Colors Of Sunset
I was born in Habana, Cuba and at the age of 8, my parents sent me to the US alone to avoid indoctrination in Russia to communism. I was part of 14,000 children who arrived in Miami and were sent to orphanages or foster care. It was in the orphanage that I developed my love for art. I would draw pictures to send to my parents to let them know that I was okay. I learned that through my art I was able to bring peace and joy to my parents. My mom still has some of these pictures. I was reunited with my parents about a year later. After high school, I wanted to go to art school but I wanted to help my parents so I went to secretarial school and went into the business world where I climbed the corporate ladder and became very successful. My love for art was always there. I am a self-taught artist who has worked in many mediums. In the last 10 years, I have been creating and perfecting the pouring process with Pebeo paints. I have exhibited in Spectrum and Red Dot in Miami, New York Expo, SOFA in Chicago, San Diego, Dallas, and the Hamptons. I have been published in several art magazines and represented by several galleries.
My primary influences have been nature, music, and the movement I perceive in them. I am able through my art to transport my viewers to see and feel wonder and awe in my art.
Being born on a Caribbean Island, I am drawn to the beautiful sunsets/sunrises along with the crystal clear colors of turquoise, emerald, and blues reflected in the water. I love how the water caresses the sand as it reaches the shore. You will see in many of my pieces the contrast of these colors. There is so much beauty that surrounds us that needs to be captured. My pouring process has evolved through the years where I can create layers that give my pieces a 3D effect. My colors are blended to provide depth to the pieces. It is fascinating to see the movement created in my pieces. This is what I love about my work and the emotions people feel when they see my art. The best compliment I have received from my collectors is that they see and feel exactly what I am trying to convey through my art.
Combustable Chaos
Caroline Avent is a Denver-based artist from Georgia. She started oil painting at 8. In college, she painted across Italy & graduated with a Studio Art minor from The University of Alabama. She took an 18-year hiatus from painting for corporate America.
In April 2025, she began painting again and reclaimed her creativity and artistic passion. 3 weeks after picking up a paint brush, Avent’s work debuted at Denver’s iconic 1st Friday Art Walk, attended by 10,000 people.
In less than a year, she has been featured in 24 exhibitions across 15 galleries. Her work “Abeula” was displayed in New York City’s Times Square during the iconic October No Kings Protest.
Caroline Avent is also on the board of directors for the art gallery, Art Contained Del Sol (Lakewood, CO).
For as long as I can remember, influence has never arrived at me in a single, tidy form. It has come layered—like sediment, like code, like memory. My work is shaped by the tension between structure and surrender, between the corporate architecture I once inhabited and the cosmic vastness that has always pulled at me from underneath it.
Artistically, my work is inspired by the quiet resilience of women who have rewritten their own stories. Ultimately, my greatest influence is lived experience itself—the collision of ambition and burnout, certainty and doubt, chaos and ignition. My work responds to the world around me, but also to the world within me.
“Influences II” invites artists to articulate the threads that shape their visual language. For me, those threads are not linear—they are entangled. My paintings hold the residue of structure while insisting on freedom. They honor the systems that built me and the rebellion that set me apart. From Ruth Bader Ginsburg to scientific revelations- all have influenced me deeper than a singular experience. While broadening my work showcases the diversity of influence across all forms of creativity.
Come As You Are I
Susan Kaufer Carey is a Los Angeles and New York-based visual artist who uses photography and mixed media to tell stories of identity and reclamation. Whether analog or digital, nudes, conceptual, street or photo encaustics her work explores the reclamation of authenticity, vulnerability, creativity, and humanity. Despite our vast differences, her work reveals the common threads that unite us all.
Susan got her BA in theater at Bennington College, then worked in New York City for fashion photographer Joel Brodsky where she honed her darkroom skills printing for the book Brodsky shot of Jim Morrison and the Doors. While living and working in Rome, Italy refining her work as a street photographer she earned her Italian Press Pass, moved back to her hometown of Los Angeles and opened a portrait studio specializing in fine art nudes, album covers, pregnancy, and newborn portraits.
Susan’s fine artwork has been exhibited at The dnj Gallery, The Neutra Museum, Los Angeles Center of Photography, Los Angeles Photographers Association Gallery 825, LA Artcore, Art Share LA, Sparrow Gallery, A Smith’s Gallery, Black Box Gallery, A Photo Place Gallery, and Hilliard Gallery. Her work has been featured in the book “California Love”, F-stop magazine, Aint-Bad Contemporary Art Magazine, and Art and Cake Magazine and is held in private collections in the US and Rome, Italy.
We all long to be seen. It’s one of our deepest needs and biggest fears. “Come As You Are” peels away the masks we wear as a means to reclaim our authenticity and vulnerability. It is an invitation to come out of the shadows, push against the systems that keep us small, reveal our true selves and learn to love and accept all aspects of ourselves exactly as we are, including the parts we don’t think are loveable. This is the ultimate reclamation.
