A Gulfport cafe will showcase colorful paintings that reflect the artist's own emergence from darker times.
By RITA FARLOW
Published November 16, 2005
The Patio Cafe of Gulfport will hold a gallery opening Saturday for local artist Marianne Wysocki.
The Moonbeam Balls series started from a stream-of-consciousness exercise, Wysocki said.
"I laid huge sheets of paper down on a table and just started drawing without thinking about it and all these images came out. And from these images, I had these themes come out," she said.
The artist said she was inspired by recent positive changes in her life. She used bright colors and playful themes to represent her journey through challenges to the beauty she finds in her current life in Gulfport.
"I'm looking at a transformation in terms of moving on, as with what happened in my life. Things are lighter and brighter now, and I think that's shown through my color usage and the people theme. I also use a lot of subthemes of celestial images like fish and stars and suns and moons," she said.
"Celestial themes, for me, represent the blurred defining line between the heavens and earth. I like to feel we can go beyond the line that grounds us here on earth through spiritual awareness. Hence the flying people.
"The stars represent aspirations, symbolizing hope and truth, shining forth out of the unknown darkness. The spiral is one of the most common forms found in nature. It is the ancient symbol of growth, healing, evolution and self-transformation.
"The sun and moon represent, for me, rejuvenation, new growth, a chance to start over. What I believe is that there is spirituality in all human experience. It's a good journey."
Wysocki, 46, will have about 10 of her acrylic and Prismacolor pencil on wood panel paintings on display at the cafe for the next two months. The opening, from 7 to 10 p.m. at 3121 Beach Blvd. S, will feature free food, wine and live music.
The larger pieces in the series are about 3 by 7 feet and are acrylic on wood panel. The smaller paintings are 20 by 28 inches and are acrylic and color pencil on wood. All of the paintings will be for sale, for $100 to $1,200.
Wysocki said cafe owner Pete Hayden is very supportive of artists and is paying for all the food, wine and music for the grand opening.
Hayden said owners who take a commission from each work ultimately force the artists to raise prices on their art to make a fair profit.
"It's not very often you get the opportunity to show that kind of art. I don't take any money from the artists. If a cafe wants to show art, (the cafe) benefits from that," Hayden said.
Wysocki moved here 41/2 years ago from her native Grand Rapids, Mich., where she participated in several area juried shows and solo and group exhibits. She won the 1987 Juror's Choice Award at the Muskegon (Mich.) Museum of Art 60th Annual Regional Show and the 1991 Juror's Choice Award at the Lowell (Mich.) Regional Show.
Wysocki has had her paintings on display at the Grand Rapids Art Museum and Spectrum Hospital West in Grand Rapids. She has participated in group exhibits since 1981, and has shown her paintings at four solo exhibitions in Michigan. This will be her first full solo exhibit since moving to Florida.
Having put painting on the back burner for several years as she dealt with personal issues, Wysocki said her goal is to be able to devote herself to her craft and to make the endeavor a full-time job.
"That's my goal, just to get my stuff out there again. Just paint. That's what I want to do."
IF YOU GO
The Patio Cafe of Gulfport is at 3121 Beach Blvd. S, Gulfport. The cafe is currently open until 2 p.m. for breakfast and lunch, but will begin extended dinner hours, until 8 p.m., on Sunday. The gallery opening will be from 7-10 p.m. Saturday. For information, call the cafe at 343-4755.
