction in 2022 and was the recipient of two Ippy awards for her historical fiction about Indian Territory.
She is extremely active in her community through Rotary and Business and Professional Women As a member of BPW in Ohio, Colorado, and Oklahoma. Mary Ruth received the 2007 “Woman of the Year” award from Ada Business and Professional Women. She has been married to her husband Mike for 49 years. Mary Ruth and Mike live on their ranch south of Ada. She has two sons who live in Ada with their families and she has four grandchildren.
Art has been a heritage I learned from my Chickasaw grandfather, who was a Chickasaw storyteller. He would often paint beautiful pictures in my mind as he taught me about love and caring, enkindling nature as the basis for love. My art is my passage into my history and my culture. I paint to revive the stories he told me and give a continuation of my culture to my children and my grandchildren. With each story he told me, I try to retell it in my images of the horse, the buffalo, the white dog, the eagle, and the turtle. It is a time for me to bring honor to all the Chickasaw people by creating art that is more than something just seen; art is color depicted from my heart and visually displayed on canvas to honor our forefathers! It is my legacy and my continuum to being the best Native American I can be.
Petals Of Passion
Anita Rachel is a self-taught artist. Inspired by her passion for travel and her love of clouds, Anita Rachel brings to life the colors, moods, and transitions of nature, reflecting the broader seasons of human existence. However, her journey into art was far from conventional. Growing up in a culture where art was undervalued, she discovered her creative voice during one of the most challenging periods of her life: the end of a 17-year marriage. It was then that art became her solace, allowing her to channel her pain into beauty. Each brushstroke became a testament to her God-given talent, a force that refused to be suppressed.
A cancer survivor who endured a five-year battle, Anita found art to be her anchor through depression and loneliness. Now a single mother balancing a full-time job, she views her creative process as a blessing and a mission. Through meticulous layering and attention to detail, she creates works that radiate hope and inspire resilience.
Her mission is to provide comfort and encouragement to those struggling with mental health. With her vibrant palette and heartfelt prayers for kindness, she aims to create spaces of healing and inspiration. Her art serves as a beacon of light, celebrating the triumphs of the human spirit and the beauty of simply being.
Anita is an award-winning oil painter from New Jersey, celebrated for her ability to capture the beauty of life’s seasons and the ever-changing majesty of nature. A two-time People’s Choice Winner at the Rockland Arts Festival (2021 and 2022) and recipient of the prestigious ACOR Art Award in 2024, her work resonates deeply with audiences, drawing them into vibrant worlds filled with emotion and meaning.
Explore Anita Rachel’s masterpieces and join her in finding strength, peace, and a reflection of your own journey within her vibrant works at https://www.anitarachelart.com/
I am an oil painting fine art artist from New Jersey. My passion for traveling has blessed me with the opportunity to admire nature and become a Nephophile (A person who loves clouds). I paint in seasons, depicting the various seasons of life.
Art was looked down upon in the culture I grew up in. As I was on the brink of breaking down my marriage of 17 years, art stood out predominantly, suppressing the pain of it all. The God-given talent could not be suppressed. I would forget the world around me and be immersed in the colors I mixed.
My mission is to provide comfort to those who struggle with mental health. I hope my art creates a space with vibrant colors and inspiration. My prayer is that kindness spreads through my art and through creating art.
I’m a cancer survivor, and after fighting cancer for 5 years, I’m grateful for the second chance I have. Cancer made me depressed and lonely, but art gave me life. Being a single mom and working a full-time job, art is a huge blessing. The details in my work are accomplished with great patience over several days and with several layers of oil paint.
With each brush stroke, I weave tales of triumph and the beauty of being. My art, a beacon of hope, celebrates the resilience within us all. Explore my masterpieces and find your own reflection in my journey.
“To get lost in art and to stay in a state of artful bliss is a huge blessing” – Anita Rachel
Philadelphia Dreams In The Snow
Hana Brem is a Philadelphia artist. Her works are in watercolor and gouache. She grew up in Paris, Lausanne, and Montreal and paints scenes from her childhood growing up in those places. She also paints portraits of children and mothers and has been commissioned to paint families in emotional and loving scenes.
Watercolor is my medium of choice.
I paint landscapes and portraits that evoke an emotional chord and are reminiscent of an event that has left a mark on my subject’s life.
This winter scene is home to me in Philadelphia.