MARIANNE LERBS

FINE ARTIST, SCULPTOR,  PAINTER, DIGITAL ART.

In my own words…

I grew up in Caracas,Venezuela during the sixties. It was my luck that my own mother, Beatriz Negretti de Lerbs, was not only very interested in what was happening in the art world, but was also a renowned and respected art critic. I also had a father who encouraged me to pursue my art call. We travelled all through out Europe, South America and North America and visited the most important Art Museums and Galleries abroad. What a great way to learn art! 

I studied graphic design on the prestigious Instituto de Diseño de la Fundación Newman, modeled after the teachings of the Bauhaus under the guidance of german artists and designers Gert Leufert and Gego and with great artists as instructors, such as Alirio Palacios, Luisa Richter, Heinz Rose and Jose Ignacio Cadavieco.

Through the eighties and nineties while I worked in my Graphic Design studio, I also had a number of successful solo art shows with large paintings, in the most prestigious art galleries of Caracas. I worked on my first bronze sculpture project at sculptor’s Elias Toro foundry and in the outskirts of Caracas. I also worked on iron and copper murals as well.

By 1992 I moved to the US, settling in the beautiful City of St. Augustine, Florida, where I made the decision to work strictly in my own art. I taught art at Flagler College and became the Artist in Residence for Jacksonville for two years in a row. 

In 1998 I became an apprentice to St. Augustine resident sculptor Thomas Glover W. originally from Washington DC. Under his guidance I learned how to carve marble, steatite and alabaster. In 2001 I had my first of many solo shows in D.O.C.S Gallery in New Orleans, Louisiana. I produced and installed an 82 feet long mosaic mural for the Museum of Natural History’s Butterly Vivarium at the University of Florida. I also designed the iron railing for the bridges inside the vivarium. 

By 2010 we installed the St. Augustine Sculpture Garden in St. Augustine Beach with the collaboration of several sculptors, including the sculptural work of Wisconsin artist Alvin Felch.

My work has been on display in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and Jacksonville art galleries. I  have been the recipient of a number of awards, Including Most Advance Art in Show and Cutting Edge Art.

I was commissioned to produce 5 paintings of  Historic Women from St. Augustine, and three large scenes from Floridian History for the Casamonica Hotel in St. Augustine, Fl. The Kessler Collection has acquired from me large sculptures and paintings for the Grand Bohemian Hotels in Orlando and Savanna GA.

Being together since 1998, and sharing an art studio, By 2007, Thomas and I got married and worked together until his death on 2012. 

In 2013 I completed a monumental 28 ton stone sculpture, which was originally commissioned to Thomas Glover W.,  tragically passed away in 2012 due to a brain tumor. I agreed to take on the commission and finish the job; To this date by far, this the largest sculpture I had ever worked on. For safety reasons, I needed climbing gear, safety lines and scaffolding to work on it. The sculpture would be destined for a green development location in Wyoming and it has both our signatures on it.

I have continued to work on sculpture and painting. A life-size bucking filly and a scaled model rearing Arab stallion are a couple of my most recent sculptural works in bronze.

 I love working with contemporary media, manipulating my own photographic images with photoshop to change their character and atmospheric effects. I also love to work with oil paint on canvas or linen and I recently started going out of my studio to work on plein air. In my expression I look for freshness and spontaneity, for old and new. I hope you enjoy my work as much as I do when I work on them! 

OBJECTIVE:

Never turn my imagination off. I want to make people think. I always wish to

achieve excellence in my artwork. My message is of relevance, hope and playfulness.

ABOUT ME

I am a multidisciplinary artist, painter, muralist and sculptress. I am a College level art instructor and recipient of Artist in Residence grants in Jacksonville, FL. I have participated several times in Jacksonville's Cultural Council Art in Public Programs, developing murals, banners and large art panels. I was pre-selected by the Police Athletic League with a proposal with large size colorful concrete pillows for their outdoor areas.

I have designed and executed large mosaic murals for the Florida Museum of Natural History. I recently completed two commissions, a collection of paintings inspired on St. Augustine's female historic figures, and a series based on Floridian History. I completed  three monumental sculptures for the St. Augustine Sculpture Garden in St. Augustine Beach, FL.

When I am not a my art studio, I play latin music with New York percussionist, Sue Hadjopoulos as a duo known as SUMA! (https://suma.live).

