One local attorney is providing an outlet for the legal community and an opportunity for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid.
Deborah Reid of Rumrell & Brock started holding art shows to benefit Jacksonville Area Legal Aid five or six years ago.
They provided artistic members of the legal community the opportunity to show their work and a percentage of sales was donated to JALA.
“It’s a great outlet for attorneys who are artists to show their work while contributing to a good cause,” said Reid. “The funding is needed now more than ever as state and local budgets get smaller.”
The walls of the Zodiac Bar & Grill on Adams Street Downtown have been made available for the legal artwork. Work from a new artist is brought in before each First Wednesday Art Walk.
“It’s a great venue. We usually have musicians and tapas and drinks are available for the show during Art Walk,” said Reid.
The show doesn’t end at Art Walk. The artist’s work remains on the walls of the Zodiac throughout the month and is available for purchase.
The Zodiac gallery currently displays the works of Ponte Vedra attorney Marcella Beeching. Her work will soon be replaced by that of attorney Susannah Collins for the September Art Walk.
“Deborah Reid, civil litigator and artiste extraordinaire, is so dedicated to helping raise necessary funds required for programs at JALA that she took it upon herself to begin arranging for local attorneys who are also artists to exhibit their works of art,” said Collins. “She may try to downplay what she has created with these art shows, but she really is all that and a bag of Cheetos.”
To be included in the gallery lineup, artists agree to donate 30 percent of the sale to JALA. The money is used to fund the Legal Aid program for deaf or hard-of-hearing persons.
JALA is appreciative of Reid’s efforts and recognizes the energy she puts into the project.
“(Reid) is just an incredibly kind and fun and energetic woman, the kind of person that you meet and instantly want to know and spend more time with,” said Christa Figgins, development director for JALA.
“She is helping JALA, participating in our community art scene, helping bring people Downtown and encouraging fellowship and artistic development between Bar members. It’s all great,” she said.
Reid has the gallery booked until March.
• September: Susannah Collins, family lawyer, will feature big, vibrant paintings with primarily natural themes — birds, koi, landscapes, and more.
• October: A group show will feature the theme, “What is your sign?” The group will feature signs of the zodiac, American Sign Language, street signs and others. It includes local artists within and outside the legal community.
• November: Barbara Holmes-Fryefield, a fine artist and widow of Judge Peter Fryefield, will present Florida landscapes.
• December: Reid will present big paintings of the port, local landscapes and offbeat Jacksonville landmarks.
• January: Nada Frazier, a paralegal, and her husband, Rick Wilkerson, will feature photography of the same objects from two different views.
• February: There will be a group show with a Valentine’s Day theme.
• March: Marie Thompson will feature faces of Jacksonville.
For more information, contact Reid at [email protected] or call 477-7238.
356-2466