Sibel Kocabasi Solo Exhibition Opens Today at Cultural Council of Palm Beach County

Cultural Council of Palm Beach County presents a solo exhibition by Sibel Kocabasi, on view beginning today, February 27 through March 26, 2016 at Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, 601 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth, FL.

Sibel Kocabasi was born and raised in Turkey. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Turkish Traditional Arts (rug-kilim design, natural dyes, conservation and restoration of textiles, and illumination of manuscripts) from Marmara University of Fine Arts in Istanbul. She migrated to the United States in 1996. After living in several different states, she moved to Florida where she developed an interest in contemporary arts and finished her Master's degree at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton Florida in painting in 2005. Kocabasi's work combines influences of Turkish traditional art with a contemporarywillingness to experiment, constantly testing new ideas and techniques. Her work uses patterns and social/cultural references to achieve a balance of contrasting elements. Her recent work focuses on contemporary social issues, including the suppression of female identity and the later awakening of feminine power and the confidence. Kocabasi is the recipient of the 2010 South Florida Cultural Consortium's Visual and Media Artists Fellowship and the 2006 Hector Ubertalli Visual Arts Award. Her work is in numerous private collections as well as The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum in Miami, Florida. Kocabasi, lives and works in Palm Beach County Florida. She is represented by JF Gallery in West Palm Beach, Florida and Bethesda Fine Art in Maryland. sibelkocabasi.com

The Cultural Council is the official support agency for arts and culture for Palm Beach County serving non-profit organizations, individual artists and arts districts. The Council promotes the county's cultural experiences through an integrated program of advertising, public relations and marketing activities to both visitors and residents. Each year, the Council administers more than $3.6 million in grants, supports arts and cultural education, provides capacity building training and advocates for funding and arts-friendly policies. Located in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building in downtown Lake Worth, the Council mounts a series of group and solo exhibitions featuring Palm Beach County artists and provides other programming.

Connect with the Council by calling (561) 471-2901 or visiting palmbeachculture.com. Gallery hours: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.