Ocean Center - Jack Casey

East/West, 2009
Oil on gessoed wood

Jack Casey
Tampa, Fla.
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Jack Casey was born in Norfolk, Va., and became partially disabled after contracting polio as a young child in the 1950s. After attending Tampa University and the University of South Florida, he made his living in a variety of art-related endeavors including painting murals, creating fashion layouts for department stores, working as a television layout artist, teaching drawing and painting, and performing art restoration.

He began creating wood sculptures in 1984. His works are in the permanent collections of the Orlando Museum of Art, the City of Tampa, Hillsborough and Alachua counties, and the University of South Florida. He has received numerous public art commissions and has been featured in several one-man shows.

“In ‘East/West,’ I used iridescent oil paint on thickened gesso over wood. The heavy brush strokes are to create a sense of spiral motion, and the fluorescent glow from the shadows evokes a sense of energy emanating from the rustic wood sculpture. The overall effect is intended to be a harmonious balance of light, movement and nature capturing the Ocean Center's theme of sun, sand, surf and speed.” – Jack Casey