Florida Artists Group

Artist Statement:
As a sculptor inspiration comes from a variety of areas. Various materials lead to an unlimited resource for ideas. I don’t like to limit my creativity to one material or style. I must flow with the muse of creation. If it is an abstract piece, then the media itself helps to guide me to the finished creation. Representational works have a special inspiration. That inspiration comes from the human or animal form. The materials still play a final role.
When working in stone the grain of the stone may not let me choose the final form, so I have to allow nature to help me achieve the final result.
Other materials help me in the creative process. The use of fused glass, neon and LED lights has led to new avenues of creative possibilities. Combining materials also creates new vistas of inspiration.
All of my sculptures are created out of a vision given to me by the “muse”. I allow it to inspire me to create the finished piece of work.

I create to delight, to interest, to provoke thought and to move and inspire.
 

Joel's Bio:
Shapses' award winning sculpture is prominently displayed in private collections and public venues throughout North America and South America.
Born in New Jersey, he has spent most of his life on the Eastern coast of the U.S. Having an inherent artistic gift, he began sculpting in a primitive way at the age of five. Much of his schooling concentrated on the sciences. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from C.W. Post College in 1967. It was during his studies here that famed sculptor and professor, Alfred Van Loen, recognized his talent. Shapses then completed four years at Temple University where he graduated with the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery in 1971. During these four years, anatomy professor Charles Santangelo had also recognized the artistic strength that Shapses had so well put forth in the required sculpting exercises for the anatomy courses.

Shapses traveled throughout the world at which time he acquired much knowledge about how and where various stones were quarried and how various civilizations had used them creatively throughout the centuries. This knowledge was soon to become an integral part of the selection process of the stone he would be using for specific forms.

Soon after his travels, he relocated to South Florida, which has retained his residence since 1972. Dr. Shapses practiced general and cosmetic dentistry in the Ft Lauderdale area from 1972 to 2006. He divided his time equally between the art of dentistry and the art of sculpture. Early on in his sculpting career, he worked under the same roof as famed sculptor Enzo Gallo. This is where Shapses created his largest commission piece to date, a six-foot abstract for Saks Fifth Avenue in Fairlane, Michigan. The piece was commissioned as a focal point for the premier anchor store for the Fairlane Mall. Minnesota marble was his choice for this work as he felt the need for using domestic resources for this project. He served as President of the Broward Art Guild from 1977‑1978. Although the majority of his works are non‑commissioned, he enjoys the challenge of working with the client that has specific ideas that they wish to be transformed into one of his creations. Over the years Shapses has exhibited in many shows and has won over sixty awards and is in collections in North and South America. While in Ft. Lauderdale, Shapses owned an Art Gallery (Gallery 421) and created his works in his studio in Ft Lauderdale for over thirty years. To date he has completed over six hundred works of art. In July 2007 he moved to Naples and has since the opened a studio and showroom located at the Artisan’s Plaza, 5670 Shirley St in Naples, Florida. Now concentrating on sculpture since retiring from dentistry, Joel now is expanding into glass and bronze.
 In 2009 Joel began working in fused glass and has created new sculptures combining that medium. Now Joel has added bronze and metal to his mediums. Some of his most recent works can be seen now at his new studio and showroom at 5760 Shirley Street in the Artisans Plaza, Naples, Florida

Exhibitions:

1971         National Forum of  Professional Artists, Third Annual Exhibit, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1975         Hollywood Art Museum, Hollywood, FL
1979         Two Man Show, Northbrook, IL
1982         Group Show, Lighthouse Gallery, Tequesta, FL
1982         Group Show, Alphee Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, FL
1983         Fall Show, Broward Art Guild, Fort Lauderdale, FL
1983         Group Show, Interior Image Art Gallery, Deerfield Beach, FL
1986         Two Man Show, Shallenberger Gallery, Boca Raton, FL
1987         Featured Sculptor, Salute to Florida Artists, Saks Fifth Avenue Gallery,
                  Fort Lauderdale, FL
1988         One Man Show, OK South Gallery, South Miami, FL
1993         Three Man Show, The Art Gallery, Broward Community College, Pembroke Pines, FL
1993         Two Man Show, Hall of Frames Art Gallery, Boca Raton, FL
2008        Designer Show House, Naples, FL
2008        Art Encounter 2008 von Liebig Art Center,Naples, FL
2009        Boundless Possiblities  “What If...?” von Liebig Art Center, Naples, FL
2009        Art in Medicine Show, Elaine Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, FL
2010        Art in Medicine - Refilled, Elaine Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, FL
2012         “Pop Up Gallery” September, Mercado, 9115 Strada Place #5130 Naples, FL
2013         "Pop Up Gallery" Group Show ,July 11th at the Mercado, Naples, FL
2013         "Pop Up Show", two man show, August 10th at the Mercado, Naples, FL
2013         CAPA Art Forms - Sculpture, the Watson Gallery, November, the von Liebig Art Center,
                  Naples, FL
2014         One Man Show at the International Design Source ,February, Trade Center Way,
                  Naples, FL

Awards:

