Silvia Lizama, Chair of Barry University’s Department of Fine Arts, was recently awarded a South Florida Cultural Consortium Grant for 2015.
Lizama received the grant after producing a series of 45 hand-colored black and white photographs called “Lions, Fountains and Statues.” Inspired by a trip to Italy, the body of work captures the uniqueness and explores the character of various fountains and statutes that adorn the lawns in South Florida neighborhoods.
The shots in the series combine both digital and analog photographic technology. The photographs were shot with a digital camera and turned into printed black and white prints in a darkroom. The images were printed on traditional gelatin silver paper and coated with photographic oils.
Lizama joins 11 other South Florida artists in earning the grant and is one of 9 to earn the full $15,000 award. Works from all 12 artists will be on display in the University Galleries at Florida Atlantic University. The Ritter Art Gallery will showcase the work from September 11 - November 7, 2015 and the Schmidt Center Gallery will house the work from September 19 - October 31, 2015.
The South Florida Cultural Consortium Fellowship Program offers the largest regional, government-sponsored artists’ grants in the United States, awarding $15,000 and $7,500 fellowships to resident visual and media artists from the counties of Broward, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach. Since it was established in 1988, the Consortium has awarded close to $2 million in fellowships to over 200 artists. The Fellowship program is intended to nurture the artistic development of eligible visual and media artists who reside in one of these counties. Fellowships are not project-based; recipients may use the Fellowships according to their individual needs.