41st Annual Art Show, Sale to feature about 80 artists
Approximately 80 artists, who are members of the Pine Island Art Association, will have their paintings for sale during the 41st Annual Art Show and Sale at the Matlacha Park community building.
The walls of the community building will be filled with artwork on Saturday, Feb. 9, and Sunday, Feb. 10, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The show will showcase Florida theme works, ranging from small to large, in all mediums, matted and framed and ready to hang.
“It’s a fabulous show,” Vicky Werner, Pine Island Art Association president, said. “We get people from all over.”
The show typically attracts 3,000 people during its Annual Art Show and Sale.
Werner believes people attend the show because of the welcoming feeling the attendees receive, as well as the food provided and the art that is displayed.
“I think it’s good art,” she said. “Come to our show and also experience Matlacha.”
Greg Ehmann has participated in the annual Art Show and Sale for the past 10 years. He said he enjoys the show because he sells a least three or four paintings each year.
“It’s the biggest show in this area,” Ehmann said.
Although he has painted his entire life, he said he jumped further into his passion when he retired in 2000.
“I painted while I was in the Army,” Ehmann said.
He joined the Pine Island Art Association in 2002 when he started painting in the area. Ehmann said he enjoys capturing something people enjoy looking at in his paintings.
Myrtle Orzalli, a watercolor artist for approximately 30 years, will also have her artwork on display during the show. The majority of her paintings are of birds.
She said she began painting because she enjoys the creativity. It provides her with the opportunity to express herself.
“It’s like a puzzle to make it look like you want it to look,” Orzalli said.
She was amongst many other artists Friday morning as they all gathered at the Pine Island Art Association building with their paintings and supplies.
“I paint better with a group then at home,” Orzalli said.
The first art show she participated in occurred in the early 1990s. Orzalli said she continues to submit her artwork because she enjoys all the people who come out and enjoy the artwork, along with listening to what they are talking about.
“This is my one show a year,” she said.
Jack Lovell joined the Pine Island Art Association after Helen Pierce, a teacher from Punta Gorda, began teaching classes in Matlacha. He started painting with watercolor in 1992.
Lovell said he paints primarily for his own amusement.
“Sometimes I surprise myself,” he said of the end product.
Shrimp boats are Lovell’s favorite object to paint.
“I have painted almost 30 shrimp boat paintings and they sell every year,” he said.
The artist has participated in the annual Art Show & Sale in Matlacha for at least 10-15 years. Lovell enjoys displaying his artwork because it benefits the grant program the Pine Island Art Association funds.
“You just get to meet a lot of nice people,” he said was among his other enjoyment of the show. “There’s a lot of local talent here. This show sells more paintings than any other in the Southwest Florida conference.”
Phyllis Dowd, Pine Island Art Association board member, said they typically sell 150 of the large paintings during the two-day art show and 500 of the mini paintings.
The artists who participate in the show create six original mini paintings, which sell for just $10 each.
Dowd said the Pine Island Art Association used to offer a scholarship to high school graduates who were majoring in art, before they implemented a grant program. She said art teachers are awarded up to $500 to purchase something special for their art class.
Last year, Dowd said they provided Pine Island Elementary School, as well as four other schools in the Cape Coral and North Fort Myers area, with a grant. She said teachers purchased such things as a slab roller, brushes and pallets for their students.
Dowd said it is so important for children to have special things at school. With the grant program, she said now every child has the opportunity to benefit from the grant.
The Pine Island Art Association currently has 200 members. Dowd said they have members from Pine Island, Cape Coral, North Fort Myers and Burnt Store Marina.
For more information visit www.pineislandart.com or call 239-283-4432.