Bayou Morning

Jody Nelson is a Palm Desert, California-based mixed media artist whose layered, luminous paintings have been featured in juried exhibitions and both group and solo shows, with original work available through Saatchi Art and held in private collections across the United States and Canada. Drawn to expressive color, richly built-up surfaces, and the emotional resonance of still moments, her paintings transform the quiet textures of everyday life into bold, joyful works. Working in acrylic, pastel, and collage, Nelson builds each painting through layers of torn paper and mark-making, creating surfaces that carry their own history before the figure arrives. Each piece balances energy with calm — an ongoing invitation to pause, to notice, and to find beauty in the ordinary.

I paint women in the quiet moments — not the moments the world sees, but the ones that happen in between. The exhale after the effort. The stillness that arrives when we finally stop moving long enough to feel something.
My work is built in layers — torn paper, acrylic, pastel, and mark-making — each surface carrying its own history before the figure arrives. The women I paint are never performing. They are resting, remembering, belonging to themselves and to each other. Emotion, for me, lives in the body before it reaches the face. In shoulders that relax. In feet sinking into warm sand. In a chin lifted toward the sun.

Be Happy

Born in Copenhagen on November 5, 1973, Jasper is an artist who trained herself from the ground up. As a child, Jasper felt the liberation and delight of creating art. He had experience as both a carpenter and a construction architect. He had returned to painting as an expressive, enjoyable, and freeing activity. He became more well-known for his work in 2018 after joining an art club. Major art galleries all around the world have hosted his exhibitions, such as Zenith Art & Fashion, Miami, USA, VAN GOGH Art Gallery, Madrid, Spain, Capital Culture House, Madrid, Spain. He has been featured at the M.A.D.S Art Gallery, Milan, Italy, Artifact, NY, USA, Artio Gallery, NY, USA, HMVC Gallery New York, NY, USA, World of Crete, Greece, The Holy Art Gallery, London, UK, and ArtSpace Innovations, London, UK. He is featured online on PLOGIX Art Gallery, London, UK, TRiCERA Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, Artavita, Santa Barbara, CA, USA, Artifact, NY, USA, HMVC Gallery New York, NY, USA, Singulart, Paris, FR, and Circle Foundation For The Arts, Lyon, FR. He won the coveted International Prize Donatello, Florence, Italy, Top Artists The Protagonists of Contemporary Art, Venice, Italy, Creative Excellence Award 2023, Artistic Excellence Award 2023, Masterful Mind Award 2024, and Honorable Mention Award 2024, Circle Foundation For The Arts, Lyon, FR. A participant in The European Art Guide 21/22, Bellamonti Art, Helsingborg, Sweden, Art Anthology III 2021, Art Anthology VII 2024, Guto Ajayu Culture, Madrid, Spain, Art in America Annual Guide 2023 and 2024, Artifact, NY, USA, Masterful Minds Digital Magazine Vol. 1 and 2, 2024, Circle Foundation For The Arts, Lyon, FR, The Holy Art Gallery Magazine 2024, London, UK. Interviewed in 2024 by Aatonau, Osaka, Japan, and in 2020 by The Magazine of Contemporary Art, The MoCA, LA, USA. He took over the 2020 @10011mag Instagram account for 24 hours, where he shared his personal artworks, experiences, and studio via live stories and posts in NY, USA.

Shapes and colors represent my aspirations, fears, and inner monologues. Instead of praising achievements, I highlight qualities like sweetness, honesty, empathy, and love. My life story is incomplete without love. I came from a world where men are wicked, egotistical, stupid, harsh, and dishonest. Because of them, I transitioned from being a happy, loving person to developing a mental disorder and experiencing feelings of social anxiety and frustration. From a young age forward, this occurrence made me afraid of women. For males, having sex with women is the ultimate fulfillment of their dreams. When love is absent, jealousy and malicious intentions flourish.

I hope that individuals might become more honest, authentic, accepting, loving, and courageous by seeing the parallels between fake looks, living masks, being oneself, and cool performances. The tribal way of life is quite like the loving way of life, yet love promotes harmony, peace, and happiness, and my goal is to bring these things together somehow. I promote liberation, simplicity, tolerance, calm, self-expression, and a love revolution through the iconography of Indigenous people and my sweet, loving artwork. I banish evil and fear, paving the way for love, harmony, and peace so that people are happy and fulfilled in every aspect of their lives.

Be Still

In my work, I explore the transformative power of abstraction; how color, texture, and form can combine to create something far greater than their individual parts. I grew up in Richmond, Virginia, watching my mother paint. She taught me to paint what you know, and how you see and feel it. I add texture that pops off the canvas and tricks the eyes into feeling the bumpy tree trunk. I use my palette knife to paint just as much as my brushes. Unless I’m working on a commission, I rarely know what the end of my painting is going to look like. Experimentation is the most gratifying part of the painting process. Each painting begins with a variety of underpainting techniques, including alcohol ink, mixed media paper, texture, and sometimes oil pastels. After the underpainting sets, I finish my story with oils for a rich finishing layer of depth. The layers of texture invite viewers to see beyond the flat surface of a landscape or portrait. The gold woven into my paintings is a reminder of the beauty and magic found in unexpected places. My inspiration is driven by the colors of nature and the emotions of gratitude. I’d like to think each piece I create will give some warmth and brightness to whoever stands in front of it.