ARTIST STATEMENT

You can say many things with an image. Whether it is a brief thought or anelaborate story, once it is on the canvas, carved on stone or made into a mosaic mural, it takes a life of its own. The artist intention is there, but its interpretation becomes a more complex process, once the public views it. An artist may or may not care what this aftermath is. But the artist's artwork, if it is produced with intensity and craftsmanship, will stop people on their tracks and hopefully make them look and think, some times smile, sometimes ponder, perhaps wonder. Making people think is an ambitious goal.

We are bombarded everyday with millions of images, sounds, and subliminal messages that fight and compete for our attention. Audiovisual ammunition hits us at ever corner, every time you check the web, you pump gas at the station, or use your smartphone.

Paintings and sculptures in the traditional sense seem an anachronism in these times, so the artist has to be very ingenious to create a fresh approach and visual message. It is my belief that who ever has the sensibility and intelligence to appreciate this type of expression, has not lost the sense of humanity, the touch with the real thing, something that has not been mass-produced and still has embedded in it a bit of humanity and the soul of its creator and those who are exposed to it.

EDUCATION

• College Degree in Graphic Design, Instituto de Diseño Neumann, Caracas, Venezuela 1978-1982.

• Photography Seminar, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Caracas, Venezuela, 1986.

• Bronze Sculpture Apprenticeship at Sculptor Elias Toro’s Studio, Caicaguana, Venezuela. 1987.

• Live model sketching sessions at Sculptress Chiche Scaglia-Davies' Studio in Jacksonville, FL, USA. 1993-1995.

• Photoshop Seminar, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 1997.

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• Internet Seminar, Mac Expo San Francisco, 1998.

• Stone Sculpture Apprenticeship at Thomas Glover W., Workshop, St. Augustine, FL, USA. 1996-2000.

• Tattoo Apprenticeship at Ms. Deborah’s Fountain of Youth Tattoo and Body Piercing Studio, St. Augustine, FL, USA. 2006.

EXPERIENCE

- Participation in a Tableau Vivant of Rafael Sanzio’s painting School of Athens in the neoclassical spaces of the Museo de Bellas Artes de Caracas, Venezuela

- Commission, “Avila Mountain” large painting for Asociación Cultural Humboldt (Goethe Institute Caracas, Venezuela)

- Commission, “Acid Rain” A mural made of fabricated steel and kiln modified glass for the conference room of New York Bankers Trust Office in Caracas.

- Commission. Large paintings and silk-screens for Lincoln Suites Hotel, Caracas, Venezuela.

- Commission. Bronze sculpture, life size for private collector.

- Collaborative work, watercolors inspired by architect Dirk Bornhorst’s Zen and mineral crystal-like architectural structures.

- Artist in Residence for, 2 years. Duval County Schools.

- Mural Design and elaboration. Ballet building Downtown Jacksonville with the “CANVAS” project, sponsored by the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville

-“Ethnic Door Murals”. St. Jose Elementary classrooms outside doors. Sponsored by Prudential.

- Grand Ritz Renovation in Jacksonville, Fl., trash cans with colorful designs portraying St. Augustine’s Lincolnville musicians.

- Marble Horse Heads, and Fiberglass and Steel “Española con Paraguas” sculpture for fountain. The Mansion Hotel, Savannah, GA.

- Commission. Painting of Downtown Orlando for the Grand Bohemian Hotel, Orlando, Florida.

- Commission: oil portrait of Chief Osceola for Celebration Hotel in Orlando, Fl.

- Commission. “Españolas” monumental sculpture for St. Augustine’s Sculptural Garden, Florida.

- Commission. “Swimming Fire Horses”. Steatite. Monumental sculpture for St. Augustine’s Sculptural Garden, Florida.

- Commissions: Ironwork design for handrails. 82 ‘ butterfly mosaic mural. University of Florida Museum of Natural History’s Butterfly Rain Forest.

- Commission. Outdoors Mosaic for University of Florida Museum of Natural History’s Butterfly Rain Forest. 92' x 6'.

- Commission. Monumental Sculpture “Woman of the Sun”, Atlantic Elementary School, Jacksonville, FL.

- Commission. Giant Pillow Shaped Seat. Reinforced tinted concrete. For reproduction in different colors for installation in public places. Private collector.

- Commission. Marker for Princes Place. Commemorative Plaque on pedestal with butterfly motif, concrete podium with mosaic design.

- Commission. 3 horses, steatite stone sculpture, Palm Coast. Private Collector.

