This northeast Florida self-taught artist developed a love of place and an appreciation for natural wonders with some inspiration from an adventurous travel agent mother, a creative DIY father and an artist babysitter.
Abby received her B.A. from the School of International Service at The American University with a minor in Environmental Studies specializing in marine biology, limnology and law of the sea and interned for the International Institute for Environment and Development. Her perspective and subject matter continued to develop during a professional career addressing hazardous waste with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; consulting for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Everglades restoration; launching the University of North Florida Environmental Center; educating youth and adults on the St. Johns River with SJRWMD; and assisting the North Florida Land Trust preserving special places for generations.
Starting with commissions of art in her teens for doctors’ offices and retailing Victorian Christmas ornaments, she went on to create an illustrated guide of Turks & Caicos dune plants and scenic stage designs for drama productions. While a banking executive, she applied her craft to customer and associate themed events and provided designs for non-profits like the Sunshine Foundation Dream Village, where her themed murals are still being enjoyed by chronically and terminally ill children’s families visiting Orlando theme parks. She is a facilitator with AARP “Healthy Living-Art in the Park”, and has volunteered in art elementary classrooms and leading high school theater designs.
Her paintings began receiving regional awards in the 1990s and she is now an artist full-time. Her first solo show was for the famed “Will Ackerman; Guitar Gathering” and she has been a featured artist at local galleries and southeast regional plein air events. She has donated artwork to the North Florida Land Trust and the Mandarin Art Festival.
Abby on the board of First Coast Plein Air Painters and a past Board member for Jacksonville Coalition of Visual Arts; is a member of Jacksonville Urban Sketchers, Oil Painters of America, Jacksonville Artist Guild and Pines & Palms; and regularly exhibits at the St. Augustine Art Association and FemArt galleries. Appointed by the Mayor of Jacksonville, Abby has represented her community on the Southeast Community Planning Advisory Committee for 8 years and participated on the JAX2020 Neighborhoods Committee and One x One Education initiative. She is a past board member for the Lake Alfred Chamber of Commerce, Explorations V Children’s Museum, Greater Winter Haven Meals on Wheels and the Riverside Fine Arts AssociationPainter
Member of Flag since:
2020
Abby’s Bio:
This northeast Florida self-taught artist developed a love of place and an appreciation for natural wonders with some inspiration from an adventurous travel agent mother, a creative DIY father and an artist babysitter.
Abby received her B.A. from the School of International Service at The American University with a minor in Environmental Studies specializing in marine biology, limnology and law of the sea and interned for the International Institute for Environment and Development. Her perspective and subject matter continued to develop during a professional career addressing hazardous waste with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; consulting for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Everglades restoration; launching the University of North Florida Environmental Center; educating youth and adults about the St. Johns River with SJRWMD; and assisting the North Florida Land Trust preserving special places for generations.
Starting with commissions of art in her teens for doctors’ offices and retailing Victorian Christmas ornaments, she went on to create an illustrated guide of Turks & Caicos dune plants and scenic stage designs for drama productions. While a banking executive, she applied her craft to customer and associate themed events and provided designs for non-profits like the Sunshine Foundation Dream Village, where her th
St. Augustine Art Association: “Mix It Up” (2023); “Fall Members” AWARD (2022); “Art Meets History Plein Air” (AWARD 2021, 2017-2022); “Monochrome” (2022); “Florida Wild” AWARD (2021); “Finding Peace” AWARD (2021); “Great Outdoors” (2021); “Miniature Marvels” (2017-2022); “Faces & Figures” (2021-2022, 2018); “This is My World” (2020); “Soak Up Summer” (2020-2021); “Cutting Edge” (2020, AWARD 2017); “Honors” (2017-2022); “Black & White & Shades of Grey” (2019); “Fantastic Florida” (2018-2022, AWARD 2016)
First Coast Plein Air Painters: “From River to Ocean” – Rotunda (2023); “Brush with Nature” – Arboretum (“People’s Choice” AWARD 2022; 2018-2021) “Brushstrokes of Light”- Clay County Courthouse (2022); “Sky’s the Limit” – Melrose Hall AWARD (2022); “Let Me Take You There” – Turner Center (2022); “Scene Through Our Eyes” – Thrasher Horne AWARD (2021); “Fresh Looks” – JCA (2021); “La Primavera” – STAA (2021); “Light in the Landscape” – JCA (2019); “Impressions of the Southeast” – CCPVB (2019); FSCJ-Wilson Center (2018)
Florida Artists Group: “Art Rally Daytona/73rd Symposium” – Museum of Arts & Sciences (2023); “Judges Choice” – Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts (2022); “Area 6 FLAG @ FSCJ” – FSCJ Wilson Center (2022); “72nd Symposium” AWARD (2022); “71st Symposium” – Dunedin Fine Arts Center (2021)
