Art Night season kick-off Friday
An annual tradition, Art Night is officially back on Friday, Nov. 12.
Highlighting the arts on Pine Island and Matlacha, participating gallery and gift shops will offer visitors extended hours, samples of finger foods, featured artists and live music which have made these events so popular.
Most who attend Art Night locate a safe place to park their vehicle and travel on foot from gallery to gallery and among the first stops found along Pine Island Road in Matlacha is Bert’s Pine Bay Gallery located at the eastern foot of the Matlacha bridge.
On Friday afternoon, from 2 to 8 p.m. Pine Bay will feature the unique shell art by Bokeelia resident, Gwenn Goodwin, and Matlacha resident, Marie Cahill. Both of the local artists are well known throughout the area for creating unique works of art using shells collected from the beaches of southwest Florida. Items on display and for sale using shell art include ornaments, angels, mirrors, chairs and more.
The festivities at Pine Bay will continue Saturday, when a woodworking demonstration will be provided by professional carpenter, Wayne Owen. Known for using local woods such as buttonwood, Australian pine and tulip wood, Owen will show a feng shue table with movable shells.
Also on Saturday, Jo Brooks of Matlacha will be at the gallery to demonstrate the techniques of creating colorful jewelry of polymer clay. Both Owen and Brooks will be at Pine Bay from 1 to 5 p.m.
Just up the road in Matlacha, Leoma Lovegrove of Lovegrove Gallery and Gardens, along with Sip and Send of Cape Coral will host Holiday for Heros IV on Friday, Nov. 12, from 5 to 8 p.m. This year the benefactors of the Holiday for Heros event will be the 2/6 Spartans Battalion currently stationed in Afghanistan.
The evening will feature a wine tasting and live entertainment along with a silent auction with proceeds to benefit the battalion. Auction items include vacation packages from area resorts and merchandise from local stores as well as gift baskets and certificates.
According to Lovegrove, the goal this year is to send 500 boxes to the Spartan Battalion in time for the holidays. All proceeds will go to support the drive and cover the mailing expense.
Next door to Lovegrove Gallery and Gardens, Island Visions also will host numerous exhibits from local artists. On Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. watch as Ann Shuey paints miniatures oils. In addition to works in progress, Shuey also will display various finished pieces as well. Then on Saturday, from 1 to 4 p.m. artist Joan Roberts will be at Island Visions to demonstrate her method of creating paintings of fish, flowers or beach scenes in oil or acrylic.
Byron Wertz, gemologist, will demonstrate his Victorian-style wire wrapped jewelry technique at Island Visions throughout the weekend. Using his own cut gems and stones, Wertz will be at the gallery on Friday and Saturday from 1 to 8 p.m. and again on Sunday from 12 to 3 p.m. Island Visions owner, Steve Timcak can also be found throughout the event working in his studio, and he encourages visitors to stop in and discuss his latest works in Steampunk and glass jewelry pieces.
Over in St. James City, Earth and Spirit Garden Gallery located on Maria Drive will present its monthly fireside tales with Calusa Ghost Tours taking visitors on a journey through the past on Friday evening beginning at 8 p.m. All attending are encouraged to bring a lawn chair.
On Saturday Nov. 13 and Sunday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the work of local and global artist, Erica Suarez will be highlighted. Suarez will present the works of new jewelry and Peruvian clay artisans. In addition, Earth and Spirit invites all to join them in celebrating “Gratitude” month by expressing themselves on the garden “gratitude” wall.
Art Night is held the second Friday of each month from October through April when participating galleries offer extended hours for this event.
For more information, visit: artnightonpineisland.com.