provided to The Santiva Chronicle
Odessa Art Gallery was born from the storm,” says owner and artist Ilie Ruby, a lifelong oil painter and novelist who returned to a daily studio practice after Hurricane Ian as a way to restore beauty and form. “I wanted the gallery be a place where art and language meet.”
The SanCap Chamber celebrated the fruition of that dream with a Dec. 18 ribbon-cutting at 2330 Palm Ridge Road in Palm Ridge Place.
“We are always pleased when we can further the islands’ reputation for art and culture,” said SanCap Chamber president and chief executive officer John Lai. “Odessa represents the intersection of visual and literary art in a most intriguing way.”
“Current collections include contemporary poetic figurative paintings characterized by expressive light and narrative depth—muses, mermaids, angels—all emblematic of transformation,” said Ruby. “We also feature art drawn from historical island photographs—scenes and unsung heroes whose stories I encountered while researching a historical novel I’ve been working on. We continue to offer handcrafted sterling silver and semi-precious gemstone jewelry.”
Ruby credits her participation in the Charitable Foundation of the Islands’ 2025 Leadership Class and collaboration with a talented and supportive team of top-notch local professionals for helping to bring her vision to life and providing a meaningful framework of community insight and inspiration that helped shape the gallery’s mission.
“I am thrilled to share Odessa Art Gallery with the community and hope it stands as a testament to the strength of our islands and the healing power of art,” she said.
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