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Anna Maria Art Scene, Free Events-Classes-Demonstrations-Event/Wedding Facilities
ANNA MARIA ISLAND ART BY LOCAL ARTISTS
A rich variety of art by talented local artists awaits the art lover at Island Gallery West. We’re on Holmes Beach in the heart of Anna Maria Island on Florida’s Gulf Coast near Bradenton. The works of nearly 30 local artists, artisans and craftspeople are on display. Stop in and take home some local art as a souvenir of our lovely island. We offer painting, photography, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, pottery, stained glass, painted furniture and basketwork. Hours are Monday-Saturday 10-5. ABOUT ISLAND GALLERY WEST
Established over 15 years ago by a small core group of local artists on Florida’s Anna Maria Island, our gallery has evolved into a successful artists’ cooperative of nearly thirty members. We offer paintings, photographs, mixed media, sculpture, ceramic arts, stained glass, furniture, pottery, basketwork, decorative tiles, jewelry, notecards and more. The works of a different artist are featured each month.
The gallery is staffed six days a week by member artists who welcome the opportunity to discuss their art with you. Stop by for a pleasant, relaxing visit and enjoy the many fine works of art on display in two exhibit areas. You’ll discover all the variety and visual stimulation of an art festival in a pleasant gallery setting.
Free Art Demonstrations on Saturdays.
Call 941-778-6648 to check schedule. Everyone welcome.
Island Gallery West is in Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island, a barrier island just south of Tampa Bay on the Central West Coast of Florida. The island is easily reached from the City of Bradenton. Following Manatee Avenue West (SR 64), cross the bridge onto the island. Continue driving straight until you reach Gulf Drive North. Turn right and follow Gulf Drive up the island, going straight through the stop light to a small shopping center on the left at 5368 Gulf Drive. Look for the large, artsy mural, and you’ve found us.
THE STUDIO
Anna Maria’s cultural art facility, The Studio, offers an eclectic array of exhibits, instructional classes, USF lectures and discussion groups (by reservation only), and serves as a salon where artists and art aficionados interact. The Studio hosts fine art exhibitions, along with drama workshops, meetings, lectures, and catered events.
Open Tuesday – Sunday, noon – 7pm
Education
In addition to an exceptional art gallery, The Studio offers an educational facility complete with theater room in which to engage group discussions or attend seminars and classes. The Studio is a sponsor of the Lifelong Learning Academy of the University of South Florida, and hosts it’s Einstein Circle discussion groups. Contact information:
Executive Director, Maria Hussey
Administrative Assistant, Carmen Letelier
Phone 941-359-4296
E-mail: academy@sar.usf.edu
Web site: www.TheLifelongLearningAcademy.com Artists
Featured in The Studio’s permanent collection is the painting “Myakka Fork” by Cuban native Jake Fernandez. Inspired by the mysterious beauty of the Florida wilderness, the landscape is painted on 24 wood panels to form an 8 foot by 12 foot mural, creating a life-size bas relief tableau. This extraordinary painting dramatically depicts the vanishing natural Florida landscape on an irregular surface which shifts the view of the subject and animates the painting with patterns of light and shadow. Click on the artist’s name for more information and samples
of their work.
- ATKINSON, Pat
- AUBRY, Gene
- BETTY, Nancy K.
- CHINNIS, Jeanne
- GORMAN, Gary
- GORMAN, Irene
- HIELSCHER, Nancy
- KINDERKNECHT,
Cheryl H. - McCORRISTIN PETERS,
Evelyn - MOODY, Cheryl
- PARINS, Kris
- THOMAS, Richard
- TOWNSEND, Charles
- WHITEHEAD, Janet
Event Hosting
The Studio at Gulf and Pine offers a unique setting for corporate or private functions. Four thousand square feet of dramatic architecture and great works of art, within walking distance of the beach and waterfront dining, allow you to create a truly memorable event.
- Approximately 3000 square feet of gallery space filled with quality art
- A state-of-the-art theater projection room
- A caterer’s staging area with sink, upright freezer and refrigerated case
Please contact us for availability and pricing information – 941-778-1906
Anna Maria Island Art League
The Art League was founded in 1989 by a small group of artists and art lovers with a desire to bring art to the island community. In June 1993 the Art League opened the island’s first art center in Holmes Beach, Florida
The Art Center facility includes a large exhibit/classroom, membership gallery/conference room, photo lab, art library and picnic grounds where the League offers a broad range of classes, including a scholarship program for children and adults.
Annually the League sponsors Winterfest and Springfest, two juried fine arts and fine crafts festivals that provide funds for the art center and its scholarship fund.
There are eight new exhibitions annually, featuring both local and regional artists. The public is invited to attend the opening receptions.
2009-2010 FESTIVAL DATES
Winterfest - December 12 & 13, 2009
Springfest – March 3 & 14, 2010
Registration forms available
after June 1st
Festivals are a combination of people, education, entertainment and food where you can find amazing items, hand crafted and offered for sale by talented artists.
Come join us each month in a casual and friendly atmosphere when we celebrate the opening of a new exhibit with a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception.
A new exhibit is hung each month, starting in October. Some exhibits feature members, faculty, students or regional artists. Others are juried open exhibits and the Island Art League encourages participation by all interested area artists. Exhibit artwork is original and most is available for sale by the artists.
