Artists ‘Imagine’ at New Year’s First Friday Art Walk By Laura Mulrooney
LAURA MULROONEY
Vanessa LeVesque paints custom images on rocks and canvas. More on LeVesque at alittleartbyvanessa.com.
On January 1, the Gulfport Merchants Chamber kicked off the new year with a themed First Friday Art Walk – one of four planned for
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the year – challenging participating artists to express what “Imagine” means to them. For artist N’jeri Binta of Soul So
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Happy Studios, that word means freedom. “The root word of imagination is imagine, these pieces represent what I imagine,” Binta said. “I imagine free hearts, free souls, free thinking. The works I have here are a general observation of what I see around me. All the beauty I see in the world makes me feel a certain way and these works represent how I feel.” Originally a landscape acrylic artist, Vanessa LeVesque decided to try her hand at something a little more whimsical. During isolation, LeVesque had a lot of free time on her hands and was looking for positivity in a tumultuous time. LeVesque turned from traditional landscape paintings on canvas to painting relatable and fun images on rocks. “I was looking to be in a positive state of mind,” LeVesque said. “I paint relatable and fun images that people can smile at and that brighten their day.” Retired nurse Pam Masuk taught mental health coping skills to veterans at the Bay Pines V.A. hospital for most of her career. After retirement, she realized she might need some of her own advice. “I taught vets at the V.A. how to cope with mental health issues through painting and other creative outlets,” said Masuk. “I’m certainly
theGabber.com | January 7, 2021 - January 13, 2021
