Florida has no shortage of summer breezes and cloudy skies of the winter months may have you longing for the warmth of the sun, the cool of the sea, the buzz of activity mingled with stolen moments of peace. And while that warmth is certainly growing stronger as the spring days get longer, your wait for summer can already be over thanks to a summer series debut from a local artist. Through her 25-piece collection, Modern Summer, Jenna Alexander is conjuring the simple beauty of sun-drenched scenes.
Vivid oranges, greens, and blues are nestled into expanses of neutral tones. A woman sits, clad in a bright tennis dress with racket in hand, and shields her eyes from the sun. Two barefoot children wander the sand, lugging surfboards and the promise of good waves. Light plays on a slice of cantaloupe. A hat and sunglasses rest atop an open book, a spell-binding story as yet unfinished. The viewer is drawn into something pure and unadorned but nonetheless captivating. The ordinary is transformed; the quiet transcends. We can see ourselves in these canvases, and we dream of the tranquility they offer.
The scenes are intimate and authentic, a feeling cultivated with the help of local stylist Tara Ferreira, who created the mid-century outfits modeled in the collection’s figurative studies. A coastal life is captured and celebrated here.
Jenna Alexander Studios will be hosting an opening for the release of Modern Summer on Wednesday, May 3 at 6-9pm (featuring charcuterie, beer, and wine). The event will be held at 73 San Marco Avenue. The original works as well as fine art prints will be available for purchase.
