A Time To Advocate For The Arts

Funding for the arts is often cut or eliminated during times of economic uncertainty.

Many of us find this fact disturbing to our core. We recognize the value of arts and
culture. We may not know the statistics, but deep in our hearts we understand that arts promote true prosperity.

The arts help us express our values and build bridges across cultures. The arts strengthen the economy. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reports that the arts and culture sector is a $699 billion industry – 4.3 percent of the nation’s GDP – a larger share than transportation or agriculture. In the beautiful Southwest Florida region, where so much of our vitality is owed to the tourism industry, we appreciate how the arts drive tourism and are good for local merchants. Arts have a social impact, challenging the status quo,
reducing crime and poverty rates and increasing social engagement.

Perhaps most importantly, the arts spark the creativity and innovation that are among the top five applied skills sought by successful business leaders. The arts drive personal, corporate and national success.

Many local arts and cultural organizations, including The Naples Art Association, will see their funding impacted by decisions
made in Tallahassee to reduce funding to the arts. As of the writing of this article, Congressional representatives are meeting to discuss possible reductions or even elimination of funding for The National Endowment for the Arts.

The Naples Art Association urges you to join the advocacy efforts and communicate with your state and national representatives to let them know how important arts funding is to you, our community and our nation. Luckily for all of us in Southwest Florida, The Naples Art Association has tons of great programming on tap in the coming months including fantastic exhibitions, classes and workshops, and the seasonal return of Art in the Park, the longest running outdoor art festival in Naples!

The Naples Art Association counts on private contributions to help keep the doors open. Although The Naples Art Association is a sixty-year-old organization with a dogged commitment to support the visual arts in Southwest Florida, the organization lacks a significant endowment to help cover operating expenses. For that reason, each year an Annual Campaign is formed and individual contributions are solicited in order to ensure that the valuable educational and artistic services provided by the NAA remain available and affordable to everyone in our community.

Consider being part of the movement by making a contribution of whatever amount is easy, every bit counts. Because The Naples Art Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, donations made to the organization are tax-deductible (not to mention great karma!). Make a donation now at NaplesArt.org.

In these trying times, when funding for arts and culture is being cut, your support means more than ever when it comes to keeping the local Naples community vibrant and alive with artistic opportunities.

On View

Gareth Rockliffe – Lake Cresent

Coming up in August, September and October, The Naples Art Association is continuing its lifelong tradition of providing the highest quality artistic experiences to everyone in our community. You should feel more than welcome to come on down to the von Liebig Art Center, open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., and free to the visiting public. Through September 4th, you will find three fantastic exhibitions on view at the von Liebig Art Center: Gareth Rockliffe: The Great American Coastline, Olde Naples: Works from the Legacy Collection and work by our summer ARTScool participants.

In Gareth Rockliffe: The Great American Coastline, Naples photographer and long-time Naples Art Association member Gareth Rockliffe exhibits photographs of the country’s coastlines (Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Pacific) photographed over a two year period. Rockliffe is engaging crowdsource funding for the project and will use social media to allow people to follow his coastline journeys on their personal handheld devices via Facebook. During the summer of 2014 Rockliffe along with wife Jan Soderquist travelled the Pacific Coast. Beginning at the US/Mexico border, Rockliffe photographed California, Oregon and Washington with their journey ending at the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Photographs from this portion of The Great American Coastline project are on view and worth taking a look at. His images go well beyond travel photography, using angry clouds and dramatic light and color to create powerful images.

Gareth Rockliffe – Fort Stevens

During the past two decades The Naples Art Association has collected artwork created after its 1954 date of incorporation as a nonprofit organization. The NAA now holds over two hundred works of American art in painting, drawing, sculpture, fiber, photography and works on paper. The NAA’s Collection is made possible through the ongoing generosity of artists, collectors, galleries and other supporters of the arts. The exhibition Olde Naples is drawn from artwork in the NAA’s Collection and represents the early development of Naples and its continued development through the Twentieth Century. A visit to the neighborhood known as Olde Naples still reveals the vestiges of a quiet fishing village with cottages, an historic shopping district and the fishing pier. Much of the artwork in this exhibition recalls days gone by, when Naples was remote and sparsely populated. Other works portray an idyllic lifestyle and reveal the progression of growth and change in the district.

