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MIZE presents: BLISS! Featuring inspired works by : Andrea Pawlisz, Amy Ilic-volpe, Angela Warren, Artist Jones, Bask, Caelan Jeffery, Cake Marques, Calan Ree, Camilo Loaiza Bonilla, Chad Jacobs, Chad Mize, Charley Soderbergh, Cristi Lopez, David Kafer, Domenico Pontoriero, Emmett Freeman, Eric Doctors, Ethan Early, Ezra Sembler, Fax 727-289-3069, James E. Hartzell, Jay Hoff, Jeb Katsiopis, Joey Vitale, John Gascot, Katie Niewodowski, Keifer Calkins, Lucky Leroy, Macy Eats Paint, Mark Williams, Mikeybear Mcgrath, Nathan Truly, Nelson Perez Jr., Nova Fro, Palm Nguyen, Perry Devick, Rhys Meatyard, Saumitra Chandratrya, Spencer Meyers, Summer Elaine Hue, Tate Leigh, Tommy Bayot, Tyler Gillespie and Wasil
FloridaRAMA Exhibit on view June 7th - 30th, 2024. Contact info@chadmize.com 727.251.8529 for purchase. |
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In "Untitled (Palm Tree), 2024," viewers enter a timeless moment—a convergence of past and future summers. The stark black and white contrasts evoke nostalgia, while the central palm tree symbolizes serenity and escape. The surrounding white space hints at boundless potential, inviting contemplation and encouraging viewers to revisit cherished memories and anticipate the summers that lie ahead. Untitled (Palm Tree), 2024. |
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There are a few things that inspired this piece, the first being the Amazon Prime Video television series "A League of Their Own." This period piece introduces the character named Maxine "Max" Chapman, who is the focal point of this portrait. I chose this pose after she reached a pivotal moment in her story, where she figured out her definition of queerness and started to embrace her sense of self and newfound awareness of androgynous styling. I felt like I captured her bold, black, queer joy look of bliss. Viewing these scenes of her getting her first short haircut and a suit that fits are milestones I vividly remember on my way to myself and so rarely get to see depicted. I hope this image of bliss resonates with other lesbians who may find themselves identifying more as masc-presenting women or non-binary persons. Also, know that you just like to be strong in your skin, to be sexy, and to be styled in the way you want to be. Plus, she gets the girl of her dreams. Hint at the kiss mark on the cheek. The next node of inspiration is from the song “The French 75” by Janelle Monáe. I chose to utilize the same title because music is very important to me as an artist. The vibe gave me a sense of synesthesia, and I wanted to incorporate those colors through abstract brush strokes for the background. The sounds of celebration and carefree moments of fun in Paris, notably in the French Quarter, could be a metaphor for how to acclaim life to the best you know how. With lyrics that toast to various experiences, from enjoying sapphic moments and self-expression to, lastly, a pure blissful good time. The French 75 |
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Let us break bread. Menagerie of veggies in a conga line accent the meal. A blade-wielding poet, experimenting with spice. Breaking Bread |
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I was a teenager in the 1980’s and worked at the retail giant Benetton. It was my dream job! I was such a fan of the United Colors of Benetton campaign because it signified diversity and likeness all in one. This is my artistic interpretation. United Colors of Besties |
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Bliss |
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My bliss is finding my person. As a bisexual woman, I struggled to find someone (he, she, or they) who could understand the importance of my queerness, but someone came along and immediately accepted all the parts of me that every other relationship had always shunned. In return, I’m validating his own queerness and showing him the power of living authentically. On our 9 month anniversary from our first date, we tied the knot on May 29th of this year in a courthouse wedding complete with homemade decorations and wedding cake. This version of our cake immortalizes our love, our union, and our queer little family. Bi Now Pronounce You Wife and Husband.. |
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perfect days include the sea, green grass and blue skies. whether in the past or present. water, grass, sky |
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“I’m dying.” “It is not more surprising to be born twice than once; “We all change, when you think about it, we’re all different people; all through our lives, How many selves have had to die for you to exist? Speaking for myself, so many that I often feel like a man out of time. The frightened child, old before they were ever young. The abandoned teenager trying to survive. The terrorized child bride trying to escape. The unsure and frantic young single parent, trying to ensure their children wouldnt bear the same suffering but too broken and naive to do so. The lost and aimless thirty-something adult struggling to find their place and purpose after a lifetime of putting everyone else first. The distraught and failed 34 year old on the brink of ending it all after having finally succumbed to addiction just like thier parents and seeing nothing worthy of redemption. It wasn’t until the twilight of my 30s that I started the excavation of my soul that would uncover who I truly was. It was either that or I died, which in a way I very much did. I spent so many hours in contemplation, an endless funeral for the past selves I had to put to rest in order to live. I emerged, just before my 40th birthday, sure for