Sawgrass Mills Mall Art Gators

Passion for Fashion by artist Robert Tabor

South Beach Camo Gator by artists Jessica Clark, Dian Samuel, Vanessa Vejar, Bryan Houck, Alessandra Santors

Detail of My Place Too by Sal Sidner

Detail of My Place Too by Sal Sidner

Detail of My Place Too by Sal Sidner

Fiery Gator by artist Alejandro Cuadra

Gaudi Gator by artist Nadine Egan Floyd

Fun signs posted at the gator exhibit.

Detail of Relax, Rejoice, Renew...Florida! by artist Frances Kiperman

Relax, Rejoice, Renew...Florida! by artist Frances Kiperman

Cha-Cha Fiesta Gator by artists Marisol Cuevas, Christine Figueroa, Gonzalo Figueroa, Yaritza Hoyos, Nancy Cabrera

Walkway towards the mall shops

Other side of the ...Florida gator.

Detail of My Place Too by Sal Sidner

Walkway towards parking lot.

Other side of ...Florida

Andy and I enjoying our day at the Grand Luxe Cafe at Sawgrass Mills Mall.

Gina, Glam Gator of the Glades by artist Adriane Pirro

Vacation days are sparse this time of year, because both Andy and I are working strange hours for our day jobs. We took advantage of a single day by being lazy around the house and then taking a drive to Sawgrass Mills Mall. It being a vacation day, my camera went with us. Yes, it is a mall...but I knew there would be some very cool gators!

After lunch, we wandered around the Gator Garden. My favorite is the Florida one, with the mosquito on its snout. Being attractive to mosquitoes, I feel the gator's pain. Andy's favorite was My Place Too, if I remember through the vacation day buzz of a lunch expresso mocha martini.

Vacation days are meant for fun. After snapping the photos, off we went for some much needed shopping and us time. We spied no more gators inside the mall.





When was the last time you took a true vacation day? What did you do during that day?


For more about the project, please visit the Life Is Art website by clicking on this sentence. 


For more about the Sawgrass Mills Mall, please click on this sentence.


All designs are copyright of the individual artists. 


Smiles, 
Angeline Marie of 
Angeline Marie Fine Art
Facebook Page for Angeline Marie Fine Art

Shells Abstracts Paintings

Until Andy hung up these forgotten paintings from 2006-2007, these shell abstracts had never displayed together. Andy came home one day and declared that these were the perfect cure for white walls. This is the time to mention his innate talent for curating art, too.

These paintings were based on a seashell found on the beaches of St. Lucie, Florida. The crusty, old, worn, gray seashell inspired the colors and swirls. The seashell traveled with me to Cafe Tu Tu Tango in Coconut Grove, Florida where artists used to paint. Most of the seashells here (and a couple still hidden) were started in the now closed restaurant.

When the series was pulled down to take to a potential new home, Andy was extremely disappointed. I miss them, too. Guess there will be more from this seashell...the whirls, the curves....

What is something you carry around for inspiration?

The entire series ©2006-2007 by Angeline Marie, mixed media on canvas, size 16 x 20 inches.


Smiles,   
Angeline Marie of 
Angeline Marie Fine Art
Facebook Page for Angeline Marie Fine Art

Rules of Composition by Guest Jason Eldridge

Guest Author: Jason Eldridge of Eldridge Studios wants to make it known that he is a photographer and not a painter.  It is important to make that distinction because of the difference in how the art is created.  There are however, aspects of photography that can benefit from the painted art.  Painting has been around for more than a millennial where as photography not quite two centuries.  Yet, many photographers forget that the word itself means “painting” with light.  While every aspect of painting does not transfer to photography there is a great deal that does.  

Every good painting has a subject. Not only does it have a subject but your eye is drawn to that subject by elements within.  One fundamental rule you should commit to memory is that the human eye is drawn to the lightest part of the image (or painting) first. 

Leading Lines:  These are items within the painting or photograph that “lead” your eyes directly to the subject.

Elements Within

There are some effective ways of drawing attention to your subject.  Here is a quick list of what paintings can teach you about photography:

Technique:  When you look at a painting that is technically sound you see the artist’s vision not the individual brush strokes.  Now, as you study the image the method used to create the painting will be discovered but your initial thought of the art work isn’t “I wonder what kind of brush they used”. 

In photography the Exposure Value can have the same effect.  You want people to see the image not some areas that are blown out or are too dark.  You have to understand the technical aspects of photography in order properly show your artistic vision. Watch out for blown out highlights around the edges of the frame. If you are going for a blown out look it may be effective but if that is not your intent it can be very distracting.

Leading Lines:  These are items within the painting or photograph that “lead” your eyes directly to the subject.

Sharp Eyes: If you are photographing (or painting) people or animals it is vital to keep the eyes sharp. If the eyes are not sharp the viewer will instantly know and this does not always provoke a positive response.  Why? Because our eyes are instantly drawn to the eyes of other creatures. It is just the way we as humans are designed.

Rule of Thirds: Using the rule of thirds helps to improve your overall photograph or painting but it also acts as a draw to the subject (provided the subject is defined). Again, you should not always use this rule for every photograph or painting but you will find it effective most of the time. Make sure that you understand the rule before you break it.

Depth of Field: This is a fantastic method of drawing the eye. If you have a very shallow depth of field (sharp subject with an out-of-focus background) then the area behind the subject does not cause your eyes to become distracted.

Whether you are a painter or a photographer you are an artist.  Think like an artist and your work will show.

Jason is a photographer who captures light, nature, and people with pizazz and joy. For more about him and his photographic adventures, please visit his website by clicking on his website link Eldridge Studios.

Smiles, 
Angeline Marie of 
Angeline Marie Fine Art
Facebook Page for Angeline Marie Fine Art