
Our artists are a select group of individuals who join Isola Arts via a juried process. Recent works of the artists are also reviewed and juried for each event to enhance the venue. Not all artists are selected for each show and some venues will feature solo shows. Our roster changes frequently to allow new and emerging talent to be showcased. Selected musical artists are primarily classical or jazz to encourage conversation and interaction in the venue. If you are a musician and would like to apply for inclusion in one of our Isola Arts Events, please contact us for more information.
Katherine Larson, Painter

Katherine is a Vero Beach artist who brings our local landscapes to life. She leads the Treasure Coast Plein Air painters on outings every week. Her paintings capture the romance of Old Florida with vibrant colors and compositions. Katherine is also an accomplished muralist with nearly 200 installations around the US. Her latest contribution to the local mural scene is a landmark mural for the Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum in Sebastian. Most of Larson's work is commissioned, and not available in local galleries. She has won numerous local, regional and national awards for her murals and realistic paintings. Katherine is also a children's book illustrator with 10 nationally distributed titles. Her work and lifestory were the cover story of the Vero Beach Magazine's April 2025 issue. To learn more about Katherine's life and work and where to find her next gallery show visit: www.katherinelarson.com
Melanie Denison, Glass Artist

Melanie Denison is a Vero Beach artist whose work explores the connection between color, texture and light. Her life as a glass artist began when she found an opportunity to make glass art by becoming a student of mixed media artist, Donna Mahan, at the Truro Center for the Arts. "It was like an explosion of joy and, at the same time, it felt like I was coming home my true self." Melanie incorporates a wide range of materials and objects, including vintage glass, seashells, metal, agates, ceramics and cherished mementos, into her art which adds depth and uniqueness to her work. The concept of "Resurrection Art," where old, broken or discarded items find new life in a new form, is a powerful metaphor for transformation and renewal. Living along the Atlantic coast the sea shore has been a major influence in her work. Her color palette is inspired by the open sky and the ever changing shoreline.
Robert Whiting, Painter

Robert’s figurative, landscape and still life (trompe l’oeil) paintings are all executed in oil. His work ranges from Realism to Impressionism. His goal is to create an illusion reflecting more current themes while paying homage to the old masters.“My interest in the Hudson River School is greatly influenced by Thomas Cole, Fredrick Church, and Asher Durand’s work and I have endeavored to combine this love of landscape painting and figurative work with my intense interest in trompe l’oeil painting.” Robert's work has won numerous awards at the Vero Beach Art Club’s Art by the Sea. He and his wife Susan are long time winter residents in the Vero Beach area. Their main studio is in the Adirondack region of New York State. Many of their works are available on their website: www.whitingsartwork.com
Charlie Sembler, Sculptor, Woodworker & Painter

Charlie Sembler transforms pieces of driftwood, shells, scrap metal and industrial materials into looming sea creatures, mermaids and other whimsical creations. Quite the Renaissance man, he also makes custom furniture and home décor items, writes short stories and poetry, and paints. “The combination of Charlie’s incredible gift of creativity, combined with his deep knowledge and love for old Florida and nature has given us the opportunity to do something meaningful and lasting. Each and every piece he makes, whether it’s a stainless-steel sculpture, a driftwood table, a shell mirror or cypress lamp; it’s one of kind. It’s art in its purest form, the way nature intended.” Always a special addition to our shows, we look forward to Charlie's participation in future Isola Arts events.
Carol Crotts, Natural Fiber Weaver

Carol Crotts business is called "Pine Away Baskets' and can be found on Facebook under the same name. She uses mixed mediums with long leaf pine needles to make each of her baskets unique. These baskets last for generations and will make uncommon gifts for yourself, your friends or family. Each baskets takes from 10 hours to 1 week to complete. Pine Away Baskets will be a featured exhibitor at our upcoming Waldo's Secret Art Walk.
Sharon Sedlar, Glass Artist

Sharon's love affair with stained glass began over three decades ago, when one of her closest friends shared his interest and she quickly found herself hooked. Since then, Sharon has dedicated her career to mastering the art form and creating stunning, one-of-a-kind pieces for her clients. From custom windows and doors to stand alone vases and bowls, she loves exploring different styles and techniques to bring your vision to life. One of Sharon's Vases was recently exhibited at the 2023 "Art by the Sea" in the Museum of Art, Vero Beach, FL. See more of Sharon's work at www.sharonsedlar.com. Instagram: sedlarsharon
Michele Loftus-Trzcinski, Photographer/Artist

