Florida Artists Group

Mindy's Bio:

Award-winning artist Mindy Z. Colton - classically trained in all the traditional arts, painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking and photography, pursued a career in Graphic Design and Illustration. She eventually left behind her successful career to follow her true passion as a fine artist. Mindy has exhibited and won awards in both 2-D and 3-D including painting, printmaking, jewelry, photography, mixed-media and sculpture. Her focus the last few years has been on sculpture in various metals and large outdoor art.
Colton is a three-time State of Florida Grantee and three-time United Arts of Central Florida Grant recipient. Two of these grants were for large-scale, outdoor sculptures. Life-size copper “Lyric” is on an estate in Ocala, and “Renewal,” a monumental sculpture exhibited at Epcot, received Best of Show and People’s Choice Award in the 2006 Kissimmee Sculpture Experience. “Wind Dancer,” a life-size Pegasus exhibited at the Epcot Sculpture Invitational, purchased by the University of Central Florida Honors College. At the 2006 and 2010 Washington State Thoroughbred Breeder’s National Exhibit, she was awarded the Equine Art Purchase Trophy Award. In 2009, she was juried into the prestigious Boca Raton Museum of Art All-Florida Exhibit. She has been juried into numerous outdoor sculpture exhibits such as: Marco Island Artquest, Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Sculpture Exhibit (twice) McKee Botanical Gardens, Vero Beach, City of Boynton Beach, Cities of Deland and Eustis (People’s Choice Award).
Colton graduated with honors from the High School of Music & Art in New York. She attended the Parsons School of Design, pursuing her passion for three-dimensional design, majoring in industrial design. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Washington University School of Fine Art in St. Louis, MO and spent her semester abroad studying in San Miguel dé Allendé. Colton’s award-winning fine art, has been exhibited in numerous solo and two-person shows, and more than 100 juried and group shows. Colton is also invited to judge, jury and curate exhibits. Her work is in museums and galleries and in public and private collections across the United States, Canada and Europe.

Artist statement:

I create one-of-a-kind and limited edition sculptures in mixed media, bronze, aluminum, wood and other permanent media. My horses are unique figurative abstractions with a decidedly expressionistic aesthetic. I use the horse and other symbols to elicit a feeling or mood or to create a story. My life-long love and involvement with horses drives my passion to create equine themed art. Using the horse as vehicles for concepts, metaphors and more human emotions, I create works from table-top to monumental.
The long striding legs of my larger Unbridled Spirit horse sculptures are carved tree limbs, mane and tail copper jewelers wires, and the textured body, various permanent composite materials. I strive for my works to intrigue the viewer, invite a closer look, and exhibit strength, determination and vulnerability.

Exhibits/Awards:

2012
First Place, Strawbridge Art League, “Visions,” Melbourne, FL
First Place, Titusville Art League Annual Exhibit

2011
Best in Show, Dancing Horse Dressage Juried Equine Art Exhibit, Lebanon, OH
Best in Show, Osceola Center for the Arts
First Place, Art League of Daytona Beach Open Juried Exhibition, “American Stories”
Best in Show, Strawbridge Art League, Annual Fine Arts “Visions” Exhibit
First Place, Strawbridge Art League, “Water” Fine Arts Exhibit
Certificate of Merit, J. R. Williams Nature & Wildlife National Art Exhibition, St. Augustine Art Association

2010
Best in Show, Art League of Daytona Members Showcase
First Place & Purchase Award for Sculpture, Washington State Thoroughbred Breeders & Foundation             National Exhibit, Auburn WA
Best in Show, Art Affair Gallery, “Art Across the USA” National Juried Exhibit, Sanford, FL
First Place, Sculpture, Third Place Drawing, Dancing Horse Farm Third Annual Juried Equine Exhibit,             Lebanon, Ohio
Third Place, Museum of Florida Art, Biennial V
Best of Show, Titusville Art League 46th Annual Exhibit
Award of Excellence, Art League of Daytona Fine Arts Exhibit

2009
First Place, Artist’s Registry All-Florida Juried Exhibit at Avalon Gallery, Orlando
Award of Excellence, National League of American Pen Women State Competition, FL
Chosen For Artist of the Month Exhibit, Orlando Museum of Art, 1st Thursdays: Alternative Surfaces
People’s Choice Award, City of Eustis Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit

2008
Special Excellence Award, Harness Tracks of America Art Show & Auction, Lexington, KY
ArtQuest Marco Island National Juried Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit, Marco Island, FL
First Place Overall, Artist’s Registry Juried Exhibit at Avalon Gallery, Orlando

2007
People’s Choice Award, Kissimmee Sculpture Experience Outdoor Juried Sculpture Exhibit, Kissimmee, FL
First Place Sculpture, Osceola Center for the Arts All-Florida Juried Exhibit, Kissimmee, FL

2006
Best of Show, Kissimmee Sculpture Experience Outdoor Juried Sculpture Exhibit, Kissimmee, FL
Purchase Trophy Award for Sculpture, Washington State Thoroughbred Breeders National Juried Exhibit
First Place for Sculpture, “Best of Artists” Top 100 Florida Artists, Florida Edition
Award of Excellence, Deland Museum of Art Juried EQUUS: Celebrating the Art of the Horse