September 2008 – January 2009

Exhibit location:
The Terrace Gallery and the Mayor's Gallery at Orlando City Hall

Admission:
Free

Terrace Gallery hours:
Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 9:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday noon to 5:00 pm
Closed Major Holidays

Mayor's Gallery hours:
Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Closed Major Holidays

Orlando City Hall
400 South Orange Avenue
Orlando, Florida
Phone: 407 246 4279
 

Exhibition Overview

“The mission of the tour is to act as a bridge between countries of the world to foster environmental awareness,” says “Far and Near" founder Linda Richichi. “The art on the canvas becomes a universal language and acts as an ambassador between different cultures. Art is a bridge, bringing us together.”

This unique gathering of Plein Air and Landscape artists from around the globe features 18 signature and charter members (expanding to 30 juried artists in 2008) who currently represent five countries. IPAP specializes in Landscape Paintings done entirely en plein air (outside), while LAI members paint landscapes in both plein air and studio settings. While the outlooks and temperaments are slightly different, the commonality of all the artists involved is a passion for painting nature’s landscape.

“As artists,” states Michael Chesley Johnson, Director, “there’s a reason why we paint the landscape and not the figure, still life or some other subject. The landscape feeds our creative fire. Thankful for its inspiration, we are eager to see that it gets taken care of. And the best way to see that it gets taken care of is to put it on display for the entire world to see. Our hope is that our paintings will encourage others to become stewards of the land – just as we have become its promoters.”

“This show’s mission”, states Brenda Hofreiter, Florida Host, “has allowed the artists to pull together, combining their resources, talents and personal contacts in order to make this tour possible. In doing so, they overcome their own prejudices of technique, medium, location and competitiveness and acknowledge a vision of the world that sustains and inspires us all. May these artistic visions of peace, beauty and order in the natural world inspire your life as well.”