Scientists will tell you that purple moons don’t exist. What we see is a “halo effect,” or Lunar Halo, caused by lavender and purple hues from light rays diffracting around the moon. Still, a beautiful sight to see.
Visitors to Lewis House at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg can see Purple Moonlight, among other vibrant pieces, in The Big Art Show.
Creative Clay Member Artist Marquise R.’s Purple Moonlight is an example of the ability of art expressing anything within the realm of imagination. Marquise’s talent for combining vibrant colors with imaginative expressions reflects the beauty of the moon and night sky.
As the exhibit title implies, visitors will see large-scale art on a variety of subjects popping out from a backdrop of red brick walls. Lewis House is the gathering space for members of Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College (ASPEC). Creative Clay has enjoyed partnering with ASPEC and Eckerd since 2010.
Excited about The Big Art Show, the first exhibit at Lewis House since the Covid-19 pandemic, Jody Bikoff, Creative Clay’s Director of Exhibitions, cited the long partnership between Eckerd and Creative Clay.
“In August 2010, I curated an exhibit of 40 paintings by Creative Clay Member Artists for Lewis House,” said Bikoff. “I enjoyed working with Ann Rascoe, artist and former ASPEC Visual Arts Program Chair who was also a former Creative Clay Board member and Teaching Artist,” said Bikoff.
ASPEC was founded on the principle that it is important for adults to remain involved and active. Eckerd states: “Its 300+ members, whether in transition from one career to another or “retired,” are most engaged when they participate in lifelong learning and share a community of interests with others who believe that every stage of life can be a time of rejuvenation, enrichment, accomplishment and meaningful productivity.” “It was a pleasure working with the ASPEC Art Exhibition Committee, including Bette Dolinsky, Carolyn Meagher, Laila Petrou, and Pat Grice,” Bikoff said.
For ASPEC volunteer Carolyn Meagher what resonates most is community involvement. “One of the four pillars of ASPEC is community involvement,” Meagher said. “I have been an ASPEC member for about 5 years and have really enjoyed being a part of the process of hanging the art and meeting the artists. The bright colors and enthusiasm of the artists is inspiring to me as I try to bring that to my own efforts in creating my artwork.”
ASPEC Member and Creative Clay volunteer Pat Grice also assisted in the hanging of this exhibit, which she describes as a “full 360-degree experience. “It’s a fulfilling moment for me when I see work that the artists at Creative Clay have exhibited for ASPEC members and the public at Lewis House,” Grice said. “I volunteer on ASPEC’s Art Committee, so it was fun to hang work by Creative Clay Member Artists who I personally know.”
In addition to Marquise R., the following Creative Clay artists are featured in The Big Art Show: Shasta G., Lindsay J., Grace P., Ashton T., Ali V., Aaron F. Artwork by former Creative Clay Member Artists Christopher J., Brittany M., and Eric Bristow, is also featured. Learn more about Creative Clay’s Member Artists by visiting www.creativeclay.org.
The Big Art Show is open to the public. See the exhibit at Lewis House, on the campus of Eckerd College, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All art is available for purchase, with Creative Clay Member Artists earning 50% on all works sold. The exhibit closes Sept. 30.