By Mark Caracciolo
On Thursday, July 10th, at the Robert M. Montgomery Jr. Building, ten artists were recognized by the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County at a reception marking the beginning of their exhibition. These artists came from all corners of the PBC area, from up north in Jupiter, all the way south to Delray Beach. Each winner received a $7,500 grant in 2024 and a dedicated section at this exhibition.
The artists are masters of a wide range of disciplines, including painters, sculptors, glass blowers, musicians, and other types of artisans.
The reception began at 5:30 pm, when guests were allowed into the building. Dozens of journalists, prior winners of the Innovation Showcase, collectors, and art enthusiasts all began to peruse and admire the various curated works of art on display. The air filled with the sound of jovial conversation and the smell of mini taco hors d’oeuvres as the staff, wearing uniform white dress shirts, began to serve cocktails to guests.
At 6:00 pm, Dave Lawrence, the CEO of Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, proceeded to make announcements in the central room of the exhibition. “These are very, very talented artists who live, work, and play here in Palm Beach County,” Lawrence remarked. “There are 10 artists selected through this selective application process… All they had to do was commit themselves to this notion of innovation and renewal.”
After he finished, he introduced one of the winners, Victoria Cardona, and she began playing select songs from her new album, Que Pasó. Another winner, Noah Garbarino, played on traditional Japanese taiko drums as well, which he crafts himself, having traveled to Japan to study how to make them.
Most of the other winners, Gillain Kennedy Wright, Jose R. Mendez, Janis Mc David, Jeanne Jaffe, Tracy Guiteau, Eli Cecil, and Molly Aubry, all had displays with a wide variety of their carefully crafted works on display. The exception is Suzanne Ankrum-Harris, who is using her grant to fund and produce a new stage play, Hurricane Diane.
“We try to give artists unfettered access to fund their dreams,” said Nick Murray, the Council’s Director of Marketing. “Artists in Palm Beach County should be artists full time.” The works will be on display from July 11 through August 29, at 601 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth Beach. The exhibition itself will be free and open to guests during the summer, Tuesday to Friday, from 12 pm to 5 pm. If you wish to learn more about the exhibit or the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County more broadly, you can visit their website at www.palmbeachculture.com
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