Margaret Lindmark – Mardi Gras

In the beginning of August, Naples Art Association’s beloved ARTScool Summer Arts Education Program is winding down and local students are preparing for the next school year. Take the opportunity to see what the kids have been up to. Works from ARTScool will be available and on view at The Naples Art Association in August and beginning September 29th, will be on view in Naples City Hall until February 2nd.

If you have ever attended an NAA preview reception, you know how much fun they can be. Consider joining your artistic community on September 18th from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the preview reception for Your Choice 2015.

Naples Art Association preview receptions are a ton of fun with wine and hors d’oeuvres, scores of local and national artists and the opportunity to view fantastic art before everyone else. The Your Choice 2015 exhibition features artwork in all media by Naples Art Association members. The exhibition gives artists of all skill levels an opportunity to exhibit and share their artwork with a larger audience. Awards for Your Choice 2015 will be determined by a popular vote held during the preview reception.

Become a part of the action and help determine the winner of this very popular and varied exhibition. Your Choice 2015 will continue on view through October 26th.

Cool Experiences

Classes and workshops kick off again in October with the return of the community favorite: Wine and Dezine!

Your inner artist called and she wants you to take Wine and Dezine on October 8th where you relax and release your creativity with the help of vino and friends!

Absolutely everything you need to create and take home your own masterpiece is included in the cost of this three hour workshop. No artistic ability or painting experience is necessary. Wine and Dezine is really set apart from some other wine and art services, because instructor Anne Chaddock will help ensure that you create a wall-worthy masterpiece, rather than something you might feel inclined to shove in a closet. Come back on October 9th for Intuitive Art & Yoga, another no experience necessary workshop that fuses the creativity building movements of beginner’s yoga with the inspiring freedom of intuitive art. The result is a powerful rendezvous with the best of your inner you. Then on November 4th, enjoy a usable art workshop making a mosaic planter.

Each of these workshops is appropriate for beginners and is intended to be “Just for Fun.” After dipping your toes in the water with these “Just for Fun” workshops, you might be ready for more. Session one classes, which span multiple weeks and dive into the technique of making fantastic art, begin on October 19th. Sign up now as classes fill fast.

Back by popular demand on October 16th and 17th, Art Business Bootcamp guides career artists and individuals seeking to make a profit from their artistic passion. This two day, multi-session, fabulous workshop is led by instructors from Arts Business Institute and provides high-quality instruction specifically geared to help artists find new and creative ways to make money from their art. For more information on Art Business Bootcamp, or any of NAA’s other classes or workshops, visit NaplesArt.org or call 239.262.6517.

October 22nd will be a good day. Community fixture and local artist Phil Fisher will join The Naples Art Association at Veranda
E in Hotel Escalante for the first Dinner with Artist of the 2015-16 season. Each Dinner with Artist program pairs a culinary artist with a visual artist. The artists share their passions and processes and create a palette to palate evening of interactive artistic experiences and gourmet food. Seating is very limited at each Dinner with Artists event in order to maintain the intimate ambiance of the evenings. Enjoy fantastic art experiences, a multi-course gourmet meal, drinks and gratuity all included in one very reasonable ticket price. Join the experience and bring a date!

Finally, you won’t want to miss the first Art in the Park of the season on November 7th from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. along Park Street, west of the von Liebig Art Center. Now celebrating 59 years as Naples’s oldest art fair, Art in the Park features Naples Art Association members showcasing a variety of original paintings, photographs, unique décor, wearables, collectibles and gifts. This juried art fair is held the first Saturday of the month November through April. Art in the Park offers unparalleled opportunity to get to know the artist of your favorite new piece and understand the process and passions that went into its creation.

AN INVITATION TO CONNECT

Come see why The Naples Art Association at The von Liebig Art Center has been voted one of the best galleries in Naples with more local art for sale by a wider variety of local artists than anywhere else in Naples. There are many ways to engage in creativity offered by NAA: enjoy one  day workshops and art fusion events, take a class with a master instructor or find the perfect gift in our one of a kind gift shop. Admission is free and opens the door to a greater participation in arts and our community. Tour the galleries, shop, take a class or volunteer. The Naples Art Association works to support your creative evolution. Visit Naplesart.org for information on upcoming events and schedule of classes and workshops. The Naples Art Association is built from the resources and passion of our community to serve the members of our community.

Come be a part of the art: Imagine! Discover! Create!