Situated in historic Jacksonville, an art gallery holds space for classic, contemporary and all kinds of visual art for locals to immerse themselves in, or even see their own works on display.

Art Presence Art Center was started in 2009 by founder Anne Brooke and a collection of local artists seeking a creative hub for the Jacksonville community and surrounding areas.

The group moved into the former Jacksonville jail in 2012, which served as a children’s museum prior, and became a member-based nonprofit.

Art Presence serves as the only art gallery and art education center in Jacksonville.

Curators and organizers at the gallery aim to offer space to creatives of all backgrounds and experience levels while also showcasing striking and varying art to visitors.

“We try and have different types of art and want local artists that can bring in their friends and family and stuff, and we prefer people who haven’t showed before in the gallery,” said Chris Anderson, an organizer, curator, former member of the Art Presence board and an artist himself. “We have people who do ceramics and different abstract paintings; we had a woodworkers guild two years ago that was a really interesting show.”

Art Presence is currently exhibiting a showcase of nude paintings by the Secret Society of the Lost Fig Leaf, which will be on display until Feb. 25.

The art gallery is located at 206 N. Fifth Street in Jacksonville, and its hours are noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

The Secret Society of the Lost Fig Leaf will exhibit in Art Presence’s monthly guest artist space, with members of the society showing three works each, showcasing different styles of highlighting the human body.

“There are nine different artists there for the show,” Anderson said, adding, “It’s a lot of different styles: some pencil drawings, paintings and watercolor and mixed media.”

The art pieces are hung up on the close-to-40-foot back wall of the gallery, offering ample space for visitors to view the differing styles of the nine creatives.

“For me, I find it fascinating that many of the pictures are actually from the same model and maybe even the same session, but the difference in how artists interpret and paint and draw is amazing; each person brings their own style and their own impression,” Anderson said.

The Secret Society of the Lost Fig Leaf is a collective of artists in Ashland. The nine featured creatives are Julie Bayless, Raven Stamper, Eve Syrkin Wurtele, Polly Beach, Lisa Frank, Desmond Serratore, Craig Honeycutt, Monique Monet, Bob Eding and Mayli Magda.

“It’s actually a group of people who meet in Ashland once a week and they do figure drawings,” Anderson said. “They all have their own style; we have somebody paint bigger, blocky acrylic paints who does an amazing job, but also detailed intricate pencil drawings too.”

The curators are always looking for striking art to display at the gallery, and local artists can apply to have their works showcased in the future.

“We have an online application form people can fill out and we don’t limit the type of art; I suppose we do limit the type of art because it needs to fit in the gallery,” Anderson said.

To apply, visit art-presence.org/call-for-guest-artists.

The gallery also hosts two open call shows each year.

“May’s show, our theme is ‘Jacksonville,’” Anderson said, adding that the theme for October’s open call show has yet to be determined.

The gallery is also a hub of art education and offers multiple programs for locals to explore their artistic side or hone their skills.

Some of those programs include the monthly Messy Hands art activity on the second Saturday of every month; outreach to Jacksonville Elementary School each semester; and the After School Art Club for kids between first and fifth grade to participate in a weekly club lesson on Thursdays.

To learn more about Art Presence Art Center, visit art-presence.org.