Ava McDonnell
The Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers will open its 40th Annual All Florida Exhibition on March 6. The exhibition, which runs through March 28, will be presented alongside two additional gallery showcases, offering visitors a broad look at contemporary Florida art, sculpture, and student work this spring.
Now in its 40th year, the All Florida Exhibition remains one of the premier juried art exhibitions in Florida, drawing submissions from artists across the state. This year’s show features 43 works by 39 artists selected from more than 450 submissions, showing both the competitiveness and prestige of the annual event. The exhibition includes 33 wall-hung works and 10 sculptural pieces, spanning styles from naturalistic to abstract, nonobjective to conceptual, and realistic to gestural.
Participating artists include Samara Ash, Johann Avedano, Brigitte Balbinot, Henry Benvenuti, Deon Blackwell, Leo Boisvert, Lynda Fay Braun, Monserrat Castillo Hernandez, Ariel Collins, Quanel Davis, Alane Enyart, Heidi Fausel, Dave Flach, Torenzo Gann, Mihail Gubin, Rima Jabbur, Claudia Jane Klein, Clarke Kwangwari, Alexander Nixon, Julie Obney, Nancy Oliveri, Raquel Pantin, Karla Pirona, Lynne Renzenberger, Elisabeth Rodriguez, Nadine Saitlin, Ricky Schenk, Stephen Seal, Joel Shapses, Lani Shapton, Norman Silva, Bethany Skena, Alice Sundstrom, Reen Troy, Wendy Wagner, Lynne Wesolowski, Amanda Westenberg, Hal Yaskulka and Bob Young.
The exhibition was juried by Tim Jaeger, director and chief curator at Ringling College of Art and Design. In a statement, Jaeger said reviewing more than 450 submissions representing a wide range of media was both challenging and inspiring. He said he focused on technical mastery as well as emotional and conceptual depth when selecting the final 43 works, and he commended all artists who submitted work for contributing to Florida’s cultural landscape.
An opening reception for all three exhibitions will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 6, at the Alliance campus, 10091 McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers. The event is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be catered by Jayne Baker as guests tour the galleries.
In addition to the All Florida Exhibition in the Main Gallery, the Theater Gallery will present Selected Works by Ralph Bigletti, featuring assemblages and metal sculptures composed entirely of found objects. The exhibition operates as a cash-and-carry experience, allowing collectors to purchase and take home artwork immediately. Many of the small-scale assemblage sculptures are priced under $50, making the show accessible to new and seasoned collectors alike. Bigletti has produced more than five sculptures per week over the past three years, building an extensive body of one-of-a-kind works.
The Member Gallery will showcase original acrylic paintings by students in Marilyn Hedlund’s Fine Art Acrylics class. The student exhibition reflects a critique-driven studio environment focused on experimentation, composition, color, form, and contrast, resulting in a diverse collection that highlights both technical development and individual artistic voice.
Founded in 1975, the Alliance for the Arts is a nonprofit community visual and performing arts center in Fort Myers. The campus and galleries are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
For more information about the 40th Annual All Florida Exhibition and related art events in Fort Myers, visit ArtInLee.org or call 239-939-2787.
Comments