2026 Creativity in Oils & Acrylics

An exhibition of artwork by TSCArts participants featuring paintings in oil and acrylic.
To purchase a piece or if you would like more information about the TSArts Program, please contact heathhilary.mcrae@talgov.com.
To register for art classes, please visit: www.tallahasseeseniorfoundation.org/art-classes
Click on the images below to view a larger version of each piece. Enjoy!

People’s Choice Award Winners

Favorite Nature Scene
Sandy Evans, Waiting

Favorite Water Scene
Sheila Gowan, Sunset on Mexico Beach

Favorite Use Of Color
Jennifer Vrynios, Gala, Oil

Most Creative
Audry Thomson, Splash 5

Overall Favorite (Tie)
Tom Mitas, Steam Train Smokin, Oil
Joel Thornton, Girl in the Field, Oil

 

Participating Artists:
Peggy Ball, Carly Brady, Teresea Brown, Fran Buie, Judy Carroll, Aida Casto, Merline Castor, Jeanine Czaja-Mordon, Antonio Espinosa, Sandy Evans, Judy Fongheiser, Tom Friedman, Laura Harrod, Terry Hawkins, Curlis Knowles, Connie Lechnar, Tom Mitas, Cathy Neel, Elvira Nichols, Sybil Palmer, Diane Purvis, Edie Schneider, Andee Sprick, Alice Stadin, Debrah Stafford, Karen Stewart, Joel Thornton, Jennifer Vrynios, Deb Weir, Suzette Williams

Join us for an Artist Reception on Thursday, April 2 from 5:30 to 7:00 PM celebrating the artists featured in the current exhibitions. Meet the artists, enjoy light conversation, and experience the artwork up close. Music and Refreshments will be provided.

ARTISTS’ SPOTLIGHT

Sheila Gowan

Sheila paints places that hold meaning. “Sunset at Mexico Beach” reflects her love of the Florida coast and the peace she finds there whenever she can visit. In contrast, “Italian Getaway” captures a small town along Lake Como, a scene filled with water, boats, and the charm of travel.

Water has long fascinated her, and both paintings allowed her to portray not just a location, but the enjoyment and gratitude she felt while experiencing it. “God’s beauty is all around us if we just take a moment to stop and look,” she shares.

As retirement approached, Sheila sought a creative outlet after years devoted to work and raising a family. Exploring classes through Tallahassee Senior Center’s Art Program has led her to experiment with different mediums before discovering her love for acrylic painting. She values the friendships, shared feedback, and continued growth that comes from learning alongside others.

Terry Hawkins

Nature, animals, and rural landscapes have always inspired Terry’s work. In “Where Are the Birds,” she captures a hunting dog standing alert in a golden field along a tree line, poised and ready, yet momentarily at a loss when no birds rise. Having long admired working dogs, she found joy in bringing this scene to life.

“Mystic Water of the Nest” features a powerful raven guarding its nest. Inspired by a photograph taken by a friend, Terry was drawn to the bird’s strength and presence. She describes ravens as magical: bold, intelligent, and fiercely protective.

Each blank canvas presents a challenge, and Terry approaches every painting as a problem to solve: can she truly capture the essence of what she sees? Through her work, she hopes to honor the beauty in animals, aging barns, and weathered places, giving quiet respect to the hands and histories behind them.

After retiring in 2007, she enrolled in oil painting classes at the Senior Center and has remained ever since. Beyond painting, she serves on the Art Council, helping install exhibitions and supporting fellow artists. Her advice is simple: “Do it. I took a chance nearly twenty years ago and have no regrets.”

Sybil Palmer and George Palmer

Sybil’s “Christmas at the Farm” is both a painting and a personal tradition. Created as her 2025 holiday card, the winter scene was printed and sent to friends and family, continuing her practice of sharing her own artwork during the holidays. This marks the second year she has used her painting as a Christmas card, a gesture warmly received by loved ones.

She first began taking art classes after retiring nearly twenty years ago, took an eight-year break, and later returned, this time alongside her husband, George. Attending class together has become a shared weekly activity they both look forward to.

Inspired by their instructor, Debbie Gaedtke, Sybil believes creativity has no age limit. “It is never too late to take up art. You might be surprised at what you can create.”

George’s featured painting was inspired by a visit to Bayou La Batre, where he was struck by the shrimp boats built there to support fishermen’s livelihoods. The working harbor scene left a lasting impression. With guidance from his instructor, he worked to capture the movement of rough water, an element he describes as both enjoyable and challenging.

At 82, George is taking his very first art class. What began as something new has quickly become a hobby he hopes to continue refining. Learning acrylic techniques, exploring new subjects, and sharing the experience with his wife, Sybil has made the class especially meaningful.

He encourages others not to hesitate, trying something new can lead to friendship, growth, and unexpected joy.

Jennifer Vrynios

Jennifer’s featured paintings are thoughtful studies in light, form, and observation. “Gala” began as a way to practice painting spherical objects using complementary colors, inspired simply by the apples she regularly enjoys. In “Study in Reflection,” she explored the complexity of shiny surfaces, carefully rendering different types of reflected light.

Both pieces challenged her to embrace the discipline of “painting what I see, not what I think I see,” a lesson that strengthened her technical skill and deepened her attention to detail. Through these works, she hopes viewers notice how ordinary objects can become visually compelling through color, composition, and careful observation.

Art has been part of Jennifer’s life since grade school, though she stepped away for many years. After returning to oil painting as an adult and later joining classes at the Tallahassee Senior Center, she rediscovered both her enjoyment and her natural ability. The welcoming group dynamic and variety of mediums keep her inspired. Her encouragement to others: “Go for it. There’s no reason to be intimidated.”