Join Arts for ACT Gallery, located at 2265 First
Street in downtown Fort Myers on Friday, February 7, from 6 to 10 pm for the
opening reception and art walk for our February featured artist, Scott Guelcher’s,
“10 Years”. In addition, showing off the main gallery are photography of Karen
Shulman and Art by Kids with Cancer. This
exhibit continues through March 3, 2014.
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| "Snowbird Soup" Scott Guelcher |
Scott Guelcher’s unique style of art has become well known in Southwest Florida. This
blend of Pop Art Images and abstract backgrounds has attracted galleries to
frequently display his artwork. Throughout his rising career as an artist he
has received local and international recognition for his artwork. He has
received awards and grants for his art including the 2008 Angels of the Arts
Award for Best “New” Artist, 2010 Soaring Eagles Award from the FGCU Alumni
Association, being selected as one of ten artists from the State of Florida to
attend the Mac: Model for Artists Career Development Workshop in St.
Petersburg, Florida, an invitation to a Marketing and Promoting your work
workshop in Tequesta, Florida funded by a National Endowment of the arts grant
through the Florida Department of Cultural Affairs and run by the Creative
Capitol Foundation of New York City (a subsidy of the Andy Warhol Foundation
that supports individual artists), and Arts and Culture Grants from the City of
Fort Myers in 2008 and 2009. In addition to being an artist, Scott was the
event chair for Art Royale 2008, the signature fundraiser for the Lee County
Alliance of the Arts in Fort Myers and currently teaches art at Island Coast
High School. Scott is always looking for new opportunities to educate and
inspire the community through the arts. He is always trying to give back to the
community through philanthropy by donating works of art to charity fundraisers
for different causes. He promoted some global subjects during his span as an
artist, specifically a solo exhibition titled “Bikinis and Bombs”. This show
was about the testing of the hydrogen bomb by the United States government
conducted in the Marshall Islands on Bikini Atoll. The show gained local and
international recognition. His exhibitions, publications, and collections
enrich the talent and education he has achieved. Scott will continue to draw on
issues in the local community and global community as the inspiration for his
artwork.
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| "Up in the Air" Karen Shulman |
Karen Shulman began photographing in 2007 while living on the ocean in
Hull, MA. There,the changing lightscapes and dramatic skies prompted her
to chase perfect light and capture the spectrum of vivid hues she witnessed.
While her interests have expanded to include cityscapes and street photography,
she continues to seek the most expressive light in her compositions. Three of Karen’s photographs are in the
permanent collection of the South Shore Hospital, Weymouth MA. This is her
first solo show, “Window Dressing,” in Fort Myers. Her work has appeared in
group shows in the Boston area, most recently three shows at the Griffin Museum
of Photography: Winter Solstice Member Show, Harvey Stein’s Street Photography.
Among the awards she has won are Best in Show from South Shore Art Association,
Cohasset MA and honorable mention in the national show "The Art of
Photography" in Plymouth MA. Karen
has studied photography with Harvey Stein, Lance Keimig, Scott Martin and Karen
Davis and in workshops around the world including Scotland, Ireland, Iceland,
Prague, Taos, New Mexico and New York City.
Art by
Kids with Cancer is a project of The
Young Artists Awards. This non-profit organization donates and delivers art
supplies for use by pediatric oncology patients throughout the year in
conjunction with the Child Life Specialists at the Pediatric
Oncology/Hematology program at the Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest
Florida, while also showcasing the artwork of children with
cancer. The organization provides monetary assistance to local
families in crisis facing the financial challenges of childhood, assisting those
families with expenses such as groceries, transportation, and prescription
costs. The program's collaboration with trained
specialists at the hospital utilizes art in a therapeutic setting to assist
children with cancer. The art supplies purchased and donated are delivered for
specialized instruction and are available for both art projects and the
children's personal use. The program's multiple 'Art by Kids with Cancer' exhibits
throughout the community raise awareness in the general community as to the
importance of the arts in healing and the challenges faced by local families of
children diagnosed with cancer. The Young Artists Awards, a not for
profit organization serving area children, mats and frames and then
showcases, sells, and auctions selected pieces of the children’s artwork at
numerous venues throughout Southwest Florida. Trained
volunteers will be available to talk about the artwork and program
during the opening. More information can be found at www.youngartistsawards.org.
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| "Little Loves" Art by Kids with Cancer |
