The Artists of Hirdie-Girdie Art Gallery

To see samples of an artist's work, please go to the Digital Art Gallery.

Bea Pappas: has been an artist for over 40 years and pursues the joy of discovery. She works in various medium, painting varied subjects ranging from antique cars to floral arrangements to abstract images. Currently, Bea is working in acrylics, watercolors, inks, and collage layering her medium until her abstract creation speaks to her and expresses a cohesive thought. She has studied at the DeCordova Museum School and with more than 20 internationally known artists such as Betty Lou Schlemm. Bea has won numerous awards and her work is in collections here and abroad. Bea's Paintings

Jeanne Risher's fused glass artworks are original designs which often reflect marine life due to her passion for snorkeling and diving and seeing life under the sea. However, her pieces can be diverse ranging from a serene island beach scene to the geometric and crisp edges found in contemporary designs. Inspiration can come from the color of the glass, life experiences or something as simple as a word. Jeanne began creating stained glass art in 1990’s after taking private lessons from a studio in Ft. Lauderdale. After making many large windows, lamps, sun catchers, nightlights, kaleidoscopes, picture frames and jewelry boxes, she realized there was another form of glass that would challenge her senses…fused glass. Jeanne enrolled in a fused glass class and since then, her love of fused glass has become a passion. While her kilns are running, Jeanne is producing original, one-of-a-kind fused glass designs. Jeanne's Fused Glass

Mary Ross: Mary Ross makes her home in Marion, Massachusetts and winters in Bonita Springs, Florida.  Mary received a B.A. from the Massachusetts College of Art.  She was a landscape painter for many years, taking most of her inspiration from nature.  The last 20 years have been spent, exploring collage, combining her painting expertise with her beautiful handmade papers.  Collages of Mary Ross are constructed of layers of semi-transparent Japanese papers, often subtly textured and arranged as abstract backgrounds for still lives.  Painted branches and flowers stylized in a modified oriental manner project gracefully from torn paper shapes that represent jugs or vases.  The paintings and collages of Mary Ross are in many permanent collections throughout the United States and Europe. Mary's Collages

Nancy Cameron Smith: A multitalented artist who works in watercolor, acrylics, collage and stained glass, Nancy first came to Sanibel in 1979 and has called the island home since 1991. An active member of the Sanibel-Captiva Art League and the Fort Myers Beach Art League, she is a frequent participant in local art shows and has won several awards for her work. In addition to her techinical studies at Big Arts on Sanibel, she annually attends workshops at Mt. Dora, Florida, Kanuga, North Carolina, and Rockport, Maine. Nancy finds inspiration for her joyous work in the sights and sounds of the beautiful Island of Sanibel. Nancy's Paintings

Jeff Springer:  searches out and records simple yet intriguing compositions created by nature. Subjects are found in such nearby venues as Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Corkscrew Swamp, and the Everglades, and more distant locations such as Jekyll Island, Loch Raven Reservoir, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Gunpowder State Park, and Glacier National Park. Working primarily in 35mm, his silver gelatin and chromogenic images are printed in a modern darkroom at his residence, and are limited to no more than fifteen per negative. His work has been exhibited at the Maryland Institute College of Art, the Rosenberg Gallery, and Sanibel’s Hirdie-Girdie Gallery. In pursuing wildlife, he attempts to capture the animal’s natural habitat, behavior and grace of movement. Landscapes often possess a surreal quality where the forces of nature have authored powerful, yet serene compositions. He hopes that his work permits the viewer to explore one’s own imagination, and to come away with a sense of peace. Jeff's Photographs

Stan Timson: divides his time between Chester County, Pennsylvania and Southwest, Florida, and expresses his love and enthusiasm for both regions in oil and acrylic works that radiate color and capture the mood of the areas. His work is held in numerous private collections , and he has received awards from the Art Council of Southwest Florida, the Art League of Bonita Springs, the Sanibel/Captiva Art League, and the Avalon Performing Arts Council. He is a graduate of the Philadelphia Museum College of Art with a BA in Advertisng and Design. Stan's Paintings