Bobbi Robertson Eggshell Art
Bobbi Robertson Eggshell Art

More than a dozen members of the SWFL Florida Fine Craft Guild will demonstrate their specialties during “Artists@Work” at the Alliance for the Arts on Saturday, March 15 from 10AM-1PM. Enjoy a wide variety of fascinating live demos inside the Alliance main building and outside on the GreenMarket lawn. The family-friendly demo day features artists including Angela Aradia & Al Liccardi (Raku Pottery), Jenny Burnham (Kumihimo Braided Jewelry), Analilia Clay (Bird Feather Carving), Dee Cooper (Bead Weaving), Kathy Erickson (Pine Needle Baskets), Renee Farr (Mosaic), Petra Kaiser (Fused Glass), Phil Krym (Wood Turning), Sherry Moesch (Viking Knit Jewelry), Bobbi Robertson (Eggshell Art), Trudy Sampson & Jim Sobel (Stone Sculpting) and Glorida Winer (Wire & Cloth).

Founded in 1977, the SWFL Fine Craft Guild is comprised of local artisans, craftsmen and craftswomen. Its members combine old world craftsmanship with contemporary techniques to produce unique works of art.

Just KidsThe Alliance for the Arts’ monthly Member Gallery Book Club continues on Tuesday, February 18 from 7-9PM with a discussion of Just Kids by Patti Smith. Join Alliance members in this monthly exploration of literature centered on artists, art history and art appreciation.

In Smith’s first book of prose, the legendary American artist offers a never-before-seen glimpse of her remarkable relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in the epochal days of New York City and the Chelsea Hotel in the late sixties and seventies. An honest and moving story of youth and friendship, Smith brings the same unique, lyrical quality to Just Kids as she has to the rest of her formidable body of work—from her influential 1975 album Horses to her visual art and poetry.

The Member Gallery Book Club meets from 7-9PM on the third Tuesday of every month. Club members must purchase their own copy of each book. Pre-registration is encouraged – all that’s needed is an active Alliance membership. The club continues on Tuesday, March 18 with a discussion of The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance by Edmund de Waal. The April title is Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier.

Alliance individual memberships are $50 per year, families can join for $75 per year and college students can become a member for just $15. Membership benefits include 20% discounts on all classes & workshops, a wide variety of FREE class Try It sessions, discounts on theatre tickets and youth camps, special exhibition opportunities and the satisfaction of knowing you’re supporting a vibrant community of artists and art enthusiasts here in southwest Florida. Visit ArtInLee.org or call 239-939-2787 to become a member today.

Alliance gift shop1The Alliance for the Arts gift shop will expand into the gallery on Saturday, February 8 from 10AM-2PM when local artists display and sell their hand-crafted works in a wide variety of mediums. Don’t miss your chance to find unique Valentine’s Day gifts while supporting artists at the same time. Coffee and refreshments will be served. Alliance members receive 10% off their total purchase.

Meet more than a dozen artists including Aboriginals (jewelry and sculpture), Jayne Baker (candles, boxes, jewelry), Gay Cable (jewelry), DLynne Designs (fused glass and jewelry), Lucia Garcia (jewelry), Katy Gardenia (dolls, cards, books, jewelry), Shirley Litman (pottery), Eileen Loro (baskets), Marc Oeldon (pottery) and Union Artist Studio artists (paintings, jewelry, frames & more). While you’re shopping you can also explore the Gale Bennett 75 retrospective exhibit in the Main Gallery and the weekly Alliance GreenMarket that takes place outside from 9AM-1PM.

I_Remember_Better_When_I_Paint_2009_Poster The Alliance for the Arts hosts a screening of the art therapy film “I Remember Better When I Paint” on Tuesday, February 18 at 7PM. The 2009 feature length documentary explores the positive impact of art and other creative therapies in people with Alzheimer’s disease, and how these approaches can change the way the disease is viewed by society. The film examines the way creative arts bypass the limitations of dementia disorders such as Alzheimer’s and shows how patients’ still-vibrant imaginations are strengthened through therapeutic art. Produced and directed by Eric Ellena and Berna Huebner, “I Remember Better When I Paint” is narrated by actress Olivia de Havilland who played Melanie Hamilton in “Gone with the Wind.”

Berna Huebner will be on hand and will lead a discussion following the screening, along with local art therapists Angel Duncan and Reina Lombardi. The screening will be in the Foulds Theatre at the Alliance. A $5 suggested donation is requested at the door.