Photo submitted by: COCA and Destanie Morman
You can find more than 50 pieces of artwork hanging from the walls on the second-floor of City Hall showcasing artists form throughout Florida and Georgia.
According to a press release by the Council on Culture & Arts (COCA), more than 30 watercolor artists were selected to show their exquisite work in this year’s Tallahassee Watercolor Society members exhibition.
For nearly 15 years COCA has partnered with the City of Tallahassee’s Watercolor Society to present the annual Brush Strokes Exhibition.
COCA is the local arts agency for Tallahassee and Leon County. COCA is responsible for managing the city's Art in Public Places program and puts on more than a dozen exhibits a year showing the work of more than 200 local artists.
Amanda Karioth Thompson, who serves as the education and exhibitions director for COCA, said the exhibition has always been extremely popular with local water media artists and gallery goers.
“We are lucky to have some of the best watercolorists in the region and their dedication and professionalism is evident in the quality of the artwork on display in the gallery,” said Thompson. “By publicly displaying their artistry, we engage city officials, local leaders, arts advocates and community members in the conversation about the importance of the arts.”
A beautiful piece of watercolor art on display.
Photo submitted by: COCA and Destanie Morman
Tallahassee Watercolor Society President Karol D. Selvaggio said they’re very excited about the exhibition.
“The exhibition is a beautiful example of the wonderful work of our members,” Selvaggio said. “I hope everyone gets an opportunity to see it.”
Kiana Bryant, a fourth-year public relations student at FAMU from Tampa, said exhibits like these are good for the community.
“I love things like this,” said Bryant. “It definitely brings life to City Hall and that’s not something you would typically expect to see here.”
Richard Nelson, a resident of Tallahassee, said the exhibition is a great addition to city hall.
“It gives it some spice and something to look at … especially when you have to look at paper all day,” said Nelson. “Honestly speaking, I’m not a fan of museums. However, looking at some of the beauty in these pictures encourages me to go to one.”
Thompson also expressed how important this exhibition is to the community.
“It is critically important to support artists’ development through exhibition opportunities not only because it allows them to grow as human beings, but also because it promotes inquiry, innovation and study that connects them with other people including gallery goers,” Thompson said. “The act of creation reminds us that all individuals have their own unique perspectives and ideas while simultaneously demonstrating the universal nature of art. It brings us together and it makes us stronger as a community.”
Thompson added that she is excited to see what the future holds for this annual exhibition.
“Every year, I think the artworks in this show can’t possibly get any better, and every year these artists prove me wrong,” Thompson said. “That’s a great trajectory of creative development for our artists and for our community.”
The Annual Brush Strokes Exhibition is on display until Oct. 8. It is free to the public and is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.