STATESBORO, Ga. – After making the news in March for taking up canvas painting during quarantine, four South Georgia Tormenta FC players have taken their new hobby to the next level. Tormenta FC and the Averitt Center for the Arts announced the opening of “The Beautiful Game Exhibition” featuring artwork from Pablo Jara, Marco Micaletto, Mikie Rowe and Nil Vinyals Monday afternoon. 

“Art has become a great outlet for me,” Jara said. “The situation surrounding COVID-19 has given us time to find something new, trying to normalize the situation and staying occupied during the quarantine. I never imagined that something I created would be on show at an art center.”

During the season postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the Tormenta FC squad took up painting to pass the time until competitive action resumed. This new hobby gave the players an outlet to express their creativity during the downtime while staying safe.

“My mum is an unbelievable artist and an inspiration for me, so I had to see if I was any good,” Micaletto said. “This experience has made me realize and appreciate just how good of an artist she really is.”

Fans can view and purchase the players’ artwork on the second floor of the Averitt Center during normal business hours (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.) through the middle of August.

“I’ve worked for this day since I was five years old, so it's a great feeling to have all my hard work pay off in the end,” Rowe said. “My brother, Ryan, is a top-class artist, so to get in an art exhibition before him is an achievement in itself. Dreams do come true.”