Michele traded in the cold, snow & ice of Massachusetts for the sun, surf & warmth of the Treasure Coast roughly six years ago. Her photographic career began in Massachusetts where she taught Photoshop classes while also doing photo retouching, restoration work, and "all things Photoshop."
Although primarily a photographer and digital artist, she also enjoys creating artwork using acrylics, oils, pen & ink and graphite. Michele has won numerous awards, not only in photography, but for her paintings and drawings as well. It was at the Massasoit Art Guild in Massachusetts that her desire to draw and paint was re-ignited. “Finished images from my photographs are either ‘straight out of the camera’ or the result of using layered digital collage techniques. My paintings are also comprised of layers; layers of texture and layers of color. ”
Nancy G. Shea, Mosaic Artist

Nancy Shea is a retired flight attendant transformed into an amazing mosaic artist. She started doing mosaics about 13 years ago and found the next passion of her life. She moved to Vero Beach three years ago from South Florida where she started doing some commission work. she has also done commission work in Brazil. We are thrilled to have Nancy on our roster of artists for Isola Arts and can't wait to see her new creative creations in mosaic. See more of Nancy's work at https://knotsandrocksdesign.com/all/
Clair Brunetti, Jewelry

Clair’s passion for creating jewelry started with the creation of a necklace in a jewelry-making class nearly 20 years ago. The class opened up a new world of expression, allowing her to turn ideas into tangible, wearable art. Clair also creates unique bejeweled collages created from broken pieces of jewelry, an imaginative form of mixed-media that transforms discarded, sentimental, or vintage jewelry into visually captivating compositions. These collages often feature a variety of materials—glass, metal, gemstones, enamel—to create a richly textured surface that catches light and draws the eye. Ms. Brunetti is currently a resident artist at the Wildwood Antique Mall in Booth C5 & C6. She spends two days a week there creating and showcasing her fine crafted jewelry and bejeweled collages. Her custom made, unique and "one-of-a-kind” styles include everything from classic and traditional to contemporary and popular jewelry fashions. Clair’s work was recently exhibited at “Art by the Sea” and “Under the Oaks.” See more of Jewelry by Clair on Facebook and Instagram. Contact Clair at clairbrunetti@comcast.net
Susan Bayard Whiting, Painter

Susan currently produces work in both plein air and in the studio, employing either alma prima or indirect painting methods. Studying the bold brush work of John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt and the Hudson River Painters, has provided her with an understanding for the use of color tonality and allows her to use her training as a draftsman and technical illustrator to achieve the desired effect in both her landscapes and her figurative paintings. Susan and her husband Robert Whiting have spent more the ten years as winter residents in the Vero Beach area. Their main studio is located in the Adirondack region of NYS. To see more of their art check out their website; www.whitingsartwork.com
Jeff Hall, Painter

Jeff Hall is a 3 decade stage and TV designer from Nashville, TN who worked with clients such as, Opryland U.S.A., TNN, Dollywood Busch Gardens and many more. He currently is the resident Design Director at the Vero Beach Theatre Guild designing sets & lights for over 45 shows over the last 7 years. While he thoroughly enjoys the theatre design experience, his wife, Patti (P) asked;” why don’t you create paintings, you should paint”. She was right! Jeff is primarily an abstract and semi-abstract acrylic painter exploring themes of music and architecture. He likes bold, blended color and drizzle, drips and splats for energy. One of his favorite things is to collaborate with P to create assemblage sculptures of mythical beings and angelic creatures. The collection is called: “Whimsy & Wings”. They are blessed to be able to create things in their beach side studio, Artist Bungalow,
a slice of paradise! “I couldn't be enjoying life in Vero any more than right now!”You can see more of Jeff’s work at artistbungalow.com
Katherine Guarino, Ceramic & Jewelry

