BIG ARTS to host Annual Art Vibe
The community is invited out for an evening of locally-created artwork, entertainment and more.
BIG ARTS will host its Annual Art Vibe on June 13 at 5 p.m. on Sanibel. Free and open to the public, it will highlight new exhibits and scholarship recipients and will feature live demonstrations, music and more.
“It’s really the heart of what BIG ARTS is all about. It connects our community with the student artists in our community,” Marketing Director Meghan Govoni said, noting that everyone deserves access to the arts. “And it starts right here on Sanibel and in the larger Lee County area.”
An opening reception will take place for two new exhibits.
In the Dunham Family Gallery, “Boredom” curated by students at Florida Southwestern State College’s School of the Arts will be on display. The annual exhibition features a variety of art forms, ranging from painting to digital arts to mixed media, offering them a professional platform to share, reflect and grow through creative exploration. It also features the winning work from the ART24 competition.
“They work on this exhibit throughout the school year,” she said, adding that they have to set up the exhibition. “It’s great practice for them — and they get to show off their work in a real gallery.”
The students and their professor will be present.
In the Mezzanine Gallery, “Sanibel School K-8 Artists” will be on display by students at The Sanibel School. For the second consecutive year, the colorful showcase spans a wide variety of mediums.
“It’s students of all ages,” Govoni said.
BIG ARTS will recognize this year’s Performing and Creative Arts Scholarship recipients.
The winners are Kareema Colson, Sarah Elizabeth Valentina Conley, Samantha Curls, Emily Reagan Feichthaler, Hazel Fitzpatrick, Gianna Gwendolyn Lieze-Adams, Kaylin Norwood and Diana Talavera.
“They are for graduating high school seniors or people already enrolled in higher education who are pursing a career in the arts,” she said of the program. “We have talents across degrees of artwork.”
Last year, the recipients were studying dance, science and art combined, music, and more.
“Typically, we do a little ceremony,” Govoni said.
“Usually the students and their families come out to celebrate,” she added.
In addition to a scholarship, the winners will receive a gift certificate from the Key West Express.
BIG ARTS’ artist-instructors and gift shop artists will offer the live demos.
The instructors will include Zentangle artist Donna Lee Cole, watercolor artist Sunny Krchmar, potter Tim Smith and silk painting artist Deb Zwetsch. The participants from the gift shop will include jeweler Anne Britt, painters Antonia Crook and Arlene Stigum, and weaver Diana Urso.
“We’re going to have a couple of people painting, someone doing a pottery wheel live, someone doing a loom live, someone drawing,” Govoni said. “People can watch everything kind of come to life.”
A student performer will provide live entertainment.
“So it ties into the theme of recognizing students,” she said.
Attendees can enjoy pizza from Vesuvius Wood Fired Pizza’s food truck, along with fresh lemonade from Dr. Lemon-Aid Shakers and complimentary water, soda and wine from the BIG ARTS bar.
There will be craft beer from No. 3 Craft Beers in Cape Coral.
“They graciously provide the beer to us every year free of charge,” Govoni said.
The public is invited to come out and take part.
“We really want the whole community to discover these incredible students’ artwork,” she said, explaining that they can also enjoy the artist-instructors, gift shop artists, music and more.
“It’s a celebration for everyone,” Govoni added.
For more information, visit https://bigarts.org/ or call 239-395-0900.
BIG ARTS is at 900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel.
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IF YOU GO
What
Annual Art Vibe
When
June 13 at 5 p.m.
Where
BIG ARTS, 900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel
Details
Free and open to public