When “The Key To Creativity” exhibition opened at The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center (SBDAC) in downtown Fort Myers, a poignant artwork shown by artist Eric J. Taubert offered a meaningful glimpse at various facets of Sanibel Island that were lost to Hurricane Ian last September.
For their open call to artists for this exhibition, the SBDAC asked, “What is the key that unlocks your creativity? For some it can be a walk among nature, a sunset, meeting a new person, a conversation at a cafe. Or it can come from emotions on the other side of the spectrum, losing somebody, a breakup or depression… For this year’s challenge the SBDAC wants to know what is the key to your creativity so they can share it and help inspire more fellow humans in search for a better world.”
Eric J. Taubert, an artist, fine art photographer, and writer from Southwest Florida, often delves into coastal scenarios in his work. From salt-crusted working waterfronts to lively seaside dive bars and the interactions of residents, workers, and tourists in coastal villages, his art captures the essence of these environments.
The piece of Taubert’s art that the SBDAC jurors accepted into “The Key To Creativity” exhibition is an aluminum archival dye sublimation (matte) print of a fine art photography collage titled “signs | sanibel island, florida”.
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“My work is created through the process of a slow, deliberate, and mindful look at the interaction of places near the ocean with the human-made stuff found along these coastline areas,” continues Taubert. “How do the sun, and the storms, and the salt water have an impact on the dwellings, signs, tools, boats, docks, fishing gear, and gathering places of the people who live in proximity to them? What truths are revealed in the environmentally sensitive ecotones where complex tourism-economy pressures ceaselessly collide with the sensitive environments, native species, and day-to-day lives of those who call these heavily-marketed destinations home?”
“I’m excited to be showing this timely piece of art in front of a Southwest Florida audience at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center,” states Taubert. “‘signs | sanibel island, florida’, was the last artwork I created on Sanibel Island before Hurricane Ian made landfall. Many of the visual elements I photographed to create this piece were wiped away by the powerful hurricane. The Sanibel Causeway landscape. The coastal textures and hospitality messaging at some of Sanibel’s old-Florida beach cottages, like the Blue Dolphin. Weathered wooden signs at the Bailey Tract.”
The SBDAC, run by Florida Arts, Inc. a 501(c)3 organization, is a must-see attraction with a colorful history. The center (located at 2301 First Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901) is dedicated to bringing world-class art events to the Southwest Florida community.
The Key to Creativity juried exhibition at SBDAC was juried by Ava Roeder, Liz Bello, and Nora Sharpe Beyrent. Selected art will be exhibited in the SBDAC main gallery from June 2nd-29th. There will be an opening reception for the exhibition on Friday, June 2nd, 2023, from 6 pm to 10 pm. Learn more at sbdac.com.