by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Local artists get chance at Port Authority
Since 1967, the offices of the Jacksonville Port Authority have been on Talleyrand Avenue, just a few miles north of Downtown.
For 43 years, the walls of public area of those offices remained relatively unadorned with the exception of framed head shots of Port Authority board members, the current mayor and governor, a few other official items and models of ships.
That changed last week when 15 water colors done by local artist Fred Schloth were hung for all to see. Schloth, who works for Sea Star Lines as its vice president of advertising, marketing and public relations, was chosen to be the first artist to display their art after a recommendation.
Meredith Fordham Hughes, manager of creative design for the Port Authority, said the framer of the board portraits said he new a good local artist with local being the key word. Schloth filled out the application and his work was picked to be first. Fordham Hughes said every couple of months she’ll select a new artist.
“It’s been great,” said Schloth, explaining the project forced him to get busy. “I always wanted to do an exhibit. This is my first public exhibit.”
Schloth said he discovered the artist inside while he was a student at Jacksonville University.
“I don’t come across as an artist, I am more of a jock,” said Schloth, who started painting in 1980 as a hobby. “But, I always wanted to be a Renaissance man. At JU, I became enlightened. One of my professors was Chinese and he was an artist. I fell in love with water color.”
Schloth says there are about 50 more pieces of art at his house “worth looking at” and many more that are in a folder. More still have been given to family and friends over the years.
His pieces are for sale and there is information available on them. “He’s allowed to sell them as long as he leaves them here for the entire show,” said Fordham Hughes, adding Schloth isn’t selling any of the originals, but will sell prints.
Schloth said people have expressed interest in about a dozen of the images, which are all maritime in nature. That theme, however, isn’t a requirement for future artists. The idea is to show off the talents of local artists.
“The only main requirement is that they be ready to hang,” said Fordham Hughes.
Port Authority spokesperson Nancy Rubin said about 50 people a day that are not Port employees pass through the office. They attend various functions including board meetings and bid openings and awards.
If Fordham Hughes runs out of local artists, she has a back up plan. Over the past several months, she has been scanning thousands of photos taken of the port and its employees. Those photos date back to 1919 and eventually Hughes will create an exhibit from those photos.
“It’s a massive project and I am almost done,” she said, adding she has catalogued over 10,000 images.
For more on how to display your art at the Port Authority’s office or get an application, contact Fordham Hughes at [email protected].
356-2466