Come Fly With Me
Anita Rachel 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.
Inspired by her passion for travel and her love of clouds, Anita 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 extraordinary 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.
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 & to stay in a state of artful bliss, is a huge blessing” – Anita Rachel
Come To Me
“I have spent my life creating safe spaces for patients to reveal themselves and in turn, painting has given me that safe space to reveal myself”
The body is my medium. I see/ feel/ know the body as something that gives me inspiration. As a physician and artist, it is the language with which I am most comfortable. Studying Fine Arts at NYU during the late 60s was a time fraught with political movements and my training as both a painter and printmaker quickly combined using figurative expression to speak to the politics of the time. Gradually I embraced not only the political but the personal and global questions of loss, turbulence, and suffering as well as triumphs and change. Painting the figure has evolved from a deeper appreciation of the hidden, the emerging, and finally the spoken sensuality of all bodies. I continue to observe and appreciate how helping people achieve health and wellness is an amazing gift and I take that positive energy and throw it into color, movement, and form. Medicine and art for me continue to be intimately connected as the body speaks sometimes directly and sometimes through innuendo but always revealing an inner joy and strength. My art simply is my visceral voice- the organic appreciation of the inner and visual collective self.
My process involves drawing from models, photos, or sculptures and then painting sections or parts to become a different whole. My language is the human body from which I approach my work both as a physician and as an artist. I am driven by symbolic parts of the body such as the spine and breast and inevitably those symbols unfold in most pieces. My pallet is drawn from the landscapes in which I live- both Colorado and Mexico and these colors inspire my work. Music as well is an essential part of my process and lyrics often are part of what affects my art, particularly the words of Leonard Cohen, Lila Downs, and Corinne Bailey Rae.
In these times of climate crisis, I have tried to expand my work to combine landscape and figurative expression as a way to both recognize and celebrate the earth and recognize the critical impact we are creating. So in participating in this exhibit Hello Tomorrow it is my hope and optimism that global warming and climate change will be addressed with the urgency it needs.
Come To The Marci Gras
Education School of Visual Arts NY.
I have studied under many well-known artists and Illustrators at the School of Visual Arts Exhibited works in shows, sold art to clients, and illustrated for magazines early in my career. Some of my favorite artists are Salvador Dali and Rembrandt. I’m primarily a realist painter. Some of my works are a combination of acrylic and oil. I have worked with pencil, pen, and ink.
Comfortably Lost
Nicole Roberts is an accomplished painter and visual artist whose work spans mediums and styles, bringing vibrant and emotive pieces to life for both personal and commissioned projects. With a strong foundation in fine arts and design, Nicole’s paintings have been featured in a variety of settings, from private collections to bespoke interior spaces. Her journey into visual art began at an early age and was shaped by formal education at the University of Oregon, Oregon State, San Jose State, and California College of the Arts, where she developed her unique perspective and honed her craft.
Over two decades running a design agency in San Francisco, Nicole cultivated a multifaceted skill set that includes brand identity, book cover design, and photography, which she initially explored using her father’s Pentax film camera. Although she is now based in San Diego, Nicole’s global travels—spanning 17 countries—have enriched her work and connected her to diverse communities and cultures, inspiring her current focus on portraits and expressive, story-driven art.
Nicole’s photography experience includes collaborations with renowned photographers such as John Brennan, Hugh Harline, Mel Lindstrom, Glen Matsmera, and Edward Richardson. This background adds depth to her painting, allowing her to capture dynamic perspectives and an intimate understanding of light and form. Nicole is particularly drawn to the human experience, and she finds inspiration in portraying the unique stories of LGBTQ+ individuals, dancers, and artists.
From her San Diego studio, Nicole continues to explore and blend the worlds of painting and photography, working alongside her partner, Elizabeth, and capturing the vibrant energy of queer life and artistic expression.
As a painter and visual artist, I am captivated by the beauty found in vulnerability and authenticity. Whether on canvas or through the lens, my goal is to reveal the unseen stories that live within each subject, capturing not just what is visible but also what is felt.
Growing up with a camera in hand, I first learned to observe the world in fragments—details of light, texture, and mood that others might overlook. This early passion for photography shaped my approach to painting, imbuing my work with a cinematic quality and a sensitivity to composition that allows me to tell deeply personal stories. Inspired by my travels and the diverse individuals I’ve met along the way, I gravitate toward themes of resilience and transformation, often featuring LGBTQ+ individuals, dancers, and artists who embody a strength I find both inspiring and universal.