When we face adversity, whether it be loss, failure, or emotional upheaval, we are forced to confront vulnerabilities and weaknesses. It’s in this confrontation that healing and growth occur. Last year was a difficult year personally for me, as I lost my mother to cancer, and I was diagnosed with lymphoma. Through my treatment, I felt so overwhelmed by a range of emotions that eventually inspired my artwork. My current collection symbolizes the unique process of overcoming emotional trauma and evolving into a more resilient, gracious, and powerful version of oneself. Each piece is a visual and sensory narrative of my personal experience, a reflection of both the struggle and the eventual emergence of strength and clarity, or even a simple moment of gratitude for the earth’s gifts we receive. The works share not the grief and despair, but the rebirth and awakening of a new beginning by including imagery that inspires and connects with the viewers. My hope is to encourage, connect, console, and give hope to others who may need comfort in the notion that we are resilient creatures. Collaboratively, the collection of artwork is bright, expansive, full of vibrant colors, fluid lines, and forms that are whole or mended. Lavish underpaintings of mixed media and layers of emotion reflecting my personal evolution and a universal invitation to the audience to see the potential for resilience and hope in their own lives, no matter how difficult their journey may seem. “The Journey of Resilience” is a message of hope, gratitude, and perseverance to anyone sharing the same difficult path in life.

Be Wild, Be Free, Be You

Toti Cuesta is an award-winning watercolor artist who creates stunning portraits inspired by nature. Through her work, she hopes to bring awareness to the importance of environmental conservation and share the beauty and peace she finds in the natural world. With her profound love for mother nature, Toti Cuesta’s pieces are a must-see for anyone looking to connect with the environment.

After years of working in the international arena as a lawyer, she decided to pursue her great passion – art – and live a meaningful life. Art has always had a healing power for Toti, and she trained as an Art Therapist to help others heal with art.

Toti strives to create pieces that connect the viewer to the subtle worlds of the universe. Through her art, she invites her viewers to partake in a magical and transforming experience by combining several planes of reality. Her pieces seem connected to an infinite flow of energy. Toti Cuesta’s work is a tribute to the beauty and power of nature, and it is a reminder of the deep connection between us and the world we inhabit.

Toti Cuesta has created a remarkable portfolio of beautiful watercolor portrait art that reflects her deep love and admiration for nature. Her work has earned her recognition and international awards, as well as exhibitions in places such as New York, Venice, and Zurich. Her art has also been featured in several international books and magazines, including ArtTour International magazine’s TOP 60 Masters list.

Toti’s pieces are not only captivating to look at but also serve to bring awareness to the importance of environmental conservation. Through her vibrant and dynamic portraits, Toti can show the peace and beauty found in nature if we take the time to appreciate it.

As a surreal portrait artist, I use watercolor to create paintings that merge symbols and vibrant colors, inviting you into a new world filled with light and life. Through these elements, I communicate universal stories that resonate within your subconscious, connecting you with the divine and the eternal. My art offers an alternative view of the world that inspires you to explore more profound levels of consciousness and rediscover human divinity.

The female figure, central in my works, symbolizes life, maternity, creativity, resilience, and love. She represents Mother Earth, embodying love and respect for everything around us, including nature and the urban environment, which deserve our care to create a more loving and just world.

My colors convey energy and emotion, utilizing a mix of cool and warm tones to symbolize the connection between heaven and earth. They evoke emotions and reflect the human experience. The eyes symbolize our window to the world and the ability to perceive truths beyond the visible.

Through my series of paintings on “urban art,” I seek to share inspirational phrases that invite reflection and connect us with our true essence, reminding us of the immense potential we all carry within.

Through my art, I aim to capture the beauty of the universe and the human experience, prompting reflection on our interaction with the environment and the importance of preserving the natural and cultural beauty surrounding us.

Be Yourself From Your Birth To Your Death

Bea

Adriana Azevedo was born in 1970 in Natal, Brazil. During the Covid pandemic lockdown, she’s unleashed her artistic passion and embraced it. As an immigrant artist based in Florida, her unique Brazilian perspective and cultural background inspire her creative expression.

She worked as an architect in Brazil for 2 decades before moving to the United States. She is proud and honored to contribute to the vibrant and diverse artistic community in the Orlando area.

I find my deepest inspiration in the fascinating worlds of Cubism and Surrealism. These influential movements have ignited my creative spirit, guiding me to explore the intricate interplay between reality and imagination on canvas.

My work is a reflection of the multifaceted nature of existence. Through the lens of Cubism, I deconstruct the ordinary, breaking down conventional forms into a tapestry of geometric shapes and angles. This allows me to unveil new dimensions within the familiar, encouraging viewers to contemplate the essence of what they see.

