Events Fort Myers

 

My good friend David Acevedo over at Daas Gallery says that the downtown needs our help.  It has been almost two years since the first Fort Myers Art Walk premiered in the streets of downtown Fort Myers. The event has attracted multitudes of patrons to our downtown area benefiting, not only art galleries, but local businesses such as restaurants and bars. With every Art Walk, the popularity of the event grows. The Art Walk committee has decided to seek the help of volunteers to tackle some of the monthly tasks essential for the success of the event. 

Help is needed in simple things such as signage management, which include placement of the directional and promotional parking signs and in more visitor-oriented tasks such as tour guides and information posts. The volunteer program, named the Downtown Fort Myers Street Team or “S-Team” for short, will help with the flow of the event, which has managed to stay incident-free since October of 2008.

“We are really looking forward to the help”, says David Acevedo who co-owns daas Gallery and is the primary coordinator for the S-Team volunteer project.  “The Art Walk/Saturday Art Fair/Music Walk committee members will now have a helping hand to ensure an even better event every month. As business owners, it is very difficult for us to leave our spaces to assist with other things that are so needed during the events”.

Anyone interested in becoming a member of the S-Team is encouraged to email Acevedo at david@fortmyersartwalk.com.  Detailed information of the different volunteer positions will be provided upon inquiries. General information about the Fort Myers Art Walk can be found at www.fortmyersartwalk.com.

There may not be any fireworks at Centennial Park this year , but plenty is going on downtown.

My good friends Dave and his team of artist at daas Gallery will showcase their own in celebration of the two year anniversary of the gallery. The exhibition is appropriately entitled Triumph. The opening reception is scheduled for Friday, July 2^nd, in conjunction with the Fort Myers Art Walk.

The art in this collective exhibition has been created by the artists that currently run the gallery. Among these is Joe Lemay, who has been with daas Gallery since its very beginning. Lemay is a graduate from the Savannah College of Art & Design in Savannah, Georgia. His pieces are humorous and storytelling. His work has been featured in daas’ Pequeno Formato, Comienzo: The Artists of daas and Buddha: Images of a Deity exhibitions, among many others. Troy Thomas, Danielle Thomas and Peter Del Gandio are also featured artists in this exhibition. Their works have been featured in the gallery on a permanent basis since they joined the team in 2009. Kristin Northup, the newest member of the team, will also be part of the collective.

“This is a very important exhibition for us. It marks two successful years of hard work, sweat and tears”, says David Acevedo who co-owns the gallery and will be featuring new pieces in the show. “We all know how difficult the art business could be and we feel very lucky and thankful for the support.” Xavier Brignoni, who also co-owns daas, will be contributing to the exhibition with his own artwork.

The exhibition will be on display until July, 31^st, 2010. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00am to 3:00pm. More information is available at www.daasgallery.com

My good friend Terry Tincher  over at space 39 have their own fireworks display of sorts going on.

George Settos is being featured in the gallery.

Jim over at SBDAC  has his own Declaration to be happy about it.

“Exposures of the Mind” opens July 2nd

Fort Myers, June 23, 2010 – “Exposures of the Mind,” hosted by the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, showcases the work of several national photographers. The show opens on July 2 from 6:00pm to 10:00pm during the Downtown Fort Myers Art Walk. The Laboratory Theater of Florida will also present the one-act play “Picnic on the Battlefield.”

“Exposures of the Mind” exhibits the works of photographers Chris Catti, Doug Thompson, Michelle Tricca, Kurt Williams, and John Yuccas. The works of these photographers capture the unique perspectives with which an artist views their subjects and the world that surrounds them. The pieces range from award-winning surf culture photography in Puerto Rico to abstract architectural scape’s of New York City.

• Doug Thompson is a premier architectural photographer and Southwest Florida native who has assisted renowned photographer Clyde Butcher. His works have been published in a variety of magazines.

• Michelle Tricca, a Naples-area photographer, was mentored by legendary surf photographer Art Brewer. Her innovative work combines portraiture and water photography to capture surf and coastal culture.

• Kurt Williams is a resident of Cape Coral and freelance photographer for Florida Weekly, moving to Florida from Upstate New York. Kurt’s photography explores his four-month journey through South America and the widely varied landscapes and cultures that he experienced.

• Chris Catti is a photographer based in Brooklyn, New York who specializes in fashion and editorial portraiture. He recently graduated from the Hallmark Institute of Photography located in Western Massachusetts.

