Celebrating local legend Mina Edison as we enter National Women's History Month

Tomorrow marks the start of National Women's History Month, so it's only fitting that I draw attention to local legend Mina Miller Edison, who I had the honor of painting for a portrait exhibition that was displayed the last two years in the historic Caretaker's Cottage at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates.

My painting of Mina not only depicts the self-described home executive, but the family's dog, Cinnamon.

 

I did the painting on three separate panels. This is known in art circle as a triptych. My triptych of Mina and Cinnamon served as the centerpiece of the Fort Myers Founding Female Portrait Exhibition, a show designed to introduce Southwest Florida residents and visitors to the names and faces of Fort Myers’ most prominent female leaders, civic activists, philanthropists and entrepreneurs.

The portrait is based on an historical photograph furnished by the Edison Historical Society. It was painted in California on un-stretched canvas so that it could be rolled and more easily transported back to Fort Myers, where it was mounted on one-inch thick, acid-free Gator board that the Edison & Ford Winter Estates specially ordered for the occasion.

Each panel measures 24 by 72 inches. The painting is something of a departure for me. While it incorporates my trademark loose and lively brushstrokes, it does not include any of the drips, sprays and splatters you will see in other works.

The triptych has been on display since June of 2015 at the Edison Ford Shoppe at Bell Tower.

Once the Edisons' children grew up and left the house, Mina became active in numerous social welfare movements including the Chautauqua Association (where she served as president of the Bird & Tree Club), the American Red Cross, the West Orange Community League, the National Audubon Society, the local Methodist church, the John Burroughs Association, the Daughters of the American Revolution (where she served for a year as its national chaplain), and the School Garden Association of America. In Fort Myers, Mina was instrumental in the foundation of the Fort Myers Round Table, a group of local leaders whom she brought together around the dining room table at Seminole Lodge in the interest of community improvement.


She gave numerous speeches to local groups in West Orange and in Fort Myers, often on the importance of garden clubs and neighborhood organizations, the role of recreation in the education of children, and the value of musical instruction. A dedicated conservationist long before that word became part of our everyday lexicon, she became close friends with and an ardent supporter of Jay “Ding” Darling, the renowned cartoonist turned conservationist who was tapped by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1934 to head the U.S. Biological Survey (the forerunner of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).


After Thomas Edison’s death in 1931, Mina’s community involvement continued. She married childhood friend Edward Hughes in 1935, but after his death in 1940, Mina resumed using Edison as her surname. When the Thomas Alva Edison Foundation was formed in 1946 “for the advancement of education and scientific research,” Mina became its honorary chair. A year later, she graciously deeded Seminole Lodge and the rest of the winter estate to the City of Fort Myers in order to perpetuate the Thomas’ name and fame. She died shortly thereafter at the age of 82, and is buried beside Thomas Edison on the grounds of their home Glenmont in West Orange, New Jersey.

Mina Miller Edison was definitely a woman who sought to give voice to, and empower, women. So it is indeed to reflect on her contributions to our community and the country at large as we enter National Women's History Month!

Representative Francis Rooney pays tribute to me on the House floor

You may or may not know that during his successful campaign for the House of Representatives, I hosted a meet-and-greet for Francis J. Rooney because of his pledge to make our waters great again. At the event, I also gave him one of my heart paintings as a token of my esteem. Well, he returned the favor by giving Mike and I tickets to attend President Trump's inauguration, and on February 21, Rep. Rooney took the floor of the House of Representatives to pay tribute to moi.

Here’s what he said on the record:

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of a creative visionary in Florida's 19th district--Leoma Lovegrove. As an excerpt from the Fort Myers News-Press says, `Walking into Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens is like walking into a rainbow full of eye-popping neon pinks, oranges, purples, greens and blues . . . She applies her paintbrush to everything from cats to hearts to The Beatles.

