MEET OUR SIGNATURE ARTISTS Click on each image for more art and information.
Marina Burgner developed her love of printmaking while taking classes at Seminole State College. Currently an art major at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, she continues to create relief prints and has added sculpture and pottery to her artistic endeavors. Notably She has won numerous awards for printmaking and sculpture, including two Best in Show prizes at the Seminole State College annual student show, 2022 and 2023. With a strong interest in native Florida wildlife, her work often depicts animals in their habits and their struggle for survival .
Megan Carroll is a founding member of the Seminole County Printmakers. She studied art and printmaking under Larry Vienneau at Seminole State College. Her work is magical, mystical, and peculiar with recurring themes of birds, flowers and symbols that can be found hand-printed on fabric as well as paper.
Her bags can be purchased at several art vending machines in the Orlando area and at her Etsy Store www.etsy.com/shop/theravensapprentice
Richard Colvin is an artist, art teacher, museum professional, and musician. Born in Olathe, Kansas, Colvin's family relocated to Florida in the mid-1960s. Colvin received his art education courtesy of a succession of mentors: Barbara Bassett at the Art Workshop in Winter Park, Thomas F. Peterson at Rollins College, and through observing Central Florida's legendary painter/printmakers, including Maury Hurt, Bill Orr, Jerry Raidiger, and many others. In craftsmanship and spirit, Colvin's greatest mentor is his father, Ronald P. Colvin.
To learn more about Richard D. Colvin go to https://richardcolvin.net
He can be reached by email at richard.d.colvin@gmail.com
A mixed-media artist, Katy Farmer's work reflects her interest in both figurative and abstract art. She explores the tension between realism and abstraction through the use of organic and inorganic shapes with layers of acrylic, watercolor, ink, pencil and printmaking. Her unique experience of growing up on a houseboat on Florida's Weeki Wachee River inspires much of her work.
Katy received her BFA in Illustration and Design from the Ringling College of Art+Design, and her MA in Art Education from the University of Central Florida. A recent retiree, Katy dedicated over 20 years to art education. She taught primarily at Lake Brantley High School as an instructor for AP Studio Art, Painting, Drawing, 2D Design and Printmaking. She has taught both children and adults through art programs at UCF, the Orlando Museum of Art and the Casselberry Art House. Prior to her teaching career, she worked as an illustrator and graphic designer in Boston, Denver and Orlando for commercial businesses including Harcourt Brace, Disney World, Sea World and Coors.
Her work has been exhibited at the Casselberry Art House, Casselberry City Hall, the National Art Program, the Seminole State College's Educator Show, and the Orlando Museum of Art's Art Academia show.
Inquiries about purchasing art should go to Katy Farmer at katyafarmer@gmail.com
Ysabel Flores is a hands-on artist, exploring a variety of mediums from painting to printmaking to ceramics. Taking her education at Seminole State College and Stetson University has allowed her to further her knowledge of studio arts in relation to culture. Beyond the academy, she engages with her local community by teaching art to children, displaying personal work at local galleries, and teaming up with other artists to create public art.
She is continually working on new projects, experimenting with ideas, and observing the world around her. By interacting with other creative minds, with nature, and everyday objects, she constantly discovers new perspectives on life and seeks to express these in creative and tangible ways.
website: http://ysabelfloresart.com
email: ysabelfloresart@gmail.com
Born in Argentina, Liliana Gerardi has a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, with a Major in Printmaking.
Since 1990, she has participated in exhibitions in Argentina, United States, Mexico, Panama, Brazil, Spain, Belgium, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Japan, Egypt among others.
She has resided in the United States since 2000. With a strong commitment to spread engraving techniques, she is teaching, giving printmaking workshops and demonstrations in different institutions such as libraries, museums and galleries as well as in her printmaking studio in Orlando.
“My artwork ranges from symbolic to abstract. I am inspired by primitive art, aboriginal art, as well as art with spiritual significance like that of Klee or Kandinsky.
I work intuitively without previous sketches, and I like it that way.
I am allowed to be overtaken by the line, the wood’s pattern or the texture of the paper.
I like curved lines, free as flowing water, the circle in my work is a generator of energy and I prefer it red.”
COLLECTIONS
Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria Egypt
International Artists Society Salon de Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Museo de la Xilografía , La Plata, Argentina.
Museo Nacional del Grabado, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Tama Art University, Tokyo, Japan.
Ajuntament de Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain
XYLON International. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Concello de Ourense, Ourense. Spain.
Museo Municipal de Arte Moderno, Mendoza, Argentina.
