Southern-Style

Paul Brent is one of America's premiere talents.  His gallery is located in downtown Panama City just a short drive east down Beach Drive from St. Andrews. 

One of my Favorites:

The Paul Brent Gallery

413 West 5th Street Panama City, FL 32401.
United States. +1 850 785 2684. +1 850 785 1350.
http://www.paulbrent.com
 

The airy, light-filled gallery is filled with Brent's art as well as that of other artists, potters, and sculptors.  It is a place all ages will enjoy.  Below is my six-year-old, very careful, granddaughter, Lily, enthralled with the whimsical table and ornaments.  (The table has feet!!!)

Caveat:  There are many breakables so think twice before bringing small children or clumsy husbands to this store.

Lana Jane Lewis-Brent (below) is Paul's wife and President of Paul Brent Design, Inc., as well as Director of Tootsie Roll Industries (according to Forbes, 191 of 200 Best Small Companies).  And still she has time to raise a family.  Although in my book they are both Beautiful People, they did not achieve success through their good looks.  They did it the good old American way...talent and hard work. 

Here Lana Jane entertains friends, Sara Ross and her son Richie, who have dropped by the Brent Gallery Open House to see Paul demonstrate ornament painting. 

This picture of Paul Brent was taken at a Christmas Ornament Painting event held at the Paul Brent Gallery.  Paul is so talented he has to tie both hands behind his back and paint with his teeth to make painting a challenge.  That was a joke.  But, painting inside an ornament appeared to me to be about as challenging.  The paint brush has the brushes perpendicular to the brush rather than from a point.  Highlights must be done first and then the background color.  And yet, it still comes from his mind to his brush and makes a beautiful painting inside the glass ornament