ArtFest Fort Myers to feature broad scope of artists,works
ArtFest Fort Myers will fill the streets of downtown Fort Myers on Feb. 5 and 6 with 200 national artists, along with artwork from high school students.
In addition to the ArtFest on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., this year the festival will compliment the monthly downtown Art Walk on Feb. 4, from 6 to 10 p.m., featuring 50 festival artists and their artwork.
This year’s festival will feature 200 national artists displaying sculptures, original oil paintings, watercolor paintings, jewelry, ceramics, glass, mixed media, metal, photography, wood and fiber. The festival will also feature Art Under 20, along with a Visiting Artists Program for middle school students.
The Cape Coral schools that are participating in the Art Under 20 will feature 25 students from Cape Coral High School, 29 students from Island Coast High School and 21 students from Mariner High School.
Assistant Festival Director Jeanne Seehaver said approximately 300 volunteers help during the two-day festival weekend to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Cape Coral artist Charles Greenholdt, 78, began his journey as a painter 45 years ago once he finished his training. He will be participating in the Artfest for the seventh year this year.
He still gets out his paint brushes, turns on music and gets lost in his “super real watercolor portraits” he has turned to since the economy changed.
“I intend to go on for a while,” he said.
Greenholdt is currently working on a portrait piece, which he began a week and a half ago, of a little girl and her father. He explained that the two individuals really look “like who they are,” adding that he makes them “say hello” in his painting.
“That is how long things take me to do,” he said of the 12×16 portrait he hopes to finish by the end of the week. “It is very involved.”
He said he enjoys painting because he likes making things happen in front of him.
“I like seeing the “portrait materialize” he said. “It makes me happy, and it makes a lot of people happy.”
Seehaver said the Visiting Artist Program began because they previously did not offer anything for middle school art students.
Carolyn Gora, who is a art teacher for the Lee County School District and organizer of the Visiting Artists Program, said this year they have 15 middle schools participating in the program, along with 15 artists. Diplomat Middle school, Mariner Middle School, Caloosa Middle School and Gulf Middle School are the Cape Coral schools which are participating in the program this year.
“Having artists in the classroom is always a fabulous experience for the students,” Gora said. “They love to watch artists’ demonstrations, ask artists questions and create art based on what they’ve learned.”
She explained that it also gives the students an opportunity to meet a “real” artist who is making a living creating art.
“It also gives students an opportunity to visit the artist at Artfest Fort Myers to see the artist they have met selling their work,” Gora said.
Greenholdt has been participating in the Visiting Artist Program for the past six or seven years because he enjoys working with middle school students. He explained the children ask a lot of questions, which enhances their interaction.
“The kids are very enthusiastic,” he said about the middle school students. “I find them to be more intuitive.”
Greenholdt said he usually brings a painting that he is working on with him when he visits a classroom, so he can show the students how to work different things into the painting, along with showing them what kind of brushes he uses and materials on which he paints.
“I enjoy it and they enjoy it,” he said, adding that he usually receives a bunch of notes about how the students enjoyed the program. “I guess that is the name of the game.”
Mary Graham, an art teacher at Caloosa Middle School said Greenholdt will visit her classroom on Feb. 7. She said she has invited Visiting Artists into her classroom for at least the past five years because “students experience different types of art than we cover in the classroom setting.”
“The students experience the passion these artist have for their craft and the artist are great cheerleaders/supporters for the students to explore various artistic mediums,” Graham said. “I have advanced art classes and these students are planning on a career in some artistic venue, they can also the artist practical questions about earning a living as an artist.”
She said she enjoys the program because the artists provide her with a different perspective on their medium.
“Mr. Greenholdt is a master watercolorist, he is a great resource for skills and techniques for both my students and myself,” Graham said. “I personally have very limited experience with watercolors and I look forward to learning something too.”
For more information about ArtFest Fort Myers visit www.ArtFestFortMyers.com.