Britt Leoni
•9/19/2026
Inside Cape Coral's Harbour View Gallery, while many pieces are on display, what comes before the spotlight is someone deciding that those pieces belong. "If you don't have the gallery experience, it's hard to get gallery experience," said Quinn Sedam, who owns this gallery. Sedam knows firsthand that belonging doesn't come easy. So, he decided to give those who may not be given a chance a space to be seen. This month, a new generation of artists from Mariner High School is taking over the gallery walls. "I just didn't believe it," said student Alaysia Lampe about the opportunity to have her artwork displayed. "I was like, this is actually happening." "My main inspiration for that art piece was hope," said student Victoria Cady. "While I was creating it, I felt very happy and peaceful." While most of these students are still deciding where their path will lead, they're starting to get a glimpse of where their talent might take them. "You see your art when you're working on it a lot," said student Kayla Suraley. "You don't really see the full picture and see it being a gallery piece. When it's in the frame, and it's matted, it's really cool." While not everyone can have a career as a professional artist, these kids are learning that real success is about making room for what makes us feel alive. "Having them have something to work for and towards and getting a reward out of it, I think, is huge," Sedam said. You can check out the students' work at Harbour View Gallery, located in the Cape Harbour Marina Promenade, through Oct. 3. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