• John Yuccas’s true passion since the age of sixteen has been wildlife and nature photography. John tries to capture unique and intricate moments in nature to show his audience the beauty of the outdoor world.

“Picnic on the Battlefield” presented by Laboratory Theater of Florida is an absurdest piece by playwright Arrabal. The play is set on the battlefields of World War I. Show times for this one-act will start at 7:00pm and 8:30pm in the Grand Atrium.

For additional venue and exhibit information, please contact SBDAC at 239.333.1933 or info@fl-arts.org.

The fall will soon be here and there will be so many things going on around town Parties and Galas you do not want to miss so  don’t  forget to save the date.  Three of the things you should mark your Calendar for are as follows.

Arts for ACTS August 15th “ Arabian Nights”  this will be held at the Coconut Point Hyatt .  My good friend Claudia Goode hopes you don’t miss out on such a great event .   The Proceeds enable ACT to provide a 24 hour hot line, safe emergency shelter, counseling, children’s programs, forensic sexual assault examinations, clothing and food for victims of domestic violence and their children and survivors of sexual assault in Lee, Hendry, and Glades Counties.  This year they are celebrating 32 years in operation and 22 years of hosting this fine art auction.

 Nov 6th 2010 Sidney Byrne Davis Art Center

 My good friend Jim wanted me to remind you to Save the Date now in your planners.  This should be an evening to remember.   The proceeds from the Gala will go towards the continued restoration of this historical building for the Arts.

Designed by prominent Florida architect Nat GaillardWalker, the Old Post Office opened in 1933 as one of the nation’s finest neoclassical revival structures.  It was converted to a Federal Courthouse in 1965 and later vacated in 1998.  Many of its original fixtures were removed or destroyed and the building fell into disrepair until the Art Center took over it, dedicated to its preservation with the creation of a community cultural center.

The final restoration phase will stop deterioration of the building’s historic elements, preserve this community gem, and complete the transformation a once-abandoned building into a modern arts facility.

The Art Center has been under renovations since 2003 and, upon completion, will feature 23,000 square feet of studio, performance, classrooms, and community event space. 

More on the event will be announced throughout the summer and upcoming season.  Check out www.sbdac.com or call 239.333.1933 for more information.

 Art Royale November 20, 2010 at the Lee County Alliance of the Arts  my good friend Chelsea and Lydia tell me this will be something you will never forget.  One night  celebration of art displaying the most intriguing artists . This year’s theme, IT’S ALL ELEMENTAL reflects the essence of Art Royale as an innovative showcase of art that is active, not passive, art that explores the origins and boundaries of the elements, be it, Earth, Wind, Fire, Water & Space

 

 

It has been over 23 year since we have not had  a fireworks display here in downtown Fort Myers. After the last Fireworks fiasco this year I was  looking forward to the 4th.  It is a shame that the Fort Myers redevelopment agency is unable to have it due to the economy.  It does  take a lot of preparation upfront and all planning should be done in advance, it is too short a notice even if someone came in today to write a check.   Well, I for one am going to be disappointed not hearing the boom and seeing the lights of a spectacular fireworks display.   I remember when I was 4 and we went to the Edison Stadium to see the fireworks  later on it was at Centennial Park. When I was about 22 it was pouring down rain so we went to a party at the Sheraton and watched it from there.    There was another time I believe I watched it from somebodies office in the Barnett Bank Centre.  I am sorry that Fort Myers has taken away the bombs bursting everywhere downtown this year.  They have already started work on it for next year.  If you do want to see the fireworks,  Fort Myers Beach and Cape Coral will be having theirs. ( share your best fireworks experiences in our comments section)

Over 80 women attended the monthly meeting of the Women’s Wine Club last night hosted at the Bell Tower fine dining restaurant Cru.  Chef Harold Balink (formerly of H2 and Harold’s on the Bay) put on a show with a wonderful four course meal consisting of spicy crab, avocado and cucumber napoleon appetizer, spinach stuffed chicken with a tomato ciabatta salad, pepper grilled rib-eye with their own special sauce, and for dessert a white chocolate mousse with roasted banana sauce.  My guest and I had such a wonderful time even when the lights went out and we dined by candle light.   We got to see many of our friends including Heather Christie, Holly Leland, Connie Ramos,Tara Molloy, Gina Birch, Rachel Peacock, and her good friend as well as ours Sharon Torregrossa.  This was an evening filled with wine and laughter.  Thank you again to the Women’s Wine Club which meets every 3rd Tuesday of the month.  For more information about the next event sharontorregrossa@gmail.com.

