The artist featured this week is Leann Porello.
"Art has grown with me my entire life. I have lived in Missouri for five years now but am originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado," she said. "Art for me started with writing and poetry. At 13, I was able to get one of my poems published and it was the start of a larger passion."
Porello attended Pikes Peak Community College to get an associate of arts degree. For many years, it was just writing until she lived on her own.
"I was just a poor 18-year-old living in my first apartment with no TV, internet and nothing to do. To pass the time, I went out and bought my first set of acrylic paints," she said. "I fell in love and though I wasn't very good, my friends and family loved getting my paintings and that drove me to do more."
Then Porrello moved to Missouri and her grandma convinced her to take an oil class with a wonderful teacher, Janis Burgin. From that first oil class she was hooked and excited to see where visual art could take her. Four years later, Porrello entered many art shows and won two first place awards, two honorable mentions and her first Best of Show in 2018 for a piece called "Playful Penguin," which is one of her favorites because it represents "whimsy, happiness, playfulness, fantasy and imagination."
"I want every piece of my artwork to make viewers feel something," she said. "Art is the last form of magic that exists."
Porrello will be the Jefferson City Art Club featured artist Tuesday through Feb. 17. A collection of her artwork is available online at the club's website at jeffersoncityartclub-missouri.com and an exhibit is now showing at the Department of Motor Vehicles, 1617 Southridge Drive, open 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m.-noon Saturday.
Jefferson City Art Club, Capital Arts and Mid-Missouri art news
Are you an artist or interested in art? Join the Jefferson City Art Club, which has a mission of fostering art. Meetings are held every third Monday from September through May. The next meeting is 5:30-7:30 p.m. Jan. 21 at 409 Ellis Blvd. in the community room. Professional artist and photographer David French will speak on an "approach to the split second environment of photography." For more information, visit jeffersoncityartclub-missouri.com.
Capital Arts Gallery's first event of the year is sure to be amazing. The "Portraits" exhibit will be held through Feb. 5. This exhibit will be made up of people, pets and silhouettes or could be "anything You imagine." The reception will be 1-4 p.m. Jan. 13 at the gallery, 1203 Missouri Blvd. For information, call 573-635-8355.
The Village Art Studio, in Art Village, 1502 E. High St., Suites 40 and 60, offers art workshops. Each three-hour workshop allows children to create three art objects. Classes are ideal for ages six and up. The fee is $35 for each child per workshop. Workshops, which are 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-4 p.m., are forming now for Feb. 2. To schedule your children's "art workshop," call 573-230-1414.
"The Silver Smith's Design Company," featuring personalized jewelry and handmade clothing from artists Debbie and Sarah Smith is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 2-3 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 4. at its Tipton location at 11272 Highway 50. For more information, call 660-473-1750.
Professional artist Jimmy Mustion does club promotions and publicity for Jefferson City Art Club and Capital Arts.