Tara O’Neill 

Floral interpretation of painting by Calusa Garden Club at 2011 ‘’Art in Bloom’’

Oh, let’s get nuts. There are so many artistic goings-on in this peculiar area all the time that I’ve decided to pluck the next few days (randomly) out of the calendar to inspire you to get out there and see how many you can experience before you become over-stimulated. Not that that’s a bad thing. Remember to nap.

January 28, Saturday, Chalk Art 2012 Festival: a good half-mile of 5th Ave. South, Naples, 8:00AM-5:00PM. A street painting extravaganza sponsored by the Naples Pelican Bay Rotary Club to help provide scholarships to area students. According to festival chairperson, Jim Richardson “We had 5-6 thousand attendees last year and we just had a ball.” Free.

More on January 28, BK Koetting Memorial Music Festival and Blood Drive: 1:00-4:00PM, St. Mark’s Church, 1101 N Collier Blvd Marco. Six exceptional bands – Frank Corso‘s Spoonful, JRobert & Martin, The Wildflowers, The Bean Pickers, Frontline, and the Bugtussle Ramblers, will play a tribute and celebrate the life of musician, comedian, and humanitarian, Bill ‘’BK’’ Koetting, while raising contributions for the Community Blood Center. Free. Go.

Clay artist Gabrielle Nappo will be one of 35 juried artists exhibiting at the Bayshore Festival of the Arts. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

January 28 and 29, Saturday and Sunday: 2nd Annual Bayshore Festival of the Arts: Sugden Park in Naples. 250 local musicians and juried fine-artists, are ready to beguile you in this picturesque setting along Lake Avalon. www.bayshorecapa.com. Donations accepted.

February 4 and 5, Saturday and Sunday, Art in Bloom: The Calusa Garden Club will be botanically interpreting the works of Maine Fiber Artists at the Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island. Bonus: Art Center members will be demonstrating their talents in the courtyard both days. Still free. www.marcoislandart.org, 239- 394-4221.

February 7, Tuesday, 5:30-7:00PM, opening reception for the Rookery Bay Photography Annual: co-sponsored by United Arts Council and Friends of Rookery Bay, juried by renowned Everglades photographer, Clyde Butcher. Exhibit runs through February 29 and provides unique imagery from our backyards and beyond. The perfect venue. $3 admission to public, free to members of UAC and Friends of Rookery Bay.

February 9, Thursday, Wet Paint Live!: a scholarship fundraiser sponsored by Leadership Marco with the Marco Island Area Chamber of Commerce, Marco Island Center for the Arts, and Marco Island Foundation for the Arts. Twenty artists paint at locations around Marco Island and Goodland – visit them on site and attend the live-auction gala at Marco Island’s Center for the Arts, starting at 6:00PM. Artist tour is free, auction-gala $35 per person. For artist map and more info call 239-394-7549.

Ten days, six events, let’s get nuts.

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors’ Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.taraogallery.com 

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Tara O’Neill

Some say New Year’s Day is an arbitrary date, requiring no special observance (big fibbers). Yet, so many of us use it as an opportunity for both reflection and forward thinking. Wishing to set out on the right foot, we take stock, we aim to detour bad habits and cultivate better ones.

Today I am thinking about the Emerging Artist – I meet so many – young ones courageous enough to aim directly for a life pursuing their passion; elders who, after decades devoted to raising families, building businesses, and answering untold obligations, are at last rekindling a passion that never died. It’s a jump off the high-dive, a time for wings, and time for some very good, hard-core, professional input.

Elaine Hamilton, UAC.

So for you, dear Emerging Artist, I have called upon the wisdom of Stars in the Arts to share their very best advice/warning/encouragement to help you reach the potential you harbor.

Elaine Hamilton, Executive Director of the United Arts Council of Collier County. “My advice to an emerging artist would be to follow your passion. It’s difficult to sustain a career in this business if you’re not doing something that you love. Also, if you’re planning to support yourself as an artist, take as many business classes as you can. The more you can learn about the business side of the arts, the better.”

JoAnn Sanborn, internationally-collected Everglades artist, member of City of Marco Island’s Arts Advisory Board, Instructor. “Do the hard work. Learn to see. Never stop learning. But in those magical moments when the art spirit takes you, follow it to the place ideas are born.”

Christie Marcoplos, owner Blue Mangrove Gallery.

Christie Marcoplos, owner Blue Mangrove Gallery. “When contacting a Gallery, be organized. Have a bio & jpegs of your work (with size, pricing, etc.). I’ll seldom handle art work without jpegs. This is becoming increasingly important in the world of retail sales; website inclusion, email blasts, and advertisements, always require high to low resolution jpegs. Having them readily available gives a positive edge.

“Be sure your art is finished, titled & hand signed. If sleeved, be sure sleeves fit perfectly. Presentation is a huge part of selling your work.