- Commission. Paintings. 5 Historic Women from St. Augustine, FL.

- Commission. Paintings. 3 Floridian Historic Images for Casa Monica Hotel with images of Henry Flagler, William Bartram and Seminole Leader Ahaya, the Cow Keeper, and The Orange Crops Industry.

- Commission. Life-size bronze filly for Private Collector.

AWARDS

- “Honorary mention” Beaches Art Guild show at Club Latino, by juror and UNF art professor Paul Ladnier.

- “Pick of the Litter” award at St. Augustine Art Association exhibit juried by artist Anne Barnas.

- “Most Advanced Artist of Show” by Henry Flood Jr. director of JAMOCA, Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art.

- “Black & White Exhibit” St. Augustine Art Association, First Union Bank Award.

- “Cutting Edge Exhibit” St. Augustine Art Association, Honorary mention Award.

- “Honorary Mention” St. Augustine Art Association.

- “Center for Emerging Artists” Award by Jenaro Ambrosino, Coral Gables, Florida.

- Awarded inclusion in “Encyclopedia of Living Artists” for its 1999 edition.

- Best of Show, Tactile Art Show, St. Augustine Art Association.

PUBLICATIONS

- 1986 -Architektur & Wohnen (March 1986) Hamburg, Germany.

- 1991- “Ciencia y Tao” By Dirk Bornhorst

- 1992 -FOLIO WEEKLY (Dec. 6 1992). Art by Ted Weeks. Jacksonville, FL.

- 1993 -FOLIO WEEKLY (March 2,1993) commissioned her a portrait of Amelia Earhart for the Cover of the issue dedicated to women's historic month

- 1994-“Del Modernismo a lo Transpersonal”, Fundación Ecologia y Arquitectura, Caracas, Venezuela. By Omar Seijas About Dirk Bornhorst, Architect.

- 1999-Encyclopedia for Living Artists - by Artists Network.

- 2001-Art News magazine, DOCS Art Gallery exhibit, New Orleans, LA.

- 2000 -Compass Magazine, Cover and center page article, St. Augustine Record. Article about the St. Augustine Sculpture Garden Project.

- 2003-Water’s Edge. Article about the participation in sculpture garden project for St. Augustine.

- 2004-The St. Augustine Record, (Florida) newspaper front page article. Sculptural garden project for St. Augustine.

- 2004-Interview for FOLIO Weekly, Jacksonville FL. (Sculpture “Woman of the Sun” at Atlantic Elementary School article)

- 2005- Sculpture “Españolas” on the Cover of The Compass Magazine, St. Augustine Record.

- 2005. Article about Sculpture Show in St. Augustine, (original show cancelled in New Orleans’ D.O.C.S. Art Gallery, due to hurricane Katrina).

-2007. Old City Gazette. Article about commissioned paintings showing one of 5 historic female figures for the Casa Monica Hotel: Writer Abbie brooks.

-2008. Old City Gazette. Article about commissioned paintings showing one of 5 historic female figures for the Casa Monica Hotel: Midwife Mary Evan.

-2009. Booklet published with text from author Karen Harvey and painting reproductions of Marianne Lerbs’ Five Historic Women of St. Augustine.

LECTURES – TEACHING

- 1984 "Expression Techniques", “Illustration Techniques” and “Analytic Drawing” Instituto de Diseño Neumann, Caracas, Venezuela.

- 1984 “Art Techniques” in the Jose Maria Vargas University. Caracas, Venezuela. - 1986 "Introduction to Graphic Design” Jose Maria Vargas University, Caracas, Venezuela

- 1990 “Illustration Techniques” Advertising School of Caracas, Venezuela.

- 1991 “Color Theory “ in the Instituto de Diseño Neumann, Caracas, Venezuela.

- 1993 "Watercolor Techniques" at Marianne Lerbs' Studio, in St. Augustine, FL., USA. - 1993 "Drawing techniques" at Marianne Lerbs' Studio, St. Augustine, FL.

- 1994 "Art Instruction for Children" at the Art Association of St. Augustine, FL.

- 1994 "Drawing and Composition", Art Instructor in Flagler College, St. Augustine, FL. - 1995 "Painting, beginners and advanced" and "Drawing and Composition” in Flagler College, St. Augustine, FL.

- 1995-1997 “Artist in Residence” for Duval County Public Middle and High Schools. Jacksonville, FL.

