It is our pleasure to welcome the work  of Vero Beach Muralist XOSweeney in his first Solo Show in Jacksonville!

Excitingly, XOSweeney will be appearing in person on Friday October 13th from 6-9pm and Saturday October 14th from 6-9pm. 13475 Atlantic Blvd Suite 6 -Jacksonville, Fl 32225

XOSweeney is a contemporary street artist making a real impact in Florida.

Love and positivity shine as Chris Sweeney’s foremost influences. He studied art, education and sociology at Jacksonville University before becoming an elementary school teacher in South Florida. He followed in the footsteps of his mother, who was a second grade teacher, but also pioneered his own unique path— one of spreading unconditional love and an appreciation of the arts to Florida’s youth. As a whole, he has taught at both middle and elementary schools, volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club and worked in a day care center, using interactive lessons to expose children to art while they are most impressionable. It was this career path that resulted in the creation of his titular character, XORobot, the product of a “create your own comic character” exercise in his classroom. Sweeney uses the XORobot as an example of a machine that runs exclusively off of love, much like we do.

 Sweeney uses two main icons to express his vision: the XORobot and the stretched heart. While the XORobot is a reminder of the love that we all consist of, that we all run off of, his stretched hearts provide the flip side: “we all have challenges in life that stretch our hearts. They get pulled and twisted and wrapped around obstacles, but if you open your heart up to love, they will never break,” Sweeney explained in a 2019 article. These motifs can be spotted as murals in Jacksonville, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, and at the Boys and Girls Club of Martian County.

He has also partnered with the United Against Poverty Uplifting Vero campaign to produce interactive art spaces around Vero Beach, with the  Miami Arts District to appear in their Ultimate Street Coloring Book (featuring the top 100 Artists in the County), and with the Murray Hill Preservation Society to make a mural. On top of a sketched sharpie framework, his murals are done entirely with acrylic spray paint, save some blending and detail work achieved with a brush. Sweeney utilizes his street art approach and uses the spray paint to add a graffiti touch to his words and imagery. Just like his message of love uniting us all, murals as a platform allow everyone, even those who cannot afford to buy art, a chance to view his work.

Chris Sweeney released a limited edition beer can, the “One&Only,” with Jacksonville’s Fishweir Brewery. This will be served at our complimentary, open to the public receptions, October 13th 6-9pm and 14th 6-9pm.

RSVPs are highly recommended at gallery725@gmail.com or 904.345.9320