ArtFest is just around the corner

ArtFest Fort Myers is just around the corner. It starts on Friday night. The VIP section of the festival will open at 6:00 p.m. Either come just to see the 70 artists whose work is on display in the ArtFest VIP area, or drop in on us while you are visiting the historic downtown Fort Myers River District for Art Walk.

 

If you’ve never been to ArtFest before, let me tell you that it is a huge event.

Between 6:00 p.m. on Friday night and when the festival closes at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, upwards of 85,000 people will file through the fairgrounds, taking in hundreds of thousands of two and three-dimensional artworks created in the studios, galleries and ateliers of the 215 artists who’ve been juried into the show. The fairgrounds extend down Hendry Street from Bay all the way to the City Pier Building and along Edwards Drive from Lee Street to the east to Heitman Boulevard on the West. It’s really pretty amazing.

So, how do you find me? Well, I’m in the VIP section. Just look for the neon pink Flamingo feathers. Why Flamingo feathers? Because my painting Flamingo Crossing was chosen by ArtFest for its Run for the Arts T-Shirts. I’m asking all my collectors, supporters and fans to buy and wear one of these T-Shirts or wear your favorite Leoma-inspired casual wear from Bealls. Let’s make a statement and Leomatize ArtFest and the entire downtown Fort Myers River District.

I have lots of fun and surprises in store for you and everyone else who pays me a visit in my booth. So make plans to come Friday night, Saturday and/or Sunday. Festival hours Friday night are 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

See you there! And wear your best L-Shirt! That’s “L” as in Leoma … or “L” as in Lovegrove. LOL!

The News-Press.com Insider is hosting a Matlacha boat cruise that will dock at Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens, where participants will be greeted by yours truly and be hosted on a VIP tour. It takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on February 24. It's a one-of-a-kind trip you really don't want to miss!

The tour starts at the Pure Florida dock in The Marina at Edison Ford in Fort Myers. From there, you will head toward beautiful Pine Island. Along the way you can take photos of the amazing scenery for your scrapbooks or to share on social media.

 

A marine expert will be on board to educate you about the wildlife.

When you dock at the Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens, I'll be waiting to greet you and lead you on a VIP tour of my gallery and botanical gardens. The News-Press arts and entertainment reporter Charles Runnells will join us and lead a Q&A discussion of the art you'll see all around you. After lunch, you will also have a chance to visit some Matlacha businesses within walking distance from the gallery.

Tickets: $80 for INSIDERS/$95 for non-INSIDERS, and lunch is included. BUY TICKETS NOW!

Let's 'Leomatize' ArtFest Fort Myers

ArtFest Fort Myers comes to the historic downtown Fort Myers River District on February 3-5, and again this year, one of my artworks has been selected for the festival’s commemorative T-shirts.

Last year, ArtFest chose my painting Flotilla for both its commemorative poster and T-Shirt. It won not one, but two awards from the Florida Festival & Events Association Convention.

 

“Leoma captured the essence of our downtown waterfront with her signature vibrancy and unique style and she created quite a sensation amongst our patrons,” said ArtFest Executive Director Sharon McAllister about Flotilla. 

I’m proud to say that proceeds from sale of the poster and T-shirts supported ArtFest Fort Myers’ art education outreach programs, with a portion of the poster proceeds also supporting The News-Press “Newspaper in Education” program.

 

In fact, I took a bunch of the T-Shirts that didn't sell during the festival and sold them in Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens, raising $2,000 more for ArtFest and its programs.

This year, ArtFest chose my painting Flamingo Crossing for its Publix Run to the Arts T-shirt. Flamingo Crossing will also be available in a limited edition print at my booth at ArtFest. The print run was limited to just 200 copies, so if you want one, you better find my booth on Saturday, February 4. In fact, either wear your Publix Run to the Arts T-Shirt or one of my designs from Bealls to ArtFest as we “Leomatize” the riverfront during the art festival! I have a 10 foot by 20 foot both in the VIP section, so you can visit me on Friday night, as well as on both Saturday and Sunday too.

ArtFest Fort Myers takes place February 3, 4 & 5, 2017 in the Fort Myers River District. It features 215 professional artists from across the county and around the world, the largest high school art exhibit and competition in south Florida, and free interactive art experiences for children of all ages. 

See you there!

 

Davis Art Center retrospective closes today

Today was the last day of Palettes: Past Present and Pursuits. The retrospective of my life’s work closed today at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. I hope you attended the opening. If not, I hope you took the time to see the show.

I’d like to extend thanks and give a shout out to Jim Griffith, Melissa DeHaven and Operations Manager and Curator Shawn Ayotte, who hung the show and will take it down over the next few days.