once in my life who I truly was. It is a process that will be unfolding for the rest of my time, but until then, I’m spending all the life I have to enjoy it. Blissful, joyful, in gleeful spite of the parts of me that never thought I was worthy of it. For this piece, my concept was to do the exact opposite of a mournful cemetery - a counterpoint to the weeping grave angel. This is not a time for sadness, its a celebration of the selves that stayed alive until I could take their place. They are in a place of honor, serene and at peace. The flowers symbolize the duality of the piece, poppies a symbol of death and remembrance, lily-of-the-valley representing life and renewal. The color palette is inspired by art nouveau majolica tiles, and is rendered primarily in watercolor, with details in colored pencil and gouache. The gold frame is hand-cut, embossed, and painted heavyweight paper in a coordinating art nouveau style. Blessed By Your Own Ghost |
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Harmonia is a portrait of sapphic love. The circular, symmetrical composition is meant to elicit the precious, congruous feeling that comes with experiencing love as you were made to. That is bliss. Harmonia |
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Georgia O'Keeffe has long been one of my favorite abstract painters. Many people have written countless articles debating whether she intended to render her forms as resembling female genitalia. Did she want us to perceive her work in that way? Did she deliberately invite the ambiguity between body and landscape? Today, I’m outwardly inviting you to observe the nuanced representations of labias and vaginas in this piece. As a lesbian artist, addressing themes of sexuality and sensuality is central to my work. Additionally, I aspire for my painting to foster relaxation, calm, and a sense of peace, as we all navigate the stresses and traumas of life. My mental health is paramount, and I hope this artwork brings you some comfort and solace. Pink Pussy Paradise |
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You hold us in equal parts bloom and decay. To the root. To the sky. Arms stretched, to capture what you made. This bliss, the making of us all. Mother |
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What's more blissful than a kiss from someone you love? Hot & Ready |
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“Becoming” tells a story of how we can emerge from a difficult time: better, stronger, and fully realized. Much like the phoenix, this story begins in darkness and ends in a fiery flight of sonorous bliss. Created with support from the Saint Petersburg Arts Alliance, this project sought to bring together different forms of local art with a focus on the performing arts. All aspects of the film were created here in Saint Pete, from the music down to the threads on the dancer’s body. The visual artwork on the walls were part of Chad Mize’s HotBox exhibition which celebrated the queer community at SPACE in the distillery district. Under the direction of Domenico Pontoriero, the production crew consisted of Caleb Baker as dancer and choreographer, Zach Moore of Coastal Creative as cinematographer, and Candice Stokes of LittleBull4You as stylist. Becoming |
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Team Pride |
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we forgive you for the wrongs you have committed against us We Forgive You |
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I found it hard, when trying to think of what brings me to bliss now-a-days. So I thought to the last time I felt a little careless. A time when I wasn’t thinking about war or bills. Last summer, I spent some time visiting my family in Kentucky. The roads I traveled on this trip through the Appalachian mountains led me to my bliss. I chased waterfalls and stopped at random brown signs for exploring trails. Out there away from the hustle and bustle, I found peace in my tiny 1983 pull-behind trailer. This suitcase is a reminder that that still exists. It’s easy to forget, now that I’m surrounded by concrete mountains. But I know that at any moment, I can pack my suitcase and hit the road. I can stop at all the roadside attractions. I can take the long way. Country Roads |
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Bliss be Here BLISS |
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In a singular and precise moment, he became enveloped by the beauty that surrounds us all. The Moment |
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Bliss is defined as a state of complete happiness or joy. To me the first thing that came to mind when I pondered the theme “Bliss”, was Miles Davis. Music can be so many things and to me Miles’ style of Jazz easily represents the entire spectrum of complex human emotions, including bliss. Most importantly he represents freedom of expression, and autonomy through sound and movement. Without these additional freedoms, bliss truly only exists for some while other’s have to fight for it. Revolutionary artists like Miles Davis aid in making BLISS a reality for those who need aid in finding their way. Miles and Miles |
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“Raise your hand if you have ever been personally victimized by Regina George.” Birds Of A Feather |
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With this piece, I am revisiting the first LEGO artwork I did, back around 2016 for Equality Florida (donated and sold in their benefit auction!). I indeed find “BLISS“, and enormous satisfaction in creating works out of LEGO! Saint Dallesandro |