Private collections in North and South America, Germany, United Kingdom and Hong Kong.
https://www.instagram.com/lilianagerardi/ www.LilianaGerardi.com
Jennifer Harper is passionate about the the environment and her family and takes most of her visual cues from the natural world. The content of her work is very flexible. While one print might be realistic, the next might be abstract. Her thinking “is in a constant state of flux and the ideas for a print have to accommodate the thought of the day”.
Often her prints are sparked by words, or can just as easily begin with a simple shape. The process of carving and printing a plate is always an opportunity for experimentation and play. Not knowing exactly how the print will turn out is a big part of the adventure.
In 2012, Jennifer founded the Open Press Group in Eustis, Florida to encourage area artists to share her printmaking studio where she has no fewer than three presses. She believes artists benefit from time together, fostering a sense of community and thus inspiring one another.
Workshops and classes and press time are offered on a regular basis. Please contact Jennifer Harper directly at jenhpr@gmail.com
To learn more about Jennifer Harper and the Harper Printmaking Studio visit http://harperprintmakingstudio.com
OPEN PRESS GROUP: Anyone who takes a workshop or comes for training is invited to join. You need to have had an initial training in press operation, clean up and use of inks and papers. Artists are encouraged to join for $60.00 a month. This entitles you to weekly 3-hour visits. (Up to 15 hours of studio time).
Artists who come to print occasionally, pay $20.00 for each 3-hour block, plus a $5.00 ink fee.
OPEN PRESS GROUP MEETING:
Wednesdays 10-1 AM and 4-8 PM.
*Other hours can be arranged.
*Workshops can be offered to small groups on a call ahead basis. Usually scheduled on a Thursday or Saturday
To register or for more information, just call Jenny: 321-961-1650
A native of Central Florida, David Hunter is a master printmaker and experienced art educator, who is well known for his wry sense of humor and remarkable patience with teaching adults and children alike. His process for creating images, or etchings, involves using acid to etch lines into a hard metal plate, and then hand inking that plate to make prints. He currently teaches workshops for the Crealdé School of Art in Winter Park and through out the South East.
Many of David Hunter’s etching are inspired by natural Florida. He says he inherited his father’s interest and talent for artwork at an early age but majored in zoology at the University of South Florida in Tampa, earning a bachelor’s degree (1969) and master’s degree (1972). He illustrated his master’s thesis with pen-and-ink drawings, and it was then he realized his strong attraction to line art.
After working as a research associate in the biology department at the University of Central Florida, he taught 7th grade life sciences and 8th grade physical sciences for five years. He returned to art in his spare time in 1976 and participated in his first art show in 1977. Taking a year’s leave of absence from teaching in 1978, he became a full-time artist and has notably created more than 80,000 etchings to date.
He was instrumental in forming the Florida Printmakers Society in 1986, becoming its first president. In 1987 Yankee Publishing Company commissioned him to etch a new cover using the existing design for The Old Farmer’s Almanac. He hand-colored the final etching, and the results appeared for the first time on the cover of the 1988 edition. He is a member of the The Seminole County Printmakers, Miniature Art Society of Florida, the Miniature Painter, Sculptors & Gravers Society of Washington, D.C. and a signature member of the Miniature Artists of America.
His unique etchings infused with the imagery of natural Florida consistently draw top awards at art festivals and competitions in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan.
Artist, Mindy Lighthipe is passionate about getting out into the natural world and discovering the beauty in every rock, stream and forest. With this passion she carefully studies her subjects in their environment. Her paintings and prints evolve by collecting sketches, taking color notes and using her digital photo references as materials to create her works of art.
Mindy uses a variety of techniques to create her bold imagery. She carefully and accurately draws her compositions often creating full detailed drawings in pencil before going onto color. Mindy is not shy when it comes to color application. She creates hand-pulled prints and paints in watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, and Pan Pastels. It is not uncommon for her to break traditional and classic rules combining techniques to create her unique and breath taking style.
Mindy graduated from Kean University with a BFA in Studio Arts and a MA in Art Education- Magna cum laude. She received her 210 hour certification from the New York Botanical Gardens in Botanical Illustration. After graduating she went on to teach over 20 different classes in their Botanical Art Program and developed a 250 hour certificate in Natural Science Illustration.
Mindy has been exhibiting her art since 1998 in juried and solo exhibitions. In 2009 she received a Silver Medal from the Royal Horticultural Society in London. In 2010 she had a solo exhibition at the Florida Museum of Natural History. She currently is teaching Scientific Illustration at the University of Florida.
