DRV Gallery Artists

My life as a painter began ten years ago when it hit me, “I must learn to draw and paint”! From that time on till the present I have studied and trained with many artists in the traditions of academic realism, and Impressionism, and am finding my way to my own expression.

I had pursued other art forms through the years, acting, dance, classical piano and classical guitar. As a livelihood, I built a career in the healing arts as a Massage Therapist, and Acupuncture Physician and had a private practice for over thirty years.

As my desire to spend more time with my art studies grew stronger, I retired from my practice as a healing artist, and committed myself to growth as an artist.

Many people believe either you have talent, or you don’t. Others believe that if you nurture an aptitude or affinity for anything, that with hard work, you can develop in any area. I hope this exhibit encourages the viewer to pursue their own passion.

Doug was born and raised in Mumbai, India, and moved to the US to further his education in Engineering Mechanics. After nearly a decade in his field, an accident forced him to change the  course of his life and at the same time turned on a creative light that has shone bright ever since.

"I strive to create jewelry that is eye-catching and distinctive with a rustic and organic flair. I am naturally drawn to metal, and enjoy working in silver, gold, copper, brass and bronze as well as alternative metals like aerospace aluminum alloys, stainless steel and titanium. Vitreous enameling and powder painting have introduced me to a whole new world of color, and endless experimentation. I use both processes to create focal pieces and accents in my work. They range from elegant to dramatic, and showcase a variety of colors, patterns and textures.

My designs reflect diverse sources of inspiration that include nature, architecture, culture, spirituality, and the natural beauty of the rustic and organic."

After more than two decades of creating jewelry, Doug D'souza has now started creating wall sculptures or 'Wall Jewelry'. He uses Fold-forming and Origami techniques to create dimensional and textural forms from sheet metal in aluminum and steel.
His designs reflect diverse sources of inspiration that include nature, architecture, culture, spirituality, and the natural beauty of the rustic and organic.    

After a lifetime of interesting experiences and world travel I stumbled onto a passion I didn't see on the horizon...Painting and Drawing!   In 2005, I found myself in a hotel room in Germany for my job at the time with nothing to do in the evenings for 3 weeks.   I decided it was time to find something new to fill my time with other than watching Star Trek in German (I don't speak German although my grandson Joaquin does).  I picked up a few pencils and some drawing paper the next day and started trying to draw.   Well...being the obsessive compulsive person that I am I worked at it pretty much non stop until I I felt I could keep more than I threw away.  Yeah that's the key...be willing to suck at something until it starts to work for you. The best way to learn to paint...buy a brush and some paint and...well...paint.  Don't wait for inspiration...as the slogan says...Do it!

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Well here I am several years later completely consumed with the love of art and the desire to paint and draw.   

I hope you find some of my work personally inspiring and even more, that it stirs up a longing for your own adventure into creativity and personal expression.  You may find you have more to offer than you thought possible. The secret is pretty basic...it takes a willingness to be not so good at first to develop the skill to be what you hope to become.  

When I picked up my brushes four years ago and committed to jump in to my oil painting dreams, I couldn’t have imagined where the journey would take me. An artist friend encouraged me to take a daily painting challenge and shortly after, on a long shot wish, I applied to and was granted the Gulfport Merchants Chamber Rise and Shine Award for emerging artists. I showed my work at Art Walks and Fine Arts Festivals and have found my way into producing and selling my paintings.

Many of my works are done through Plein Air painting, which is outdoors, on site with natural light and elements. I am training myself to “see” the subtleties of light, shadows, values of color and hue. My goal is to let nature or human made objects speak for themselves through my own interpretation of how they flow through space, time and light. I love to play with undertones of ochre, burnt sienna, cadmium yellows and reds, which bring richness as a canvas base to layer my paint. I love painting locally throughout Gulfport and around my New England home. My challenge is always finding the magic in the beauty that surrounds us.

Deserie R. Valloreo grew up in Clearwater, FL and currently resides in St Pete Beach. For as long as she can remember she had yearning to paint. In 2017, she enrolled in a class and learned the fundamentals of painting. Since then, she continues exploring on her own, learning from others, and refining her skills as an artist. Her works are exhibited at galleries and shows throughout the Tampa Bay area. 

“I attempt to be courageous in my use of color and I am enamored with the way light touches objects. The combination of these two things results in creations that appear slightly surreal.”

Deserie is also the founder of DRV Gallery.

"My love for Florida’s waterways and wildlife is expressed through my art. I feel most at home underwater or paddling. I love to share the feeling of deep connection to nature through watercolor paintings that I create to inspire everyone to get outside and appreciate the beauty and abundance of wild Florida. My paintings utilize a special layering technique that creates depth and interest. I feature the patterns that exist in life supporting ecosystems that permeate all life. 

I donate a portion of all of my art sales to the Florida Springs Institute and the Florida Springs Council supporting their dedication to protecting our precious water and aquifer.” 

Multiple-award-winning artist Ted Wray is one of the world’s most innovative Book Excavation Artists.  Rescuing books from the recycling bin, he  transforms them into psychedelic (literally mind-expanding), exciting new 3-dimensional worlds of inexhaustible exploration and wonder, with just a blade.  “Books contain secrets;  I like digging deeper because, while we can’t see all answers at once, we can glimpse the beauty of the interaction of chaos and order.”

A lifelong Artist by most definitions of the word, Ted Wray was born and spent his childhood in Mt. Kisco, NY. His father’s appreciation for Norman Rockwell induced his affinity for visual arts.  While in high school, Ted was introduced to the mind-expanding work of MC Escher.  His inner world further changed when he first encountered the work of Salvador Dali during a psychedelic experience in his late teens.

He moved to Millwood, NY, while studying painting and composition at The Connecticut Institute of Art, where his appreciation for Rembrandt and Vermeer was cultivated.  During this time he was employed by Xerox Corp, where he contributed several innovations to the development of their equipment, resulting in multiple awards.

After moving to St. Petersburg in the 1990’s he gambled on his musical talents, quitting the printing industry after 13 years in 1999.  He quickly established himself on the Tampa Bay scene, earning the coveted, “Best of the Bay” award in The Weekly Planet/Creative Loafing’s reader’s poll for best singer/songwriter, 2002.  

In 2013, Ted decided he’d had enough to drink, and the rewards of “living like a rock star” had lost their appeal.  A perennial Artist, he implored the muses for guidance and direction, vowing to follow whatever artistic calling felt true.  With the work of book excavation pioneers in mind, he started drawing upon his years in the printing industry, his familiarity with various properties of paper, contemplating what innovations he could bring to the artform.  The muses spoke to him: “Stop dreaming and start cutting.”  While early experiments bore some fruit, it was at least another 2 years of disciplined experimentation until he found his particular artistic fingerprint.  

His unique style allows the viewer to glimpse imagery from every page in the book at once, integrating the four dimensions of width, height, depth and time.  “I’m fascinated by the interplay of chaos and order.  I’m offering a new view into something that’s always been there.  The book is not what you think it is."

His work has been displayed in various exhibitions in the eastern United States, including his 52-piece solo show “Don’t Judge a Book by its Carver” at Gilmer Arts in July of 2021.   Many of his pieces are in permanent private collections throughout the US and Canada.

 Patricia Burrows is a studio potter in Gulfport, Florida. Her work is inspired by flowers and the outdoor environment. While working as an academic interventional radiologist, she was a passionate gardener and spent as much time with nature as possible. She applies botanical and whimsical effects to her work with inlaid slip drawings, flower pressing, sprigs (appliques) made with her handmade molds, and watercolor-like application of stains.