Ybor City native and artist, José Rodeiro will exhibit in a solo show hosted by Bella Unica Art Gallery titled “José Rodeiro: Artist,” running from November 9th through December 1st, with an opening reception on November 9th from 5-8 PM, at The Gilbert Chapel Gallery, located at 212 3rd Street N., downtown St. Petersburg. The show will include light refreshments and Latin guitar music by Myriam Santiago.
José Rodeiro is a recipient of a Visual Artist Fellowship in Painting from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a Fulbright Scholar Fellowship in painting, as well as an Institute for International Education: Oscar B. Cintas Foundation Fellowship in painting, among other major visual arts awards.
“José Rodeiro’s art-works are breathtakingly beautiful, both in scope, composition and theme. Viewers love looking at his art, because each eye-catching image conveys imaginative stories open to multiple interpretations by viewers, making his paintings fascinating, delightful, and intriguing visual ‘conversation-pieces’ for homes, offices, or museums,” says Natalie Vélez, owner and curator of Bella Unica Art Gallery and Events, the curator of the show.
A national treasure, José Rodeiro is the only Latin, Ybor City artist, with familial roots in Ybor as far back as the 1880’s, to receive a rare NEA Visual Arts Fellowship in painting, which he completed in Barcelona, Spain. His Fulbright was completed in Managua, Nicaragua, and, his Cintas Fellowship in painting signifies a superlative Latin arts achievement. Plus, in 2004, he painted a 24 ft.-long mural, entitled “The Discovery of Tampa Bay by Hernando De Soto,” currently installed within the Tampa Convention Center, Tampa, Florida, 2004. And, in October 2009, Rodeiro lectured on his painting “9/11” at The Tribute WTC Visitor Center (at Ground Zero, New York City, NY).
Before returning to the Tampa Bay area, José Rodeiro exhibited extensively throughout New York City’s metropolitan area. His art is in several museum collections, as well as in major private and institutional collections. José’s paintings reflect his long residencies in Spain, Central America and throughout South America. Today, José lives in St. Petersburg, with his wife, Nutia and dog, Cocodrilo, painting visually spectacular creations. Many of his new works, created since returning home, will be on display on November 9th.