Katherine Guarino is a local artist living in Indialantic Florida. The sea has always been part of her life from playing on the beaches of Kiawah Island as a child, attending undergraduate at the College of Charleston, to playing with her kids on Lewis Beach and now raising her children in Indialantic. The variety of shells and sea life along the eastern seaboard have constantly inspired her to create pieces reflective of the body of water that has been her place of respite. Her serving pieces use inspiration from oyster shells and the subtle colors of the sea to create cutting boards, serving platters, charcuterie boards, and sculptural pieces. Her jewelry is elegant and simple following the natural lines of the stones to create lengthening pieces in a variety of tones. Gold and silver accents enhance the elegant lines of the polished stones and handmade ceramic elements in the work. gildingandsteel@gmail.com
Lana McLeod, Pastel Artist

Lana Mascitelli McLeod was born in Manhattan and grew up on Long Island near the Sound and her love of the ocean began. She later moved to Washington, D.C. where she attended college to study Liberal Arts. Lana moved to Boulder, Colorado where she acquired a love for landscapes. After 50 years, Lana was driven to return to the ocean and relocated in Sebastian, Florida. Lana became interested in Pastel painting several years ago. While still residing in Colorado, Lana's neighbor, a world renowned Pastel artist, introduced her to Pastel painting. She has been painting and studying ever since. Lana is a member of IAPS (International Association of Pastel Artists), the Pastel Society of Central Florida, Central Massachusetts Pastel Society and Sebastian River Art Club. Lana is the recipient of several awards and her work has been displayed at the Vero Beach Museum of Art.
Marie Morrow, Sculptor/Painter
Marie Morrow attended The Newark School Of Fine and Industrial Art in Newark N.J. where she explored different mediums such as drafting, textile, and interior design. She was awarded Who's Who's amongst students in American colleges for three consecutive years and was a two year recipient of the Edward John Memorial Scholarship. Marie graduated in fine arts and then continued on to attend Middlesex County College, Edison N.J. where she studied sculpture and business. Marie's teaching career started in N.J. and has continued in Florida in elementary schools, detention facilities, as an Artist-in-Residence through-out the state of Florida and at the Vero Beach Art Museum. Marie now runs her own art studio, where she gets great pleasure out of sharing her talent and watching her students develop their own thoughts and ideas. "I enjoy the endless journey of creating and developing art, it's never static."
Marie's work was most recently exhibited at the juried 2023 "The Best of the Best "at the Backus Museum in Fort Pierce Florida. She’s been featured in Indian River Magazine, 32963, Stuart News, Boomer Beat and on the cover of the Florida Event Planner.
Tricia Kowaleski, Acrylic Pour Artist

WabiSabi is a Japanese philosophy which celebrates the beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete
Tricia explains, "I have always appreciated art but, because I can't draw, considered myself untalented. Even my high school art teacher told me not to waste any more of my time or his taking art courses. Years later I discovered stained glass and loved the physical aspect of this art, but I felt limited by patterns and started to assemble my work by just putting the pieces of glass where I felt they belonged. I loved it
and finally discovered my forte-WabiSabi." Tricia moved into
creating fused glass works and for over 20 years created and sold her work in Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. After moving to Florida she discovered fluid art. "It's messy, unpredictable, and brought out the “mad scientist” in me as I
learned how to mix and layer the paint. I have developed my own style. I love movement and color and hope my paintings reflect this." You can see more of Tricia's work at https://www.etsy.com › shop › WabiSabiArtByTricia
Mary O'Neal, Painter

Mary O'Neal grew up along the Space Coast of Florida and was inspired by the art from the Florida Highwaymen she saw as a child. She attended the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida, where she studied fashion design and illustration. She received her BFA in painting at Alfred University in New York. Since joining the Treasure Coast Plein Air painters two years ago, Mary has begun painting the subject matter that inspired her in her youth to become an artist. Her work is haunting in its color and simplicity of form. Working from nature, she captures the uniqueness of the natural structures but adds her own twists to the colors and composition leaving the viewer with an image that is both captivating and memorable.
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Melissa Plummer, Jewelry Artist

At 16, Melissa started merchandising/display at her family home furnishings store in NJ. Then following art classes in college and an interior design degree, Melissa started designing and manufacturing her own line of linens. For the past 6 yrs she has been making her own line of jewelry, called Oceans of Love jewelry. "These one-of-a-kind pieces are mostly inspired by my love of Florida and the beach, in particular--shells in their many forms and colors. I combine them with old findings, beads, leather, among other things." Melissa says.
Sharon Lane Holm, Illustrator