 

 

“Leoma Lovegrove is an impressionist-expressionist painter known for her vivid paintings and colorful imagery. Leoma first started her art career making pottery, belt buckles and even decorated cow skulls. Then, a little over 20 years ago, she made her way to Matlacha--a small island community that became her home and her headquarters. Her artwork is represented in numerous galleries all over the world, including England and France.

 

"In fact, Leoma was the first American to paint on the replica of Claude Monet's floating studio in Giverny, France and the first American painter to have an exhibition in the famous Pierre Bonnard home in Vernon, France.

“I applaud Leoma and her art studio, Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens, which has brought thousands of visitors to Matlacha and all of Southwest Florida. Leoma is inspired to paint with endless imagination, and her contribution to the arts, culture and economy of Southwest Florida deserves our recognition. She has inspired artists in us all.”

I am deeply touched and honored, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Representative Rooney.

If you find yourself in Washington, please stop by Representative Rooney’s office. You’ll find my painting Island Time Starts Here hanging on his wall. It represents our desire to keep our waters clean and reminds Mr. Rooney of his pledge to advocate in the Congress for water quality back home here in Southwest Florida.

It’s such an honor to be part of history in Washington, D.C.

Gardens welcomed 40 Fort Myers News-Press insiders on Friday

I’m giving a shout-out here to Charles Runnells for leading the Q&A on Friday when the Fort Myers News-Press’ Insider and Pure Florida brought 40 guests by boat to Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens on a day trip. The excursion left Pure Florida’s dock in Fort Myers at 8:30 a.m. and plied the tranquil waters of the Caloosahatchee and Matlacha Pass en route to our dock here at the gardens.

Along the way, the seafarers took photos of the amazing scenery for their scrapbooks, posted video to Facebook and sent a slew of tweets (especially to family and friends in the cold, colorless wastelands in the northern part of our great country). There was even a marine expert on board to point out the fauna and flora along the way.

The question-and-answer session was lively and fun. I love sharing stories about my art, my gallery and our beautiful gardens overlooking Matlacha Pass. And not only did the group get to learn a little about me and my art, they had lunch and the chance to walk around our little island, visiting the other galleries, boutiques and even the ice cream shop.

Charles Runnells covers arts and entertainment for The News-Press and news-press.com. You’ll often find him sitting in a theater scribbling notes for a play review. Charles was born in Birmingham, Ala., but he grew up all over the place thanks to his Army father. He has a journalism degree from Auburn University and started working at The News-Press in 1998. He’s obsessive about music (practically anything, but especially heavy metal), and he also loves reading, video games, yoga and movies. He lives in Cape Coral with his girlfriend and their five cats (don’t judge).

Lovegrove a finalist for the Paulette Burton Citizen of the Year Award

[Hi. This is arts journalist Tom Hall again. Further to my post here two days ago, I am happy to report that Leoma is a finalist for the Paulette Burton Citizen of the Year Award! What's that? Read on.]

Every year, the Lee County Commission accepts nominations for the Paulette Burton Citizen of the Year Award. The award recognizes a Lee County citizen who has provided outstanding civic contributions to Lee County Government and serves as a tribute to past and present civic activists who have devoted much of their time and energy to citizen involvement with Lee County Government.

 

After nominations for 2016 closed, the Board of County Commissioners appointed a Selection Advisory Committee to narrow the nominations to a list of finalists.  They chose John Bunch, Alan Mandel, and Cynthia Shafer to serve on this year’s Selection Advisory Committee. The trio named ten award finalists:

• Larry Aguilar
• Captain John G. Bunch
• Trinity Hansen
• Leoma Lovegrove
• Alan Mandel
• Marlene Rodak
• Gloria Raso Tate
• Cynthia Shafer
• Ronald Weller

Lovegrove has worked tirelessly for years to promote Lee County as a tourist destination, as the Lee County Visitors & Convention Bureau and Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce recognized in 2015 when they conferred on Leoma their prestigious Jujonia Award. As a long-standing advocate for water quality in the Caloosahatchee River, Gulf of Mexico and waters surrounding Matlacha and Pine Islands, she has not only worked locally but travelled to Washington D.C. on behalf of Lee County residents. She started the Matlacha Island Chamber of Commerce, created the  mural that serves as the gateway to the island, and draws thousands of Bealls customers to Matlacha to visit her gallery and gardens.

