Category: Press

New Paintings of Port Tampa Bay are Artful Documentaries

By Lennie Bennett, Times Art Critic – January 20, 2015

Laura Waller has been a presence in the bay area arts community for decades. Besides being involved as an advocate and supporter of various organizations, she’s a painter whose loosely worked, soft watercolors have evolved into a more muscular style with a heavier water-based oil paint. And what a surprise to see the subject matter of a new series that opens at Clayton Galleries Friday.

In “The Working Waterfront: Port of Tampa,” Waller explores the bustling industrial waterfront in 25 paintings that take viewers to scenes closed to outsiders and curiosity seekers because of strict security. She wrangled her way in through a personal connection and spent months exploring the area and operations from wharfs and a small boat.

The result is a triumphant hybrid of art and documentary. The ships, never designed or maintained as objects of beauty, become so on her canvases. Her compositions bring out their massiveness, emphasizing the relationship between their size and ours. Their forms dominate the paintings, though rarely shown in their entirety. The result is a sense of abstract form folded into a realist work.

The exhibition continues through March 7. Clayton Galleries is located at 4105 S MacDill Ave., Tampa. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Free. Opening reception is 7 to 9 p.m. Friday. claytongalleries.net; (813) 831-3753.

Women Contemporary Artists: Program January 19

WCA GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING: Monday, January 19, 2015: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Sarasota Herald Tribune bldg. 1741 Main St. Sarasota FL 34236
(Board meeting 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.)

PROGRAM: JANUARY 19 — “Excuse me, do you speak muse?”

How do you communicate with your muse? This is a serious and real question for an artist – one which Laura Waller can address. The paintings in her Port Tampa Bay series are representational, but her work reaches far beyond mere observation.  They at once tell a narrative and capture a moment; they serve as landscapes and abstractions; they reveal in-depth research and delight in the mysteries of painting. In her presentation, Waller will share with us the whole story of creating the series – a story which most certainly will help each of us connect with our own muse!

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Waller received her undergraduate and master’s degrees from Newcomb College and Tulane University in New Orleans. Concurrent with her studies in sociology, psychology and social work, she developed a passion for art and art history. After an eleven year career as a professional therapist, Waller became a certified financial planner and founder of the successful Waller & Wax Advisors firm in Tampa, Florida. Throughout her thirty year career in finance, she continued to paint and study independently with a number of prestigious artists in Arizona, Florida and Maine. Waller was selected in 2013, 2014 and again for 2015, for artist residencies at the Vermont Studio Center. Her new series will be featured in a six week solo exhibition opening January 23, 2015, titled The Working Waterfront: Port Tampa Bay, New Paintings by Laura Wallerat the Clayton Galleries, Tampa, Florida.

Laura’s website is: laurawallerart.com

Talk Back Florida: Huge Life Changes – Inside An Artist’s Head

By Lynn Marvin Dingfelder

Florida resident Laura Waller left the competitive profession of financial planning to become an award winning painter. Her most recent work, all about Tampa’s Port, will go on display at Clayton Galleries in S Tampa. We talked to Laura about this dramatic career change and how she creates:

 

http://bit.ly/1xDjCqI (Follow this link to listen to the full radio broadcast.)

THE WORKING WATERFRONT: PORT TAMPA BAY

New Paintings by Laura Waller

PRESS RELEASE: January 2, 2015, Tampa, Florida. Clayton Galleries at 4105 South MacDill Avenue, will be featuring the paintings of local artist Laura Waller in her inaugural exhibition at the gallery titled: “The Working Waterfront: Port Tampa Bay — New Paintings by Laura Waller” January 23 – March 7, 2015. There will be an opening reception to meet the artist on Friday, January 23rd, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The new series of twenty five oil paintings explores the raw, industrial side of Tampa’s waterfront through her up-close, painterly portrayal of the ships in the Port. “The Port is closed to the public, but with resolve I was able to gain access and an escort to tour the dockyards and other sites. I explored each channel by power boat, photo documenting the ships from a water level perspective. Since I find worn, aged surfaces and humble objects beautiful, the Port’s rusty, gritty shapes provide a fascinating subject to explore,” Waller explained.

Waller currently paints full time, dividing her schedule between Maine and Tampa studios. For thirty years she was a certified financial planner, but throughout her career continued to paint and study independently with many prestigious artists in Arizona, Florida and Maine.

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5p.m. and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information please call: (813) 832-3753 or write to: [email protected]

 
Top Island No. 2, 2014, Oil on linen, 20 x 24 inches


Lacanau, 2014, Oil on linen, 36 x 48 inches

Laura Waller Wins Award of Excellence at 9th Biennial Art Exhibition

by Thomas Hall – examiner.com
February 10, 2014

Last June, new Baker Museum of Art Curator Frank Verpoorten conferred Best of Show honors on Tampa artist Laura Waller at the Alliance for the Arts’ 27th Annual All Florida Juried Show. Last Thursday, two-time National Portrait Competition winner Carl J. Samson gave Waller an Award of Excellence at the Visual Arts Center of Punta Gorda’s 9th Biennial National Art Exhibition for her oil on canvas titled Approaching the Harbor.

Waller’s painting was chosen for the $500 Award of Excellence from a highly-competitive field of more than 450 entries from 27 states. In fact, Approaching the Harbor was one of only 130 pieces that Samson juried into the exhibition, which is regarded as one of the most prestigious juried exhibits of traditional two dimensional media in the entire nation. The show is produced by the Visual Arts Center of Punta Gorda every other year to benefit its programs and artists.