Coastal Camden Art League: “St. Mary’s Plein Air Paint Out” – St. Mary’s, GA AWARD (2022); AWARD (2021)
Jacksonville Artist Guild: “Wild Thing” (2023); “What’s On Your Table” – Main Library (2022); “Our Florida” and “Jax200”- Main Library/Nordstrom (2022); “RAP Tour of Homes – Art House” (2022); “Spring” – ART Center Cooperative (2022); “A Few Quiet Moments” – PV Presbyterian (2021); “Art-I-Facts” – JAX Airport-Sky Gallery (2021); “Sunshine in the South”- JCA (2021)
FemArt: “Joy” – The Nest, Jacksonville, FL (2022); “Art From the Heart” – Adele Grage, Atlantic Beach, FL (2022)
Women Writing for (a) Change: “Anthology: River Rising” (2022); “Oceans” (2022); “Rivers” (2021)
Jacksonville Coalition for Visual Arts: “Florida Living” – Trends AWARD (2021); “Melting Winter” JCA (2021); “Celebration” AWARD (2019)
Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts: “Regional Artist Community” (2021-2023); “Artoberfest” (AWARD 2022; AWARD 2020); “Spring into Art” (2021-2022); “Doing Well, Thank You” – Valdosta, GA (2020)
Pines & Palms: “High Cotton Plein Air” – Thomasville/Boston, GA (AWARD 2020, 2019-2022); “Fall for Art”- Thomasville, GA (2020-2022)
JCVA: “Florida Living” – Trends AWARD (2021); “Melting Winter” – JCA (2021); “Celebration” – CCPVB AWARD (2019); Archway (2019)
Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation: “Albert’s Plein Air Affair” and GA touring exhibit (2021)
Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens: live painting “20th Anniversary North Florida Land Trust Gala” – Jacksonville, FL (2020)
Word Revolt: “Elemental” (2021); “Arboretum” – Atlantic Beach, FL (2020)
Riverside Fine Arts Association: solo show “A Sense of Place” – Will Ackerman: Guitar Gathering – Jacksonville, FL (2018)
Stanton College Prep H.S.: scenic design (Drowsy Chaperone (2019), Grease (2019), Seussical (2018), Shrek (2014)
Timucuan Parks Foundation: life-size Timucuan mural (2011)
St. Johns River Water Management District: water conservation education poster (2005)
Sunshine Foundation: Dream Village murals & graphic designs – Loughman, FL (1995-2015)
Ridge Art Association: juried – Winter Haven, FL AWARD (1996)
Polk State College: regional invitational – Winter Haven, FL AWARD (1995)
in the local elementary school art classroom and AARP’s “Healthy Living-Art in the Park”.
Her paintings began receiving regional awards in the 1990s and she is now an artist full-time. Her first solo show was for the famed “Will Ackerman; Guitar Gathering” and she has been a featured artist, most currently at Joseph’s Fine Art Gallery, and participates in southeast regional plein air events. She has donated art to North Florida Land Trust and the Mandarin Art Festival.
Abby is a member of First Coast Plein Air Painters, Turner Art Center Regional Arts Community, Pines & Palms and Jax Urban Sketchers. She has served on the Board for Jacksonville Coalition of Visual Arts; and regularly exhibits with the St. Augustine Art Association and Jacksonville Artist Guild (JAG).
Appointed by the Mayor of Jacksonville, Abby has represented her neighborhood on the Southeast Community Planning Advisory Committee for 7 years and participated on the JAX2020 Neighborhoods Committee and One x One Education initiative. She is a past board member for the Lake Alfred Chamber of Commerce, Explorations V Children’s Museum, Riverside Fine Arts Association and Greater Winter Haven Meals on Wheels.
Artist Statement:
Since seeing Monet’s paintings, during a trip to Europe at age 10, I have been enthused by the combinations of bits of pure color and how light changes form, texture and reflections. With my professional career and as a champion of the environment, art is an extension of my advocacy of the importance of stewardship and seeks to inspire the viewer to explore and appreciate wild or iconic places near them with new eyes. Hopeful that a piece triggers a memory or their own sense of place and bigger connection to the importance and connectivity of the natural world.
This mission has become more critical as Earth’s resources are challenged by global warming, pollution and pressure for overdevelopment especially in Florida. Our human spirit craves fresh clean air, open space, seasonal changes and a bit of adventure —perhaps even more intensely following a pandemic.
Working primarily in oil or acrylic, seascapes, skyscapes and forests are inspired by my northeast Florida home and travels. From there, I enjoy playing up mother nature’s palette visible to my eye, but often elusive in a photograph. Each tree has a unique character and no two sunsets are ever the same. Working in plein air has taught me to appreciate fleeting moments of light and shadow and to appreciate variation in simple details. Recall the joyous feeling of discovering a rainbow splaying colors across the sky …. a canopy of leaves backlit by the sun like stained glass… or standing atop a mountain and seeing shades of purple fade for miles. These are gifts.
eyes. My hope is that my artwork connects people to memories or experiences of where they call home or a personal connection with the natural world.
This mission has become more critical as Earth’s resources are challenged by global warming, pollution and pressure for overdevelopment. I believe our human spirit craves fresh clean air, open space, seasonal changes and a bit of adventure —perhaps even more intensely during our recent global pandemic.
