Silent World by Viviana Molinares
Spring Show
Art by:
Viviana Molinares
Edward Tejeiro
Opening Reception:
Sunday, April 12, 2026
1pm-3pm
Frequency IV by Edward Tejeiro
About the Galleries at First Pres
The Galleries at First Pres began in January of 2017 and was founded by Dr. Jacob Craig, with Peter and Carole Coe as curators. Their mission is to feature a wide variety of works by local artists, on rotation quarterly throughout the year. The Galleries are located throughout the campus of First Presbyterian Church. They are open for viewing from 12pm to 3pm, Monday through Thursday. Guided tours can be made available upon request. Admission is free and open to the community.
Our current curator is Mrs. Susan "Suze" Lavender. Suze was born and raised on the south shore of Long Island, NY. Her two loves were always Art and the Sea. She loves to draw and paint moments to release emotions. Although she has never been formally trained in Art, except for the odd class in a variety of different mediums, her art shows a natural talent and beauty that exhibits a deep love and the heart and soul she puts into her work. Since meeting and studying under Frits Van Eeden in the last five years, she feels that he has opened up a window of what could be. Suze’s art now has the energy, emotion, color, and passion that she’s always strived to put on canvas. Suze says, “I have been an artist my entire life, but I have had no formal training until recently. I knew I had so much to say and had no idea how to transfer my thoughts onto canvas. There was a time when I viewed photographic and detailed production as the epitome of artistry. Gratefully, that is no longer the case. My New York upbringing is especially present in my cityscapes, and I've discovered how to communicate my ideas emotionally through textures, color choice, and subject. I've yet to travel the world however my paintings have created a world for me.”
Our Artist in Residence, Sheila Lougheed, has some of her artwork displayed throughout campus. Her most recent religious-inspired works can be found lining the stairwell of the Center for Christian Life- a 7-painting series that was created live during Sunday services in the Lenten Season of 2018. Each piece represents a different theme during the period of Lent. The final work of this series is a 12-foot tall painting of a dove to represent to resurrection and rebirth of Christ.
About the Artists
Viviana Molinares
Viviana Molinares was born in Cuba but moved to the United States as an infant. Her formative years were spent in Virginia. She graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor’s of Fine Art degree in design and illustration, afterwards taking numerous graduate courses at Florida International University and Barry University.
Immediately following graduation, Ms. Molinares began working as a graphic and set designer for a local television station and was promoted a few months later to the position of assistant art director to the national network. In this capacity, she worked both locally and abroad as needed.
Ms. Molinares created sets for commercials, special events, game shows and soap operas. Ford selected her to do a one-woman exhibition in the Wynwood Art District; among many other projects, she designed and built a tabletop set for a Disney Halloween commercial (which she also art directed), sets for Office Depot, Imagos Plastic Surgery, Sabor a México, Homenaje a Lucho Gatica, a music video for Chayanne. She was a featured artist in Big Brothers’ fundraiser (Under Improvement), and in several His House galas.
For the past few years Ms. Molinares has worked as associate director in Europe and the UK with Sign Dance Collective providing visual art, costumes and art direction.
She enjoys working from her home studio and spending time with her family.
Edward Tejeiro
As a psychotherapist for many years, my journey in the art of healing profoundly shapes my artistic expression. The practice of psychotherapy invites me into the complex, raw, and often unspoken dimensions of the human condition. In this space of vulnerability, resilience, and transformation, I have learned to see beyond words - into the subtleties of emotion, body language, and the nuances of silence.
The therapeutic process is one of discovery and integration. My art reflects this same journey - a search for balance between tension and release, darkness and light, fragmentation and wholeness. It is an invitation for the viewer to engage with their own psyche, to reflect on the complexity of their emotions, and to find meaning in the spaces in between.
Ultimately, my work as a therapist informs my art, and my art informs my work as a therapist. Both are deeply connected to my understanding of what it means to be human: the struggles, the growth, the moments of clarity, and the ongoing process of becoming. Through my art, I hope to evoke the depth of themselves and a reminder of our shared capacity for healing.