The County Commissioners will select the winner from this group. The winner will be announced at the 9:30 a.m. meeting on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 in the Old Lee County Courthouse, 2120 Main Street, Fort Myers, FL.   Please feel free to attend if you have an interest in observing the presentation.

 

The annual Paulette Burton Citizen of the Year Award The award was created in 1991 in honor of Mrs. Burton, who died tragically in an automobile accident. A long-time Sanibel resident and government watchdog, Mrs. Burton spent many years serving as a voice of the people to the Lee County Board of County Commissioners as well as playing an active role in Sanibel politics. She devoted much of her time and energy to working with county staff in trying to improve the quality of life in Lee County.

Arts advocate Tom Hall recognizes Lovegrove's impact on local tourism

[This post is brought to you by Tom Hall, an Estero-based art journalist and arts advocate who writes to Florida Weekly, The River Weekly News and his art/indie film/theater blog, Art Southwest Florida.]

Following an appearance on Fox4 Morning Blend this past Tuesday, Matlacha artist Leoma Lovegrove headed over to Bealls Department Store on Cleveland Ave (just north of Daniels) to paint out loud and autograph purchases for a host of fans and Valentine’s Day shoppers.

Lovegrove became associated with the Bradenton-based department store four years ago, in February of 2013. The department store chain saw some of her paintings and liked Lovegrove’s bold, vibrant colors and the way her images capture Southwest Florida’s active, healthy, water-based lifestyle.

Being a prudent, smartly-run company, Bealls deemed it prudent to test the water by doing market analysis and focus group testing. After completing their due diligence, they introduced a limited line of casual wear bearing new images they commissioned Lovegrove to create. The designs caught on, and so the following year, Bealls expanded its Lovegrove product line, adding handbags, totes, luggage, beach towels, Tervis drinkware and more. The new products were rolled out at the same outlet in the Cypress Trace Shopping Center in Fort Myers where they’d first announced their affiliation with the artist. To mark the occasion, Lovegrove painted a seahorse live for a crowd of nearly 200.

Since then, Bealls has expanded its Lovegrove product line, which it offers in each of the Department Store’s 74 brick-and-mortar department stores throughout the State of Florida as well as online.

It is rewarding whenever any artist attains commercial success, but Southwest Florida residents and business owners have reason to be particularly appreciative of the popularity of her designs with Bealls patrons.

Each of the millions of Lovegrove products offered and sold by Bealls mentions Matlacha Island. Over the course of her four-year affiliation with the company, scores of Bealls customers have gleefully embarked upon a pilgrimage to visit the artist in her sunny island gallery and gardens or attend one of her Paint Out Loud performances at a local Bealls outlet.

 

When they come, they don’t just spend money at Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens or Bealls. They buy gas at an area service station, a meal at a local café or bistro, and shop the other galleries and boutiques that line Pine Island Road, Cleveland Avenue or downtown Fort Myers. Her success benefits the community’s economy. Art  means business, whether on an individual or public scale.

 

Lovegrove is no stranger to the interplay between art and tourism. She worked for years with the Lee County Visitors & Convention Bureau (VCB) to bring international tourism to Southwest Florida destinations. And two years ago, the VCB and Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Inc. honored Lovegrove during its annual Chrysalis Awards luncheon with its prestigious Junonia Award. Created in 2006, the Junonia Award recognizes individuals who have positively impacted the local tourism community by demonstrating unique capabilities, leadership, commitment, and dedication. Lovegrove was chosen in 2015 for her tireless promotion of the destination for more than a decade and a half.

