If you’ve walked past the Gateway Art Gallery lately, you may have noticed a little something new in our windows—and a lot of something spectacular! Our newest display is inspired by the Finding Nemo Jr. set created for last month’s children’s theater production by Practically Perfect Performing Arts. The set was hand-painted by the incredibly talented scenic artist, Erin Benz.
This particular section—Stage Left/House Right—shows just a hint of the magic Erin created for their sold-out show. Every detail is painted with remarkable care, from the swirling ocean blues and colorful coral reefs to sea creatures so full of life they seem ready to swim right out into the street—just keep swimming swimming swimming. Erin’s artistry transformed the stage into an immersive undersea adventure that perfectly captured the heart of Nemo’s story and now it’s helped to transform our front window into a slice of ocean life right in the heart of downtown Lake City!
We’ve brought that same energy to the rest of the window’s decor, adding seascape-inspired artwork from our own artists, including several beautiful ceramic pieces by resident potter Susan Larson. Together, they create a colorful celebration of ocean life you won’t want to miss.
Stop by over the next month to see the display—no ticket required for this one—and enjoy a little splash of underwater magic downtown! (HINT: drive. by at night to see the real magic.)
Thank you to Erin and Practically Perfect Performing Arts for loaning us this gorgeous backdrop for our themed display. And special thanks to their team of volunteers who took time out of their day to deliver and install it for us. Be sure to visit them online and see what they’ve got coming up next!
