The Florida outdoor art show season kicks off with Hot Works 26th Estero Fine Art Show Oct. 23 and 24 at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers and the 5th Naples Fine Art Show Oct. 30 and 31 at the Naples Italian-American Foundation.
These boutique-style art shows feature quality juried fine art and fine craft artists with all discipline for sale – paintings, clay, glass, sculpture, fiber, wood, jewelry and more. All artwork is original and personally handmade by the artist who is present at the show. There is something for everyone, in all price ranges. There are $1,500 in professional artist awards with criteria based on technique/execution, originality and booth appearance.
COVID safety precautions will be in place as the art shows are held outdoors, and there is plenty of room for social distancing.
Meet featured glass artist Sue Ayala from Daytona Beach at the Estero Fine Art Show at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers. Sue conceives her works as she strolls along the shoreline. Sharing the endless circle of creation with the flocks of birds gathered along her way, sometimes wheeling above. Observing the magnificent marine life so abundant around her, and then capturing the movement of life and time in a timeless moment, frozen in the liquid medium of glass.
Sue does this by employing the technique of lampworking in the art medium of glass. Using rods of borosilicate glass, which is the hardest available, she heats it in the flame of a torch and uses not much else but gravity and a gentle nudge of a graphite paddle to coax the glass into the desired shape, sometimes entirely coating the clear glass with color, sometimes just adding accents of dots and lines. The finished glass is then annealed in a furnace to remove any possible stress points which could weaken or cause a failure of the piece.
Domenico Belli
At the Naples Fine Art Show on Oct. 30 and 31, meet internationally renowned sculptor Domenico Belli. Born in Patrica, Italy, a small village in the hill country approximately 40 miles from Rome, the town is ancient and his family can trace its lineage back for many generations. He started to work as a metal worker at the age of 16 and he showed an early interest and talents for his job.
At the age of 18, his parents decided to emigrate to America and he was able to find employment as a metal worker and welder and all the while he had also developed his skills as an artist and designer.
His sculptures combine the past and the present. He has an affinity toward the materials he works with, a deep sense of emotion, feelings and dreams for what the material used for at one time and will become in his hands.
Belli says, “I have been creating primitive and modern sculptures from reclaimed steel for several years now. I like to challenge myself with different subjects and sizes…flower, animal and abstract modern sculptures. My skills of heating, bending, and welding metal all give different spectacular results. The skill coupled with my passion for excellence and integrity into designing metal and shaping into an art form is appreciated and valued by my clients.”
Domenico Belli’s art is throughout the United States in private collections as well as public place. One of his largest sculptures is in Italy in a public place near Rome. Domenico attends the most important Fine Art Shows and has received many awards for his sculptures.
The Naples Italian American Foundation is on corner of Airport Pulling and Orange Blossom Roads
Institute for the Arts & Education is the associated 501c3 non-profit organization with focus on visual arts, cultural diversity, community enrichment and fostering art education among youth. As part of our commitment to bring art education into the community, we integrate a Youth Art Competition or Budding Artist Competition within the art shows. This unique and one-of-a-kind program encourages students for ages 5-13 and 9-19 or grades K-8/6-12 to enter his/her original art that is publicly displayed in the art show the entire weekend.
On Sunday at 3 p.m., there is $250 Youth Art Awards presented at the show as young artists are exposed to the rules and entrepreneurship of doing art shows for a living. Each youth art winner also receives the same, two-foot long colorful gorgeous ribbon that the professional artists receive.
Both JetBlue Park and Naples Italian-American Club offer plenty of convenient parking and popular, easy to access locations. Event hours are Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Great food from local area restaurants and music add to the ambiance of this beautiful show. There is free admission; $5 parking supports IA&E. More info at www.artsandeducationinc.org.