“Visit the Gallery you wish to represent you to be sure you understand their objective. Then e-mail them for a convenient time to give a presentation.

“Lastly, when dropping off accepted artwork, have a typed sheet with titles, sizes & prices with you; consider offering display-aids. After installation, if checking on your work, always be discreet.”

Theodore Morris, artist, author. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Theodore Morris, artist, author of “Florida’s Lost Tribes.” “The first thing is to find the subject matter you’re passionate about. My passion is Florida Indians and that’s what I painted without worrying about sales. Eventually it worked out very well for my lifestyle and for sales.

“Starting out, the main focus (after you are satisfied with what you’ve done) is marketing your work as well as yourself. Collectors sometimes buy just images, but mostly they buy the artist and the image together.”

J. Robert Houghtaling, musician, producer, owner of Mangrove Music Studio. “The one thing I’ve learned from observing commonalities among the most successful restaurant waitresses, bartenders, general managers, sales personnel, ministers, and medical professionals as well as a great musical artist, they always ask. ‘How may I serve you?’”

“I trust their talent, creative genius, and their many years of hits and misses. I am confident they share with me the best service experience they have to offer. Accordingly, with every audience, I try to extend the same enthusiasm and respect.

JRobert, musician, producer.

So when I say, ‘Well, folks, what would you like to hear tonight?’ …I’m humbly asking, ‘How may I serve you?’… and that’s when the magic begins!

I respectfully thank all my responders with taking time from their busy schedules to answer my query so thoughtfully, so helpfully, and so honestly.”

And now for my two-bits: 1) It is important to learn the rules in order to break them properly. 2) Please keep the faith. Please.

Happy New Year to All. 

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors’ Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.tarao gallery.com 

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‘’Cacoon,’’ by Bonny Hawley, 20’’x7’

Tara O’Neill 

Ethereal images pulsate from the work of Naples-based (but internationally collected) artist Bonny Hawley. The word is: entrancing. You look and look and, inescapably, must look some more. The more you look, the more you see. The more you see, the more you feel.

The art is warm-toned acrylic mixed media collages: mono-printing, stenciling, gold and silver-leaf, metallic paints, digital imagery, hand-made and hand-painted papers; all deftly layered on flowing silk and richly textured Belgian linen. Sizes range from one square foot to ten square yards…so far. The technique is strictly Hawley, and so is the imagery.

“I weave from fabrics of ancient worlds and threads of my imaginations… and strive to uplift the viewers’ spirit.”

Originally from Dodge City, Kansas, Hawley has been a professional artist for over 35 years and a Naples resident for 20. She is represented by fine art galleries across the country, but maintains a professional studio-gallery on Linwood Avenue in Naples that is open by appointment.

“Living by the water inspires me and heals me, the changing tides and supreme power that controls it all.” And her work conveys all of that.

‘’Tides of Change’’ by Bonny Hawley, 2 panels totalling 4’x8’. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Now is the time to experience Hawley’s unique art form, She’s currently exhibiting at Sweet Art Gallery in Naples; a reception featuring Hawley’s work is Friday, December 16, 6-9PM.

Hawley is also part of the exhibit, Miniature yet Monumental, at Guess-Fisher Gallery, on display through the end of December. This exhibit proves that great things can come in small packages. Also, check in with Dennison-Moran Gallery for more of Hawley’s smaller works.

You can enjoy your own private exhibition by visiting her web-site, which I highly recommend, but I promise, said visit will compel you to see the real thing. So go out there and treat yourself to a Hawley-day. (Apologies to the artist, I just couldn’t resist!)

Bonny Hawley, 2371 Linwood Ave, Ste 108, www.bhawley.com. Telephone: 239.649.1389

Sweet Art Gallery, 2054 Trade Center Way, Telephone: 239.597.2110.

Guess Fisher Gallery, 810 12 Ave. S., Naples, www.philfishergallery.com. Telephone: 239. 239.2787.

Dennison-Moran Gallery, 360 12 Ave. S., Naples. Telephone: 239.263.0590.

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.tarao gallery.com. 

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Issac Knight, Canvasboard

I am so excited today, I’m grinning from ear to ear and my heart’s skipping like a 10 year old with a jump rope. Picture jump-roping. Now picture jump-roping and typing at the same time  - this could get messy.

The Highwaymen are coming. Well, their paintings are. Against All Odds: The Art of the Florida Highwaymen is coming to the Marco Island Historical Museum December 10 and will be on display through February 29. The exhibit is aptly titled for the group of over two dozen African-American artists from the Ft. Pierce area, who, in the 1950’s and 60’s, persevered through racism, ostracism, and mosquitoes, to produce what many consider the origins of the Florida Regional Art tradition.

