Painter, illustrator, portraitist, caricaturist and photographer Ben Heine lives in Belgium and creates images that you don’t see everywhere. In fact, the only place in America you can see Heine’s work is at The Next Gallery on Laura Street.
Artist and gallery principal Sharla Valeski discovered Heine through some of her colleagues in New York City. She tracked down his agent and arranged to have two pieces shipped to Jacksonville. They arrived Wednesday.
Valeski said the two photographs are limited editions and part of a series, “Pencil vs. Camera.” Only eight prints are produced of each of the digital images, which are a combination of photography and drawing.
“I’m very excited,” said Valeski. “This is the first time we’ve shown an artist who isn’t local and it’s the first time Ben Heine has been represented at an American gallery.”