“I’ve been an artist since third grade. I acknowledge my art style as controlled chaos. Wonderfully whimsical, silly, sassy ,sweet. And quirky. Like me. My art comes from my soul, and I will share my soul with you.” Sharon graduated with high honors from Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale with a degree in visual communications and began her career as an Art Director. After relocating to Connecticut, she turned her attention to illustrating and subsequently won several awards for children’s book illustration. Today, she is the author/illustrator of over 45 children’s books, puzzles, calendars, board and bath books and greeting cards and had the honor of working with Highlights Magazine for many years. In 2022 Sharon won an international children’s book illustration contest from Clavis publishers for "How to Spot a Grampire" -a silly insight into your grandparents. “I’m continually inspired by my own interpretation of the world around me. I create my own world where I can continually escape reality, and go to my happy place. I'm living my dream. I do know glitter goes with everything. And every picture tells a story." See more of Sharon’s work at: www.sharonholm.com
Debra Brewster, Abstract Art

Debra has created art in many mediums from ceramics to oil painting and her current passion, acrylics. Her inspiration comes in part from a life spent in Rochester NY working in the automotive industry. She describes her time there jokingly as "life in Rotten Chester in the colors of browns and burnt orange." After moving to Florida, her pallet has expanded to include the brilliant colors of Golden Acrylics and their unique selection of metallics. Debra paints her abstract work with a credit card that was handed to her during an art class at the Vero Beach Museum of Art. It changed her approach to the medium and she became fascinated with the short mechanical strokes of the plastic tool. The featured work is entitled "Boat Docking #8" and was created in oil.
Gayle Vanasse, Artist

Using scrap colored paper Gayle makes new sheets of handmade paper and constructs her journey book coverlets. Found and recycled objects are used to decorate the covers of the journey books. Gayle tells her story on the outside with the hope that you will tell your story on the inside. Gayle is also a watercolor artist capturing the beauty of earth, sky & water and she creates mixed medium artwork. She is also the author of a guided journal book entitled "HUGS." You can visit her space A-85 at the Wildwood Antique Mall in Vero Beach or catch her at several craft fairs & markets throughout the year. Her work can also be seen at dejavuartsusvi.com or on Etsy and Pinterest.
Gail Holl, Painter

Gail grew up in Washington D.C. where she often visited the many art galleries and historical archives in the city. She graduated from the Philadelphia College of Art where two of her semesters were spent in Europe touring the art and architecture. Gail worked as an art teacher for 20 years covering K through 12th grade. But her own love of taking art classes never stopped. She has studied with famous instructors in nearly every medium from watercolor to printmaking. Her subject matter ranges form still life, landscapes, animals, florals, figures, portraits and regional subjects or non-objective works. The galleries that have exhibited her fine paints are too many to list but include the Gallery of Mid-Valley Arts league, Pasadena, CA; Pomona Art Association, Pomona, CA; Paramount Arts League, Paramount, CA; San Gabriel Fine Arts Association, San Gabriel, CA; San Gabriel City Hall, San Gabriel, CA; Segal Art Gallery, Monrovia, CA; Mountain Artists Guild and Gallery, Prescott, AZ and many others. Gail has has won First Place and best of shows in multiple venues and her paintings can be found in personal collections in the United States as well as Australia, Canada and South Korea.
Lisa Rose, Pastel Artist

After retiring from her career of over 30 years as a residential Interior Designer, Lisa Rose discovered soft pastels. She became inspired by the beauty of the natural landscape, and this led to the creation of her first pieces. She has been honored with the cover of the “Vero Beach” magazine in August 2019, selected for the National League of Pen Women “Art of the Week”, and has had several local solo exhibits at the Environmental Learning Center, The Presbyterian Church, and the Moorings Yacht Club. Lisa continues to study with national and regional artists to refine her skills in the United States and Europe. She is an exhibiting member of the Pastel Society of America, the Vero Beach Art Club, the Artist Alliance of East Hampton, and The Wednesday Group Painters of the East End and the Plein Air Painters of the Treasure Coast. To see more of Lisa's work, visit www.lisaroseart.com, or on Facebook and Instagram.
Helga Jensen-Ruopp Ed.D, Painter

