Thu, Jun 22
|Buena Ventura Lakes
Libby Bryson at Buenaventura Lakes Library
Time & Location
Jun 22, 2:50 PM – Aug 22, 2:50 PM
Buena Ventura Lakes, 405 Buenaventura Blvd, Buena Ventura Lakes, FL 34743, USA
About the Event
Osceola Arts - Art in Public Places presents artworks by Florida artist Libby Bryson at the Buenaventura Lakes Library in Kissimmee. Libby grew up in the Niagara Region of Canada before relocating to Emerald Lake, British Columbia inside Yoho National Park. It was here she first fell in love with wild animals in theirnatural habitat, encountering bears, elk, moose, deer and even porcupines as part of daily life. With a degree in Tourism, she was soon recruited to work at the Canada Pavilion of EPCOT in 1988. Thanks to her dual citizenship, she remained working at Disney for more than 3 decades - most recently as Manager of Consumer Insight at the theme parks. During COVID-19, ‘love for animals’ took on a whole new meaning as she decided to TNVR (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return) every single outdoor cat in her neighborhood and was further inspired to volunteer as an adoption counsellor at Animal Services. Feeling a strong urge to create space in her life but not knowing why, she took the plunge into early retirement from Disney in 2022. Only then did she learn about Crealdé School of Art in Winter Park where she uncovered a newfound ability to draw and paint animals using a variety of mediums.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
My earlier work began during COVID-19 and was exclusively abstract in nature as I struggled to express my feelings about the complexity and unpredictability of life. Learning to disconnect from mymind and trust the beauty that can result from uncertainty was truly a therapeutic and life-changing experience. Everyone’s interpretation of these paintings tends to be different, and they can function as great conversation starters! I love to hear what shapes and subjects arise for various individuals. My passion for animals has dominated my more recent paintings, including wild animals in nature, commissioned pet portraits and a new series of community cat paintings entitled ‘Formerly Feral.’
Works by Libby Bryson on display at Buenaventura Lakes Library from June 22 through August 22. For more information on Art in Public Places contact Tre@osceolaarts.org or Marilyn@osceolaarts.org.