I first wrote about the Florida Highwaymen a year ago today in this newspaper. They were denied access to formal training and exhibition venues (and bathrooms, and restaurants and motel rooms). So they painted outside in Florida’s brilliant subtropical wilderness – usually on inexpensive Upson board and framed with crown molding. They sold their art from trunks of cars along 2-lane highways. Their camaraderie solidified at the studio of white (bear-poking, beehive-kicking) landscape artist A.E. ‘Beanie’ Backus, a safe haven where they could learn from each other and share artistic philosophies. They prevailed through persistence and unmitigated temerity. And they are heroes to me.

John Maynor, Upson board

A year ago I referred to those times as “the days of the segregated South,” as though racism no longer existed. I regret that, for on a daily basis I meet people whose prejudices are so deeply rooted as to escape their own introspection (“I’m not a racist, I just don’t think…blah, blah, blah…”). So sad. But if the story of the Florida Highwaymen teaches us one thing, it’s that art has the power to transcend boundaries and transport visions. I’m sorry it didn’t happen in time for so many, I’m comforted it happens at all.

The exhibit is on loan from the Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando and includes the work of 26 Highwaymen plus a painting by ’Beanie’ Backus (another hero).

For more information about the Marco Island Historical Museum, this exhibit and related events, contact the Museum at 239-642-1440, on the web at www.collier museums.com

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.tarao gallery.com.

Livingston Roberts, Upson board

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A different sort of beast was roaming in full display at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve on Tuesday, November 15. Rare and wonderful Florida Artists were out in numbers for the opening reception of the Rookery Bay Annual Painting Exhibition sponsored by the United Arts Council of Collier County and the Friends of Rookery Bay. (While the Florida Artist is not on the endangered list, it is often considered a threatened species, especially in these times of economic uncertainty.)

Since 2004, the UAC (which I have told you to join about a million times) has teamed with Friends of Rookery Bay (also worthy of joining) to put on 19 different exhibitions: painting annuals, photography annuals, pastels, works on paper and all-media exhibits. The creative minds who put on these shows are an equal match for the artists who participate in them.

According to UAC Director Elaine Hamilton, “The collaboration between the United Arts Council and Rookery Bay is perfect. So many of the local artists capture the beauty of nature on canvas, and the art gallery at Rookery Bay is a great place to showcase these works.”

The natural surroundings of the venue are not only beautiful, but are also uniquely and exquisitely suited to the Learning Center‘s mission. Part of this mission is, according to their website, to “create an opportunity for people to increase their sense of wonder for nature by stimulating and celebrating personal expression through the visual arts.”

If you have been thinking about visiting the Reserve, now is definitely the time. These exhibits are always juried by highly qualified professionals, insuring that the art will be top quality. This year’s juror is Barbara Hill, former Executive Director of the Von Liebig Center for the Arts in Naples and currently owner of Hill Fine Art Consulting. Eighteen artists made the grade this year, out of a field of 29. They’ve come from Sanibel, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Naples, Marco Island, and Goodland; all to share their interpretations of nature with you.

The exhibit runs through the end of January. Arts Council www.uaccollier. com, 239-263-8242. Rookery Bay Research Reserve, www.rookerybay.org, 239-417-6310

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.tarao gallery.com. 

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I was recently part of an artists’ forum sponsored by the United Arts Council of Collier County. (If you are not already a member I suggest you get on it – they are the backbone of the Arts in our area.) The general topic was promoting and marketing art in an uncertain economy. Take a roomful of perfectly happy artists and ask them what their problems/obstacles are, and before your eyes the lightest of hearts can darken into something fairly murky.

One comment that struck me came from a photographer who fretted digital imagery was going to be the death of fine-art photographers. Hmm, this artist ain’t jiggy with that. Quality art, in any medium, will always be just that.

PHOTO BY JOEL GEWIRTZ - Flawless colors and composition in this photo taken in Mumbai, India.

Was it only 150 years ago that the ateliers and bodegas of Paris were filled with anxious artists worried that photography was going to be the artless end of painting? Well, that didn’t happen. But what did happen was painting evolved from rigid representations of reality into soulful interpretations of light and color and 2-dimensional compositions. Think Cezanne, Monet, Van Gogh. Think Yippee.

Photography artless? The likes of Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, Edward Weston and Alfred Stieglitz used the technology of the day to create stunning works of art filled with evocative visual narratives and uncommon perspectives. Painting survived.

Put today’s technology into the hands of a true artist and the results can be awe-inspiring. Innovative manipulation of intelligent design will always separate the artist from the shutterbug who runs a snapshot through a Photoshop filter. Excellence will stand the test of time…and technology. For me, nothing can replace the sheer poetry of brushstrokes on canvas. No lens nor shutter will replicate the deliberate placement of pigment next to pigment to create what a painter feels.

PHOTO BY JIM FREEMAN - Neon pelicans are a treat for the eyes.