In the studio, I work with a blend of structured technique and instinctual movement, allowing colors and forms to emerge naturally. My process is a balance of control and spontaneity, one that mirrors the unpredictability of human experience. Through each portrait, I aim to invite viewers to encounter people different from themselves in a safe space—to be curious, to feel drawn into the shared human experience, and to recognize beauty in a new context. I believe this curiosity can bridge divides and break down the walls of fear that too often separate us, fostering a deeper understanding and compassion that help us get along in the world.
Art, for me, is a constant act of discovery—a way of engaging with the world and with myself. Through each piece, I seek to open a space of connection, reflection, and empathy, where every detail contributes to a larger narrative of what it means to be seen, understood, and celebrated.
Coming Together
Lale Gerger’s life and artistry are a testament to resilience and passion for expression. Born in Colorado, and immersed in Turkey’s culture until she was twelve. Her adolescence spanned the U.S., England, Kuwait, and Mexico, culminating in a return to the U.S. and later, Turkey at 24. These experiences broadened her global perspective and shaped her artistic outlook.
During her middle school years in America, Gerger’s struggle with language and cultural assimilation led her to discover her passion for the arts. A theatre class became her sanctuary, highlighting the power of artistic expression in fostering connection and understanding. She pursued a degree in Theatre from UCLA and later earned her Master’s degree from the University of Florida, exploring the nexus of art, health, and business.
Gerger’s professional life took a practical turn as she embarked on a career in HR, driven by her responsibilities as the first single woman to adopt in Turkey, a five-year legal battle that saw two laws change. Simultaneously, she worked as an actress and director. Her mother’s battle with cancer and the economic impact of COVID-19 led her to find solace in art again. After multiple layoffs during the pandemic, she shifted to painting full-time.
Now in Florida, Gerger is a celebrated contemporary abstract painter. Her vibrant works capture universal and oceanic essences. Through her “Shine Your Light” series, she encourages finding your own light and shining it for others, which she describes as her golden thread.
Gerger has earned numerous accolades, including the Award of Excellence from the Gainesville Fine Arts Association in 2022 and 2023. She participates in fine art festivals across Florida and Georgia and regularly exhibits at various galleries. As she continues to evolve as an artist, Lale remains committed to creating meaningful connections and fostering positivity through her art.
As an artist based in Gainesville, Florida, I aim to combine artistry, empathy, and resilience in my creative journey. From my theatre background to navigating personal challenges, art has been my compass. Through mediums like acrylics and pen and ink, I explore life’s complexities, inviting viewers to embrace resilience and share their light.
My journey is a testament to the transformative power of art in navigating life’s challenges and discovering purpose amid adversity. Driven by a deep passion for the arts, I received my theatre degree at UCLA and then went to Turkey, where I reconnected with my cultural roots while working both as an actress for the State Theatre and as a faculty member at a conservatory.
However, a pivotal moment in my personal life reshaped my path. Through a five-year legal battle, I fought for the right to adopt as a single woman in Turkey, ultimately changing laws and welcoming my son into my life.
Returning to the United States, I delved into nonprofit work and later ventured into Human Resources to provide stability for my child. During a personal tragedy with my mother’s cancer diagnosis and the onset of the pandemic, I rediscovered solace in art.
Spanning a diverse range of mediums and techniques, with a focus on acrylics through abstract art, my artwork reflects a unique perspective on life’s complexities. Art has always been my solace and my form of expression, helping me navigate through life’s trials. I am continually inspired by the resilience of the human spirit, the profound beauty of the cosmos, and the strength of inspirational women. My technique combines meticulous attention to detail with spontaneous expression, making my art unique in its genuine reflection of life’s dualities—light and dark, struggle and triumph.
Community
George Gonzalez (54, born in the United States) . . . I’ve lived in Miami, Florida for most of my life (although I did reside in California, Minnesota, and New Jersey for a number of years). Following receiving my Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Southern California (1997), I have been a professor of political science at the University of Miami (FL) since 1999. As a scholar, I’ve published a number of works on the environment (global warming, air pollution, water pollution).
After studying the world scientifically (i.e., as a thing) for my entire adult life I found this approach lacking and came to understand that the world is much more than matter and energy (material reality). Henceforth, in 2015 I became intensely interested in photography, seeking out the poetry/beauty in the world. Since that time, I’ve passionately pursued a number of projects in South Florida – focusing on the birds of the region.
Ode to Red-Shouldered Hawk
The North Star in an Everglades forest with colorful aviary gems, the Red-Shouldered Hawk – strong, stern, formidable.
Yellow beak, black point, red, brown, feathered– nature’s shining beauty in the tree tops.
The sharp eyes of the food chain that’s burning with life and from the sun.
Will you fly with us into a future that’s uncertain?
Will you travel alone, or will others be present to admire your prowess?
Can you survive – with all your friends – mindless cruelty?
Stand tall, calling out to brethren.
Sit idly with others – briefly.
It’s time to soar.