Born in a refugee camp in Czechoslovakia after WWII into a displaced family, Helga eventually emigrated to the US. Since she didn’t understand English, she took to art to express herself. She attended Adelphi University receiving an MA degree in Education with a concentration in Fine Arts. She began her teaching career in Brentwood, Long Island teaching elementary grades and later marine science and biology at Danbury High School. She also achieved a Masters in Oceanography and Limnology from Western Connecticut State University and a Doctorate of Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her website profile details her rich art and teaching history. Now retired, Helga passion is painting. “My art is representational; it looks real. It's natural, playful, and occasionally whimsical. Sometimes I will use an acrylic pour as a background and then paint my subject on that.” See more of Helga’s work and history at: https://helgasartoriginals.com/
Charlie Loffler, Painter
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Bio to come. Please visit CharlieLoffler.com for additional information.
Patti Hall, Textiles & Assemblage

P Hall (Patti) is a self-inflicted, mixed media artist who uses bold colors, textiles and whatever else she can find to create uniqueness in her art pieces. She has been involved in creating since she was a child, always thinking outside the box. Her unique pieces and funky creations come to her as she visualizes them in her head and then tries to bring them to life on canvas. P has been involved in creating art and drama since an early age as both a theatrical director and actor, to which she attributes her fantasy creations. She owned her successful business in the Nashville, Tennessee area which held over 35 artists and artisans, a café and jazz bar. She considers herself a funky, creative soul who not only paints but designs assemblage sculptures and textile pieces. She gets her inspiration from people watching, dreams, and thoughts that pop in her head. She has a challenging time being too serious, so she continues to just be who she is. As she says, “Let your funky out to play. And try to do it once a day.” See more of P. Hall’s art at www.artistbungalow.com www.facebook.com/undeniable.p
Sheila Priestley, Painter

As an educator, Sheila's father encouraged her early artistic development by allowing her to paint murals in oils on her bedroom walls. He also taught discipline through his swimming instruction. Sheila became a nationally ranked swimmer and went on to get a masters in social work at USM. She worked at a drug treatment center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi until her retirement. Her love for art was rekindled by watching Bob Ross videos and she decided to start taking classes with a Vero Beach art teacher. “It’s a healthy addiction.” Sheila says with a smile, “Taking classes provides me with a support group to keep me painting every week and gets me through those difficult ‘I hate this painting’ moments.” Sheila loves to paint the beach, but can’t access it easily because she uses a wheelchair. Her sister, Jackie Solari, takes photos of the ocean everyday and Sheila often uses them for inspiration in her paintings. Her painting “Affordable Housing” was from a photo Jackie took of a temporary beach dwelling. The painting was exhibited at the prestigious 2023 “Best of The Best Show” at the A.E. Backus Museum in Fort Pierce.
Jackie Solari, Painter

Jackie Solari was born in Richmond, VA and suffered from continuous bouts of pneumonia. Her family moved to Vero Beach in 1960 to treat her condition. Jackie fell in love with the ocean, the beach, the sun and running. She became one of the top five runners in the U.S. and 10th in the world in the mile run. She still runs everyday on the beach, where much of her inspiration comes from as a painter and photographer. “I dream about the beach. It’s always different, the sky, the water, the sand. I never tire of it.” Her entry into art was not a happy one as she was traumatized by a private school teacher. But her sister, Sheila Priestley made her attend group art lessons in Vero Beach as an adult. The class provided support for Jackie and she gradually gained confidence. She still prefers photography and hones her skill everyday. Jackie’s intricate oil paintings of flowers are crafted with a photographer’s eye. Her love of nature, colors and details bring the viewer into an intimate relationship with her subjects. Jackie’s work was most recently exhibited at the 2023 “Art by the Sea.”
Dave Wallace, Painter

Dave Wallace began his art journey working in charcoal and pastels. He took art classes early at the age of 10. He attended med school at Wilkes College receiving an undergraduate in Biology, and went on to at Hahnemann, a residency at Monmouth Medical in Long branch NJ (OB-GYN), and a fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Pennsylvania hospital. Dave was an MFM specialist at MMC for 35 years, retiring in 2020 to Vero Beach. So how does an OB-GYN become an oil painter? Dave says, “We learned early on in med school to stay current, relearning always, or you will be on the decline. It’s about continuous life-long learning. Art gives me that.” It took Dave less than a year to take up painting lessons as his creative outlet after retirement. “Landscapes are my favorite. I’m inspired by man-made structures in nature. I’m always improving, always a student.” Dave’s attention to detail and captivating compositions keep the viewer engaged in his paintings.