When I stand in front of a photograph by Joel Gewirtz, who not only eschews all digital manipulation but won’t even crop an image – seriously, what he sees through the lens is what you get – I am inspired to expand the way I look at things.

Now put a camera and a keyboard in the hands of Jim Freeman and prepare to be gobsmacked as boundaries break, realities shift, and that little place inside you gets tickled crazy. Quality is quality is quality. The end.

Jim Freeman’s photographs are available at Blue Mangrove Gallery, Town Center,Marco Island.

A book of Joel Gewirtz’s photographs is available at the Gallery Shop at the Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr., Marco Island.

Info on United Arts Council available at www.uaccollier.com

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.taraogallery.com.

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3-dimensional underwater feel developed from oil paints and resins.

There’s an unorthodox gallery in town. The Marco Island Branch of the Collier County Library hosts a monthly rotation of original artwork by members of the Marco Island Center for the Arts (home of the Art League) – a satellite gallery of sorts. The exhibits feature one artist a month, allowing visitors to get a more comprehensive feel for that artist.

Don’t know about you, but a reading room surrounded by art is my idea of heaven on earth.

The month of October the Library features the work of Bill Andrews. Andrews came late to the game of art, and through a side door. He and his wife, Linda, moved to Naples in 2004 from Indianapolis where he owned an auto body collision repair business. Relevant? You betcha! It’s this work experience he called upon to develop paintings under a hard resin coating. And while he experiments with several styles, it’s these pieces that really shine. (Nooo, I was not being punny.)

So what made him take that first artistic step? ‘’I have always enjoyed art & creating things,’’ he told me, ’’but didn’t decide to take up painting until one day I was shopping with an artist friend who insisted I had a great ability and talked me into buying an oil painting kit.”

Multi-media relief by Bill Andrews at the Marco Library.

Training? “My friend still gives me good advice when I need it, but other than that I’m self-taught. Painting relaxes me and allows me to express my feelings and imaginings on canvas. I enjoy the challenge of creating my own type of art & painting many different subjects.”

A trip to the Marco Library will indeed show a wide variety of methods and motifs. Some are hauntingly ethereal; others, particularly the landscapes, have a primitive charm; and then there are the popping abstracts, encased in resin, that give the viewer a feeling of looking through water. Fun stuff.

Like many emerging artists, Andrews is grateful to local art centers – Naples Art Association and Marco Island Center for the Arts – for providing him with a venue to showcase his work. I, for one, look forward to watching his talents continue to develop. You can contact Bill Andrews at 239.784.0000. Marco Library, 239.394.3272

EXTRA!! My spies were correct: artist Esau Rodriquez will be holding a Dia de los Muertos Arthouse Weekend at Little Bar Restaurant (Uptown Goodland) beginning October 28. Come all to this Day of the Dead exhibit of comically dark paintings with mixed genres and mediums, including handmade masks.

Visit with the artist Saturday and Sunday, from 1:00-4:00PM. Prepare to be amazed! www.littlebarrestaurant.com – 239-394-5663.

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.tarao gallery.com. 

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Why in the world are art lovers converging on Shirley Street, the traditionally industrial neighborhood in Naples? I’m guessing it’s for a chance to see fine artists of all genres at work in their studios. Okay, I’m not guessing, I’m filthy with inside information.

Steve Adams works on a large canvas in his Shirley St. studio.

Shirley Street Galleries and Studios, formerly the notorious Shirley Street 16, is a group that began with five members eight months ago and has grown to include 23 artists. A diverse group of Florida artists, each studio showcases unique and original art.

Fine Art Watercolorist Barbara Groenteman, who moved her gallery to Shirley St. this summer, calls it a place where visitors “can find new and exciting art work in an interactive environment.” And Cynthia Adams, well-known mixed-media artist, treasures her own “proximity to a great and diverse group of artists; we share ideas, resources, and a little motivation when needed.”

Watercolorist Barbara Groenteman enjoys welcoming guests into her studio.

“Bringing people into the studios, letting them see where the art is made, has turned out to be a rich experience for both visitor and artist,” says potter Annabelle Johnson, adding “Having so many different mediums right next door to each other creates the perfect atmosphere. Our slogan is ‘Art in any Direction,’ and we deliver that.”

That’s not all they’re delivering, this season. We can count on monthly happenings. The third Saturday and Sunday of each month, October through April, Shirley Street Galleries and Studios will host open art tours at 5760 and 5860 Shirley St. from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. These events will include lively conversations and the opportunity to win a special piece of art in participating studios.

Here are a few dates to look forward to: Oct. 15-16, 11-4 p.m. ART – In Any Direction, an event demonstrating talents in glass, pottery, wax works, paintings, and sculptures.

Nov. 19-20, 11-4 p.m. ART – Good Things in Small Packages, featuring small art pieces for the perfect early holiday shopping solutions.

For more information call 239-572- 3386.

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.tarao gallery.com. 

