Alfred Gockel will be the Featured Artist at this year's Seabreeze Jazz Festival in Florida, Apr. 13-17

PANAMA CITY, FL, March 12, 2011 (Press-News.org) World renowned abstract painter Alfred Gockel will be the featured artist at this year's Seabreeze Jazz Festival, slated for April 13-17 in Panama City's amphitheater at Pier Park. Mr. Gockel will be at the easel, painting live, for the duration of the festival and on The Smooth Jazz Cruise, the event's presenting sponsor. It sets sail on April 13.

Original works by Mr. Gockel will also be auctioned, through an arrangement with Baterbys Art Auction Gallery, based in Orlando. Baterbys has featured works by the artist in past auctions, and its gallery in Orlando, Fla. "He's been one of our most consistent performers," said Rich Hart of Baterbys. "He is an amazing talent and has been the official artist for many other serious events, including the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy."

A jazz-themed abstract painting by Mr. Gockel is being featured on the official poster for this year's festival, and the image is also on a T-shirt. The artwork may be viewed by clicking on http://www.seabreezejazzfestival.net (under "Artwork"). The site has been inundated with over 38,000 unique hits per day on average, a testament to the popularity of the event and Mr. Gockel.

The Smooth Jazz Cruise will be a VIP 'Cruise to Nowhere,' boarding at 6:30 p.m. on April 13 and lasting from 7-10 p.m. Dinner and entertainment - and a chance to meet Mr. Gockel and see him paint - will be held aboard The Lady Anderson, docked behind Captain Anderson Restaurant, on Grand Lagoon. The cruise is the official kick-off event of this year's jazz festival.

The three-hour cruise will treat guests to an up-close view of breathtaking St. Andrews Bay, a place where dolphins play and the setting sun sparkles off the Florida water. Dinner will be a selection of entrees, plus dessert and coffee. A cash bar will be available. Sharing top billing with Mr. Gockel will be jazz saxophonist Eric Darius, who will serenade guests at their tables.

The Seabreeze Jazz Festival is one of the biggest weekend festivals in contemporary jazz in the country. Last year's spring event, also held in Panama City, attracted 22,000 people. The list of performers for this year's festival has not yet been announced. The Smooth Jazz Cruise for 2012 will include a special performance by Motown legend Smokey Robinson, organizers said.

Alfred "Alex" Gockel was born in 1952. From an early age, he was fascinated by the magic of colors on paper. This prodigious talent led to the release of his first work of art at age 8. After serving in the army, he graduated from the Polytechnic, where he then taught typography and graphic design.

In 1980, Mr. Gockel made the decision to dedicate himself full-time to painting. He developed a unique, signature style that is still known today. His work ranges from unique screen print etchings to serigraphy. In the last ten years, over 2 million of his images have been sold in the U.S. alone. Basketball legend Michael Jordan owns several original Alfred Gockel paintings.

Mr. Gockel's selection as the featured artist for this year's Seabreeze Jazz Festival was a hand-in-glove fit, as he approaches his canvas the same way a musician approaches his or her compositions. For centuries, philosophers, artists and musicians have pondered the relationship between the aural (musical) and visual arts. Alfred Gockel simply lives it in his day-to-day life.

In 1910, the Russian abstract master Wassily Kandinsky, one of Gockel's artistic heroes, wrote, "Color is the key. The eye is the hammer. The soul is the piano with its many chords. The artist is the hand that, by touching this or that key, sets the soul vibrating automatically." Mr. Gockel applies this philosophy to his every creation, using rich, primary colors in a unique style.

For more information about Alex Gockel and Baterbys Art Auction Gallery, you may log on to http://www.baterbys.com/featured_artists/gockel. To learn more about this year's Seabreeze Jazz Festival, you may log on to http://www.seabreezejazzfestival.net. To learn more about the event's yearly jazz cruises, log on to http://www.thesmoothjazzcruise.com. Updates for all are posted often.

Baterbys offers its clients something unique in the industry: a lifetime money-back guarantee of authenticity for each work of art it sells and a lifetime exchange policy for each work of art it sells. This is important to art collectors, since provenance is everything. Baterbys believes that gaining a buyer's trust is key to ensuring that they will become repeat customers.

Last year, Baterbys was named 2010 Best of Show for Advertising and Public Relations by the National Auctioneers Association. The firm was selected out of a field of 1,000 entrants. Baterbys was also honored in several sub-categories. This year, they won for the second straight year Orlando Style Magazine's prestigious Best Art Gallery award. The magazine said of them, "Baterbys has good taste. If you are an art lover, you can expect a great opportunity to bid on some beautiful pieces."

For more information on Baterbys Art Auction Gallery, Alfred Gockel, and the upcoming Seabreeze Jazz Festival, please log on to http://www.baterbys.com. The firm is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single piece of art, an estate or a collection, you may call them toll-free, at (866) 537-0265. Or, you can e-mail them at press@baterbys.com.