One of the brightest, boldest, most jovial and most intriguing colors on the spectrum, purple is an endless source of inspiration for artists of every medium. From April 19 – 26, The Brooksville Art Gallery at 201 at Brooksville City Hall, 201 Howell Ave., Brooksville, invites artists truly passionate about purple to submit three pieces of artwork for its Shades of Purple exhibit, a show co-coordinated by the Hernando County Fine Arts Council.
“There are so many shades of purple—this is a color of many tones and endless possibilities,” said Pedram Moghaddam, curator of The Brooksville Art Gallery at 201. “Purple can be applied to so many themes and endless media—oils, acrylics, colored pencils, sculpture, watercolors, photography.”
Moghaddam credits Jessica Knutila, administrative assistant for HCFAC, with conceptualizing the Shades of Purple exhibit. “She came up with the idea,” said Moghaddam. “She loves the color and its possibilities. Her ideas are really the driving force behind this exhibit.”
Moghaddam himself regards this hue, in all its shades and tones, as a font of inspiration for the enterprising artist. “Purple can play a role in so many themes,” he said. “Purple is a color of class and royalty. This is a color of majesty. Each shade evokes different energies and emotions.”
Through the years, purple has also become synonymous with the concept of female empowerment and plays a vital role in designs found everywhere, from fashion shows to religious ceremonies.
“The flexibility of this color lies in its shades,” he explained. “Purple is a mixture of blue and red, with certain shades leaning more toward one color than the other. This ensures variety to suit different themes. And, of course, lavender is a favorite color of many. It’s ethereal.”
Since initially announcing the Shades of Purple theme, which he says is proving to be very popular, Moghaddam has received numerous submissions of various kinds.
“I challenge artists to push the limits and surprise Brooksville and the world with content and concepts that go beyond what we typically think of “Shades of Purple” to really show us something different and impress the community,” he said. “So far, I’ve seen everything from photos of purple flowers in the wild to a painting of purple florals arranged in a skull.”
Purple cast landscapes, fantasy art, wildlife art and other ebullient images are forming the spectrum of the shades of purple, but more works are welcome to form a vibrant purple prism across Gallery 201 to dazzle the community. Artists may submit their proposals to [email protected].
The artwork must be submitted by April 19, 2024,–April 26, 2024 (the week to pick up and drop off submitted and approved art for the exhibit) between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at the City of Brooksville.
All media are welcome, including 3-D, glass, and digital art. Display cases are available to display items such as jewelry, fine glass, or sculpture.
The Shades of Purple reception will be celebrated on Friday, May 10, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The exhibit will run from May 10, 2024, through August 2, 2024.
