I am thrilled to announce that The Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy has acquired four of my paintings! If you’ve never been, the museum is located in Sarasota and has a growing reputation for collecting and exhibiting culturally-significant, contemporary artwork that celebrates upbeat themes and whimsical notions.

“We are very fortunate to have Leoma Lovegrove’s work in our permanent collection,” the museum’s founder and curator, Marietta (Mary) Lee, says. Ms. Lee was attracted to the paintings because of their bright and cheerful motifs and adroit workmanship.

The four paintings that Lee selected for her museum come from my Florida Floats My Boat series. The series consists of 16 paintings that I created last year for Bealls. They’ve incorporated images from the series appear on a host of my designer products, including tees, tanks and other tops; nightgowns; totes; beach umbrellas, chairs and towels; watches and jewelry; and sundry housewares. My images from this and the other series I’ve created especially for Bealls appear on millions of their products, which they sell online and in each of the 74 brick-and-mortar they maintain in Florida.

Like Bealls, The Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy fell in love with my bold, vibrant colors and ability to capture in acrylic Southwest Florida’s active, healthy, water-based lifestyle.

Each of the paintings The Marietta Museum purchased measures 36 by 48 inches. The four are:

  • Our House, which depicts a beach house with two cats in the yard;
  • Mozart, a homage to my beloved Moluccan cockatoo;
  • My Glamper, a painting that was inspired by my colorfully wrapped, trademark mobile art studio (see yesterday’s post); and
  • Beach’n Ride, which depicts a bicycle that we had on display until recently in the botanical gardens here on Matlacha Island.

Dedicated to “collecting, preserving and exhibiting works of artistic and whimsical importance,” The Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy is only open to the public between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday in season, which runs this year from November 16, 2017 through May 27, 2018. It’s located at 2121 N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. You’ll know when you arrive by the three bright pink, 1,200 pound flamingos that stand outside its entrance. When you go – and you must – be sure to wander out back. That’s where you’ll find the museum’s Fantasy Land-like lush, tropical sculpture garden that features flocks of plastic flamingos as well as three winged pink pigs preparing to take flight.

While admission is free, the non-profit museum does appreciate a $5 donation per person. For more information, please visit http://www.whimsymuseum.org or telephone 941-364-3399.