Top: Lighthouse ArtCenter, I Love you Dawg, gouache on canvas, 12 x 9 in., by Danial Ryan. Lighthouse ArtCenter, Dancing Girls, fiber art, 27 x 29 in., by Phyllis Petrillo. Bottom: Lighthouse ArtCenter hosts regular rotating exhibitions in their state-of-the-art gallery.

Opening January 15, The Art of Danial Ryan showcases Ryan’s emotionally resonant, whimsically irreverent paintings of cats caught in the complexities of human life. March 1 marks the opening of the 13th Annual Plein Air Festival, a nationally recognized week-long celebration where top artists paint local landscapes live, from ocean vistas to historic streetscapes. The festival includes demonstrations, collector events and the chance to purchase fresh works straight from the easel.

Luminato Gallery, Untitled: Colour-Shifting, mixed media on tempered glass, stainless steel, and LED, 60 x 40 in., by Emre Namyeter; Installation shot of Luminato Gallery featuring artworks by Victoria Kovalenchikova and Emre Namyeter.

Luminato Gallery, a leading Canadian gallery based in Toronto, Ontario, with plans to expand in Miami, will present a curated selection of work at CONTEXT Art Miami, a contemporary art show happening December 2 through 7 during the city’s Miami Art Week. Known for presenting bold and innovative artwork by internationally renowned artists, Luminato Gallery is committed to showcasing work that sparks conversation and invites viewers to experience art through new perspectives and transformative ways of seeing. At CONTEXT Art Miami, Luminato Gallery brings together artists who each offer a distinct approach to looking. Together they compose a polyphony in which diversity is not merely represented, it’s enacted. This year at CONTEXT Art Miami, Luminato Gallery invites collectors to experience art that is not only seen, but felt. The diversity of perspective among each artist expands the boundaries of perception, reminding us that perception is more of a process than a conclusion; it’s a sustained willingness to look again, and in looking again, to discover more than what we saw first.

Luminato Gallery, Allegra II, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 60 in., by Pavlina Alea.

Anchored by an ethos of care, Luminato Gallery unites innovation and philanthropy, with 10 percent of each sale supporting cancer research and patient treatments. A visit to Luminato Gallery promises new ways of seeing, feeling and connecting through art, with every investment contributing to a meaningful cause.

ZimSculpt, Water Bearer, springstone, 72 x 12 x 14 in., by Gregory Mutasa; ZimSculpt, Young Love, dolomite, 9 x 20 x 80 in., by Dominic Benhura.  

Next year, from January 18 through April 19, the internationally acclaimed exhibition returns to the United States for its 14th show, transforming the lush landscapes of Bonnet House Museum & Gardens in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, into an open-air gallery of movement, form and cultural expression. Set within this extraordinary estate—once the winter retreat of artists Frederic Clay Bartlett and Evelyn Fortune Bartlett—the exhibition is uniquely placed at a venue steeped in artistry and creative legacy. Bonnet House’s combination of studio, gardens and architecture provides the perfect setting for Shona sculpture, where art and nature beautifully intersect.

ZimSculpt, Play Time, springstone, 7 x 26 x 38 in., by Dominic Benhura.

Visitors will have the rare opportunity to meet and watch renowned sculptors Passmore Mupindiko and Shine Muzika sculpt and create pieces live on-site, offering insight into their process. Every piece is available for purchase.

Drew Marc Gallery hosts month exhibitions of high-end contemporary art; Drew Marc Gallery is located in the heart of South Tampa.

Located in the heart of South Tampa, Drew Marc Gallery has quickly become one of Florida’s leading destinations for contemporary fine art. The gallery curates a dynamic roster of nationally and internationally recognized artists whose work ranges from bold abstract expressionism to refined figurative and sculptural pieces. Each exhibition is thoughtfully composed to create an immersive and elevated viewing experience for collectors, designers and art enthusiasts alike.

Hala Kusiak, Freedom, acrylic on canvas, 43 ¾ x 36 ¼ in.; Hala Kusiak, Mold Me, acrylic on canvas, 47 x 36 ¼ in.

Hala Kusiak is a pioneering Iraqi-born artist whose career was shaped by the tension between repression and liberation. Raised in Baghdad, she faced strict cultural limits that forbade her from exploring sensuality, sexuality or nude subjects—restrictions that suppressed her artistic voice. Determined to create without censorship, she relocated to the United States, a move that transformed both her life and practice. In America, she found the freedom to experiment, embrace formerly prohibited themes and express her identity openly. Her work now reflects a powerful narrative of female liberation, self-ownership, and the right to create without apology. Freedom, from 2023, is a surreal acrylic painting that visualizes the moment when the mind frees itself from inherited limitations. “Mold Me is a vivid metaphor for transformation and self-discovery set within a deep red field that radiates emotional intensity,” explains Kusiak. “At its center stands a dark, silhouetted figure with outstretched arms—a posture that reads as both surrender and empowerment, as if ready to rise.”

Manon Sander, Waves of Gold, oil, 10 x 20 in.; Manon Sander, All Pumped Up, oil, 8 x 10 in.

Manon Sander is an award-winning modern impressionist, born and raised in Berlin, who resides in Southern Florida. The tropical landscape and mild climate present her with never-ending inspiration and opportunity to put up her easel outside and paint in plein air. The effects of light on a subject and the feeling it evokes are of great interest to Sander as she puts down her impressions in interesting patterns, luminous color and juicy brush strokes. Oils are her first love, but she also works in acrylics and gouache.

The courtyard at St. Augustine Art Association; St. Augustine Art Association, Saturday Afternoon at O.C. Whites, acrylic, 11 x 14 in., by Nikki Rakov.

Through December 28, the gallery presents Fantastic Florida, a juried exhibit that captures the state’s diverse landscapes, wildlife and cultural spirit through painting, sculpture and photography. In January, Faces & Figures explores the human form in all its emotional and artistic depth, featuring portraits, studies and figurative works in a range of mediums. Concurrently, the exhibit Sacred Pilgrimage: Gaudí and Galban represents a creative dialogue between two artists whose works reflect movement, structure and imagination inspired by architectural and natural forms. Together, these exhibits showcase the breadth and vitality of Florida’s contemporary art scene, inviting collectors and art enthusiasts to experience the creativity flourishing in historic St. Augustine. The STAAA’s gallery is open free to the public Tuesdays through Sundays from 12 to 4 p.m. Exhibits can also be viewed online at www.staaa.org.

An Art Affair, Walk with Me, oil on canvas, 28 x 38 in., by Slava Ilyayev; An Art Affair, Rainbow Falls, hand-embellished acrylic pour with resin finish, 24 x 18 in., by Melodye Rouisse-Stimpel.

The other side features Melodye’s creations.  She began painting in high school, learning new techniques and experimenting with a range of styles and materials over the years. Since 2020 most of her work has utilized fluid acrylics. She says that she “pours with intention,” selecting colors that fit a story and allowing chemistry to dictate part of the scene. Thereafter she hand-embellishes each piece using palette knives, brushes, her fingers and elements of the natural world such as sea grasses, coquina, shells, leaves, glass, and frequently adding a resin finish for brightness, depth, intensity and contrast. —