 

I’m deeply honored to have had the opportunity to share my artistic vision and body of work with so many Southwest Florida residents and visitors.

Henceforth, you can see my work at Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens on Matlacha Island. Of course, there’s not space to display all of my work at once at that venue. But if there’s anything or any series you’d like to see or know more about, we will accommodate you as best we can. Just as ask. We’ll make it happen.

Time is running out to catch Davis Art Center retrospective

Sadly, my first-ever retrospective, Palettes: Past Present and Pursuits, closes Tuesday at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. I hope you’ve taken the time to see the show. If not, you have two more days.

Part of the show is a book I had the pleasure of illustrating. It’s titled Frebie Dog Tales (The New Mailman, The Dog Catcher and the Judge).

Frebie Dog Tales is a children’s book written by Betty Reese Freberg, a Christian speaker, teacher, filmmaker and author. Betty afforded me the rare privilege and honor of providing the 12 illustrations you’ll see in the book.

The book is inspired by a true tale. Frebie was a mixture of Chow and German Shepard. As a six week old puppy, Frebie met and won the heart of his master, a Baylor University college student by the name of Doug. It was the start of a thirteen year love affair between two free spirits. But when Doug moved to Washington D.C., he asked his widowed mom to let Frebie move in with her. Neither Frebie nor Mimi could imagine the adventures they were about to share.

Frebie Dog Tales is available for purchase on Amazon and at Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens, which is located at 4637 Pine Island Road on sunny Matlacha Island. For more information, please telephone 239-938-5655.

The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First Street in the heart of the downtown Fort Myers River District. For more information and museum hours, please visit http://www.sbdac.com or telephone 239-333-1933.

Paint parties under way in Lovegrove Gardens

Just a reminder, but in case you aren’t aware of it, Vino’s Picasso is holding painting parties here at Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens. Between five and six days a week, VP helps people just like you create their very own Leoma-inspired painting. Even if you’ve never painted a stroke, owner Mercedes Price and her artists will walk you and your friends through the easy-peasy process. It’s a laugh riot, and the weather couldn’t be nicer. Believe me, you owe it to yourself to get in on this!

If you’re not familiar with Vino’s Picasso, they’re a co-op of local artists who believe that everyone has an inner artist that’s just waiting for the right circumstances to emerge. Over 90% of the folks who attend one of their events have never painted before, and you won’t believe the fun you’ll have as you make your very own Lovegrove-inspired masterpiece!

That’s not just hype either! Vino’s Picasso has been voted the #1 paint bar and art gallery on TripAdvisor by travelers and locals just like you! You’ll quickly discover that the reason they have such an impeccable reputation is because they love what they do and they make their own rules! I’m so proud of what they do that this is the fourth consecutive year I’m partnering with them so that people can spend a few hours in my shoes making beautiful art.

Even if you’ve painted in my garden before, you absolutely, positively have to do it again. Why? For starters, we’ve recently installed a brand new covered wooden deck just for Vino’s Picasso guests. And we’re always making improvements to the gardens and changing the art inside the gallery. So there’s always a ton of new paintings, new collages and new places to discover. On top of that, Mercedes and her artists are a lot of fun and you never know when I'll pop in with my glitter gun or to sign your canvas.

And you get to choose which of my paintings you want to create for yourself. For example, the folks who came out today re-created my Peacock painting. Tomorrow they’ll be doing one of my pelicans. On Friday, it’s my seahorse; on Saturday, a flamingo; and on Sunday a heron. To see what you’d be painting and if space is available, just visit Vino Picasso’s website. They keep a calendar there for you convenience.

So spend the day on Matlacha enjoying the island’s local art culture, fun dive bars and fresh seafood! Parties run through April. But you better hurry, because these events sell out fast! They’ll have paint, brushes and everything else you need, including aprons. But come dressed to paint! Wine and light refreshments will be available, with music and good company as well. RSVP to Vino’s Picasso now by calling 239-431-8750.

 ** WHAT YOU & YOUR GUESTS NEED TO KNOW **

• No refunds, no credits for no-shows, no American Express.
• 24 hour cancellation policy or a $10 rescheduling fee (per person) may apply.
• $50-$55 per painter includes all materials, a 12x16 canvas, an apron and plenty of instruction from local Vino's Picasso artists! (You can even upgrade the size of the canvas for a modest fee.)
• SEATING is first come, first serve. Space can be tight so we recommend you leave large bags and coolers at home or in your vehicle.
• PARK at the Matlacha Island Community Park.  We wish it were otherwise, but there’s simply not enough room in front of the gallery.
• CHECK-IN begins 10-15 minutes before the scheduled start time. Please stay out of the studio area until check-in begins.
• 
  This session is held RAIN or SHINE, HOT or COLD. Dress appropriately. You'll have a blast regardless! (And did I mention that the deck is now covered?)
• Events are subject to cancellation based on RSVPs so reserve your seats and invite everyone you know!
• No coupons or discounts on Lovegrove Exclusives.
• YOU MUST RSVP via our Matlacha/Off-site Calendar: http://www.VINOSpicasso.com.