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Members’ Gallery, Von Liebig Art Center.

It’s September and you know what that means: SEASON cometh. Artists are gearing up for a busy exhibition schedule; galleries are fine-tuning plans for upcoming events. And you, my friend, still feel like you’re missing something.

I’ve seen you out there, nosed pressed to gallery window, eyeballs rolling up and down the walls. I’ve also seen you at the outdoor art festival, staying well in the center of the aisle, craning your neck for a peek at what’s inside that booth you will not enter. “Why so shy?” asked I. Well, it turns out you’ve had several reasons, and today we‘re going to bohunk the lot.

You feel under-informed and don’t want to embarrass yourself by asking stupid questions. There is no such thing as a stupid question – I cannot stress this enough. You were told this as a child, you’ve probably told it to a child. You have to start somewhere, and, craziest thing, step 1 must precede step 2. A professional artist/dealer will be delighted at your interest and use it as an opportunity to help bring you closer to a more fulsome relationship with art. Today‘s inquirer is tomorrow‘s collector. How are these prices ascertained? How long did it take to create this? Where does the inspiration come from? Why is this special? These questions, left unasked remain a blockade. If your politely formed questions aren’t politely answered, move on. They must know less than you. Period.

Enjoy your walk in the park.

You’re a browser who enjoys admiring art but doesn’t want to insult the artist/dealer with your non-buying ways. I’ve had guests walk into my studio-gallery apologizing as they entered: “Sorry, I’m just peeking…” “Sorry, I’m an art teacher, I don’t want to intrude…” “Sorry, I’m just a student, may I…?” Please, relax. If you’re not looking, we might cease to exist. Okay, okay, that’s a touch heavy-handed, but it’s a lovely compliment when you choose to spend your time engaging with our art. Really. And if it furthers your relationship with art, so much the better. Today’s browsers are next year’s buyers. (Are you seeing a trend here? Good.) Come in, take your time, and remember to ask those questions you’ve kept bottled up.

You hate risking the intrusion of the overly – aggressive artist/dealer. Easily remedied, write this down and save it for the next unnecessarily-attentive artist/dealer: “Thank-you, I’d like to look around. If I have any questions, or need any help, I’ll ask.

You hate risking the disdain of the overly-imperious artist/dealer. These stereotypes are more the exception than the norm, but if an artist/dealer fails to acknowledge your entrance, or makes you feel uncomfortable in any way, leave, escape, run like crazy. The guy in the pince-nez and ascot will get out somehow, but there is nothing for you here. Your art-viewing experiences should always be a pleasure, don’t let anyone fool you otherwise.

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.taraogallery.com

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‘’In the Swim’’ by Shirley Piercey.

Time to check in with our own Marco Island Center for the Arts. You may be accustomed to calling it the Marco Island Art League, but new Executive Director Lynn Holley believes (as do I) that since the recently restructured organization aims to include as many diverse presentations, workshops, exhibits and art forms as possible, that a more inclusive name was a natural necessity

Reknown American illustrator will have a special exhibition coinciding with Fins, Fur, and Feathers.

September’s multi-media juried gallery exhibit is titled Fins, Fur, and Feathers. It’s an artistic celebration of wildlife. ”Well,” said I to Holley, “the title certainly captures the whole kingdom.”

“We thought so,” she replied with a laugh, “but no sooner did our Call-to-Artists go out when I got a call asking if alligators would be an acceptable subject.” The solution to that dilemma will rest on the juror.

What’s exciting to me is this was an open-call, meaning artists from all over were invited to submit to the jurors, and a Center for the Arts co-conspirator tells me that the turn-out was record-breaking. Who knows what fascinating new artists will arrive at our very doorstop. The subject has certainly been inspiring artists since…well, since cave walls.

‘’A Little Birdie Told Me a Fishy Story’’ is a mixed media bit of whimsy by artist Barb Kobe

Reception for the exhibit is September 13, 5:30-7:00. Which brings me to another great change at the Center for the Arts: all receptions are OPEN to the public and FREE! Don’t ya just love those words? So liberating. So liberate yourselves from the summer doldrums and go meet the artists, experience their creative interpretations, and introduce yourself to the fabulous Ms. Holley.

Some upcoming dates worth saving:

October 6 is the 2nd annual Bras for Life live auction, a stellar event. Artists have constructed, reconstructed, and deconstructed bras to help raise breast cancer awareness, contributions for the American Cancer Society of Marco Island, and a few eyebrows. Last year the auction included an autographed bra from A-list actress Annette Bening; this year’s signed celebrity bras come from Lily Tomlin, Gloria Steinem, and Jane Fonda.

Throughout the month of October the galleries at the Center for the arts will host Forme de la Femme, an exhibit celebrating the womanly form through art. There will be a social reception held Tuesday October 11, 5:30-7pm.