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Every line, curve, and edge that makes up my body is explored in “Staring at the Sun”. I have always been scared of my form, the way it presents, the way it’s perceived. Today I put it in front of the sun, and asked the sun to be the judge. Bliss has been imbued into this work through discovery, acceptance, and love for my own vessel and the space that fills the inside of it. If you stare at the sun long enough and you will go blind. Staring at the Sun |
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Exordium: the beginning or introductory part With the Exordium series, I wanted to capture the impetus of being creative. Exordium, no. 7 |
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I find peace, creativity, inspiration and bliss when it rains. The overlapping symphony of sounds in a rainstorm are hypnotic for me. As if the muses are calling out and forcing me to create. It seems only fitting to paint an embodiment of this experience. Storming Symphony |
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Bliss, for me, is a momentary feeling of intense connection, inspiration and warmth. All else fades and the world melts away for seconds as you wrap yourself in whatever fleeting pleasure you choose to indulge in. You can be anywhere, anyone, anything. I chose to illustrate 'Kiki' finding her bliss. Or at least my interpretation of it. Soft & Focused. Fuzzy & Powerful. She is Everything. Representation Matters |
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Pee-Wee Herman always has been and always will be a huge source of bliss for me. He’s a comedic genius who loved life and made millions of us laugh along the way. A complete gift to us all! Thanks Pee-Wee Herman! RIP. Pee-Wee Herman |
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Bliss! A kiss. With communication. That sound: a bird, chirping. That other sound: a loved one telling you the very thing you’ve wanted to hear since childhood. Is it easier to say a hard thing from someplace beyond the present? I don’t know. I’m a live(s), today. And that’s enough. For me. For now. I’m here. & so are you. So, use a prompt & leave your words in our slot. We’ve provided blank sheets of paper by Faxina (the head sculpture, our mascot). Pick up a crayon. Let your fingers do the rest. This is a collaboration. That means we may or may not use part(s) of your writing to make flyers for Poetry Alley. Oh, you haven’t heard about that? We make monthly art/poetry collages and install them on telephone polls on the alleys north and south of Central Ave between 20th and 28th Street. Or thereabouts. Because the digital bird is chirping, can’t you hear it? Listen. To the fax. Communication between light & sound. Between you & us. Faxina #1 |
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Life is just like a box of donuts – always sweet and delicious. And when you bite into your favorite one, it's pure BLISS! Enjoy the little things in life (like sprinkles).... I ❤️ donuts |
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Bliss as a perfect state of happiness can be hard to maintain in today’s world. What is bliss then but a moment of peace or contentment? This is my moment where I can imagine all is right in the universe… feeling confident and joyful with coffee and cats under a croissant moon. Café et Chats Sous le Croissant de Lune |
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My Bliss is art, I’m in a complete state of happiness when experiencing and creating art. Two of my favorite artists are Frida Kahlo and Salvador Dali, and for this piece I chose to conjoin them. As so much of their work was rich in symbolism, I added the mystical eye to symbolize how art is perceived individually by the viewer, and a sacred heart to symbolize the unending passion of an artist for their craft. The flower crown is a momento mori, reminding us to enjoy the ephemeral pleasures of life. Children of the Moon |
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I've been thinking a lot about bliss and whether or not it's something I experience. Joy, yes. But bliss is beyond that, right? A state of pure, continuous, perfect happiness. Not too sure about that. What I do know is that when I'm engaged in certain activities my mind and heart and spirit sing and worries fall away. Working with clay, floating down a river, sitting beneath a canopy of trees listening to nature..these might be the times I feel close to bliss. Recently I've been getting into yoga which can bring me into a state of mind that is peaceful and focused. Is it bliss? I don't think so. I think bliss, for me, is a place in the distance that the road never reaches. But the road itself is a very beautiful place to be, so I'm perfectly okay with that. TREE POSE |
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When I think about happiness - a bright, flowery bush glistening in the sun comes to mind - living its best life. To illustrate this, I used an image of pink bougainvillea flowers I clicked sometime in 2015 in Mumbai. I repeated the image and mirrored it to form a eight repeat pattern. The image was then printed on canvas sing an inkjet printer. The reason I use an image of bougainvillea from Mumbai is because it was and will always be my first home. The kaleidoscopic image reminds me to dream of a better world even in the most bleak times. Dreaming of a Pink Bouquet |
