Quintessential Quintet at BEAR & BIRD
“The Bat-Man” by Cary Polkovitz
The Bear and Bird Boutique + Gallery is the spawn of South Florida’s pride and joy comic shop and pop culture utopia, TATE’S Comics + Toys + Videos + More. Needless to say this gallery goes beyond just art on the walls with Mrs. Tate herself, Amanda Magnetta-Ottati, as curator. The boutique element functions as “museum store” to accompany the gallery of rotating work that aims to stay inside a price range attainable by more than just the top 2%. Featuring up and coming artists, both locally and nationally, Amanda keeps it interesting by creating diverse shows such as the up coming Quintessential Quintet Art Show.
Keeping it interesting while keeping it accessible, this show features five unique artists with no other direction from Amanda other than to “do work that best reflects their interests and what they feel are their strengths.” The five featured artists are as follows…
Danielle Estefan is playing with the idea of the “selfie” for the Quintessential Quintet exhibit. “I’m trying to capture the playfulness of it, the claiming of identity and the darker undertone…the complex need to hide or mask insecurities.”
Erika Taguchi-Newton, local illustrator and designer known under the pseudonym “Ravengirl” will be displaying her dreamlike, whimsical nature-inspired pieces.
“Summer Seflie” by Danielle Estefan
Cary Polkovitz is currently at work on a graphic novel titled “Ukiyo”. Cary’s background has evolved from his early roots as a cartoonist in the early 90s to art direction and graphic design. His pieces demonstrate a graphic novelists ability to capture character and narrative in a single image.
In true Tates fashion, cartoonist and illustrator Jeremy Eaton is planning a series of interpretations of classic comic book imagery that he describes as “a literal carnival of high pulp drama, mystery, horror, super heroic action and humor”.
Californian artist Michael Fleming will be showing a group of watercolors with the theme he describes as “decayed civilization/overgrown nature”. Staying true to his background in children’s media and character design, he assures that this body of work will “of course feature cute critters.”
The Quintessential Quintet Art Show kicks off with an opening night reception, Friday, May 2nd from 7-10pm, and will remain on exhibit through June 21st at the Bear and Bird Boutique + Gallery located inside and upstairs at TATE’S Comics + Toys + Vidoes + More at 4566 N University Drive, Lauderhill FL.
More Info: bearandbird.com
~Danielle Romanowski