Working primarily in oil or acrylic, seascapes, skyscapes and forests are inspired by my northeast Florida home and travels. From there, I enjoy playing up mother nature’s palette visible to my eye, but often elusive in any photograph. Each tree has its own character and no two sunsets are ever the same.
Working in plein air has taught me to appreciate fleeting moments as well as shadows and to appreciate variation in simple detail. Remember that joyous feeling of discovering a rainbow splaying colors across the sky ….or a canopy of leaves backlit by the sun like stained glass… or standing atop a mountain seeing landscapes meld into soft pastels in the distance.
Water and the sound of pounding ocean waves are primal to human existence and soothe my soul. Clouds are meditative as their colors change in a spiritual way. I especially enjoy capturing children by the water’s edge, with the same fascination I still have, and hope we all can find again.
Exhibitions:
St. Augustine Art Association: juried: “Finding Peace” AWARD (2021); “Soak Up Summer” (2021);
“Honors Invitational” (2021, 2019, 2017);
“Where Art Meets History-Plein Air”
(AWARD 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017);
“Great Outdoors” (2021);
“Faces & Figures” (2021, 2018);
“Soak Up the Summer” (2021, 2020);
“Miniature Marvels” (2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017);
“Florida Wild” (2019);
“Black and White & Shades of Grey” (2019);
“Fantastic Florida” (2020, 2018);
“Canvas, Clay, Collage & Cutting Edge” –
(2020, AWARD 2017);
“Florida Forever” – AWARD (2016)
Coastal Camden Art League:
“10th St. Mary’s Paint Out” – St. Mary’s, GA AWARD (2021)
Jacksonville Artist Guild: “Art-I-Facts”-
Jacksonville International Airport – Sky Gallery (2021);
A Few Quiet Moments”
Ponte Vedra Presbyterian-Bethel Gallery;
“Sunshine in the South” –
Jewish Community Alliance (JCA) (2021)
Jacksonville Coalition for Visual Arts:
“Florida Living” – Trends Home Decor (2021);
“Melting Winter” – JCA (2021); “Celebration” – CCPVB AWARD (2019);
Archway Gallery – Neptune Beach, FL (2019)
Pines and Palms:
“High Cotton Plein Air Paint Out” – Boston, GA
(AWARD 2020, 2019);
“Fall for Art” – Thomas County Library Gallery,
Thomasville, GA (2021, 2020)
Joseph’s Fine Art Gallery: featured – St. Augustine, FL (2021)
Florida Art Group (FLAG):
“71st Annual Symposium” Dunedin Fine Art Center –
Dunedin, FL (2021)
Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts:
“34th annual Spring into Art” (2021);
“Regional Artist Community (RAC)” (2021); “Artoberfest”
AWARD (2020);
“We Are Doing Well, Thank You” – Valdosta GA (2020)
First Coast Plein Air Painters:
“Scene Through Our Eyes” Thrasher Horne –
Orange Park, FL (2021);
“Fresh Looks” – JCA (2021);
“La Primavera en Plen Air“- STAA (2021);
“A Brush with Nature” – Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens (2021, 2020, 2019, 2018), “Light in the Landscape” – JCA (2019);
“Impressions of the Southeast” – CCPVB (2019);
South Gallery-Wilson Center FSCJ (2018)
Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA):
“Imagination Squared-10” Jacksonville, FL (2021)
Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation:
“Albert’s Plein Air Affair” – touring GA (2021)
Women Writing for (a) Change:
“Rivers” – Jacksonville, FL (2021)
W.B. Tatter Gallery:
“Beach and Beyond” – St Augustine, FL (2021)
Word Revolt Gallery:
“Elemental” (2021);
Inaugural “Virtual Reality Gallery” – International (2020);
“Arboretum” – Jacksonville Beach, FL (2020)
La Venture Grove – Moreman House Gallery:
“Featured Artist in Residence” – Switzerland, FL (2019-2020)
Gregory Fine Art Gallery:
featured (2017-2020) Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens:
live painting “North Florida Land Trust 20th Celebration” – Jacksonville, FL (2020) Cultural Center at
Ponte Vedra Beach:
“JAME “- Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (2017-2020)
Mandarin Art Festival:
auctioned artwork (2019) Riverside Fine Arts Association:
“A Sense of Place” solo show for “Will Ackerman: Guitar Gathering” (2018) Gallery 1037:
featured – Jacksonville, FL (2016) Ridge Art Association:
juried show – Winter Haven, FL – AWARD (1996)
Polk State College:
Regional invitational – Winter Haven, FL – AWARD (1995)
Phi Mu Foundation:
uctioned artwork (2019, 2017, 2016)
Stanton College Preparatory H.S.:
Scenic designer (Drowsy Chaperone – 2019, Grease – 2019, Seussical – 2018, Shrek – 2014)
Timucuan Parks Foundation: art instructor “Healthy Living-Art in the Park” (2019); life-size native mural (2011)
St. Johns River Water Management District:
water conservation education design for
posters/placemats (2005)
Sunshine Foundation: Dream Village murals and graphics – Loughman, FL (1995-2015)
Barnett Bank: characters/themed event backdrops – Winter Haven & Lakeland, FL (1993-1999)