Beach Blanket Bingo

Leombruni is a Connecticut-based painter whose work explores the emotional and psychological dimensions of human experience through a lens of expressive realism. Janet Leombruni is President Emeritus of CT Women Artists. She is an Elected Member of the CT Academy of Fine Art, New Haven Paint &Clay, West Hartford Art League, and her work is part of multiple collections in the US and Europe.

Solo shows: Celeste LeWitt Gallery at UCONN Health Center, Arts of Tolland CT, the Monastery Gallery in West Hartford, Atrium Gallery at Raymond Library EH CT, FIAT LUXE at the Art League of New Britain, Workspace Manchester, CT. Leombruni has held artist talks at Kehler-Liddell Gallery in New Haven and the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, and was a featured artist for the CWA Art Chat Series. Her work is currently in the Hillstead Museum, Farmington, CT.
Group Shows: Jorgensen Gallery, UCONN, Mattatuck Museum Waterbury, Monastery Gallery, West Hartford, Slater Memorial Museum, CT, Barnes-Franklin Gallery Tunxis, CT, Flinn Gallery with the Greenwich Art Society, Theaterworks, Hartford, CT, CAFA at Lyme Academy of the Arts and Sill Gallery, Old Lyme, the New Britain Museum of American Art, New Haven Paint and Clay, SOHO20 Chelsea, NYC, KBM Gallery Riverside, CA, Rhode Island Watercolor Society, San Fernando, CA, dodomu Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, and San Rafael, CA.

Leombruni received a BA from Hartford Art School, an MA in Education from UCONN, and a Master Plus 30 in Painting and Art Education from CCSU.

In my work, I tell the stories of my experiences in the classroom. I also explore relationships, sometimes utilizing tropes or idioms in the form of children’s literature, myths, films, or portray stories as told to me by my students. I like to examine themes of hope, impulsivity, family, fantasy, innocence, and coming of age. My colors are powerful. Figures often occupy charged, ambiguous spaces, where gesture, symbolism, and narrative intersect to reveal underlying tensions between individuals and their environments. I seek to draw the viewer in, to elicit an emotional response. I like to ask the viewer to determine: What is really going on here?

Beach Day

Ronaldo Byrd was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He is a Contemporary Hip “Pop” Artist who began painting at the tender age of 3. As an early teen, Byrd was accepted to and attended Art Instruction School, which boasts graduate, Charles Schulz. He graduated and received a Diploma in Art from Art Instruction School at age 16. While enrolled in the course, Byrd was also attending The High School of Art and Design in New York City, before moving to Burlington, New Jersey. Byrd then was accepted to and attended Burlington County Institute of Technology, where he majored in and received a Diploma in the field of Advertising Art and Design. Byrd is mostly a self-taught Artist who has developed his own style of art and his own characters, which he puts in phenomenal scenes. He has shown his work in several galleries, including a solo show at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Byrd and his artwork have also been featured in several newspapers and magazines. One of which includes, The Philadelphia Inquirer. He has also been a feature story on CBS 3 Eyewitness News. Byrd’s message to the world through his artwork is one of love and acceptance. His hope is to convey this as boldly and as beautifully as he can.

I am a Contemporary Hip “Pop” Artist who just happens to be on the Autistic Spectrum. My artwork focuses on the fact that everyone is beautiful regardless of race, color, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation. The bold colors I use represent the way I see the world. There is beauty in everything I see and I believe that everyone has something to offer to the world in their own special and unique way. Thus, I have been deemed “The Artist of Happiness” because of the joy that my artwork brings to countless people. My art and I represent differences and my hope and goal is for the entire world to be able to see beauty and acceptance through my eyes—-the eyes of an artist.

Beach Patrol

John was born in Columbus Ohio, graduated from Ohio State, and lived in Southern California for 30 years. Although John learned to draw and paint as a young boy, his degrees are in the computer science field. It wasn’t until 2010 when his wife bought him a large easel and encouraged him to start painting again, that he began to take his art career seriously. Since then John has been selected in over 200 gallery shows and juried contests, including the National Oil & Acrylic Painter’s Society 2014 Best in America show. John’s Carousel Horse #1 was featured in the June 2014 issue of the Artist’s Magazine Competition Spotlight, and he was featured in the ‘Artists to Watch’ section of the Southwest Art March 2016 edition. John’s acrylic paintings have been included in AcrylicWorks Best of Acrylic Painting volumes 1 through 10 and his paintings have been voted FAV15% in Bold Brush on a number of occasions.

I was sitting at the bar at a local restaurant one evening and noticed the cascading reflections from the dozens of bottles of liqueur on the glass shelves. I knew immediately that I wanted to paint the scene. As I started gathering photo references my thoughts coalesced around the idea of glass bottles as precious objects. The shapes sizes and colors of the glass and the liquid inside all meld together to sparkle like gemstones.

I had painted several works that featured reflections in water, but never glass bottles. My goal was to get the viewer to see something more than bottles of booze. Some shiny objects that glitter and sparkle.