Art After Dark – March 2016

Naples has become known in recent years for being an “art” town. This time of the year it becomes more evident with at least one outdoor art show and numerous gallery shows happening each weekend through Easter.

A number of these events bring many artists from everywhere else to market their works here because of the positive things they’ve heard. The arts have played an important part of how Naples has grown in a cultural way, which is a good thing for a community.

Arsenault, Art & Seafood Festival On Haldeman Creek

It is, however, important to remember that there are a handful of artists who helped get the arts rooted here and encouraged it to be the flourishing arts community that it is today and will be tomorrow. Some of these artists will be featured in an outdoor art show called “Five Painters & A Potter.” This event will be held on Sunday March 20th, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Clay Place, 1555 Shadowlawn Drive.

Here, the public will get the opportunity to meet six of these artists that have made the Naples area their home for many years and have helped shape the art world in Southwest Florida. Jim Rice, Phil Fisher, Paul Arsenault, Natalie Guess, Tara O’Neill and Rick Wobbe, will be featured that day amidst the type of “art environment” that was the way art shows used to be here. There will be live music by Captain Joe And The Bottom Feeders in a comfortable tropical location where the public can view works by these artists and take home a favorite that they find among the various treasures to behold. Our newest artist, Rick Wobbe, will exhibit his fine craft paintings in stained glass which will add a wonderful variety to the mediums represented including paintings in oil, watercolor, acrylic and batik, and of course, clay creations by our resident potter. It is a “must do” in the month of March.

Guess, Contemplation

“must do” is “Art After Dark”, Saturday, March 12th from 6 to 9 p.m., hosted by the Galleries of Crayton Cove. This event, in a historic part of Old Naples, offers the opportunity to visit the galleries and studios during a festive evening with live music by groups such as Alchemy and Acoustically Speaking.

The participating galleries are Phil Fisher Gallery/Studio, Nora Butler Design & Gallery, Earth & Fire, Vintage Charm, Random Acts of Art, Naples Ships Store and Guess-Fisher Gallery.

The Galleries of Crayton Cove are a professional artist community in Old Naples by the Bay, all within a one-block walk, where 8th St. S. and 12th Ave. S. meet at the flagpole.