In presenting the award to Lovegrove, Tamara Pigott, executive director of the VCB, described Lovegrove’s contagious love of Florida that has been instrumental in encouraging tourism from around the world. “The VCB has enjoyed a long-standing partnership with Leoma in promoting our destination. I have personally had the pleasure of working alongside her on many of our national and international marketing programs,” said Pigott.

Lovegrove brings her passion for Southwest Florida to every Bealls design and live art demonstration, as the more than 200 customers saw first-hand during Lovegrove’s Paint Out Loud performance at Bealls this past Valentine’s Day.

Bealls commemorated the occasion by releasing a brand new “heart” T-Shirt for everyone to enjoy.
Beall’s Department Stores is a division of Bealls, Inc. Founded in 1915 as a dry goods store, the Bradenton-based company now operates more than 540 stores in 17 states under the names Beall’s, Beall’s Outlet and Burke’s Outlet. Besides Florida, the company operates stores in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Today, Beall’s is the destination of choice for casual lifestyle and priced right apparel and home merchandise. To learn more about Bealls, please visit BeallsFlorida.com.

It's not too early to make plans to visit Matlacha Island for Slow Art Day

Slow Art Day is a annual worldwide event that aims to transform the art-viewing experience. One day each year, people all over the world visit local museums and art galleries to look at between one and five works of art for 5-10 minutes each. After studying the art on their own at a slow, leisurely, deliberate pace, participants meet at a local restaurant to share lunch and discuss their experience. Many have found it to be a life-changing event.

This will be the fifth consecutive year that I will be participating in Slow Art Day. It’s been a fabulous event each of the past three years, and our little art community on Matlacha Island has been delighted to be part of such a worthwhile global event. We’ve had visitors waiting at the door each year and the hundreds that visited the gallery that day also took part in looking at art slowly. Lunch is always a delight and we all made new friends as we discussed the art. It really unites art lovers that normally would not have connected.

The date of the next Slow Art Day is April 8, 2017 and viewing will take place (where else?) at Lovegrove Gallery and Gardens beginning at 11:00 a.m. The last four years, we've been the only place in all of Southwest Florida that's participated in Slow Art Day!

While we’ve yet to choose the restaurant where we’ll eat lunch, I am happy to announce that Bob Phillips, Rick Webber and Kirsten Troyer will be participating with me in this fabulous event.


Rick Webber is a photographer, the author of Pink Lips and Fingertips, and a contributor to three Chicken Soup for Soul books. He is also a two-time APSE award winner and recipient of the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. Rick loves journalism because every assignment contains an element of mystery that he wants to unravel. He cherishes the opportunity to tell somebody’s story. He wants to know how they felt and why they felt that way, and he wants to convey that to the reader. He has been fortunate to do that in over 10,000 magazine and newspaper articles.

"Photography has been a passion of mine since I was very young,” says Kirsten Troyer. “I enjoy framing the beauty of nature and capturing those treasured moments that slip by so quickly. I decided to start my business after staying home to raise my three children and being an advocate for my son with Autism. I specialize in Children and Family, Event/Party, Sports, Engagements, Maternity and Senior Portraits. I also have a passion for children with Special Needs and providing those families with comfortable and stress free opportunities to get their Family Portraits as well."

Bob Phillips is also a photographer. "I don’t always shoot film, but when I do… I prefer Dos Chromas. Keep shooting, my friends."

As you know. I am a painter. But in addition to painting, I am a wife, celebrity, local historian, patriotic, colorful, energetic, business savvy, kooky, vibrant, a playwright, a marketing genius, Midwest transplant, animal lover, fisherwoman, devoted friend, art educator, illustrator and, did I mention, humble? I paint every day for the good of painting, one brush stroke at a time.

I hope you will join us in April for Slow Art Day. Space is limited, so reserve your spot now.

Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens is located at 4637 Pine Island Road NW, Matlacha, FL 33993.

If you're not painting in the gardens, you're missing it!