1969           Second Place, Bayshore Chamber of Commerce, Summer Art Festival         
1970          Third Prize in Sculpture, Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit
1971           Fourth Prize in Sculpture, Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit
1971           Third Prize Sculpture, Atlantic National Indian Summer Art Show
1972           Third Prize in Sculpture, Washington Square Outdoor Art
1974           Judges Recognition, Las Olas Art Festival
1975           Judges Recognition, Las Olas Art Festival
1975           Honorable Mention, Pompano Beach Art Festival
1975           First Prize Sculpture, Seven Lively Arts Festival Exhibit
1975           First Prize Sculpture, Hallandale Fall Art Festival         
1975           Best in Show, First Prize Sculpture, Candy Cane Art Festival         
1976           Judges Recognition, Las Olas Art Festival         
1976           Second Prize and Honorable Mention, Pompano Beach Art Festival         
1976           First Prize, Sculpture, Pompano Beach Art Festival
1976           First Prize, Sculpture, Cypress Village Festival
1976           Honorable Mention, West Palm Beach Spring Art Festival
1976           Equal Merit Award, All Broward Exhibit, Broward Art Guild
1976           Honorable Mention, Third Century Abstractionist Show
1976           Honorable Mention, 13th. Annual Space Coast Art Festival             
1976           Second Prize in Sculpture, 17th Annual 7 Lively Arts Festival        
1976           Second Prize Sculpture, Candy Cane Festival Art Show
1976           First Prize Sculpture, Broward Art Guild Christmas in the Park Art Festival
1977           First Place Sculpture, Broward Art Guild Christmas in the Park Art Festival
1977           Equal Merit Award, 5th. Annual Outdoor Art Exhibit, Boca Raton Center for the Arts
1977           Best in Category and Best in Show, North Miami Society of the Arts 11th  Annual Festival
1977           Honorable Mention, Boca Raton, Center for the Arts all Member Summer Exhibition
1977           Best in Category, Birchfield Art Show
1977           Equal Merit Award, Boca Raton Center for the Arts Fall Outdoor Art Show
1977           Honorable Mention, Boca Raton Center for the Arts Painters and
1977           First Prize, Fine Arts, Pompano Beach Art Festival
1978           Honorable Mention, Broward Art Guild Christmas in the Park Art Festival
1978           First Prize, Fine Arts, Pompano Beach Art Festival
1978           Honorable Mention, Broward Art Guild Hortt Salon des Refuses
1978           First Prize Sculpture, Indialantic Seaside Art Show
1978           First Prize Sculpture, Lighthouse Gallery Annual Art Show
1979           First Prize Sculpture, Sculptors on Parade
1979           Second Prize Sculpture, Ft. Pierce Art Club Annual Art Show
1979           Judges Recognition, Gasparilla Art Festival, Tampa. Florida
1979           First Prize Sculpture, Florida Arts Gazette 4th of July Arts Festival
1979           Merit Award, Broward Art Guild Graphics and Sculpture Exhibition
1980          Second Prize Sculpture, Miami Beach Festival of the Arts
1980          First Prize, Three Dimensional, Ocean Week Art Festival
1980          Judges Recognition, Disney World Festival of the Masters
1981          Purchase Award, Miami Beach Festival of the Arts
1981          Third Prize, Three Dimensional, Seven Lively Arts Festival
1982          Honorable Mention, 19th Annual Space Coast Art Festival
1983          First Prize Sculpture, 17th. Annual Plantation Art Festival
1988          Merit Award, 7th. Annual Competition and Exhibition, Community Art Alliance,
                   Metropolitan Museum of Art, Coral Gables, FL
1993          First Prize, Sculpture, 52nd Anniversary National Juried Art Competition,
                   Lake Worth, FL
1993          Best Sculpture Series, Spring International Competition and Exhibition,
                   Florida Society of Fine Arts, Miami, FL
2003         Equal Merit Award, Annual Members’ Show, Art Serve, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
2009         Second Place , People’s Choice Award, First Annual Show of Shows,
                   The von Liebig Center for the Arts, Naples, FL
2009         Honorable Mention, Annual Exhibition Show, Center for the Arts, Bonita Springs, FL
2010          First Prize, People’s Choice Award, Second Annual Show of Shows,
                   The von Liebig Center for the Arts, Naples, FL
2010          Technical Achievement Award, Small Works Show, Naples Art Association,
                   The von Liebig Center for the Arts, Naples, FL
2011           Third Prize, Winners Circle Show, Visual Arts Center, Punta Gorda, FL
2011           First Prize, Third Annual Show of Shows, The von Liebig Center for the Arts, Naples, FL
2012          Best in Show, Fourth Annual Show of Shows, The von Liebig Center for the Arts, Naples, FL
2013          Technical Achievement Award, All Media Exhibit, Naples Art Association,
                   The von Liebig Center for the Arts, Naples, FL
2013          Fifth Place, Annual Members’ Exhibition , Center for the Arts, Bonita Springs, FL
2013          First Place , Form de la Femme Show, Marco Center for the Arts, Marco Island, FL
2013          Third Place “The Message is Abstract” Center for the Arts, Bonita Springs, FL
2013          Award of Merit – 6th Annual Show of Shows Exhibition, The von Liebig Art Center, Naples, FL
2014          First Place Sculpture - Art Council of SW Florida Biennial Spring Show 2014,
                   The von Liebig Art Center, Naples, FL
2014          Award of Merit - 25th Annual Members Show, Center for the Arts, Bonita Springs, FL

 

Gallery and Showroom Representation:

Gallery on Fifth, at Mercado, 9115 Strada Place #5130, Naples, FL
International Design Source, 1939 Trade Center Way, Naples, FL
UMI, The Source, 1615 Trade Center Way, Naples, FL

Corporate Collections and commissions:
Saks Fifth Avenue, Dearborn, Michigan and New York City
Temple Emanuel, Ft. Lauderdale, FL