Opening receptions are on Friday, the first evening of the exhibit, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, unless otherwise noted, and are always open and free to the public.
Gallery hours are 9:30 am to 2:30 pm,
Tuesday through Friday.
Admission is always free.
Bradenton Village of the Arts- Art Walks Available to Enjoy
The Village of the Arts is a vibrant community of artists living and working together in Bradenton, Florida. With over forty artists, the Village is Florida’s largest art community. Monthly ArtWalks fill the streets with art lovers looking for affordable fine art, jewelry, ceramics, designer wear and collectibles of all kinds. You’ll also find inviting bookstores, gourmet cafes and many special events free to the public. ArtWalks are the FIRST Friday and Saturday of every month: Friday 6-9:30pm, Saturday 11am-4pm. The Guild’s mission is: To build a community where artists live and work while enhancing quality of life and creating a harmonious environment.
The Artists Guild of Manatee, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, was formed in 1999 to establish the Village of the Arts (VOTA) in Bradenton, Florida. The Village is located in the southern portion of downtown Bradenton and consists of approximately 42 acres and 240 existing residential structures. It is bounded on the North by 9th Ave. West (MLK) in downtown Bradenton, on the West by 14th Street West, aka Tamiami Trail a federally designated scenic highway, on the East by 9th St. West (McKechnie Field, winter home of the Pittsburgh Pirates), and on the South by 17th Ave. West.
Bradenton is a city of 53,000 situated 45 miles south of Tampa, FL in the county of Manatee (pop. 323,000) with a median household income of $49,076, Bradenton is bordered on the south by Sarasota, FL. Sarasota boasts cultural destinations such as Ringling College of Art, New College, and the Ringling Museum of Art. The western boundary of Bradenton is composed of barrier islands that attract a large tourist trade. Information on beaches, resorts, and all Bradenton attractions is available through the Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. To the east lies Lakewood Ranch, a vibrant, master-planned community of 7000 acres. Manatee County’s population and arts based revenues increase seasonally with the influx of both tourists and “snowbirds” (seasonal residents with a second home in Manatee County).
VOTA currently includes about 40 galleries/studios/businesses, of which approximately half are artist-occupied residences. VOTA includes 2 independent bookstores, 3 cafes/restaurants, several arts-related retail establishments, and the Arts Council of Manatee. All businesses in the VOTA are located in refurbished residential properties, many constructed in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
Of the 40 businesses in the VOTA, approximately 30% are full-time ventures, the balance supplement their incomes from an outside source (part or full-time employment). The percentage of full-time ventures has doubled over the last several years, and is expected to rise significantly over the next several years as the VOTA continues to invest in marketing, signage, and cooperative ventures with other local cultural venues. Please visit our “Friends” page.
The dream was to build a community where artists of all disciplines could live, work and prosper together. Fast forward to today – - we’re living the dream. Our vibrant, colorful artists’ colony, the largest in Florida, lies nestled among other homes in this multi-culturally rich neighborhood. Pick out our studios by our distinctive Village of the Arts signage.
For more information, please call 941-747-8056 or email villageofthearts@gmail.com
Corporate Headquarters Sees Blue Angels Visiting Ann Arbor Michigan
Coast 2 Coast Vacation Rentals has corporate headquarters in Ann Arbor Michigan. This weekend we were pleased to be visited at the nearby Willow Run Airport by the BLUE ANGELS. The Blue Angels are the Navy’s premier pilots flying the incredibly loud, fast, and agile F/A 18 Hornets in precision flying formations. These pilots exploded over the Coast 2 Coast Vacation Rentals executives in an exciting display of military power.
The Blue Angels’ mission is to enhance Navy and Marine Corps recruiting efforts and to represent the naval service to the United States, its elected leadership and foreign nations. The Blue Angels serve as positive role models and goodwill ambassadors for the U. S. Navy and Marine Corps.
A Blue Angels flight demonstration exhibits choreographed refinements of skills possessed by all naval aviators. It includes the graceful aerobatic maneuvers of the four-plane Diamond Formation, in concert with the fast-paced, high-performance maneuvers of its two Solo Pilots. Finally, the team illustrates the pinnacle of precision flying, performing maneuvers locked as a unit in the renowned, six-jet Delta Formation.
The team is stationed at Forrest Sherman Field, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, during the show season. However, the squadron spends January through March training pilots and new team members at Naval Air Facility El Centro, California.
The Blue Angels are scheduled to fly 69 air shows at 35 air show sites in the United States during the 2009 season, as the team celebrates 23 years of flying the F/A-18 Hornet. Last season, more than 13 million spectators watched the Blue Angels perform. Since its inception in 1946, the Blue Angels have performed for more than 455 million fans.
http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/index.htm
For those of you coming to Florida in November to stay in one of our vacation rentals in the northern Gulf Coast area, it would be a great opportunity for you to see these guys at Navel Air Station Pensacola, Fl. They will be performing November 13 – 14. Below is a link to their complete schedule.
http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/docs/2009_schedule.pdf
If you can get to their show, you will not be disappointed. This is the second time I have seen them perform and it is just such a jaw dropping stunning display that really makes you realize the awesome military force this country really has.
