Local spotlight: Kandy Lopez

"Jalyssa" by Kandy Lopez whose work is included in the All Florida Juried Competition and Exhibition at Boca Raton Museum of Art

Kandy Lopez packs a sketchbook and spends much time studying people in classes, stores or wherever the opportunity arises.

"I just look and try to figure out who a person is by the way they act towards another person, or what they find interesting in a room," she says.

Recently Lopez, whose work is part of the All Florida Juried Competition and Exhibition at the Boca Raton Museum of Art, has been exploring people's inner magnetism — a characteristic she describes as swagger, as well as posture, gesture, gaze, dress and other forms of non-verbal communication that express a barrier.

"Most importantly, I'm interested in finding ways to communicate and understand why different ethnicities put up barriers in certain situations," she notes in a statement about her work.

To read the rest of Arterpillar's story, visit the Sun-Sentinel's June 10 Lifestyle section.