John Anthony, February 2004

Master of all mediums John Anthony displays his mixed-media art at Stonewall Library Andy Zeffer, Express Gay News John Anthony first began drawing at age five and has never stopped. As owner of the newly opened Broadway Gallery, Anthony is immersed in both his own creations and the works of other artists. This month, Stonewall Library & Archives in Fort Lauderdale and ArtsUnited present two series of works from Anthony that will be on display through Feb. 29. Anthony, who has a master's degree from UCLA, offers two very different series for the public to enjoy. The first consists of two still-life drawings of male figures. Because Anthony has focused on abstract painting for the past 15 years and using lots of color, he felt the urge to go back to some of the traditional things he was taught, such as classical life drawing. Anthony's second series, the oval series, are representative of the colorful abstract work he has been creating these past years. "I want to convey the message that you have to have an image before you can abstract anything," Anthony says. "An abstraction just can't happen from nothing, whether it is an emotion you are abstracting or an image." In the case of the oval series, it is the image of birth that Anthony is abstracting. He starts with a square, and then cuts an oval shape and uses it to represent an egg. Then he inserts the oval into the square. Within the ovals are various images, such as reproductive organs and human figures. There are six works in the oval series, which are done with oil paints and a type of paint called encaustics, made of beeswax and dried pigments. The images are vibrant with color. Anthony is currently working on a jazz series that represents great artists like Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughn and Barry White. The pieces are three-dimensional sculptures made from wood and the series includes works that both hang from a wall and are free standing. "If you work in three-dimensional forms, you understand the two dimensional," Anthony says. "Making sculptures keeps me abreast in shadowing and composition when I work on a two-dimensional canvas." Anthony was born in Ethiopia but moved to Michigan while still an infant. His life in art has taken him all over the world. In addition to studying at UCLA, Anthony has lived in Chicago and Puerto Rico. He now calls South Florida home, living and working in Oakland Park, where his Broadway Gallery is located. The Broadway Gallery's second exhibition, now on display, is curated by Irvin Lippman, director of the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art. Anthony says having Lippman curate at his gallery is a pleasure, because it gets the museum involved with local artists. In addition to operating the Broadway Gallery, Anthony works as an artistic director for ArtServe. "For me, operating a gallery is not tough, having so much experience with it," Anthony says. "It can be difficult if you don't have the background, support and proper training. Being an artist myself, it is easy for me to work with other artists. I understand where we come from, and I understand when artists are nervous or unsure about something. Artists need somebody who understands the creative process." To find out more about the work of John Anthony, call the Broadway Gallery at 954-358-5278, or log onto www.broadwayfineart.com. Stonewall Library & Archives is located at 1717 N. Andrews Ave. in Fort Lauderdale.

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