- 1997-1998 “CANVAS” project, sponsored by the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville & Duval County School Right track program: Kids at Risk. Artist and instructor for the mural in Forsyth Ave., the Ballet Building.

- 1998 -“Art Banner Project” with kids from the Juvenile Drug Court Rehabilitation Program. Jacksonville, FL.

- 1998 -“Ethnic Mural Doors”. St. Jose Elementary classrooms. With Duval County Students, sponsored by Prudential. Jacksonville, FL.

- 1999 -“Artist in the Classroom” with the Cultural Council, for St. Johns and Duval County Schools. Sculpture Project. Jacksonville, FL.

1999 -“Gold Leaf Techniques” seminar at Barnes and Noble, St. Augustine, FL.

- 2001 -“Sculpture Lessons” at Sculptural Stone Works, St. Augustine FL.

- 2004 -“Sculpture Residence” (Woman of the Sun) in Atlantic Elementary School in Jacksonville, FL.

EXHIBITION HISTORY:

1982 • Gallery of the Instituto de Diseño de La Fundación Neumann Caracas, Venezuela.

1985 • Art Gallery at Club Camurí Grande, Naiguatá, Dpto. Vargas, Venezuela.

1983 • Juried show “Salon Municipal Manuel Cabre” in Caracas, Venezuela.

1984 • Juried show “VII Salon de Aragua” in Carabobo State, Venezuela.

1985 • Juried show “Bienal Salon de Architectura” at the "Museo de Bellas Artes de Caracas", Venezuela. Marianne participated in the project of Arch. Dirk Bonhorst, with abstract watercolors inspired in his designs.

1986 • Exhibition called “Tensions” in the Felix Art Gallery in Caracas, Venezuela. 1986 • Show called “Caracas Colgante”, in the art gallery of “Club Camurí Grande”. 1987 • Exhibition called “Caracas Contemporanea” in the Vedoblevé Art Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela.

1988 • Show in “Club Camurí Grande” called “Painting - Woven”. Paintings-tapestries. 1988 • Solo show “Caracas Urbana” in the Felix Art Gallery in Caracas, Venezuela. 1988 • Group show “New Expressions in Landscape” in the gallery of the telephone company of Caracas , CANTV.

1988 • Traveling museum of The Venezuelan Army.

1988 • “Biennial Visual Arts Salon Alejandro Otero”. Caracas , Venezuela.

1991 • Art X 91 Caracas-Miami, Mindstructure Gallery in Coconut Grove, Miami, FL. 1992 • Marianne Lerbs Studio, Contemporary Art gallery opens in St. Augustine, FL, including Latin American Artists’ artwork.

1993 • Woman’s Show at the Beaches Art Guild of Jacksonville.

1993 • Works on display at Waterwheel art gallery in Fernandina Island, FL.

1993 • The members show of the Beaches Art Guild in “Cafe At The Square”, Jacksonville, FL.

1993 • The Art exhibit during the Coalition for the Visual Arts Award Ceremony in WJCT Channel 7, Jacksonville, FL.

1993 • “Latin American Point of View”, sponsored by Merril Lynch, Jacksonville,

1993 • "Explorations in Women's Art, sponsored by the Women's Center in UNF, Jacksonville, FL.

1993 • Juried Show at the Club Latino, juried by artist and UNF professor Paul Ladnier. The painting called “Rhythm” got an honorary mention. Jacksonville, FL.

1993 • Juried Show "Nudes" at the Daytona Art League, Daytona, FL.

1994 • Juried exhibit "Florida Art Show" at the St. Augustine Art Association. The painting “Lyon of the Bridge” received an award by juror Anne Barnas.St. Augustine, FL.

1994 • Juried Show “The Cutting Edge Exhibit” at the St. Augustine Art Association. 1994 • “Five Winning Award Artists” in Florida Community College at

Jacksonville, (FCCJ) Downtown Campus Gallery, Jacksonville, FL.

1994 • “A Tribute to Women” in Florida Community College (FCCJ) at Jacksonville, Downtown Campus Gallery, Jacksonville, FL.

1994 • “Multicultural Americana II” in Florida Community College at Jacksonville (FCCJ), Downtown Campus Gallery, Jacksonville, FL.

1994 • “Female Encounter” co-sponsored by Casa Italiana in celebration of Women’s History month. Jacksonville, FL.

1994 • "Figuratively Speaking" at the Daytona Art League, Daytona, FL.

