Art has a way of reflecting both the world around us and the world within us. In Pompano Beach, that vision comes alive through the city’s Artists in Residence program at Bailey Contemporary Arts Center, where a new class of talented creators is shaping conversations, exploring traditions, and building connections through their work. From painters who harvest pigments from plants, to muralists who scorch fabric with fire, to photographers who turn self-portraiture into a meditation on mental health, each artist brings a unique perspective rooted in both personal journey and shared community. Together, they represent the power of art not only to inspire, but also to heal, transform, and remind us of our common humanity.
CHRISTINA PEREZZEMOLO
Christina Prezzemolo is a painter and educator who finds inspiration in the quiet beauty of the natural world. With over 30 years of experience, she works in a variety of mediums, including watercolor, oil, pastels, murals, printmaking, mosaics, and live painting. She values sustainable and historical practices, creating her own pigments from plants and making paper from natural fibers she grows and forages.
Christina earned her BFA in fine art with a minor in art history from Florida State University, and she has been refining her craft ever since. She aims to revive historical painting techniques and ancient methods of collecting art materials. Through her art and teaching, Christina encourages others to slow down, look closely, and reconnect with the natural world. Her work is a heartfelt reflection of light, color, and the quiet magic found in everyday nature.
GEORGETA FONDOS
Georgeta Fondos is a multidisciplinary artist working in experimental textiles and large-scale murals. Her textile process often involves scorching with flame, symbolizing resilience, transformation, and the human condition. Her work has been exhibited at FATVillage, Boca Raton Museum of Art, and Coral Springs Museum of Art, and is held in collections including the Girl’s Club and NSU Art Museum.
Fondos is also known for custom murals and public art found across South Florida and internationally in Greece, Mexico, Moldova, Lithuania, Switzerland, and the U.S. She earned a B.A. in textile arts from the Academy of Fine Arts of Moldova, completed post-graduate studies in Greece, and holds an MFA from Florida Atlantic University.
MARK ESPINOSA
Mark Espinosa, a Filipino American multidisciplinary artist, explores the intersections of expanded animation, music, poetry, choreography, and sleight of hand. Weaving these forms, he conjures spaces where art becomes a quiet call for compassion and shared transformation. Through themes of dream, reality, and the in-between, Mark examines the subtle forces fracturing the human collective, and responds with work that draws us closer.
CLAUDETTE GOICO ŠERNIUS
Claudette Goico Šernius is a Dominican artist based in South Florida. She earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a minor in art history from the Florida International University (FIU) Honors College. Claudette has received numerous accolades, including the Picasso Award, and her work has been published in Panku Magazine. She is a two-time recipient of the Broward County Artist Support Grant. Claudette has been invited to speak to students at Broward College and has been interviewed by the City of Sunrise, where she shared her artistic journey and the impact of her work on the community. Her art has been featured at the Frank C. Ortis Art Gallery & Exhibit Hall in Pembroke Pines, the Wolfsonian Museum, and the Laundromat Art Space in Miami. Her mission is to empower, educate, and foster meaningful connections among different communities, bridging cultural backgrounds and experiences, through her art.
JED-LEE METAYER
Jed-Lee Metayer is a self-taught creative who turned to painting as a form of therapy after losing his father during the pandemic. In a society that often denies men safe spaces for emotional expression, the canvas became his sanctuary. Through Metayer’s art, he has cultivated a space where emotions can be released, processed, and transformed — a powerful testament to creativity as a tool for healing. Metayer visually investigates the process of breaking cycles of trauma using solid circles of color or negative space, intentionally devoid of symbols or patterns. Central to his artistic language is the spiral, a symbol of birth, rebirth, and the non-linear path of healing. In a world overwhelmed by distraction, trauma, and outrage, his work invites viewers into a meditative space, offering a moment of stillness and introspection.
SARAH ROCCA
Art has always been Sarah Rocca’s way of navigating the intricate landscape of the human mind. Rooted in a commitment to mental health awareness, her practice centers around self-portraiture as a means of visual storytelling. As a fine art photographer, she fluidly moves between digital, drone, and instant formats, embracing whatever tool best serves her vision.
Rocca’s work has been exhibited internationally in group shows, featured in a solo exhibition at Panopticon Gallery in Boston, and showcased on a Times Square billboard in New York City through Art Square New York.
LIV COOK
Liv Cook is a South Florida-based portrait artist originally from Pittsburgh, PA. With a background in classical ballet, she developed an early appreciation for the body’s expressive power. In 2022, after studying makeup and esthetics, her focus shifted to portraiture, blending cosmetic techniques with painting to explore identity and vulnerability. Beginning with self-portraits, her style evolved from abstract to realistic, influenced by the bold, queer art scenes of the 1970s–90s. Cook’s work celebrates individuality and self-expression within today’s cultural mosaic. Since 2024, she has exhibited throughout South Florida. In 2025, she received a Broward County Cultural Division grant for Look What I Made, her debut solo show — a collaborative portrait series featuring eleven local artists.
MIKAEL SEMEXANT
Mikael Semexant is a self-taught Haitian-American artist based in South Florida, specializing in oil painting and drawing. Through his work, he seeks to convey common experiences of connection, community, and intimacy. Primarily, his art depicts real-life moments drawn from his own experiences in a close-knit, nurturing family and community environment. The scenes in his work reflect moments of tenderness and care between loved ones.