Island artist featured at county courthouse display
In a show of support for local arts, Lee County Commissioner Tammy Hall offers area artists the opportunity to display work at the Old County Courthouse in Fort Myers.
Until June 17, Nancy Cunningham, a Cape Coral resident, and Pine Island resident Jeanne Workman will show a collection of wearable art at the District 4 office with an exhibit they have dubbed “Material Girls.”
Hall is a long-time supporter of the arts and is the recipient of the Angel of Arts Award as a business sponsor, which was presented to her in 2009.
In a statement issued by Hall, she said, “The arts are an important part of the cultural and development of our community. I believe that the government can play an important role in public awareness, developing the use of public spaces for display and interaction of art, and for the encouragement and commitment of continued financial support both public and private of all the arts.”
Workman sees this opportunity to not only display her work, but to introduce others in Lee County to the art community that is so prominent on Pine Island.
“I have loved working with Peggy McTeague at WildChild for the last 10 years and this is a great way for others in Lee County to know just how much talent is here on the island. Not only artists, but musicians and book authors live and work here and I think people would enjoy getting to know more about us and who we are,” Workman said. “I love Pine Island and Matlacha because there is no better place to associate with like minded people and I feel honored to have the opportunity to share some of it with others in the county.”
Workman said her art is a combination of color, texture, form and space, which is represented in art quilts. Appreciative of nature, many of Workman’s pieces involve seascapes, landscapes and still lives common to the area. She uses fabrics of various shades and textures, layering them to develop depth and shading in her original designs.
Workman has developed a reputation for her work on Pine Island through showing at several area galleries and in art shows where she has earned several best in show awards. Her most recent public appearance was during Art in the Heart of Matlacha at the WildChild Gallery in Matlacha last February. She also was featured in Gulf Life Magazine for wearable art in March 2005. In addition to quilts, Workman also will showcase framed silk paintings and wearable pieces along side those produced by Cunningham at the Old County Courthouse.
“I and Nancy met several years ago and hit if off right away and since that time we have collaborated on a lot of projects,” Workman said. “Each of us has our own individual pieces on display at the courthouse and some are those that we have worked on together. So far the response has been incredible and I am very excited about having my work seen in this new venue.”
In addition to creating works of art from cloth, Workman studied to obtain a career in floral design and enjoys landscaping, flower gardening and home decorating.
According to Executive Assistant to Commissioner Hall Carmen Salome’ other local artists will be featured every six weeks at Hall’s office located at 2120 Main St., in downtown Fort Myers, and those wishing to view the display are asked to call 533-2226 to confirm office hours before planning a trip into the city. Information about the art program supported by Hall may also call the District 4 office at 533-2226 and speak to carmen Salome’