From 'Fantasy to Reality': The Florentine effect January 18, 2021 RWhitcomb-editor ”A Rising Up” (acrylic on sculptured board), by Norman Finn, in his show “Virtue Voyage From Fantasy to Reality … With a Possible Return,’’ at Galatea Fine Art, Boston, Feb. 5-28.He says:"Somehow or other through a quirk of fate, I became involved in the footwear industry, triggering a career fusing the shoe business with my artistic ability. The end result was a successful women’s fashion designer, a creative designer for my own company, and my own footwear firm working on three continents.My art world was shaped when as a family we lived in Florence, Italy where I worked as a designer and was exposed to the wonders of the Renaissance. Italian paintings and a collection of Buddhas became an integral part of my life.My painting style is evolving daily as the experience of my fashion background appears on every canvas.The pandemic brought me confusion and peace at the same time. The world was upside down but I found solace in my studio painting fantasy and reality.’’