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When I create collage pieces, I don't necessarily go in with a plan. I just float on the wave of creativity and see where it takes me. During my process, I look through magazines for images that inspire me. From there, I imagine a scene that I can create. The scene doesn't have a story – I let the story tell itself as I put the pieces together like a puzzle. I found this image of a Fendi jacket that I liked. As a Graphic Designer, I was drawn to the pattern, not so much the brand. I felt compelled to use this as my center figure. I used my Graphic Design skills to recreate a similar pattern to print out and apply to the background. I used a toothbrush to create a warn look as I didn't want it to distract from the foreground images. I found a black and white tree that was perfect to serve as the head of the model. As I said before, each piece comes together to create its own story. From there, I wanted to add color that complimented colors found in homes. What better than plant leaves, which would also go well with the tree. I found some gold jewelry that would add the perfect accent to the piece and placed them on top of the leaves. I was careful not to add a drop shadow because I wanted them to blend in with the leaves as if they grew there on purpose. Finally, to add to the piece, I found an image of a man with Spanish words written on his chest. I altered it to create my own take on what was said – "La gente que produce tan IRONY" (The people that produce so much irony.) I added wings to him as I felt he was flying and I positioned him vertically opposite the tree model. It was only right that we wasn't the only bird, so I painted in a few more to champion his message with him. Sometimes art inspires by creating stories that resonate. With my collage pieces, I want people to connect with these pieces in their own way. Sometimes it's nice to not be told what to feel through the meaning of art, but to interpret it ourselves for a message that truly connects with us. What message(s) do you see in the art? The Birds and the Trees |
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One of the constants in life besides love, is simple beauty. Flowers can do it all: Brighten, celebrate, console, apologize...but most of all, cheer! The Gerber Daisy has long brought me happiness, they make me stop and gaze in a world changing faster than the blink of an eye. I love to give them to others, even myself. They are pure BLISS! Crazy Dazey |
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I used to be interested in narrative poetry. I’d attempt to present familiar stories and experiences, differently. To do this, I’d break words and lines to slow down the reader. Today, I’m more interested in something else. I’m interested in the concision of language and its blissful sensuality -- the taste of the breeze in the dunes after a breakup. The feeling of sandy toes on this existential beach. I mean, doesn’t the ocean demand us all to contemplate our lives? Maybe not. But this poem asks you to do just that. Take a moment to think about the last time you didn’t say something you needed to say. Now, allow yourself to howl it as loud as you can on the shore. but let’s instead sit still |
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Life's perfect moments, seamless, blending into a harmonious tapestry. Each fragment of this piece represents a cherished memory, a fleeting instant of joy, or a profound connection, all contributing to the collective experience of bliss. Inspired by the vibrant spirit of our community, This piece celebrates the beauty of love, acceptance, and the shared journey toward authenticity. This work is a tribute to those moments where everything aligns, transcending the ordinary to create an extraordinary sense of unity and happiness. I hope to evoke a sense of warmth, connection, and the pure, unadulterated joy that comes from living one's truth. Seamless |
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The moment between late day & early night as the sun star sets beyond the wavy gulf. Crescent moon peeks behind the clouds welcoming the darkness. Storms in the distance as we sit on the shells giggling at the world. A pelican dives for dinner at the exact moment the dolphin lovers coast to the top of the bliss. BLISS |
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Surround yourself in all the things that create your BLISS - music, color, and good times and the harsh realities of life can never bring you down! Finding my BLISS in a state of DISS |
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From my earliest memories, I've been captivated by the allure of makeup. I recall those precious mornings by my mother's side, watching as she meticulously adorned her face for the day ahead. Witnessing her metamorphosis from everyday beauty to a red carpet-ready glamazon was mesmerizing. The allure of liquid liner, fluttering lashes, rosy blush, and intoxicating perfume held me spellbound. As I grew older, my fascination with makeup deepened. I embarked on a career as a makeup artist, honing my craft for nearly a decade. I found myself drawn to the transformative world of drag, taking on the persona of Ms. Demeanor in bustling nightclubs. Through drag, I discovered a newfound sense of empowerment, feeling truly unstoppable. Even now, amidst the passage of time, the art of makeup remains a solace and joy, offering a sense of comfort and delight and, of course, bliss. I Feel Pretty |
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I created these three sunset paintings for BLISS because many of my most blissful experiences have been riding my bike to the beach on the gulf coast of Florida to witness the sunset and commune with the awesome power of nature. Being in the moment to experience the colors, textures, smells, sounds, and spirit is transcendent. After Sunset at Beer Can Island |
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When you lie down in a field and drift back to those moments of joy. Pasture |
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