Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - On Friday, December 16 from 6-10 pm, during this week's South Side Shuffle, a cocktail reception will open three special art exhibits at Galleria Dante, located at Basilio Badillo #269 in Puerto Vallarta's Romantic Zone.

Ute Hagen – born in 1944 in Meissen, Germany, emigrated to Canada in 1965 and moved to Mexico in 1973. At the age of 16, she entered an apprenticeship for cabinet making in Oberursel, Germany. Later she studied art under the tutelage of artists: Gerda Werner & Georg Hieronymi in Germany, Gita Segerscog in Mexico City & the Emily Carr College of Art in Vancouver, Canada.

Ute realized her first solo show at age 15 at the Heinrich Olle Gallery, Oberursel, Germany (1959). "Expressing on canvas is what speaks to my heart, my objectives are color, movement and feeling. It is important to me that a painting ‘sings’, has ‘life’ and projects emotions." Her work captures the colors and textures of Mexico and presents them with a powerful clarity of European design.

With perfect technique her paintings are powerfully executed and exciting to view. Never static, full of movement, her work is reminiscent of Van Gogh, a brilliant spirit shining through. Fascinating is a word to both describe Ute, as well as her paintings. "You paint wonderful, Ute!.... your work effects me like some kind of reconciliation between van Gogh and his friend, the painter Paul Gauguin" - Peter Grahlmann, Painter, Art Teacher, Germany.

Javier Zepeda – born in Garita, Jalisco 1969 is a self-taught artist. His passion for artistic creations began when he was very young. But it has only been the last 10 years that he has dedicated his time to the creation of sculptures. He is somewhat of an inventor, always experimenting. Given a problem to solve by master artist, Israel Zzepda, he searches for a solution.

Wanting to create unique works of art, Javier dabbled with many mediums: wood, metal, clay, found objects, car parts, bronze, paper mache; finally settling on "Alaba Stone," the idea of transforming common objects into something to dazzle the public.

His new works are amazing – manmade stone – a combination of crushed alabaster and polymers, heated to petrify it, then filed, sanded and shaped to form unique works of art. To him and his brothers, constant companions, all artists, they strive, challenging each other, to make a lasting mark in the art world.

Linda Kauffmann – award winning artist, teacher and designer was born in New York. "Painting is for me the best way to communicate my emotions, passion, and personality. It is a compulsion that puts me in touch with the deepest part of myself. I like the intensity of working with oil medium, but I especially love the magic when water and paint explode on paper."

Linda has lived in the small fishing village of La Manzanilla for several years and traveled extensively throughout Mexico. Meeting the Mexican people, who add vivid color into their pageants, music, and dress, has inspired her to add the color and rhythm of Mexico to her paintings.

Kauffmann was a signature member of the Florida Watercolor Society and a board member of Art Center Sarasota. She is a graduate of the University of Buffalo and attended the Chicago Art Institute for post graduate work. Later, Linda was the Director of Arts at the Buffalo YMCA and taught at the Knox-Albright Art Gallery.

Don't miss your chance to meet these three international artists on Friday, December 16 from 6-10 pm, during this week's South Side Shuffle.

Upcoming Galleria Dante Art Openings
December 30 – Jesse Reno & Miguel Angel del Campo
January 13 - Boback & Edgar Martinez
January 27 - Guillermo Brockmann & Nino Magana
February 10 - Cherie Sibley & Ignacio Guerrero
February 24 – Yvan Genest, Alvaro Zardoni & Jean-Gabriel Lambert
March 9 – Luis Valui
March 23 – Oscar Capeche & Jorge Costes

Andante Art Openings
December 30 - Oscar Zamarripa
January 27 – Israel ZZepda
February 24 - Guillermo Gomez

Two Galleries, one location: Basilio Badillo 269 & 269A. For more information, visit GalleriaDante.com.

Open Mon-Fri from 10 am-5 pm, Galeria Dante is located at Basilio Badillo #269 in Puerto Vallarta's Romantic Zone. For more information, call (322) 222-2477, or send an email to info(at)galleriadante.com.

Click HERE to learn more about Galleria Dante.