In case you aren’t aware of it, Vino’s Picasso is holding painting parties here at Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens. 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. If you've never done one of these paint parties, you have to get in on this.

Several days a week, Vino's Picasso 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 crack team of 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 give this a go!

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 begging to be released - like a genie in a bottle. 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! 

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. 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.

What in the world is 'painting out loud'

When you come today to Bealls, you are going to see me paint a heart live. I sometimes call my painting performances “painting out loud.”

Painting Out Loud is a term I coined to describe live performances in which I complete a multi-layered large-scale work of art on a museum-quality canvas before a live audience in as little as 15 minutes. The first such performance I ever did was for a church. I painted a powerful portrait of Jesus for a local congregation while church music played over the loudspeakers for even greater inspiration.

A professional music production, marketing and branding guru by the name of Mark Haffner provided me with some ideas about how to make my performances even more impactful. The result is my present “Painting Out Loud” multi-media show, which features splattered paint, glitter, lights, music and over-the-top special effects.

 

The Remember 9/11 Tenth Year painting of a soaring American eagle that now hangs in the library at Florida Gulf Coast University was created at just such a “Painting Out Loud” event. I rendered that one before a Standing Room Only crowd at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater to observe (not celebrate) the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

It was a time to honor heroes, so I pulled out all the stops. I arranged for Fox4 Morning Blend’s Carly Wegner to emcee the event, invited a choir to sing while I painted, and had firefighters and an honor guard on stage as well. It was an emotionally-charged event that neither I nor those who attended it will ever forget, and I could not be more honored that the commemorative painting I made that day now hangs at FGCU, where it inspires a new generation of young people.

I typically do “Painting Out Loud” performances in connection with fundraisers, charitable events, conventions and corporate meetings. I have done several for Bealls Department Stores in order to promote my line of casual attire, sportswear, luggage and home goods.


Follow me on Facebook or keep up with my blog, Leoma Lovegrove’s Everyday Art Adventure. I’ll post notices of future “Painting Out Loud” performances in both places.

Now I'm on the way to Bealls to paint a Valentine's Day heart live

Now that my appearance on Fox4 Morning Blend is over, I’m headed for Bealls on Cleveland Ave (just north of Daniels). I will be painting another heart live beginning at 11:00.

I became associated with the Bradenton-based department store back in February of 2013. They saw some of my paintings and liked my bold, vibrant colors and the way my images capture Southwest Florida’s active, healthy, water-based lifestyle. But Bealls is a prudent, smartly-run company, and it wanted to test the water by first doing market analysis and focus group testing.

They started out slowly, introducing a limited line of casual wear bearing images they commissioned me to create. The designs caught on, and so the following year, Bealls expanded my product line, adding handbags, totes, luggage, beach towels, Tervis drinkware and more. The new products were rolled out at the same outlet in the Cypress Trace Shopping Center in Fort Myers where they’d first announced our affiliation. To mark the occasion, I painted a seahorse live for a crowd of nearly 200!

Today, I’m thrilled to report that Bealls’ expanded Leoma Lovegrove product line is available in each of the Department Store’s 74 brick-and-mortar department stores throughout the State of Florida as well as online. And I am proud to say that the promotion and sale of my product line has given Matlacha Island and Southwest Florida added name recognition and a welcome boost in tourism. That’s because each item identifies me as an impressionist/expressionist artist from Matlacha Island.

And today, Bealls is releasing a brand new “heart” T-Shirt for everyone to enjoy.

Beall’s Department Stores is a division of Bealls, Inc. Founded in 1915 as a dry goods store, the Bradenton-based company now operates more than 540 stores in 17 states under the names Beall’s, Beall’s Outlet and Burke’s Outlet. Besides Florida, the company operates stores in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Today, Beall’s is the destination of choice for casual lifestyle and priced right apparel and home merchandise. To learn more about Bealls, please visit BeallsFlorida.com.