NAPLES, FLA.- Harmon-Meek Galleries of Naples, Florida hosts the first exhibition by internationally acclaimed still life artist Jenness Cortez honoring twentieth century masters. On view February 20 through March 16, 2017, Cortez presents her latest paintings depicting the iconic works of Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Jackson Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler, Jasper Johns and Andy Warhol.

For centuries artists have been challenging their intellects and skills by paying homage to the painters who preceded them. Jenness Cortez has emerged as the twenty-first century’s most notable exponent of this facet of art history. Her masterful work gives Cortez solid footing in the colorful lineage of artists who have appropriated vintage images and woven them into their own distinctive, recognizable fabric.

Robert Yassin, former director of the Indianapolis and Tucson Museums of Art claims that, “The paintings of Jenness Cortez make my heart sing. It’s my way of knowing the genuine article––a real work of art.”

In this remarkable show Cortez draws upon iconic twentieth century art to continue her reexamination of the classic paradox of realism: the painting both as a “window” into an imagined space and as a physical object. Her work challenges the viewers’ intellectual curiosity and celebrates the sheer pleasure of beautiful painting. In this new chapter of her “Homage” series, Cortez continues to play author, architect, visual journalist, art historian, curator and pundit to help open our eyes to what we might otherwise have overlooked or taken for granted.

As in all previous Cortez work, her new creations touch upon important questions about the nature of painting and the significance of art objects. Presenting subtle shades of meaning that invite contemplation, each Cortez painting presents a specific theme, mixing straightforward cues and obscure allusions. By masterfully presenting iconic works of art in unexpected modern settings, Jenness Cortez continues to inspire us to see differently––to rediscover and revalue our own creative power in everyday life.

Jenness Cortez was born in 1944 in Frankfort, Indiana. She received her B.F.A. from the Herron School of Art in Indianapolis, apprenticed privately with noted Dutch painter Antonius Raemaekers and later studied with Arnold Blanch at the Art Students League of New York. Her work is in numerous public and private collections including those of Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, HM Queen Elizabeth, II and the New York State Museum.

Perlmutter Gallery in Averill Park, New York exclusively represents Jenness Cortez.