ARTFEST FORT MYERS

Artfest Fort Myers takes place annually in the Fort Myers River District on the first weekend of February. This fine art festival lasts for two days, Saturday and Sunday. On this, its eleventh anniversary, the festival is playing host to over 200 artists who represent many different forms of art, such as ceramics, glass, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, and sculpture. The artists’ booths are adjacent to the Harborside Convention Center in downtown Fort Myers and are arranged up and down a long corridor on Edwards Drive, maybe four blocks long, with the Caloosahatchee River and the Fort Myers yacht basin in the background. There’s no rhyme or reason to the placement of the artists’ booths. You may find a booth with ceramics juxtaposed with a booth displaying basketry next to a sculpture display, which is beside a wall of paintings or of metal sculptures. But there is nothing tacky about the art displayed at this festival. The selection of artists is done by a “jury process.” A panel of experts selects the artists from among those who apply. This year over 800 artists applied for the festival, but only 214 were invited to participate. The artists come from as many as thirty-four states, from California to Virginia, but two of my favorites from the whole array of artists at the festival are based right here in Florida. Frankly, if you really want to appreciate the beauty of the art, you should take your time and spend both days leisurely visiting the displays, the earlier in the day, the better, because the crowds increase as the day goes on. The art is THAT good, even stunning in some cases. This is the first time I have visited the festival, so I thought it was just one more among many here in Southwest Florida at this time of year. Next year, I’ll know better because this year’s festival set the bar pretty high. I probably didn’t do justice to photographing the artwork, but the pieces of art whose photos I took are the ones that either grabbed my attention or that I would have bought if I could have afforded it.

Check-in for festival volunteers is at the Harborside Convention Center

The acrylic work of Michael George from Temecula, California, glistens in the brilliant Florida sunlight.

This clock by Douglas Durkee of Infinity Art Furnishings is much more than just a timepiece.

A festival visitor examines a piece of artwork.

Kenneth Marine of Hollister, Missouri, displays glass work.

Handcrafted furniture by Lance and Vicki Munn of Indiana has clean and simple lines.

Tables, some with umbrellas, are set up as resting spots for festival-goers.

The portable bathrooms were surprizingly clean, neat, and plentiful.

The Festival Store sold Festival T-shirts. The ones designed by sculptor Clayton Swartz were sold out on this, the first day of the festival.

Clayton Swartz resides in Pinellas Park, Florida, in the Tampa Bay area. He does aluminum indoor and outdoor wall and free-standing sculptures.

I have a place for this particular piece of wall art by Clayton Swartz. It's quite large, probably three feet wide by two feet high.

These are smaller pieces of wall art by Clayton Swartz.

A free-standing sculpture by Clayton Swartz. While I was there, someone bought a different, more elaborate,  free-standing sculpture by Swartz. I asked the buyer how much it cost: $6,000. I'll have to find something other than a Clayton Swartz sculpture for the wall space I had in mind. 

Steven Klinsky from Encinatas, California, displays ceramics which all seem to have beautiful, sinuous shapes.

His display made me feel as if I were in an art gallery.

A husband and wife team up to make this unique art form.

Mike Albin takes the photograph, and then his wife, Patty, handpaints a frame to extend the scene outward to the limits of the frame.

Frames complete the photo.

Scanlan displays "Windows to the World."

James LaCasse displays his whimsical sculptures.

A pear-shaped instrument is mirrored by a pear in this James LaCasse sculpture.

The juggler keeps the balls aloft.

"Visionary" by James LaCasse.

A close-up of "The Visionary."

This is the LaCasse sculpture that I would take home if I had $4,500.

Peter Smith does wire mesh art, which is a new art form for me. 

You can see right through this wire mesh zebra by Peter Smith.

Mixed Media with a tropical flair by Monika Watson.

Monika Watson's distinctive tropical scene.

An artist is creating a Chalk Street Painting of a flamingo, one of Florida's favorite birds.

More Chalk Street Painting.

Michael Zanabili, Spanish Acoustic Guitarist, serenades festival visitors.

The concessions stands are well-patronized places on a warm day like today.

William Kidd stands beside his unique ceramics.

Robert Cordisco of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, with his large, abstract and colorful sculptures.

Another view of the Cordisco sculptures.

Giant stick-figure sculptures by Robert Cordisco.

The artist, Robert Cordisco, and a brightly-colored sculpture.

Roger Disney's work is oil painting on a stretched canvas applied with the use of palette knives.

Kurt Ruby, of Pennsboro, West Virginia, is a metal artist who does creations in copper. 

Kurt Ruby's metal art.

Ronald Lemoine creates a whimsical cutaway fish in metal art.

More of Ronald Lemoine's metal art creations. Look closely at the fish. Yes, you're right, he really is wearing scuba gear.

A didgeridoo demonstration from Martin and Scott provides the festival with an international flavor.

The art festival is over this year for both of us. This beautiful black schnauzer took a rest in the middle of the sidewalk, and festival visitors gave him his space and very carefully walked around him.

THE END OF ARTFEST 2011