
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.
Art Show
October 2nd 2023 to December 29th, 2023
The Galleries at First Pres will offer an opening reception of the Art Show on Sunday, October 15th from 1-3pm. The show will feature the works of local artists Tony Caruso, Karin Delagi, and Joseph Wade. The galleries are located throughout the campus of First Presbyterian Church at 520 Royal Palm Boulevard in Vero Beach. Admission is free, light refreshments will be provided.

KARIN DELAGI entered the art world without formal artistic education and without any personal leads, except a teacher in 5th grade. That's when I started feeling the desire to create. I loved entering and stepping into a different world. A world of my own choosing.
She stopped painting for quite some time to concentrate on being a mom, a provider and mastering life.
Many years later she continued by taking part in some master classes in Europe with the Spanish artist Maria de Rosario. She introduced me, for the first time, to acrylic. She also experimented with watercolor, painting on silk and did sculptures. Later, she met the Dutch master painter and sculpture Frits van Eeden who convinced her in visiting his classes. Since that time, she has never stopped.
TONY CARUSO born Hartford, Connecticut. Currently resides Vero Beach, FL. Newly introduced to the art world, started drawing and painting about 2 years ago. Education includes BS Business Administration Degree from the University of Connecticut. During his brief time as an artist, he had established the AnthonyMichaelStudio, developed and initiated the Community Art through Business Program (CAB), while creating expressionist, contemporary & figurative artworks.
AnthonyMichaelStudio at Artmajeur.com offers distinctive & unique art for the refined home, workplace & discerning people! He invites you to visit, view & purchase a similar selection of modern, contemporary & abstract artwork for your home, apartment & office. Ready for framing to compliment
your home taste and decor! His artistic preferences include painting from life experiences with acrylic paint hand-brushed or palette-knife on canvas.
His artwork can be found on the following websites: AnthonyMichaelStudio at Etsy.com; Artmajeur.com; Instagram.com under AnthonyMichaelStudio. Locally, his artwork was exhibited at the Vero Beach Museum of Art (VBMA), Patten Community Gallery; Galleries at First Presbyterian; Indian River Intergenerational Recreational Center Gallery (IRIRC); Indian River County Administration Building (IRCAB) and the “GRIT GALLERY” located at the Grit Scratch Kitchen, Vero Beach which is the first local business participant in the Community Art Through Business (CAB) allowing a local artist use space on their dining wall for artwork. Plans are now underway to expand the CAB Program to include additional city businesses.
AnthonyMichaelStudio has over ninety (90) inventoried pieces of artwork ranging in size from, as small as 11”x14” to as large as 24”x 48”, and a half dozen varying sizes in between. The creative techniques employed include hand-brushed, palette-knifed, wedged-catalyst among others to create his artwork. The painting inventory includes society in varied formats including, but not limited to, “Modern Abstract Series”, “Facial Abstract Series”, “La Familia Series”, “Asian Series”, “Never Forgotten Series” and “Women Series”. All acrylic paintings are on stretched canvas with wood-backings along with some framed poster boards.

Her art was shown in Germany and is now in galleries here in Florida, also in magazines.
She enjoy letting her imagination flow on to the canvas and there is still a lot left. Her medium for the moment is acrylic.
“Exciting times are still ahead.”

JOSEPH WADE
Joseph is a painter and a print maker. His artwork includes landscape, still life and figurative images. He works mostly in oil, acrylic and ink. The fields of Abstract and Non-Objective art continue to inspire his work. Education, work experience and travel have also had great influenced his art. Over the years Joseph has established long lasting friendships with other artist and friends of the gallery, he feels these are treasures found within his painting journey. Joseph has also spent many years in the framing industry and finds that this experience has been a complement to his work. He continually asks questions and then answers through his visual images. Joseph’s work has been shown in over 30 galleries and shows across the southern US and he has received several awards for his painting and printmaking.
Galleries, Shows and Education
2022 – 2023 Eau Gallery Melbourne, Fl Member
2022 EAU Gallery Melbourne, Fl “Freedom Is “
2020 Strawbridge Art Association Melbourne Fl 2018 Wabasso Art Studio Sorrento, Fl. 2005 - 2015 JW Art Gallery Hurley, NM 2010 Western N. M. U. Student Exchange Show Silver City, NM 2005 Esprit Decor Gallery & Frame Phoenix, Az 2001 – 2015 Bruce Webber Gallery Lake Worth, Fl 2001 La Falce – Freshler Fine Art at Balcony Antique Canton, Ct 1990 – 2001 Frames Plus & Gallery Scottsdale , Az 1993 – 1997 Southwest Vistas Gallery Scottsdale, Az 1992 – 1993 Holman Gallery Scottsdale , Az 1991 – 1992 Art Alliance Scottsdale Az 1991 – 1992
Four Directions Gallery San Diego, Ca - Private Collections throughout the United States
Corporate Collections - Southwest Cancer Clinic Escondido, Ca. - First Interstate Bank Payson, Az.
Juried Shows
2019 Foosner Art Museum “ Vision” Melbourne, Fl Honorable Mention Juried
“ Zen” 2017 OCAF Member Show Watkinsville, Ga. 2016 Serendipity St Louis Mo. 2012 Mountain Oyster Club Silent Auction Tucson, Az 2009 Coos Art Museum “Expressions West “Coos Bay, Oregon 2007 Mountain Oyster Club Silent Auction Tucson, Az 2005 Herberger “Inside - Outside” “Phoenix , Az 2004 Grand Canyon University ” Landscape Realism Visited” Phoenix, Az. 2004 Herberger “Summer Delights” Phoenix, Az 2004 Arizona Print Group Exhibits Shemer GCU & Esprit Decor 2002 6th Annual Juried Exhibit Phoenix ,Az City Hall 2002 Celebration of Fine Art Scottsdale, Az 1993 and 1998 Desert Oasis Art Auction Cave Creek, Az Contemporary Forum Phoenix Art Museum “Public Hanging “ Phoenix, Az.
Education and Classes
2004 Camille Przewodek Plein air Workshop Petaluma, Ca 2004 “Monotypes Multi Pass” workshop John Armstrong Phoenix, Az 2002 - 2003 Mesa Arts Center Printmaking Mesa, Az 2001 John Budicin plein air Taos, NM 2000 Howard Carr “Landscapes in Oil “Sante Fe NM
1993-1997 Scottsdale Collection Exploration of Monotypes Scottsdale, Az Education 2002 - 2003 Grand Canyon Arts Phoenix, Az. Monotype Workshop 2015 Quiang Huang Anderson Mill Austin, Texas 2017 Abner Cope Portrait Workshop Watkinsville, Ga. 2017 Abner Cope Portrait workshop Gainesville, Ga 1998 Fountain Hills Juried Art Fountain Hills, Az 2015 China Painting Trip Qiang Huang and Song 1997 Glendale Az Community College Computer Phoenix, Az 1973 - 1975 University of Florida Gainsville, Fl Art Major BFA Program 1972 A.A.Degree Palm Beach Junior College Art Department Lake Worth, Fl.