Loni Phipps: September Spotlight Artist
Tue Sep 1, 11:00 AM - Wed Sep 30, 3:00 PM

Loni Phipps of Port. St. John is the September Spotlight Artist at the Downtown Art Gallery, 335 S. Washington Ave. in historic downtown Titusville. An exhibit of her latest photography and digital paintings are on display in this gallery specializing in local art.

Loni has always been a traveler with a keen eye for the unusual in the everyday. Her father was in the Air Force. The family moved a lot until the space program brought them to Merritt Island where life revolved around space, nature,and the beach. Summers were spent with her grandparents on a lake in Ontario. It was all about fishing, swimming, nature and bonfires. Her family left Brevard when she was 11 but she moved back at age 17 vowing to never live anywhere else. Vacations have taken her to Mexico, Canada, the Virgin Islands and motorcycle trips along the Blueridge Parkway . She is always grateful for the opportunity to travel and ever grateful to return home.
Loni’s passion for art began when her grandfather handed her his camera to document a Canadian cross-country trip they took when she was 8 years old. Her formal training began in the darkroom. She was intrigued by the printing process and the way different chemical formulas and paper compositions affected the outcome of the image. She loved the control of timing, burning and dodging to enhance each aspect of an image.
When she switched to digital photography she found the same magic when she opened an image in Photoshop. Now she uses digital painting techniques to alter her photography to create unique images that cannot be found otherwise. Her digital images are strongly influenced by the psychedelic pop culture from her youth in the ’60 and ‘70s with richly saturated colors and an emphasis on luminosity to create a somewhat surreal image. 
Her motorcycle and car images begin with a photograph taken in the RAW format. She then produces multiple layers with various filters and effects applied. She selectively paints the effects in and out to create a unique artwork. Loni says “I love to photograph landscapes, cars, motorcycles, and nature and the night sky. I am honored when clients choose me to create custom pieces of artwork of their cherished collectible cars and motorc