Halima Senkukus, a student from Tanzania submitted this tender illustration of a Gorilla.

For more details please contact Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr., Marco Island, 239.394.4221, www.marcoislandarts.org

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.taraogallery.com

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Dear me…where shall I begin…

Since undertaking the mission of uncovering art and artists for your pleasure, I, personally, am never so pleased as when I uncover a young artist or an art genre that runs well away from the mainstream. Today I’m doubly pleased. NOTE: in Art Speak it’s taboo to use age-related labels; acceptable nomenclature includes emerging, mid-career, acme, dead - too bad.

Because Esau [pronounced ee-sa-oo] Rodriguez is young – he graduated Lely High School in 2005 – and when I see so much skill and precision bloom from such young hands, I not only think it worthy of mention, but also celebration. And while he’s not exactly mid-career, he has certainly emerged with a bang. And he has opened my eyes to art de los muertos.

‘’La Amor del los Muerte’’.

Back-up. Start over. Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican celebration with roots deep in Aztec tradition filtered through about 500 years of Christianity. Family and friends gather to celebrate, remember, and honor the dead, and to reunite with beloved ancestors. According to Rodriguez, “because it begins November 1, many Americans wrongly associate it with Halloween. But it is much more spiritual; filled with love and respect.”

The art surrounding this celebration is uniquely Mexican. Rodriguez traced it back for me to the artist Jose Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913), who many consider the father of true muerte artwork. “Death, “ said Posado, “is democratic, because in the end, blond, brown, rich or poor, we all become skulls.” His bold and darkly humorous political and social satires presented the face of Mexican reality: chaotic, passionate, filled with death but very much alive.

‘’Cryptic Vengeance’’ is ripe with dark humor.

Rodriguez, born in Mexico, moved to the United States with his family when he was one year old. While art de los muertos is by no means his only genre/motif/style, he kindly brings us his own delicious 21st-century interpretation of the form. He credits as mentor, Bob Domke, his high school art teacher. “He started it for me in painting, he showed me the basics along with wise techniques and a little about the business of art.” Rodriguez still keeps in touch with his mentor, but also relies on criticisms and ideas from his brother Edgar and sister Noemi.

This painting graphically bursts with colorful brio.

After graduating high school Rodriguez completed a two-year culinary arts program at Lorenzo Walker Institute in Naples. “I considered this a good skill for working my way through college.” To study what, dear reader? Go ahead, guess. Wrong! “To study chemistry.

“Art has become so naturalistic to me and I love it dearly, but it would not fulfill the academic push I crave. And I need something difficult to push me.”

Again, Rodriguez’s art is not limited to death motifs. I found his fish/sea-life paintings graphically bursting with colorful brio. And he really does enjoy experimenting with different styles and mediums. Hesitant to submit to a label, he is willing to describe his work as “realism, fantasial, outsider art.” I’m good with that – I wish more artists were brave enough to define themselves.

Right now you can see Esau Rodriguez’s art at Piola, a lovely Italian restaurant in the Mercato in Naples. It’s worth the drive. You can also check him out at www.esaurodriguez.blogspot.com or www. facebook.com/esaurodriguezart 

THIS JUST FOUND IN THE RUMOR BASKET: A mysterious source informs me that owners of Little Bar Restaurant in Goodland are plotting/conniving/wrangling to bring an exhibit of E.R.’s work to Little Bar for a Dia de Los Muertos celebration. My spies are investigating. Stay tuned.

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.taraogallery.com 

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Part of the artist’s lesson plan. Submitted photos

By Tara O’Neill

In the realm of Chinese brush painting, less is really more. It has to do with distilling a subject down to its essence. I was given a bit of insight recently from Edythe Newbourne of East Meets West Studio on Marco Island.

Brushes handmade in China star in Edythe Newbourne’s studio.

“I was a watercolorist,” recounts Newbourne, “and I found myself less and less interested in backgrounds, and consequently leaving more and more of my paper untouched. My husband and I were living in Washington D.C., our children grown, when a friend convinced me to take a Chinese brush painting class. The instructor noticed my work and was very encouraging, and I loved it – it‘s how I saw things.”

Newbourne, who had studied more traditional western art at Platt Institute and Syracuse University in New York, would go on to do graduate studies in the art form that Zen monks had developed from calligraphy at Zhejian Acadamy in Hang Chow, China. On returning to the U.S. she was accepted into the American Sumi-e Society and began teaching others. I wanted to know more about this ‘distilling’ process (and nooo, not because I’m Irish).

“I call it art of the mind’s eye,” explained Newbourne. “You must plan it carefully because there are no do-overs. Unlike watercolors, the paint is not applied in layers, but in single strokes using deeply saturated pigments. And each stroke must be designed to feature what I call the Star of the show.”