Waller has stated that she wants collectors to be able to come home, turn off their televisions, tune out the world and find respite within the four corners of her paintings from the rigors and stress of the financial, business and political worlds. Waller knows of what she speaks, having negotiated a highly successful career as a financial planner that spanned more than three decades. But at the end of 2011, she decided to focus full time on her career as an oil and watercolor painter, and it’s proven to be a wise decision.

One of the chief characteristics of Waller’s paintings is their softness. Waller applies paint to canvas so sparingly, it’s as though she were trying squeeze the last bit of pigment from her tubes of paint rather than making a run to the art supply store. But Baker Museum Curator Frank Verpoorten astutely notes that Waller intentionally allows “portions of the linen [to] show through so that her colors [will] vibrate.” It is this intelligently translucent quality that makes Waller’s work both seductive and beautiful.

The 9th Biennial National Art Exhibition can be seen at the Visual Arts Center of Punta Gorda through March 9, 2014. For more information, please contact VAC at 941-639-8810.

“Approaching The Harbor” Wins the Excellence Award at the 9th Biennial National Art Exhibition

Laura Waller received a $500 Award of Excellence for her “Approaching The Harbor” painting on February 6th, 2014 from Exhibition Juror Carl J. Samson at the Visual Arts Center of Punta Gorda’s 9th Biennial National Art Exhibition from a competitive field of 450 entrants from 35 states.

National Wildlife Refuge in Rockland Art Exhibition

Opening Night of Exhibition of Laura Waller’s Oil Paintings had the largest turnout ever at the Center.  Ninety-one people came to see the art work on the night of September 6th, 2013.


The gallery in the Wildlife Center


The Artist in front of “Dinghy No. 2”


Discussing “Detritus” with a collector


Paintings from Monhegan


Laura Waller and fellow artist, Russell Wray


Opening night visitors


Artist Laura Waller discusses the work with visitors

Art Show Reception at Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center September 6

8/28/2013 4:11:00 PM
www.freepressonline.com

Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Rockland will hold an open house and reception with refreshments for its new exhibit on Friday, September 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. during the First Friday Art Walk.

Russell Wray, new to the gallery, reflects in his sculptures on the relationship between humans and other animals. In her photographs, Blaise Botti strives to capture the natural habitat in the hope that people will become aware of the beauty that surrounds them, and want to protect it. Laura Waller of Rockland recently won Best of Show in a statewide Florida juried exhibition featuring three of her oil paintings of Maine scenes. Lori Davis seeks to educate as well as inspire with her photographs.

The exhibition will continue through October. The visitor center is located in Rockland’s South End in the Captain Snow house, the large white building just behind Triangle Park where Water Street and Route 73 meet. The visitor center and art gallery are open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Open House at Refuge Visitor Center Features New Artwork

ROCKLAND, Maine – August 20, 2013

Contact: Carney M. Doucette
[email protected]
9 Water Street, PO Box 1231, Rockland, ME 04841
TEL: 594-0600 X5  or (C): 975-9994

Come view this fall’s exhibition at the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge on Friday, September 6 from 5-8 p.m. during the first Friday Artwalk in Rockland. Meet the artists, enjoy some appetizers and learn more about the conservation work from National Wildlife Refuge staff and volunteers.

Russell Wray, a new sculptor to the gallery, has a predominant theme showing the relationship between humans and the other animals.

“Entwined Fates”  by Russell Wray –  basswood, casein paint, string   40″ h. x 35″ w. x 16″ d. The piece depicts a critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, entangled in fishing gear, but on another level is about the interconnectedness of humans and right whales, and all the other species.

Blaise Botti, photographer, strives to capture the natural habitat in the hope that people will be aware of the beauty that surrounds them, and they will want to protect it.

Botti Photo: “After a successful fishing hunt, the male osprey prepares to feed their baby osprey.”

Laura Waller is a professional painter right here in Rockland. She recently won Best of Show in a statewide Florida juried exhibition featuring three of her oil paintings of Maine.

 

“Approaching the Harbor” oil painting of Camden Harbor by Laura Waller

Lori Davis captures spectacular moments in nature and brings them back to share with others, hoping her photographs will educate as well as inspire her audience.

Preening Puffin Portrait by Lori Davis

The visitor center is located in the south-end of town and is housed in the old Captain Snow house, the large white building just behind Triangle Park where Water Street and Route 73 meet.  The visitor center and art gallery also are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This exhibition will be up through October, 2013.

Alliance Announces Winners In 27th Annual All Florida Juried Exhibition

Alliance Announces Winners In 27th Annual All Florida Juried Exhibition

The River Arts Weekly News
June 21, 2013 Vol. 12, No. 24

More than 100 artists submitted nearly 300 pieces for consideration in the Alliance for the Arts’ 27th annual All Florida Juried Exhibition. This year’s juror, Frank Verpoorten, director and chief curator at The Baker Museum of Arts in Naples, narrowed the list to 50 pieces which were presented to the public on May 31. Winners were announced during the reception and prizes were awarded. Laura Waller was awarded $750 for Best in Show for her oil painting Owls Head. Bonnie Langenfeld won a $250 Golden Paints gift certificate for her second place fiber art piece Everglades Avenue. Megan Kissinger won $100 for her third place acrylic painting In Singing, Not to Sing – The Oven Bird. Judith Anderson and Deborah Martin both won Jurors’ Choice awards for Whaleback Light (paint/fiber) and Elephant I (mixed media on Kozo paper), respectively. The juror led an hour long gallery walk on June 1, which was attended by more than 60 people.

The All Florida Exhibit is sponsored by FineMark National Bank & Trust. It remains on display in the Alliance Main Gallery through Friday, August 2 during normal business hours (Monday thru Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. during GreenMarket).

The Alliance for the Arts is located at 10091 McGregor Boulevard, just south of Colonial