Pondering Art

Carrabelle artist Leon Wiesener is a thoughtful sort, so it's not surprising that his new art gallery would be a bit high concept.

Located at 409 Tallahassee Street in Carrabelle, Perpenders Gallery, which Wiesener founded with wife, Frances, does not peddle "regional art."

It doesn't sell mermaid portraits, dolphin oil paintings or things made out of seashells.

"No more seagulls, no more pelicans," said Wiesener with a chuckle.

Wiesener has opted for a fine art approach, including works from his personal collection of drawings and lithographs by Picasso, Matisse, Chagall and other masters in the gallery's two exhibition rooms.

Wiesener has installed motion sensors on all windows and doors to protect the pieces, which range in price from $100-$1,500.

Though he and Frances have enjoyed the artwork for many years, they're ready to let the pieces go, particularly since their children have no interest in inheriting them.

"Our children told us to get rid of it before we die," laughed Frances.

Wiesener hopes interior decorators designing million dollar homes will visit the gallery to "match the quality of artwork to the home."

The high profile work will share gallery space with the best of the area's artistic talent - Tallahassee photographer Ed Babcock, Crawfordville jeweler Mary Reynolds, Carrabelle watercolorist Joseph Kotzman and Wiesener himself.

An award winning pastel artist, Wiesener will exhibit some of his drawings, along with playful mixed media creations he calls "travel boxes."

The large boxes, which are six inches deep, combine pastel drawings with other images depicting places he's traveled.

The works showcase Wiesener's offbeat sense of humor.

"Dog Island vs. Hand Island" offers a comparison of pests found in both locations, including yellow flies, mosquitoes and "no-see-ums."

Another work is entitled "Where the Giant Squirrels Live." (The answer: Iowa.)

The gallery will also showcase Wiesener's handcrafted "nasty boxes," take-offs of Appalachian children's toys that bite.

Gallery visitors should handle Nasty Duck and Nasty Scotty, a silver-toothed dog, with care.

Perpenders will exhibit 25-30 pieces at a time, with artwork rotated every two to three weeks.

The Wieseners have been diligently sprucing up the gallery, housed inside a charming old home, for the July 3 open house.

"We've had a lot of three T-shirt days," said Frances of the sweltering summer heat.

Wiesener studied under German Expressionist Karl Zerby at Florida State University and was an associate professor of art at the University of Tennessee for a decade.

In naming the gallery "Perpenders," Wiesener chose a word that means people who ponder a solution diligently, which speaks to his passionate commitment to his craft.

"Perpend means to ponder. As a verb it's an act, an intellectual act, and as a noun, it's someone who participates in that act," said Wiesener, who hopes the gallery's visitors will become perpenders as well.

"Whoever comes here is going to be put in the situation of trying to ponder the difference of what other galleries are offering and what we're offering.

"Whether it's their taste, we don't know. But at least it's an alternative."

Perpenders Gallery, located at 409 Tallahassee Street in Carrabelle, will host a grand opening ceremony on Friday, July 3 at 10 a.m.