Bainbridge artist Lynda Todaro will have her artwork featured on next year’s postcard invitation for the Bainbridge-Decatur County Arts Council member art show at the Firehouse Center and Gallery. Her piece in this year’s exhibit received the most votes over the past two weeks from the gallery’s visitors.
“I was shocked and felt grateful that people would like my painting,” Todaro said.
The painting, titled in Italian as “I Miei Siciliani” meaning “My Sicilian,” is of a group of Sicilian men wearing suits and sitting in chairs beside the street. Todaro said she always noticed the men when her and her Sicilian husband, Fillip, visited Sicily. She said she liked how they wore ties, vests and hats.
“It always fascinated me, so I snapped a photo when they weren’t looking and decided to paint them,” Todaro said.
She and 22 other artists were featured in this year’s exhibit, most of them having three pieces on display.
“Our whole mission is to enrich the community for the arts,” Cheryl Carvajal, Director of the Bainbridge-Decatur County Council of the Arts, said.
Three artists had their pieces sold during the exhibit, which ran from Jan. 17 to Sunday, Feb. 2.
Carvajal said it’s important for members to gain exposure by having their pieces featured on postcards or hanging in a gallery.
“We have a lot of members who are artists full time,” Carvajal said. “But more than anything else, we have a lot of people who work on art on the side. Just having their art on display is a good experience.”
From now until June, the Firehouse Center and Gallery will feature five more art shows, including one featuring the photography of former Bainbridge resident Paul Kwilecki.
“We have a full spring with a lot to come see,” Carvajal said.
The Paul Kwilecki gallery opens Feb. 13 at the Firehouse Center and Gallery.