Aug 4, 2010 4 min read

The acclaimed, outspoken and bold artist Leoma Lovegrove is moving her

international headquarters to Sanibel.

Lovegrove who is known for her bold, vibrant paintings of tropicalesque

images such as fish, the Beatles and patriotic themes, is moving the large

body of her work and pieces to The Tree Tops Center across from the Dairy

Queen restaurant on Periwinkle Way.

She is moving from her Matlacha gallery where she will still maintain her

National Headquarters.

“Matlacha has been very good to me,” she said.

Lovegrove said the move is a good move for her because of the size of the

Sanibel gallery – the former Arts in the Tree Top Gallery. Lovegrove said

the walls and ceiling is spacious and roomy enough for her large-museum

style canvasses and pieces.

“I love it,” she said scanning her new art gallery. “I want to be here all

of the time.”

Lovegrove said she expects to start taking appointments in mid September and

opening the gallery to the public in mid-October.

The artist expects to hold six events during the season and paint on stage

to music for charitable events. During the show Lovegrove paints on one or

more large  canvases right in front of the audience. Music,

lights, and special effects are part of the dazzle.

And she said she plans to work with other island galleries to hold an art

night during season.

She also will sponsor souvenir painting for people who would like to create

a memento of their time spent here. For a nominal fee Lovegrove will supply

coconuts, paint, other materials and her help for customers to create their

own piece of art. She will also do the cleanup.

“It’s going to be fabulous,” she said.

Jason and Barbara Maughan will host Lovegrove in the Sanibel building. Maughan asked Lovegrove to come to

Sanibel after his wife took a position with Chico¹s and was no longer in a position to run the gallery.

“It’s sort of been a win-win situation for all concerned,” Maughan said.

“Her art is our island and the island is her art.”

Lovegrove is delighted at the chance to showcase her inspirational and

whimsical work on Sanibel. A walk through the gallery is like entering a

hall of color and joy. Red, blues and whites come together to create

portraits of the American emblem – the bald eagle, a rainbow-hued painting

of Jesus Christ fills a large wall and a giant sized piece depicting the

Beatles is hung in the front of the gallery. And above on the ceiling is a

jumbo painting of a blue and red colored fish.

The effervescent Lovegrove complete with her signature white shades dashes

about the gallery discussing her work and goals. She points to a small bed

that apparently was hers as a child. It is now painted in

dreamy pastels. A devout Christian – Lovegrove grins as she points to the

swirly blue letters of The Lord¹s Prayer painted on the back of the bed. A

bit of her mischievous sense of humor peeks out when she points to a part in

the prayer that names everyone in her family that she prayed for as a child

– except her brother Mark. Beneath the bed is her stash of unseen works –

pieces that Lovegrove reserves to show her enthusiasts.

In another room is a painted couch and TV.

Lovegrove, 57, plops down on the couch and smiles. She can¹t wait to open

her world to the island.

“My art is my children and I brought all of my art to Sanibel,” she said.

For more information, contact Lovegrove at 239-282-1244 or follow her on

twitter, Facebook or via her website at www.leomalovegrove.com.