Monday, March 23, 2015

April 2015 - Art Quilters Unlimited Group, Tom Nagata and Pat Cleveland

Join Arts for ACT Gallery, located at 2265 First Street in downtown Fort Myers on Friday, April 03, from 6 to 10 pm for the opening reception and art walk for our April featured artists: Group Exhibit by The Art Quilters Unlimited in the main gallery. Showing off the main gallery: Painter, Tom Nagata, and in the White Gallery, “Transitions” Pat Cleveland – a legally blind artist.  These exhibits continue through April 27, 2015.  

In the Main Gallery – Art Quilters Unlimited Group Exhibit
Art Quilters Unlimited AQU TAKING A BITE OUT OF FT MYERS with "Slice Quilts"



Art Quilters Unlimited exhibit, "Cityscapes - A Slice of Ft. Myers" for the month of April will delight visitors to Arts for Act gallery in downtown Ft. Myers.  AQU's last show was described by their exibit judge, Alicia Schmidt as " ..a complex kaleidoscope of techniques, styles and imagery. WOW! What can happen with fiber, fabric and thread! I have always respected the artistry of this group – and they have delighted!  The Art Quilters Unlimited works “unexpected” and “unique”.  

Art Quilters are creating special 15" x 35" slice quilts of Ft. Myers scenes for this exhibit along with other size art quilts and many small quilted items for purchase.  AQU is a group of very talented Fiber Artists working with cloth and quilting techniques to create extraordinary wall art. Quilters meet every other month starting in January at the Alliance for the Arts.  They welcome anyone interested in creating textiles, learning and sharing.  www.artquiltersunlimited.com  Workshops and "Play-Days" by local and national art quilters are offered almost every month.  Excitement and enthusiasm are through the roof at every get-together!

In the White Gallery – Pat Cleveland

“Transitions”by Cape Coral artist, Pat Cleveland, is the first showing of Cleveland’s newest paintings since she developed macular degeneration 3 years ago and now is considered legally blind. The artist considers the change in vision not as a challenge but as an opportunity for creative growth. Instead of her previous quite detailed work she is using a more impressionistic or abstract approach with strong colors in her palette.  There will be paintings from previous years showing her style of work prior to the vision changes as well. All of the paintings are rendered in oil on canvas and include various subjects of landscapes, portraits, animals, florals, and still life.

A graduate of Traphagen School of Design, New York, N. Y., Cleveland worked as an interior designer for Bloomingdales. Originally from New Jersey, she moved to cape Coral in 1975 and was employed by Robb and Stucky.  After retirement she became a member of local art leagues, showing her work in group and solo shows winning awards and notices. In later years her paintings were represented by art galleries in Ft. Myers, Sanibel, Naples, Matlacha, and Lakeland, Fl. Her work is in the collections of celebrities such as Lily Tomlin, the actress, Russian Ice Dance Olympic Gold Medalists, local and national collecors.  For the last 25 years Cleveland has donated paintings to the annual Arts for ACT Auction. In 2013 she was one of 6 featured artists of ACT.

 Off the Main Gallery – Tom Nagata


Thomas Hiromu Nagata was born of Japanese-American parents in 1947 in Honolulu, Hawaii.  He graduated wit a BFA in Graphic Design from Ohio University.  Tom began his career in the field of education and moved to Fort Myers to teach in the Lee County School District.  Tom’s original works began in acrylic, his limited edition silk-screen pieces ranged from four to twenty-one colors.  His works soon blossomed into 30” X 40” gallery wrapped canvases that tease the eye into following the painting around its edges.  The subjects reflect his youth in Hawaii, Orchids, Koi and more.  Tom’s choice of color and balance create movement on his canvas.  Paying close attention to detail, he laboriously applies my layers of pigments that are watered to create different tones and hues.  The process is very time-consuming, often taking two to three months per original.  Come see these stunning works that focus on tropical subjects and Hawaii.