Be my Valentine!

I will be painting live at Bealls on Valentine’s Day to celebrate the release of my “Florida Floats My Boat” collection. I created the paintings for the new line on a floating studio on the Manatee River near Palmetto, Florida. Over the course of four weeks, I splashed and dripped paint on a series of 16 canvases as my cozy house boat, appropriately named Aqua Lodge, rocked to and fro and from side to side with the incoming tides. During the meet-and-greet at Bealls, I’ll share a few fun stories from my time aboard "The Aqua Lodge." And I’ll create a painting live in just a few minutes right before your very eyes. But one word of caution:  Beware of flying paint.

The action begins promptly at 11:00 am at the Bealls Department Store located at 13300 South Cleveland Avenue in Fort Myers. An autograph session immediately follows until 1:00 pm. Visitors are welcome to bring their cameras for a fun photo op with me and my zany trademark glasses. Follow me on Facebook or check back here for more details.

Check out art journalist Tom Hall's review of my retrospective

The clock is ticking. You only have one more week to see my retrospective at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. Palettes: Past Present and Pursuits closes January 24!

In case you missed it, art journalist Tom Hall wrote a comprehensive review of the show for Art Southwest Florida. Check it out by clicking on this link.

The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First Street in the heart of the downtown Fort Myers River District. Museum hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, please visit http://www.sbdac.com or telephone 239-333-1933.

My special Donald J. Trump inauguration commemorative

On Friday, Donald J. Trump becomes the 45^th president of the United States. Mike and I are lucky enough to not only attend the inauguration, we have V.I.P. tickets. We’re even going to one of the balls! It barely needs mentioning, but check back for updates and stories about our experiences in Washington attending this historic event.

I was inspired to commemorate the Donald Trump’s inauguration. So I created this special tribute on 8 by 8 inch canvas on wood panel.

There are only 20, so if you want one, act quickly. They are modestly priced – just $65 each.

Obviously, we'd be delighted to have you come to Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens on sunny Matlacha Island. The weather could not be more temperate. The hot could not sizzle more. But if you just can't make it out in the next few days, that's okay. Just give us a call. The number is 239-938-5655.

Another reason to see retrospective before it closes on January 24

My retrospective has been on view at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center for nine days. It's called Palettes: Past Present and Pursuits. Have you seen it yet? If not, let me give you another reason why you should.

I have painted my clothes for special events since I was young, but art fashion has a way of trickling down into my every day attire. I especially love to wear hand-painted heels. They always get a second look from people as I’m out and about.

I love it when someone at the checkout counter asks to have their picture taken with me ... but I know it's the fun painted jacket or shoes they want to photograph.

A collection of my hand-painted heels are on display, along with specially-painted coats, jackets and even jeans. Some are hung from the grand atrium's ceiling in shadow boxes we made just for the exhibition. Others have been cut up and collaged into paintings.

If you still haven't seen the show, there's still time. Palettes: Past Present and Pursuits runs through January 24. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located in the heart of the historic downtown Fort Myers River District at 2301 First Street. Museum hours are 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, please visit http://www.sbdac.com or telephone 239-333-1933. 

 

TRUMP sign is part of Davis Art Center retrospective

One of the artworks included in Palettes: Past Present and Pursuits is the TRUMP sign I painted in the days leading up to his election. Here’s the backstory to this 5-painting piece.

Both the federal and Florida constitutions protect political speech, which includes the right of a property owner to put up signs on their land or building that support a political candidate. Some people in or driving through Matlacha Island did not care about that. Not once. Not twice. But six times, the signs I displayed on or outside Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens were removed, stolen or run over.

I’m not easily cowed. I finally painted my own TRUMP sign on durable, heavy-grade canvas and installed it on the gallery’s roof. The sign created quite a stir. WINK TV News sent out a camera crew the day after I installed it. A day later, Fox News and NBC-2 send out reporters and camera crews as well. The story was even picked up by Breitbart News in an article titled “Exclusive: Painter Converts Florida Art Gallery to Support Donald Trump.”

But more satisfying than the news coverage were all the people who came into the gallery to express their encouragement and support. Those vandals did me a favor. The gallery made a fortune in sales!

Even though I lighted the letters and surveilled them with a security camera, someone still had the audacity to deface the letters with black spray paint in the days leading up to the election.

Several collectors have expressed interest in purchasing the letters. All proceeds of sale will be used to provide scholarships for up to 5 cadets to go to the Southwest Florida Public Service Academy to become law enforcement officers, firefighters or EMTs.

