Bailey Contemporary Arts Center Opens Season With Two Exhibitions

Bailey Contemporary Arts Center in Pompano Beach has two stunning new exhibitions on view this fall. Silent Spaces by Janet Onofrey invites viewers to reflect upon the local scenery we rarely notice, while The Island Imprint: Yardie Point of View explores themes of Jamaican music and entertainment. There is an opening reception for both exhibitions on October 1 from 6 - 8 pm. The event is free and open to the public. Learn more at www.pompanobeacharts.org

"Bailey Contemporary Arts Center opens the season with two vibrant exhibitions," said Phyllis Korab, Director, Cultural Affairs Department. "Although different in subject matter, both capture in vivid detail significant moments of connection. The works in Silent Spaces showcase the world we overlook as we race through our busy lives, while The Island Imprint reveals the universal strength of the Jamaican spirit."

Silent Spaces runs through December 28 and celebrates the changing landscape of South Florida; inviting us to observe the places that we constantly inhabit yet rarely reflect upon. These works by Janet Onofrey are a series of plein air paintings and drawings representing a moment in time, giving a voice to these urban settings, which are constantly present.

"Primarily urban settings, my subject matter is scenes that are routinely ignored, a reflection of a culture and sense of place that can change at any moment," revealed Onofrey. "This slice of reality is set in isolation, without the presence of people, to evoke a sense of stillness that allows the character of the space to speak. Ultimately, in a blink of an eye, the art illuminates our world and raises the viewers' consciousness, transforming the seer, never to be the same."

Onofrey, who is now a Pompano Beach resident, showcases South Florida architectural structures, buildings, bridges and natural scenery.

Janet Onofrey was born in Pittsburgh, PA and moved to South Florida where the sunlight and mild weather beckoned her to paint, "in the open air." Her master's degree in painting led to a residency in Provence, France and time in Barcelona and Paris. She was awarded the South Florida Cultural Consortium Visual and Media Artist Fellowship judged for her extensive body of work. Janet was accepted into the Skopelos Foundation of Art Residency on Skopelos Island off the coast of Greece in 2016.

Her art has been juried into national exhibitions such as the American Impressionist Society, American Women Artists, and is a member of the Oil Painters of America. The Baker Museum in Naples, Florida, Annual All Florida Juried Exhibition, Boca Raton Museum of Art; Museum for Women Artists and Andrews Art Museum in North Carolina are just a few of her museum exhibitions. She was featured in "New American Paintings," and her paintings reside in both public and private collections nationally. She teaches at Boca Raton Museum School of Art and privately.

The Island Imprint: Yardie Point of View is a collection of photo art images by Jamaican photographer David I. Muir, and painters Mark Cameron and Charles "Mark Phi" Smart. The exhibition, which runs through November 24, includes themes from music and entertainment which are at the core of the Jamaican spirit, scenes from the Jamaican-American experience, and concepts of universal strength and happiness from a Jamaican mindset.

The project reflects the breadth of perspectives held by "yardies" in the U.S. on beauty, culture and representation. The exhibition was curated by Calibe Thompson.

"As a creative director, I like to think about the story I want to tell and manifest it with an infusion of personality and aesthetic from a collective of contributors," she stated. "There's a wealth of talent and beautiful pieces in the world, and I enjoy the privilege of orchestrating their harmonious display, all while celebrating Caribbean heritage."

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