Arts for ACT Gallery will host an opening reception on Friday, Dec. 6 from 6 to 10 p.m. for featured artists Daniel Jude Venditti in the main gallery and Jeff and Dale Ocasio in the white gallery.
Dan Venditti has always been fascinated with the human form. He has a great interest in human nature, as formed his artistic style to reveal much about himself, the subject, and the observer. His Italian heritage, coupled with various European masters, both past and contemporary, has influenced his work in many aspects.
Dan received his bachelor’s degree in fine art from Pratt Institute in 1987. He later attended the New York Academy of Art and received his Masters in Painting and Sculpture in 1994. He also apprenticed with the Russian artists Komar and Melamid for most of the ‘90s, working on print editions of Death Magazine and their America’s Most Wanted series of paintings. He spent 20 years in New York City showing his works in galleries in the city as well as international galleries and group exhibits.
The Imperfect exhibit is a series of figurative paintings of real people, showing the beauty and grace in all of our wonderful flaws, all of our beautiful shapes and sizes, our humanity.
Jeff and Dale Ocasio collaborate on making sculpted and illustrative art. Both were raised in Tampa, where they met, started a family and began a creative life together. North Fort Myers has been their home for over 20 years. Refining their self-taught technique of using paper masking tape as a sculpting medium for more than a decade, they’ve been honored to have their art awarded in juried shows and have exhibited locally throughout SW Florida and in Chicago.
Sculpting with paper masking tape over wire and reclaimed objects is where our artwork begins, aiming to express an imaginative, storybook spirit. Each sculpture is encased with layers of acid free glue, color is added with more layers of acrylics, and protected with varnish. The Ocasios’ Water Ways exhibit is a tribute to life in the tides is a whimsical, naïve but loving view of living things in and around our banks and shores.
Arts for ACT Gallery is located at 2265 First St. in Fort Myers.
