Dive into the Art of Fantasy POP!

In partnership with Bay Arts Alliance and PC Center for the Arts, Gulf Coast State College’s very first virtual art show “Fantasy POP!: A Collection of Daydreams” has officially opened to the public as of April 25th and will close on May 9th, 2020.

Led by GCSC’s Portfolio and Resume Development class, upon its opening Fantasy POP! had a scheduled artist meet-and-greet held on the video conferencing website, Zoom. There, the artists spent an hour introducing themselves from 1:00PM to 2:00PM and the pieces they created to be displayed in the virtual art show. Each artist began by explaining the processes and inspiration behind their displayed artwork, then continued speaking about the art show as a whole. During the last 20 minutes of the meeting, the artists took questions from the viewers who were listening. Some of these questions included: “What challenges did you all face making this art show digital rather than in a gallery like the one at the Amelia Center?” and “How did you guys come up with the name ‘Fantasy POP!’ and the theme of fantasy?” Some of the artists had their own personal answers for the audience, while others were easily given from the entirety of the group.

THE EXHIBIT AND THE ARTWORK

Dozens of pieces are displayed in this virtual art show, from paintings to digital art. The featured artists in Fantasy POP! are as listed in alphabetical order: Maddisyn Boutilier, Sarah Coshatt, Kara Grippo, Taya Hernandez, Marisol Holley, Taylor Johnson, Jessica McKinney, Easul Mims, Claire Olson, and Yuliya Solopova. During the Zoom meeting, Taylor Johnson explained that the show’s art pieces were arranged in a particular way; the pieces that were focused more around humans were featured near the beginning, while the pieces with animals as the focus were placed at the end with humanoid creatures in between. Each piece has a small summary written by its creator that can be viewed with a single press of your finger or clink of your mouse that explain the inspiration behind their artwork and how they relate to the fantasy theme.

Originally, Fantasy POP! was meant to be an outdoor exhibit stationed at Pier Park at Panama City Beach, where viewers could come and experience the event as if you were walking through a fantastical garden. However, the group’s plans were forced to change after the COVID-19 pandemic halted all public events. Most of the artists had to change their featured pieces to be more suited for a gallery rather than a small market-like setting.

The exhibit also features a “gift shop”, where its viewers can contact the artists via their Instagram page, FantasyPOP! to purchase any art that the participating artists are selling. Some of the pieces that are displayed in the virtual gallery are also listed for sale.

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