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Crafters roots art community. They held monthly meetings, sometimes in the

The group became The Naples ArtCrafters, a self-governing grass

to
The purpose of the meetings was to get the community involved
Artisans lobby of a local bank, sometimes in the hall at Grace Lutheran Church.
either as an artist/artisan or as someone that would support the arts.
Each year the group grew larger. They had a loyal following of
local residents who spread the word to the seasonal residents.
After several years the Naples ArtCrafters show became too large
by Dusty Holmes to hold in a clubhouse.
Along with gaining
n 1967 a group of five women, led by Mrs. Emma Carter, sat
more artists and artisans,
down at a kitchen table to discuss how they could sell their
they were gaining more
Icrafts to make a little extra pocket money. At the time, the
patrons. In the 1970s and
exclusive “arts” groups in town would have nothing to do with
1980s, the shows were
what was considered “crafts”. But these five women knew they
held at the old Central
had handmade items that were worthy to exhibit and sell.
Mall, Grand Central
They came up with the idea to have occasional small craft fairs
Station and the Cove Inn
in some of the local clubhouses. To no one’s surprise people came,
Auditorium. In 1976
and people bought. Word spread, and people couldn’t wait for the
the Naples Artcrafters
next craft fair. They became so popular they decided to include
donated a portion of their
some of the local “hobby” artists. That is when it was determined
proceeds to help the city
they had to come up with a name for the group so that they could
purchase the old train
better promote themselves.
depot. It was thought at
the time that the depot
could be used as a venue
Emma Carter, NAC for community activities
like art shows.
Sometime in the 1990s the decision was made to hold outdoor
shows at a venue that could hold more people. The logical place was
Cambier Park in beautiful downtown Naples. What could be better
than a stroll in the park surrounded by beautiful objects of art?
By this time the world of crafts had gained a degree of
sophistication and the combination of art and crafts in one show
gave people the variety they were looking for. The idea of an outdoor
show had also gained popularity and nowhere is there better weather
in the winter than right here in sunny Southwest Florida.
In 2015 the Naples ArtCrafters became a 501(c)(3) corporation.
ArtCrafters in 1969 The mission of the Naples ArtCrafters is to support local artists and
artisans in the development of artistic endeavors and to promote and
advance artistic expression through visual arts and fine crafts.
In addition to producing seven fine art and craft shows each year, the
Naples ArtCrafters support local area programs, including
instructional programs and exhibitions, through grants and
scholarships from funds derived from its activities.
This year, the Naples ArtCrafters has about 120 members.
All of them have one thing in common. They have all been subject
to a rigorous jury process in order to exhibit their art.
Gone are the days of sitting around a kitchen table creating
handmade items. Yesterday’s “craft ladies” have morphed into
“artisans”, and the men and women of the Naples ArtCrafters now
offer the best selection of fine arts and crafts in Southwest Florida.

For more information on the Naples ArtCrafters please visit their
website: www.naplesartcrafters.com.
5 ArtCrafters

30 Life in Naples | January 2020