Newbourne works exclusively on rice paper so absorbent that pencil lines cannot be erased or painted over. “You don’t wait for the picture to develop, you must develop it in your head, and then just put your brush down.” Adding that she “loves the feel of brush on paper.”

Peonies, by Edythe Newbourne.

Interestingly, ceramic artists gravitate toward Newbourne’s classes because the style and motifs work so well in clay.

There is so much more to learn about the tradition: the materials, disciplines, variations from country to country. The good news is Newbourne still teaches classes – by appointment – at her studio on Marco. The really good news is those classes are private and cost about $25. She also teaches at Marco Island Center for the Arts (where she Chairs the Education Committee), Sanibel Big Arts, and various communities throughout Naples.

For more information check the website www.eastmeetsweststudio.com or e-mail queries to paintinglady3@gmail.com

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.taraogallery.com

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By Tara O’Neill

A blithe spirit enchants 1555 Shadowlawn Drive. It twists in the trees, sparkles along the garden paths, and nests just out of sight. It is whimsical, satirical, certainly tropical, and definitely spiritual. The sign out front reads The Clay Place. And it couldn’t be anything but.

Time for a field trip! From the parking-space blocks, through the gate, under and over the fences, and all along the dappled footpaths, clay prevails; it is all-enhancing. It’s even imbedded in the walls and floors of the bungalow-style buildings that make up the studio-gallery compound of artist/owner Jim Rice.

Yes, that Jim Rice. The one who opened Naples first professional clay studio in 1973, the one who has sold brilliant hand-painted fish platters, plates and bowls in over 200 stores nationwide. The same one who has created tiling for staircases, fountains, furniture, murals and pools in public and private buildings all over the country. He’s hardly a secret.

So, you find yourself asking, what exactly is she uncovering?

The Clay Place. That’s what. A venue without rival for delight and convenience. One block west of Airport Road and a half block north of Davis Boulevard, the property (once the site of Naples’ very first veterinarian) is a tiny island of tree-canopied old-growth gardens wound through with decorative paths that lace together gallery, studio, kiln house, and assorted outbuildings of mystery and mischief. The city’s cacophony gives way to tickled chimes and fluted birdsong. I am not making this up.

My favorite trailside tableaux involves what appears to be ancient barnacle-encrusted cannons salvaged from shipwreck. But how could he have so many? Because he makes them. Out of clay. Hey, you’d have been fooled, too. And by the way, I do not recommend asking how the barnacles got there.

In the spacious gallery you’ll find cannons that open into platters, chili pepper wall hangings that double as serving bowls, and all manner of colorful hand-painted service ware. It is the crossroads of function and fine-art. Jim enjoys making pots that belong in everyday living “and aren’t too expensive, so if they broke it, it wouldn’t kill them.”

THE BIG EVENT: every March the Clay Place hosts Five Painters and a Potter: artists Jerry Vallez, Phil Fisher, Paul Arsenault, Jeff Fessenden, and Natalie Guess join Jim for a celebration of art, music, food and drink. Do not miss this event – I’m going next year, so I’ll know.

The Clay Place: 239.775.1078, Mon.-Fri., 10 – 4PM, Sat., 10 – 2PM – www.naplesclayplace.com

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.tarao

gallery.com

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Entering the Marco Island Historical Museum. Photos by Val Simon

Summer in Southwest Florida has many a secret. Two of my favorites are: there really are people here, and there really  is lots to do. Of course, if you’re reading this, you’re already in on the ruse.

Come summer, clocks are no longer Public Enemy #1; our high-season work-load has slowed to a simmer and time is once again on our side. Traffic is a vague and uncomfortable memory, parking requires no combat training, and all lines are drawn in the sand. Whether you’re an intrepid summer visitor or a stalwart year-rounder, this is the best time to ‘git out there.’

The Marco Island Historical Museum has grown tremendously this past year. It seems only a minute ago it was no more than a giant fund-raising thermometer on an empty lot; now we have splendid traditional tabby-coated buildings topped with space-age thatching. There’s an auditorium, a gift-shop, and multiple galleries displaying permanent and rotating exhibits dedicated to long-vanished civilizations as well as the pioneers, homesteaders and developers that transformed this wild sandbar into our present-day home.

‘’Something I can’t forget 1913 - A baptizeng at Chokoloske Island at Mr. McKinney’s Landing...40 was baptized, a very precious memory...some were laughing, some were crying, some were shouting and praising God...it seemed that Heaven opened up.’’ Rob Storter.

Currently there is a very touching – and telling – exhibit of drawings, paintings, and journal entries by Rob Storter (1894-1987). Born in Everglades City, Storter chronicled daily life and the abundant wildlife unique to this frontier. He earned his living on the water, fishing, guiding, and moving passengers and freight between here and Key West. This exhibit serves as a portal to a bygone era.

Untutored, unvarnished, and tenderly truthful, Storter connects us to our own backyard history. “Wood stove for cooking, wash board for wash day, rainwater. No radios, no T.V., no cars, but oh what fun we had.”

