Author: boost

GMfarmingClass1Every summer, the Alliance for the Arts GreenMarket invites folks to participate in free farming and gardening workshops conducted by local growers, master gardeners, homesteaders and educators.  Residents’ support for these classes has been strong in the past, with many attending, taking notes and asking questions. The result has been an increase in local homes and communities growing food organically in our area. This year, in addition to a core of sound gardening practices, the GreenMarket is adding workshops on more specialized activities, like beekeeping and vermiculture.

The community is invited to visit the market at 10:30AM on 1st and 3rd Saturdays in June, July and August to participate in the 2013 Urban Farming Workshop Series.  Learn how to produce food in small areas around homes, businesses and community centers in cities and towns using organic, bio-intensive methods.  Explore ways to contribute to your community’s sustainability and long term food security.  The series kicks off on Saturday, June 1 with The Kitchen Garden & Beyond.  Other topics in the series include The Urban Chicken Coop, Intro to Organic Beekeeping and Earthworms, the Magic Garden Workers.

The complete schedule of presentations is as follows:

Pre-registration is not required and the workshops are free, but a $5 donation is appreciated and will help support the market and future educational programs. The workshops will be conducted outside, under the shade of the trees, but in case of rain they will be moved into a classroom, so they are “rain or shine.”

More than 100 artists submitted nearly 300 pieces for consideration in the Alliance for the Arts’ 27th Annual All Florida Juried Exhibition.  This year’s juror, Frank Verpoorten, has narrowed the list to just 51 pieces and they will be presented to the public during an opening reception on Friday, May 31 from 5-7:30PM.  Winners will be announced during the reception and prizes will be awarded, including $750 for Best in Show, a $250 Golden Paints gift certificate for 2nd Place, $100 cash prize for 3rd Place, and a Jurors Choice award.  The exhibition includes oil & acrylic paintings, mixed media pieces, photographs and sculptures.  Artwork from Alliance Youth Programs will be on display in the Member Gallery.

About the Juror

Frank Verpoorten-Dec2012This year’s juror is Frank Verpoorten, Director & Chief Curator at The Baker Museum Artis—Naples.  Mr. Verpoorten has more than 15 years of experience at cultural institutions and museums in Brussels, Belgium and New York City.  Originally from Brussels, he moved to New York City in 2002, where he served in curatorial roles at the Museum of Modern Art, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, the Dahesh Museum of Art and, most recently, as Cultural Attaché for the Representation of the Government of Flanders (Belgium) to the U.S.

“Judging an exhibition such as this is at the core of my interests as a curator. However, selecting work for the final exhibition proved quite difficult as one needs to see the pieces first-hand to be truly exposed to what they offer. Colors, textures, and movement are more fully experienced when a work is viewed in person. Southwest Florida has a vast array of talent to offer and I’m looking forward to seeing the finalists’ work on display.”

Mr. Verpoorten will host a Gallery Walk and Talk on Saturday, June 1 from 10-11AM.  It’s free, and open to the public.

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month the Alliance for the Arts and Angel C. Duncan, M.A.-MFT, ATR from the Neuropsychiatric Research Center of Southwest Florida have partnered to present a workshop for mental healthcare professionals, artists and others interested in learning about Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Art Therapy on Wednesday, May 29 from 6-7PM.  Space is limited and pre-registration is required.  There is a $5 suggested donation at the door.

Ms. Duncan has more than ten years experience in DBT and Art Therapy, coming from Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute at the University of California- San Francisco.  There, she worked in the adult inpatient and outpatient departments utilizing DBT principals in conjunction with art and music therapy techniques to help individuals with depression, anxiety, substance abuse and personality disorders.  She teaches DBT and expressive art therapies in graduate psychopathology and art therapy courses in California and Connecticut, and is a published author.  This workshop will provide an overview of the DBT’s four modules and include case studies of artwork from various symptoms that demonstrate the effectiveness of utilizing art.

The workshop is followed at 7:30 by a screening of Art Therapy Has Many Faces, directed by Sanibel resident and art therapy pioneer Judith Rubin.  After the film there will be a panel discussion with Angel Duncan, art therapist Reina Lombardi and play therapist Tara Moser from Delta Family Counseling.  The panel will discuss the importance of expressive therapies in mental health.  Phone 239-939-2787 for more information or to register.

Join fellow painters for the kick-off meeting of the Lee County Plein Air group on Wednesday, May 15 at 9AM at the Alliance for the Arts.  The Lee County Plein Air group is a newly forming friendly, non-competitive forum for artists to meet at different locations every Wednesday to paint outdoors.  Lee County Plein Air is a group under Plein Air Florida (PAF) http://www.pleinairflorida.org and will adopt the PAF guidelines for operation.  All artists are welcome regardless of skill level.  To help encourage a friendly, non-competitive atmosphere at weekly paint-outs all artists are treated equally.  There is no instruction, no critiques and no sales.  Join fellow artists at the Alliance on May 15 to learn more about this newly forming group.

Each year, the City of Fort Myers supports arts and cultural programming through a competitive grant process.  Grants are awarded to artists who commit to make a cultural contribution to the cityscape and to enhance access by City residents and visitors to arts & cultural experiences.  Recent recipients were invited to have their work featured in the Alliance for the Arts’ May gallery exhibit with an opening reception on Friday, May 3 from 5-7:30PM.  Fort Myers Public Art Committee member Ava Roeder will lead a Gallery Walk & Talk on Saturday, May 4 from 10-11AM.  Artwork by members of the Pan American Alliance for Art, Culture & Industry will be on display in the Member Gallery throughout the exhibit.  The exhibit runs from through May 25.