Celebrate Olympic Day at the Art of the Olympians downtown near the riverfront.   The world event commemorates the founding of the Olympic games.  The museum celebrates with free admission all day.  The official celebrating takes place from 1:30 to 3:30 and includes welcoming presentations from Olympians Skip Cutting and “Queen” Kyomo

A Big Thank you to strong supporters of the Arts Don & Tara Molloy of Riverside 
Realty Group for hosting this beautiful property 3874  Harold Ave Fort
Myers  We would  Also like to thank the assistance of the Lee County Alliance of the Arts.

                                                                                                                                 

 

                               239-822-2955

  10 % of the proceeds will go to the Ostego Bay Foundation  This will help with the oil spill clean up

The Date is  June 19th  5pm – 9 pm

Participating artists:

Sara Leone- Sara Leone grew up with a passion for all things old…..drawn
to nostalgia of decades past. Sara has successfully owned and operated a
thrift store in Bonita Springs and contributed to the News Press with her
own column “Finders Keepers”. Now mom to a 9 year old daughter and
Corporate America refugee, Sara is busy making art again. LIFE recycled…..

Stacey Brown – Southwest Florida’s Stacey Brown is the photographer known
as the one who wholeheartedly believes that chippy old paint, rusty things
and vintage finds make the perfect  scene for a portrait.  She is
typically
found lurking around thrift stores, in the woods with her three daughters
or creating in her cottage. 

A former junk and antiques collector, Stacey appreciates all things
vintage.  She has been spotted rescuing old stuff off of the street and
recycling her finds in creative projects.  Recently, she has decided that
taking photographs of her favorite things makes better sense than trying
to
keep her favorite things around all the time.  As George Carlin said, “You
can’t have everything.  Where would you put it?” 

In addition to photographing random stuff, Stacey loves to beautifully
photograph children by following them around trying to capture the essence
of their soul without them knowing it. 

In Stacey’s other life, she is a mental health therapist in private
practice where art therapy and creative solutions are liberally applied.

Susan McDonald –An Ohio native, McDonald holds a master’s degree at the
School for American Crafts at the Rochester Institute of Technology, one
of
the nation’s preeminent schools for artisans and craftspeople and has
completed diamond coursework through the Gemological Institute of America
and a bachelor’s degree in metalsmithing from Miami University in Oxford,
Ohio. McDonald has nearly eight years of experience in the jewelry
industry
including much time spent with a company that manufactures and repairs
jewelry designed by David Yurman.

Zdenka Fiala – Zdenka Fiala creates amazing jewelry. Her contemporary
design appeals to creative, self-confident woman of today. Her jewelry is
lead free and skin friendly, earrings and necklaces are sterling silver
plated. Peace by Piece will present selection of her stained glass and
beads jewelry.

Peggy Alborn- Peggy Alborn began creating as a child, making clothing by
age 12, and dabbling in various other medias throughout her life including
stamping, encaustic wax collage, and soldering. She operated a faux
finishing business for four years, finding great pleasure in refinishing
cabinetry. Currently she is creating one-of-a-kind embellished camis and
t-shirts, lampshades, and collaged charms and ornaments. Peggy is a full
time teacher in Lee County, with two daughters in college – a grad student
in opera studies at The Boston Conservatory and a junior at USF

Please call 896-5437 or email saraleone@comcast.net  for more information

 

If you are like me the summer brings many things.  Such as Hot Weather, Rainy Afternoons, and our kids home from school.   This is something you can do anytime that your kids say I am bored.  Why not suggest they take a walk in the Cypress Slough Preserve.  It is free, and it is Beautiful.

Located on Six Mile Cypress Parkway  1.5 miles north of Daniels Parkway
Exit #131 off I-75

Trail Hours of Operation Dawn to Dusk  Open 7 days a week

Facility Features

• 11,000-square-foot Interpretive Center, Lee County Parks & Recreation’s first certified green building
• Fully accessible, 1.2 mile long boardwalk trail
• Seating enclaves, shelters, observation decks and a photo blind
• Amphitheater
• Guided walks (see times below)
• Educational displays and “Explorer’s Companion” self-guided trail brochures
• Picnic areas, restrooms and water fountain

Guided Walk Schedule

January-March:

Daily – 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

May-October:

Wednesdays only – 9:30 a.m.

April, November and December:

Daily – 9:30 a.m.

You do not have to pay for admittance to the park. However, your vehicle parking fee of $1 an hour or a maximum of $5.00 per stay is used for maintenance and programming for the preserve.