'Face Value' exhibit focuses on subtle intricacies of the human face at Dunedin Fine Art Center

'Face Value' at the Dunedin Fine Art Center

Every human face can have both large and subtle differences from one another, and the Dunedin Fine Art Center exhibit "Face Value" examines that. FOX 13 Photojournalist Barry Wong reports. 

DUNEDIN, Fla. - Every human face can have both large and subtle differences from one another, and the Dunedin Fine Art Center exhibit "Face Value" examines that. 

"Faces, when you have a person in a painting, it dominates. Eyes tend to dominate, and so that expression is so important," artist DeMeer said. "Everybody's different. Everybody reacts differently to different things."

The backstory:

The show is an open call to the community. The center received a wide range of mediums, from traditional painted portraits to abstract pieces. 

Dig deeper:

Artist Anthony Palms created an abstract piece, a simple face surrounded by four squares and arrows. 

"It's called an 'Arrow's Flight,' a metaphor of a person's trajectory in their life. We are kind of like an arrow, being affected by the current, wind current, gravity, whatever obstacles in a way, other people's influences," Palms said. 

DeMeer painted a more traditional face, but with a unique expression for his piece "Human Nature's Pandora." 

"I wanted to capture that feeling where you suddenly realize what just happened, and, oh my God, can I turn back time? That sinking, horrible feeling that, oh my God, and that was the intention of the expression on his face," DeMeer said. "I wanted his eyes to almost tear up. I wanted that shock, disbelief, all those emotions that kind of hit you, and how do you capture that?"

READ: Alex Honnold's skyscraper ascent fuels rock climbing craze in Tampa Bay area

Artist and instructor Linda Feinstein is an intuitive painter, which means she starts with a blank canvas, makes some marks and lets the work kind of make itself. She didn't know her piece would feature faces until near the end of the creative process. 

"Just letting it develop all on its own, layers and layers, and then eventually something turns up," Feinstein said. 

Feinstein hopes visitors take the time to examine those layers of her work. Dunedin Fine Art Center Curator Danny Olda hopes visitors each find a piece that speaks to them. 

"Guaranteed there's a piece somebody will feel drawn to," Olda said. "I would love people to find that piece of theirs that they love and also maybe be inspired to try it out themselves."

What's next:

The exhibit will be on display until Feb. 22.