Visual Art

Days after the city of Miami Beach filed a similar case, Fort Lauderdale has challenged the legality of directives by the Florida Department of Transportation to remove art and markings on streets.Fort Lauderdale filed its challenge Monday at the state Division of Administrative Hearings, arguing that the department did not go through a legally required rule-making process. Such directives went to local governments across the state and have drawn heavy attention, in part, because they required removing LGBTQ-themed rainbow crosswalks.

Bridging the Gap Center for the Arts is Southwest Florida’s newest arts and culture nonprofit. The new organization is committed to providing support, education, community, and performance opportunities for BIPOC artists. We’ll learn about the new organization in a conversation with founder and executive director Sonya McCarter, board of directors member Cotrenia Hood, and dance instructor Eden Collier.

Generative AI programs like ChatGPT and DeepAI allow anyone, anywhere, to generate imagery with the touch of a button. This software can instantly duplicate styles of artists for a much lower cost, upsetting artists in the visual and performing arts.

FGCU Professor of Art Andy Owen died on June 21 following a three-month battle with cancer. For 17 years, Owen taught multiple levels of drawing and printmaking. He also played an instrumental role in the formation of FGCU’s permanent art collection.

Naples-based artist Muffy Clark Gill has a solo exhibition of works at the Alliance for the Arts titled, “Portraits of Perception.” Works in the exhibit highlight the artist’s work in the ancient Indonesian batik process and are inspired by her passion for travel.

This year, the Baker Museum of Art in Naples celebrates its 25th anniversary. It has also achieved another milestone - first-time accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, which places it in the top 3 percent of museums in the U.S. and only accredited museum of any kind in Collier County.

From Sarasota to Marco Island and Venice and Sanibel to Arcadia and LaBelle, Southwest Florida is home to more than a dozen art centers. Most host visual art exhibitions showcasing member, regional and nationally renowned artists that change every month. In March, there are 24 shows at these venues. Each will stimulate your imagination and underscore the importance of the arts in our part of the country.

Amer Kobaslija is one of three artists being featured by The Baker Museum of Art in its 12th Annual Florida Contemporary exhibition. His paintings explore the landscape, people and history of Florida, demonstrating the Bosnian-born artist’s complicated relationship with the state he calls home. Museum Director Courtney McNeil provides context.

Southwest Florida is the site of three outdoor art festivals during the weekend of January 25 & 26.

Pine Island artists Deb Zwetsch and Zan Lombardo have collaborated on a joint exhibition now at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers titled, “We Contain Multitudes.” The artists join us live in studio to talk about the exhibition, their artistic inspirations and their artistic approaches, both collaboratively and as individual artists.