Divine art for sale at Art Divine
Looking to jump start your holiday gift purchasing?
How about some local art for a great price?
Check out the Art Divine show at the Fort Myers Beach Art Association gallery during its regular hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The gallery is on the corner of Donora Street and Shell Mound Boulevard.
The nonprofit organization has been displaying original artwork for sale -all priced under $99- on its gallery walls since Saturday, Dec. 4. This show will run until Jan. 13, so there’s plenty of time for even post-holiday presents if needed.
According to FMBAA President Michele Buelow, these paintings are ready for the picking. Drop by, view the selections and purchase one or more for a special gift(s) or to add to your own art collection.
“Beach art association artists gather their art together each holiday season and put together a great opportunity for everyone to own a piece of original art at great prices,” said Buelow. “This show gives all of our members a chance to bring in their art and sell it. Shop early, as the work by our well-known painters will fly out the doors.”
If the already low price is too steep for you during this continued down economy, you can find mini masters paintings for only $10 each. Members of the Beach Art Association donate these 8-by-10 inch matted paintings to provide a special feature of the Art Divine sale. Funds generated from these small works of art support the association and its activities.
“For the last couple years we have added the ‘mini masters’ to the sale,” said Buelow. “All the profits from these minis go to the art association to defray expenses. Many have been purchased to become part of a collection. They make great hostess gifts as well.”
The FMBAA president stated there is artwork from many of its members and boasts a wide variety of styles, mediums, subjects and prices. All members of the Beach Art Association are also members of the Art Council of Southwest Florida.
“The art association does not take a commission from the sale of these paintings which allows the art to be sold at lower prices and benefits both the artist and buyer,” said Buelow. “The sale has always been a success and many watch for the dates. It is an opportunity to purchase paintings done by some of our award-winning artists at great prices.”
Bea Pappas is once again the chairperson of the Art Divine sale, which features 32 artists and (so far) 311 paintings, plus the minis. In prior years, there have been people who come in and buy stacks of artwork to decorate their condos or offices, according to the association officials.
“We have more up this year than probably ever,” said Pappas. “The price is right. It’s a buy year for somebody and everybody. We have some of the top artists in the country like Dannica Walker, Kathy Ross and Janet Mach Dutton. They are all members of national organizations as well as this association.”
The Beach Art Association has taken in a good amount of cash from the sales of the Art Divine sale in the past. It was created by FMBAA member Ed Zender and has been a Beach favorite for some five years now.
For more information call the gallery at 463-3909 or see our website at www.fortmyersbeachart.com.
For those unfamiliar to the Beach layout, the Fort Myers Beach Art Association is located east at the blinking light at Fire Station #32. Take a left turn on Donora and the parking lot is located on the right before the Shell Mound turn.
FMBAA offers workshops and classes
– Nationally known artist Dale Laitinen will be giving a watercolor workshop entitled “From Line to Design the Language of Landscape” at the Fort Myers Beach Art Association gallery from Jan. 17-21, 2011. There are still a few openings.
Laitinen will also give an open demonstration at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16,
According to the FMBAA website (www.fortmyersbeachart.com), the workshop’s aim is for artists of all levels with experience in watercolor and desire to extend their interest in painting and designing the landscape. The California resident is a painter of the contemporary landscape who concentrates on topography.
There will be talks and demos on line, shape, complex shapes and design with lots of individual painting time with instruction. Go to the above website for more information.
– Lana Grow will hold a watermedia and collage workshop at the FMBAA gallery from Feb. 21-25, 2011. The class will serve the intermediate artist who is looking for new and experimental ways of painting with acryllics and producing water-based acrylic works with transparencies, translucencies and opaque designs.
To view some her work and acquire a better depth understanding, go to lanagrow.com.
Patty Kane continues her watercolor classes through Dec. 20. Her demonstrations and critiques are serving the beginning and intermediate artists.
The Orlando transplant is offering additional Monday classes from Jan. 3 through Feb. 7 with intermediate sessions from 9 a.m. to noon and beginning sessions from 1-4 p.m. If you can’t make those classes, she also has sessions from Feb. 28 through April 4, and April 11 through May 9.
She can be contacted by calling 277-9880 or patty@artbypattykane.com.
Mini workshops by FMBAA’s own “famous artists”
Here is a listing of some mini workshops provided by members of the Beach Art Association:
– Dannica Walker: Finishing Realistic Paintings, Jan. 25 and 26;
– Sue Pink: Finishing Abstract Paintings, Feb. 4;
– Neil Walling, Half Day Plein air secrets, Feb. 10, 11 and 12;
– Bea Pappas, Pouring, March 3, 4 and 5.
For more details on the mini workshops, call the gallery at 463-3909.