Art show draws a crowd
Cars were lined up from Burnt Store Road to Matlacha from before 10 a.m. until after 3 p.m. Saturday, for the Pine Island Art Association’s Fine Art Show and Sale, where hundreds of paintings were on display from local artists.
Pine Island Art Association president and co-chair of the event, Vicky Werner, was very pleased with the turnout.
“Even this early we’ve had lots of people through the gallery,” Werner said. “This is our 44th annual Pine Island art show and sale.”
The Pine Island Art Association has more than 200 members and at least 70 artists on display. There were hundreds of paintings on display from “mini” paintings to wall size paintings. Landscapes, seascapes, birds, fish, flowers in all painting mediums: watercolors, acrylics, oils, and pastels. The “mini” paintings were 3 inches by 4 inches and sold for just $10 each.
The association started over 40 years ago when a small group of people wanted the company of other artists while they painted. For many years, the association rented space at the Matlacha Civic Center one morning a week. The association now has a building and a staff which teaches classes 5 days a week, January through April, and 2 days a week during the summer. Short-term workshops by well-known artists complete the offerings.
“My sister and I always come for art shows,” Becky Sanfourd said. “This is one of the best on the island and at least one of us will probably buy something. I probably have a dozen paintings from local artists in my home.”
The Pine Island Art Association is at 4577 Pine Island Road in Matlacha Community Park in Mat-lacha. For additional information about the association, call 239-283-4432, email info@pineisland-art.com of visit www.pineislandart.com