Leoma's flying saucers

In order to break the ice and establish rapport with my audience, I open each of my Paint Out Loud performances by tossing hand-painted plastic Chinet plates into the crowd. I make a total of 15 plates for each show. I keep one, and let fly the other 14.

Over the years, my “flying saucers” have become something of a collector’s item. People show up at events just to try and catch a plate. When they do, they have me autograph it. I’ve met some folks who have 3, 4 or more plates on their walls at home.

A collection of these flying saucers are display as part of Palettes: Past Present and Pursuit, a retrospective of my work that is on exhibit at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center through January 23.

When you drop in to see the show, you will I’ve done quite a few Paint Out Loud performances. When you add them all up, you’ll find that I’ve done 30 Paint Out Loud Flying Saucer tosses to date. The number grows every year.

The Davis Art Center is at 2301 First Street in the heart of the historic downtown Fort Myers River District. Museum hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. While you're there, please make sure to sign my black coat.

Sign my coat

Further to my post on having people sign my coat at the opening for my retrospective in lieu of a guest book, I took a mannequin to the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center along with some white markers for people who drop in to see the exhibition during its run through January 24.

I was there on Monday to attend a chamber concert and was gratified to find that many of those who were attending the concert were also signing the coat. If you haven’t been to the Davis Art Center to see Palettes: Past Present and Pursuits yet, be sure to sign my guest register, er, black long coat, before you leave.

The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First Street in the heart of the downtown Fort Myers River District. Museum hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you have questions, call 239-333-1933.

How one of my paintings helped a man recover from a brain injury

On view now through January 24 at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is a retrospective of my life’s work. It’s called Palettes: Past Present and Pursuits. It contains hundreds of artworks. Let me tell you tonight about one of them.

It’s called Flamingo Crossing.

A man by the name of Harold Dunfee saw it in my studio on Matlacha Island in 2013. That was the same year Harold purchased a home in northwest Cape Coral. He says the painting caught his eye immediately and that he promised himself he’d purchase it as soon as funds became available.

I’ll let Harold tell you what happened from there.

“In 2015, I had a medical setback – a subdural hematoma (blood clot in the brain) that resulted in three brain surgeries over the course of six months. After the first surgery, I had two seizures that resulted in memory loss."

During his recovery and struggle to regain his memory and thinking faculties, a friend of his from Fort Myers by the name of Karen sent him a miniature Flamingo Crossing.

"My girlfriend brought the package to my hospital room. When I opened it, I immediately recognized the painting and who created it – despite the fact that I was still memory-impaired. That’s how special Flamingo Crossing was to me. I am convinced that the small reproduction helped me on my road to a complete recovery from my ordeal.”

Harold moved permanently to his Cape Coral home in August of 2016. One of his first acts was to visit Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens to see if the original was still there. His heart fell when he did not see it on any of the walls, but his spirits rebounded when he learned it hadn’t been sold and was still available. The rest is history.

“Flamingo Crossing has an honored place on the wall in my home,” says Harold. “Art does indeed create special memories.”

Well, thanks to Harold’s generosity and willingness to share his memories with all of us, there’s an empty space on the wall of Harold’s Cape Coral home right now. He has loaned his treasured painting to us so that it can be included in and displayed as part of Palettes: Past Present and Pursuits.

 

It’s on the west wall of the East Conservatory. It alone is worth a trip to the downtown Fort Myers River District. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First Street. Museum hours are 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Thanks, Harold, for sharing your story with us all!

Sign my coat

While many people still use guest books at weddings and similar events, I find them archaic, cold and impersonal. So I came up with a different idea for the opening reception of my Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center retrospective, Palettes: Past Present and Pursuits. I handed folks a silver Sharpie and asked them to autograph the long black coat I wore for the occasion.

The problem with guest books is that they have a way of getting shoved in a drawer and forgotten about. And when you think about it, that's really a shame. But I can actually wear my long coat whenever I have a mind to. And if you made it to my retrospective, you might have noticed that I paint coats, heels and other articles of clothing for special events. I’ve even been known to cut up something I’ve worn on a special occasion and collaged them into one of my paintings. (Hint: several of these are on display in Palettes. Can you figure out which ones they are?) So my wearable guest book could pop up in the future, either on my back on in another work of art.

But the fun doesn’t have to end with the opening night artist’s reception. When you visit the Davis Art Center to take in the show, post your comments on my Facebook wall or here on Leoma Lovegrove’s Everyday Art Adventure. But don’t delay. The show only runs through January 24.

The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at the 2301 First Street, in the heart of the downtown Fort Myers River District. Museum hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, please visit http://www.sbdac.com or telephone 239-333-1933.