Naples art gallery to use AI technology to create ‘Live Art’

For over 36 years, Shaw Gallery has been home to more than 40 luxury artists to showcase their fine art. Now, the new owner and president of the gallery is incorporating artificial intelligence technology.

Jay Shaw started working with his grandmother, Barabra Shaw, over a decade ago, delivering art pieces across the state of Florida from her gallery right along Fifth Avenue South in Naples, Florida.

Last year, Jay and his wife Marla Shaw became the owners of Shaw Gallery. As a young business owner, he learned quickly, but like many business owners, he was not prepared for Hurricane Ian.

“I could not leave 40 years of an art collection behind, so we had to store everything in our vault,” said Shaw. “We had about two feet deep of water and had to rip out everything.”

According to Shaw, due to insurance clauses, he had to go into debt $500,000 in order to reopen the gallery.

While construction was happening throughout his gallery, he decided to go from 9-foot ceilings to 11-foot and buy extra space, wanting to create a museum look.

“I’m a very determined entrepreneur with big goals and dreams,” said Shaw. “I have a very definite direction I would like to go with the business.”

For Shaw, his direction to modernize his gallery was learning Photoshop and videography to showcase his artwork to clients. He said the idea is for his clients to see the art in their homes before purchasing, for customer satisfaction.

“I have access to a lot more tools than the previous generation didn’t have,” said Shaw, “so I saw a lot of gaps in galleries and how they operate.”

Shaw is expanding his technical knowledge, into developing a new lighting system. A special light bulb “brain” that can range in any kelvin temperature in a matter of seconds, having 18 million different color options.

“I can do different things, bring colors out of Glass that you didn’t see were there,” said Shaw. “That allows me to program and change the lights on their own, and every time you look at your piece it can be different.”

In the photo above is Hessam Abrishami called “Surprised De Amore,” in “Sunset” lighting mode with Shaw’s up-and-coming lighting system.

To control the lighting of the system to its highest performance, Shaw developed an AI technology system called JOSH. The program describes all artists and artwork in his gallery, as well as special effects, creating what’s called “Live Art.”

“Light and art go hand in hand like peanut butter and jelly and any other grand combination,” said Shaw. “They have to go together. Without it the light really falls.”

Shaw Gallery’s upcoming exhibit “Master of Modern Glass Show” begins on March 2. To learn more about the Glass Show, click here.