1994 • "Molto Vivace" at Casa Italiana Art Gallery. Jacksonville, FL.

1994 • "Allegro con Brio" at Casa Italiana Art Gallery. Jacksonville, FL.

1994 • "Jazz Images" at Patrick Schwaitze’s Restaurant: "Bruzzi", Waterways Mall, North Miami, FL.

1994 • Works on display at Sher Galleries in Miami, Florida.

1995 • Carrera Gallery at Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL.

1995 • "A Tribute to Women" in Florida Community College at Jacksonville, Downtown Campus Gallery, Jacksonville, FL.

1995 • “Art in the Atrium” First Union Building Downtown Jacksonville FL.

1995 • Artists for Education” at the St. Augustine Art Association, FL.

1997 • Art Contest sponsored by Times Union Newspaper in Jacksonville FL.

1997 • Group exhibit at Pedestrian art gallery in Jacksonville, FL. The painting “Timeless” was sold at opening night.

1998 • “Cutting Edge Show” Art Association of St. Augustine, award: “The Most Advanced Artist of Show”, by the Director of JAMOCA, Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art.

1998 • Guilty Pictures, a group show, an erotic art exhibit at the Sculptural Stone & Wood works Art Gallery in St. Augustine, FL.

1998 • Works on display at Sculptural Stone and Wood works Art Gallery 1998 

1998 • Guilty Pictures, a group show, an erotic art exhibit at the Sculptural Stone & Wood works Art Gallery in St. Augustine, FL

1999 • Award: the First Union Prize in the Black & White Show at the Art Association of St. Augustine.

1999 • Guilty Pictures II, a group show, an erotic art exhibit at the Sculptural Stone & Wood works Art Gallery in St. Augustine, FL.

1999 • Elected to be part of an exhibit organized by the Center for Emerging Artists, juried by Jenaro Ambrosino, Miami Florida.

1999 • Works on display at Kennedy Galleries in Miami, and the Sculptural Stone and Wood works Art Gallery in St. Augustine, Florida.

2000 • Works on display at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Orlando, FL.

2001 • Solo stone sculpture show at D.O.C.S art gallery in New Orleans, LA. (Pieces in Marble, alabaster, steatite and sandstone).

2002 • Paintings and sculptures on display at Laporta’s in Coral Gables, FL.

2002 • Opening, with marble and steel sculptures at Sanmar Gallery in St. Augustine FL.

2002 • Opening with steatite, alabaster and marble stone: “Pillow Series” at Dreamstudios art gallery in Jacksonville FL.

2003 • Works in Rachel Thompson’s Gallery, St. Augustine, FL.

2003 • Solo stone sculpture show at D.O.C.S art gallery in New Orleans, LA.

2004 • Opening with sculptures at Mayfield Gallery, Ponte Vedra, Florida.

2005 • Opening with sculptures at St. Augustine High Art Gallery.

2005 • Sculptural Works on display at the permanent collection in Savannah, of the Mansion Hotel at Forsyth Park.

2005 • Opening with sculptures, Show originally destined for D.O.C.S gallery in New Orleans, cancelled due to Hurricane Katrina.

2005 • Opening with sculptures at Fogle Fine Arts in Jacksonville, Fl.

2006 • Opening, curator and participant: “Art by Tattoo Artists” at Mystic Bean, St. Augustine FL.

2007 • St. Augustine History Series Commission for Casa Monica Hotel, 5 portraits of local historic female figures, The Kessler Collection, Orlando Fl.

2008 • 3 Horse Stone Sculpture Commission installed in Palm Coast, FL.

2008 • Florida History Series. 3 large format paintings for The Kessler Collection, Orlando FL.

2009 • Butterfield Too Art Gallery Grand Opening. Group Exhibit. "A Lighter side of Music" series.

2009 • Cultural Center in Ponte Vedra, FL, “Sueños de la Mariposa” with paintings by Maribel Angel and sculptures by Marianne Lerbs.

2010 • Exhibit at Butterfield Garage Art Gallery in St. Augustine, Fl.

2010 • Permanent Installation of 3 sculptures at the  the St. Augustine Sculpture Garden, on St. Augustine Beach. 

2016 • Limited edition series of scaled size bronze horses (CHESTNUT).Grand Bohemian Hotel Art Gallery, St. Augustine, FL.

2018 • Exhibition of Sculptures at Jacksonville International Airport, FL.