Summer's Finest: Three Must-See Exhibitions Debut at Center for the Arts This August

PANAMA CITY, FL – August brings three exciting new exhibitions to the galleries of the Center for the Arts. The Main Gallery features a collection of works by the late artist Yu Tian Cheu. Local artist Nikki Bonnette brings scenes of New Orleans nightlife to the Miller Gallery in her exhibition, NOLA Nights, and Andrew Araujo is featured in the Spotlight Gallery. These exhibits will be on display through August 31.

Featured in the Main Gallery, Yu Tian Cheu was born in 1935, Huizhou, Canton province, China, and grew up in Singapore. At the age of 18, he started learning traditional Chinese ink painting from Chen Wen His, one of the most influential first-generation artists in Singapore. At age 27 in 1962, Cheu took the bold step to embark for New York City to further his study of art.

“My father was a proud artist,” said Jennifer Cheu Hornkohl, daughter of Yu Tian Cheu. “He always loved showing off his art and having conversations about what the piece said to you. He never wanted to influence your thoughts and mood. He rarely had the English skills to express himself in words, so I believe he used his art to communicate his feelings and passion as any true artist does.”

Cheu is survived by his son, Robert Cheu, his daughter Jennifer Cheu Hornkohl and her husband David, as well as two granddaughters, Mei and Su Hornkohl. It is their pleasure to share Yu Tian’s art with you as a way of honoring his life.

Local artist Nikki Bonnette brings her photography to the Miller Gallery for an exhibition called NOLA Nights, featuring nightlife scenes in New Orleans, Louisiana photographed by the artist.

“I've always enjoyed many creative outlets including pottery, painting and of course photography,” said Bonnette. “Growing up in Bay County, there is so much natural beauty around us that it inspired me to capture it with a camera. So when I began traveling more, capturing the beauty around me became very important.”

“The first trip my husband and I took together was to New Orleans and we immediately fell in love with this incredible city. While it can sometimes have a bad reputation, there is so much beauty in this city if you take the time to stop and look! From the sounds of jazz spilling out of every other door you pass, the smell of beignets floating in the air, to the energy of the nightlife, New Orleans is a vibrant beautiful place full of excitement! My favorite thing to capture is the lights of this city at night...so Nola Nights was born. There's nothing I enjoy more than exploring this city and capturing its light.

On display in the Spotlight Gallery is a collection of abstract works by local artist Andrew Araujo in an exhibition called For My Brother. “As a veteran and artist,” said Araujo, “I have always been drawn to helping my community in any way I can.” This innate desire to give back led him to create a platform that would empower individuals to share their unique experiences and perspectives through the medium of art.

Andrew’s journey began with a simple yet profound realization: everyone has a story to tell, but not everyone has the means or the courage to share it. He saw an opportunity to bridge this gap by combining his artistic talents with his passion for storytelling. By doing so, he aimed to create a space where people from all walks of life could come together, share their stories, and find inspiration in the experiences of others. The Center for the Arts is open Tuesday–Thursday 10am–5pm, Friday 10am-7pm, and Saturday 10am-5pm.