In 1916 Storter, with his wife Marilea Summerall Storter and their four children, moved to a stilt cabin on an oyster bar at the southern end of Naples Bay. “Oysters, birds, and fish…were plentiful. Sometimes it would be a week and we wouldn’t see a boat pass. Now there are million dollar homes on this spot.”

‘’My first home in Naples...’’ Rob Storter.

A visit to Storter’s world will surely leave you wanting more. To that end I recommend a stop in the Museum Shop for a copy of Crackers in the Glades: Life and Times in the Old Everglades by Betty Savidge Briggs.

Also this summer, the Museum hosts a wonderful collection of Clyde Butcher’s large-format black and white photographs capturing the drama and beauty of natural Florida. It’s as close to a day in the Everglades you can get without wetting your feet.

The Museum is also home to the Marco Island Historical Society who throughout the year stages adventurous excursions, fascinating lectures, movies, and other special events. You can keep up on the Collier Museum website or, better yet, become a member and let them keep you updated.

Marco Island Historical Museum is open Tuesday-Friday, 9AM to 4PM. 180 S. Heathwood Dr., Marco Island. 239.642.1440, www.colliermuseums.com.

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.tarao

gallery.com

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The last issue of Coastal Breeze News was a milestone for me. My article on artist Lee Horton marked my one-year anniversary as the Accidental Columnist.

My year of Multi-tasking. Submitted

Accidental? It started with an idle reflection on how much the art scene has changed in Collier County in the last 40+ years – back when pelicans and sand dunes ruled the painted canvas and abstract was a dirty word. I thought the artists and galleries that rose up from those aesthetic ashes would make an interesting summer writing project. (Dust off some of that grammar my mother drilled into my skull from my birth until her death.) It certainly didn’t seem like a crazy idea when I approached Coastal Breeze.

Talk about snowballs! This one turned out to be the avalanche that ate my office. The runaway train. The bus with no brakes. The column for a cause. And I am so thankful.

We met extraordinary photographer Jim Freeman and anti-depressionistic painter Popo Flanagan; followed 87 years in the life of Jean Belknap, from child snake-charmer to present day gourd-carver. Another Jean (Ortiz) brought to mind the famed Florida Highwaymen.

Untraditional media made the scene – Darren Clack‘s concrete art, and Judy Wittwer’s seashell furniture (which led me to Shells by Emily and the Marco Island Shell Club, where art and science remain happily coupled.)

There was a tiny plea for a restoration-expert to visit the diorama gifted to the Marco Library by artist Paul Buckley. Still hoping.

Island businesses who give support to local artists were applauded: Iberia Bank, Publix at the Shops of Marco, Little Bar Restaurant, and the office of Dr. Meghan Welker were on that list – which I’m sure is just a scratch on the surface. Blue Mangrove Gallery and the Art Boutique in Tin City got gold stars for reaching out to and promoting artists of Southwest Florida. We could use more like them.

Exhibits and events at our non-profits had to be relayed: Art League, Marco Island Center for the Arts; Marco Island History Museum; Museum of the Everglades in Everglades City (they definitely need a revisit); Von Liebig Art Center and the Naples Art Association; Marco Island Foundation for the Arts; and the Collier County Museum in Naples all had a lot going on…but nary a mention of the many exhibits held at area libraries, airports, parks, and, educational centers sponsored by the granddaddy of them all, The United Arts Council of Collier County.

Independent artist groups have formed and flourished on the simple premise that no one need go it alone; the Artist Colony at the Esplanade, Naples ArtCrafters, and Marco’s Outdoor Artist Group have made pursuing the life of an artist a reality for many. Artists who chose to think outside the gallery, like street-corner chainsaw artist, Mike Von Schroth, and all the participants in Marco’s Farmers Market, had stories that were a delight to share.

I meant to visit the Shirley Street 16. And Jim Rice’s Clay Place. And the guy who sculpts 40 foot wooden fishing poles. It seems though, that without actually planning on a journalistic crusade, I was comically unprepared for the height of ‘season’: the demands of my own art studio, obligations to cultural organizations, and, well, life. Ever see those guys who spin plates on top of free-standing sticks? They have to keep running faster and faster to add more plates on more sticks while keeping the first ones spinning? That was me. Hilarious with artful touches of pure panic.

Today, as I sit at my desk reviewing my year’s journey, I am acutely aware of all the places I didn’t go and the artists I didn’t interview. But summer, good old summer, is here again. So, with your continued support, and the kind permission of this publication, I think I better get a plan and get to work.

Tara O’Neill, a lifelong artist, has been an area resident since 1967. She holds Bachelors Degrees in Fine Arts and English from the University of South Florida, and currently has a studio-gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco Island. Contact her through www.tarao gallery.com

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