Working in the Gallery a Labor of Love

Yesterday I worked in the Art Council of Southwest Florida Co-op Gallery at Coconut Point. At least once a month, displaying artists volunteer their time and talents to keep the gallery running. I've shared with you before some of the lovely paintings and some of my experiences.

This is a Batik painting.

May marks the end of "Season" and many "Snow Birds" have already left for northern climes. The gallery has gone from 125 artists to 45 which gives you a picture of how we will operate through the summer. This is the first year that we have stayed open year round. Summer hours will be four days a week on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A spectacular six months of operation netted enough profits to keep the gallery open through the summer and gave encouragement for all of us to continue our efforts. Each month, paintings and artwork are changed out so that fresh and interesting work is new each month. All work is juried in by a qualified panel. The only criteria is that submitting artists must belong to a local art league; there are several to choose from in every locale
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New artists are constantly joining our ranks so the gallery continues to have a cutting edge feel. Coconut Point has proven to be an excellent location. This upscale neighborhood is continually growing. Yesterday I met a German shopper who spoke little English and two shoppers from Northern Florida who had driven down to shop at this locale

The variety and quality of the artwork surprises and impresses almost everyone who comes into the gallery. New home owners are looking for something distinctive and memorable to decorate the interior of their homes. In addition to sculpture and artwork, there are trendy items such as dolls, and jewelry.

A mermaid collector purchased a doll that had just arrived. Keeping the gallery well stocked is becoming a challenge. Each artist is allowed to replace items sold so even though the turnover is great, sold items are replenished usually within a day

.I hope you enjoy the most recent artwork on display in this blog. I appreciate your patience as I get up to speed on Windows 8 and recover the old programs I need to do do my blog justice.