I grew up in Caliornia, where I received my 1st camera at age 9. I traveled with family to 48 states as well as Canada and Mexico with me photographing all the way. I moved to N.Y. in my teens where I saw some of the worlds best art galleries and museumns. While raising a family, my husband and I traveled to Hawaii, the Carribean and Europe. This deepened my love of art and especially my passion for color which led to a career in Interior Design and visual display. Relocating to Florida in 1990, I continued my design work and experimentation of different art forms.
Picking up my 1st digital camera (with no manual ), I started using it differently than I had been taught. Knowing the basics, I was now able to 'break the rules'. Wow, what a revelation! I started changing natures realistic plants and landscapes into surreal abstracts. My artists friends say 'she paints with her camera ' I can't think of a better compliment.
I also enjoy teaching a course I wrote on Creative Abstract Photography and watching my students 'get it'.
In a 9 year time span, I received many awards and ribbons. In 2006 I was nominated for 'Best new artist of the year '. I have had the pleasure of sending commissioned works to New York, Calif. ,Pa. ,Vermont and Austria, Japan, Australia and the UK. I've had commission work for a Miami developer for the Oasis condos downtown Ft. Myers.
2010 saw a commission with the use of 12 images for one of the worlds largest Insurance co. which were used in a Milllion dollar show. These images are my newest works which I call 'Contemporary Impressionism' which is my personal favorite style. This is where my passion has always lived, as my favorite artists have been Cezanne,Manet and of course Monet. By combining photography, pastel and some post processing I think I have acheived my goal.
This year 2011 I was commissioned to do 3 large canvas pieces for a 100 year old law firm - Rogers Tower and I'm proud to see them hanging in their new Ft. Myers office. Just this year ,April 2018 I was honored to be chosen out of thousands by Your Art Gallery to have a piece hanging at the Art Expo exhibit in New York City.
But part of being an artist is to always be open to experimenting and to letting your heart dictate the next step.
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Art is joy...
Florene Welebny joined Fine Art America on October 6th, 2008.
