A photography and art exhibit by a group of eight PhArtists will be held at the Venice Art Center , June 27 -- August 15 2008.

Featured will be photography by Jack Perkins and Mary Jo Perkins. Jack Perkins has appeared on NBC Nightly News, the Today Show, and A & E among other media outlets in his career as a reporter and correspondent.

Outdoor wildlife works by noted artists John and Suzie Seerey-Lester, Maureen and Chuck Snyder and Robert and Jerry Woefel will be featured in both the main and Solo galleries.

The exhibition is sponsored by Artistic Photo Canvas.

An artists reception will be held June 27 from 5 to 7 pm. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

Lectures and book signings will be offered starting Wednesday, July 2 at 10:30 a.m. Lectures offered will be:

Wednesday, July 2 - Transform Your Favorite Photos into Canvas Art Join the staff of Artistic Photo Canvas as they lead an informal one-hour seminar and demonstation focusing on how to transofrm traditional photo prints and modern digital photos into stunning, ready-to-hang artwork on canvas. The perfect antidote to mass-produced art, photos on canvas can be surprisingly affordable and, thanks to advanced archival inks and coatings, will last for generations. At the workshop, you'll learn about the entire process of transferring photos and original art to canvas, including choosing the most compelling shots, what settings to use for optimal quality when shooting with a digital camera, basic photo composition and editing concepts and artistic enhancements that can give everyday photos the look of fine art paintings. You'll also see first-hand how a gallery-wrapped canvas is created and stretched. And, courtesy of Artistic Photo Canvas (www.ArtisticPhotoCanvas.com), all attendees will leave the workshop with a special gift!

Wednesday, July 9 - Poetography - Phartist Jack Perkins, a photographer and poet who has combined these arts in two books, will do a presentation projecting the photographs as he reads the accompanying poems. He will also be available, after the presentation, to sign copies of his latest books.

Wednesday, July 16 - The Busines Side of Art - Phartist Suzie Seerey-Lester, author of the new book, My Painting is Finished - Now What Do I Do? will talk about how an artist can take the next step. How to market, prepare for shows, keep inventories, and generally get on top of the business aspects of the art world. The book is informative and funny and essential to a working artist. Wednesday, July 23 - Photographic Field Workshop - On the beach of beautiful Casey Key, Phartists Maureen Snyder and Jack Perkins conduct a full-day, informative workshop for photographers from the novice to the experienced. The morning will consist of shooting vaired scenes and the afternoon of working those images up on the computer and printing. Please inquire at the Venice Art Center for further information and to sign up.

July 30 - Painting Useppa Island and Legendary Hunts - Phartist John Seerey-Lester does an illustration on the paintings he created for his fascinating book on the history of Useppa Island and also his latest body of work, capturing moments of great historic big game hunts of the past. He will be happy to sign copies of the book.

August 6 - Creating Your Slideshow - Phartist Bob Woelfel will work you through the process of assembling your photographs and from them creating a DVD based presentation of the work for people to share and enjoy.