Author: boost

Enjoy three hours of live acoustic music in the Foulds Theatre at the Alliance for the Arts on Sunday, December 8 from 2-5PM, presented by the Acoustic Music Society of Southwest Florida. The show begins with two great bluegrass bands, the Bugtussle Ramblers and Sawgrass Drifters, and then concludes with Andy Wahlberg and his harp guitar. The Sunday afternoon concert series continue on January 5.

Tickets are $7 at the door, or $5 for Alliance members.  Seating is open and first come, first serve.  Children 12 and under are free if accompanied by an adult.  Doors open at 1:30PM.

For the past six months a group of poets have been meeting at the Alliance for the Arts, exchanging thoughts on each other’s work and dreaming up ways to raise awareness and appreciation of poetry in Southwest Florida. The group, now known as The Poetry Alliance, will embark on this mission on Saturday, November 16 from 7-9PM with its first event When Generations Collide – an Evening of Intergenerational Poetry. Poets, Spoken Word Performers, and Slam Poets are invited to share their art during this evening of variety and entertainment. Anyone interested in participating should call 239-939-2787. A second event is scheduled for February 1, 2014.

The Poetry Alliance will celebrate National Poetry Month on April 17, 2014 with an event called Broadsides – Poetry Off the Shelf.  Broadsides is both an exhibit and poetry reading, featuring new works created by twelve local poets and artists.  Broadsides, single works of visual art integrating the text of poems, will be exhibited while poets read their work. The original works and prints will be offered for sale to benefit the program.

For the past year travelers passing through Southwest Florida International Airport have had the chance to see the “Honor, Country & Heroism” public art exhibit along the walls of Concourses B & D. The exhibit is part of the Art in Flight Program, a partnership between the Lee County Port Authority and the Alliance for the Arts that brings artwork to the millions of people who travel through RSW every year. The Alliance worked with 32 local artists, including six military veterans, to bring this patriotic-themed art to RSW. The paintings in “Honor, Country & Heroism” have served as a welcome home for troops returning to Southwest Florida and a tribute to our veterans.

The “Honor, Country & Heroism” exhibit comes down at the end of October and it will then move to the Alliance for the Arts for a two week exhibition giving the public one last opportunity to experience it, or purchase the work. The opening reception is Friday, November 1 from 5-7:30PM. It runs through November 16. Work by Adrian Mata will be on display in the Member Gallery during the exhibition. James “JR” Roberts is featured in the Theatre Lobby.

“Honor, Country & Heroism” will be replaced at the airport by an exhibit created by Lee County art students and their teachers called “Oh, The Places You Will Go.” It goes on display at the end of 2013.

The Alliance for the Arts’ Member Gallery Book Club continues on Tuesday, November 18 with a discussion Susan Vreeland’s Clara and Mr. Tiffany.

Join fellow Alliance members in this monthly exploration of literature focused on art, artists, art history, and art appreciation.

During the Gilded Age just before the turn of the twentieth century, Tiffany forged his reputation in stained-glass. His highly recognizable style blended Art Nouveau, the exoticism of the Aesthetics Movement, and his own adoration of nature. Until recently, it was assumed that he was the designer of the celebrated leaded-glass lampshades. However, two collections of letters reveal that an unrecognized woman, Clara Driscoll, designed the floral shades as well as many of the bronze bases. Clara and Mr. Tiffany presents these two figures–one the giant of American decorative arts, the other unknown–as they engage each other, collaborating, probing and frustrating each other, stumbling over their passions.

The Member Gallery Book Club meets from 7-9PM on the third Tuesday of every month. Club members must purchase their own copy of each book. A discussion guide will be available for download at artinlee.org beginning November 1. Pre-registration is encouraged – an active Alliance membership is all that’s required. The club continues on Tuesday, December 17.

Alliance individual memberships are $50 per year, and a family can join for just $75 per year. Membership benefits include 20% discounts on all classes & workshops, a wide variety of FREE class Try It sessions, discounts on theatre tickets and youth camps, special exhibition opportunities and the satisfaction of knowing you’re supporting a vibrant community of artists and art enthusiasts here in southwest Florida.

The Alliance for the Arts GreenMarket continues its Fall & Winter Growing Season Workshop Series on Saturday, October 19 at 10:30AM with a presentation on the basics of vegetable and plant propagation. Starting your own seeds and reproducing from cuttings is an affordable and rewarding way to keep your garden growing and to provide an abundance of plants to share with friends. This session will cover choosing your varieties, timing of plantings, container options, potting media, tips specific to different plant species and more.

This workshop is presented by Millisa Bell, also known as “The Unruly Gardener.” Bell is a Florida native, organic gardener, permaculturist, and beekeeper who shares her passion for local food production through speaking and teaching events. She believes there is nothing more worthy than devoting quality time to the food we eat, and that one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and our communities is an understanding of how to grow and cultivate a portion our own food supply.

The GreenMarket’s Fall & Winter Growing Season Workshop Series continues every 1st and 3rd Saturday through March. The series is intended to inspire the community into more sustainable practices, including growing their own food organically in small spaces like backyards and patios. The workshops are free, but a $5 donation is suggested, to help the Alliance continue to bring these programs to the public.