International Award-Winning Artists

| BY ALINA ROSA LEYVA

Suzanne Barton, a native of Ohio is passionate about photography. She self-taught and attended continuing education photography courses to help her get better at what she loves. In 2015, she had a yearning to experience underwater photography. My “Tiny Dancer Underwater Art Series” began as an experimentation to explore the depth and serenity of this new locale” she said. That same year, Suzanne was commissioned by Royal Caribbean Cruise lines to produce two pieces of underwater fine art for their newest Oasis Class ship, Harmony of the Seas, which made its maiden voyage from Europe in May of 2016. The pieces are a part of the permanent onboard international art collection, seen in over 250 ports of call worldwide. | underwater-fine-art.com

Mindy Z. Colton, originally from New York City, Mindy is an award-winning Orlando Florida artist; she was classically trained in all the traditional arts. Her love for sculpture is where she has found her greatest artistic satisfaction, recognition and success. Colton has mastered a number of natural materials and combinations to create her very unique sculptural mixed media horses. Her larger horses have carved tree limbs that she finds either on her property, forest walks, or that have been cut for storm clearing. She carves off the bark and shapes each leg. She uses various fiber clays, metal rods, copper and aluminum wires, dried grape vines, shells, oriental papers, old maps, vintage postcards, paint, and many other materials in her mixed media works. Mindy’s work can be found in museums, galleries, public and private collections across the United States, Canada, England, Russia, the Caribbean and Europe. | mindycolton.com Marlene Rose is an American glass sculpture who specializes in sandcast glass work, a method inspired by bronze casting. Rose is strongly inspired by artistic traditions and past civilizations of African and Asian origin, and frequent motifs in her sculptures include Buddha heads and butterflies.

In 2016, Rose opened the Marlene Rose Gallery in Clearwater, Florida with the sole purpose of exhibiting her artwork.

“When people first view my work, I’m often told they feel a “certain aliveness” inherent in the work itself. My goal as an artist is to inject life into whatever I can make. In simple terms to make the piece come alive”. She was quoted saying. “Each piece is hand cast from molten glass in a spectacular process of heat and light. The energy of this “Dangerous Dance of Creation” reflects in the finished work.”