She offers online instruction and art/photograhy travel excursions. To learn, more go to her online and social media found at:
www.mindylighthipe.com and www.instagram.com/mlighthipe
Fontaine Rodgers is an artist and educator. She holds a BFA, cum laude, from the Maryland Institute, College of Art where she majored in drawing and printmaking. Her work is represented in municipal and private collections here and abroad.
Nature has been the primary focus of her work. She is a native Virginian, long-time Maryland resident and a recent transplant to Florida where she has established an art studio in DeLand.
She offers drawing and fundamentals of art lessons online, and teaches classes and workshops for the Crealdé School of Art in the Orlando area. She is a member of The Sumi-e Society of America and teaches workshops in Sumi-e painting. Her online instruction clients include Oceola County Public Schools, Lake-Sumter State College Upward Bound Program, Crealde School of Art, as well as private individuals and groups. She is certified to teach K-12 art by the State of Maryland.
The prints you see here are wood or linoleum block prints. Color is added by hand coloring with watercolors, colored pencils or by block printing additional layers of color. Each print is handmade and unique.
Some prints are available for sale. Contact the artist directly at Fontaine.Rodgers.Art@gmail.com
To learn more about Fontaine Rodgers and her art go to http://www.fontainerodgers.com
Bronwyn Merritt is a multimedia artist who currently maintains studios in Carrboro, NC and Orlando, FL. She received an MFA in printmaking with intensive work in drawing, painting and photography from UNC-G in 1990. She has continued her education over many trips to Penland School of Crafts, delving into hand papermaking and book arts, among other subjects. This love of learning has brought many connections and collaborations with other artists, and promoted much experimentation with new subjects and media over the years. She studied Psychology and Design at Duke University, and worked in museums, galleries, and as an arts writer and a college arts instructor. Although her early work was mainly in narrative linocuts, she also works in drawing, painting, ceramics and book arts. Her work can be found in private collections around the world, and in the American University Museum and the Weatherspoon Museum in the U.S.
To purchase works, contact the artist at 919-923-1058 or
Bronwyn@BronwynMerritt.com
Virginia Poe is a printmaker and enthusiastic supporter of the Seminole County Printmakers. She holds a Bachelor of Design from the University of Florida and has established an art studio in historic downtown Sanford.
Virginia sits on the Board of Trustees for the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens in Winter Park, Florida. Notably, she is Chair of the Sanford City Public Art Commission, promoting murals and art exhibits through out the community. Her efforts provides opportunities and funding for artists and brings visual esthetics to Sanford.
Larry Vienneau is an award-winning artist, illustrator, painter and printmaker. He holds a BFA from The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and a MFA in Painting and Printmaking from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. As a professor at Seminole State College he has introduced hundreds of young artists to printmaking. He is best known for his many crow and raven themed art which have appeared in numerous books and publications.
Notably, he was introduced to etching when, at the age of 16, he broke his neck diving into a pool. His mother bought him a scrimshaw kit to keep him busy during his recovery. He became so skilled at etching artwork, he took commissions for scrimshaw and was featured in books and publications as the youngest scrimshaw artist in the country. Ultimately this experience led to a love of dry point etching printmaking, a technique that parallels scrimshaw.
Larry Vienneau is the driving force behind the Seminole County Printmakers. His personal goal is to educate and bring awareness to the public about printmaking. He brings a wealth of experience to our community of artists and works to assure our members are mentored and encouraged.
Much of his work is available for purchase. Contact Larry Vienneau at: thevienneau@att.net
Learn more about Larry at: http://larryvienneauprints.blogspot.com
See what’s for sale on Etsy at the SeminolePrintmakers Shop
Mary Wentzel is a true creative, embracing each medium as a challenge worthy of time and effort. She is well known for a range of subjects and techniques, including illustrations, printmaking, pen and ink, watercolors, jewelry, painted furniture and sculpture. Her love of attention and detail is reflected in her whimsical illustration style. She is a silversmith and lapidary artist who designs and handcrafts silver settings and stones into original one-of-a-kind pieces. In 2024 she collaborated with artist Joanne Roberson on a Best in Show sculpture.
Mary Wentzel is a graduate of the Tyler School of Art and has served as both curator and educator at several museums including the Museum of Arts and Sciences and the Ormond Museum of Art. As a long time Florida resident, her favorite subjects are the local flora and fauna which she paints in bold colors and repetitive images. Her award winning work can be found in collections and publications throughout the United States. She is also known for her children's books including Crazy's A to Zs for Kids. To view more of her work go to website at https://worldofwentzel.com
Contact Mary Wentzel by email at museumary@aoll.com
