October 27th, Wednesday, 1:00pm to 4:00pm professional artist Suzanne Boeck, founder of “Together We Can” Art Therapy classes for people with Alzheimers and other disabilities, will present a 3 hour workshop on how to conduct an art therapy class at various assisted living and nursing home facilities or just better understand how to work with a friend or relative, introducing art therapy to them.

The workshop will cover what art therapy techniques she presently uses, supplies that are needed to introduce watercolor painting and other media, and shares examples of how to handle problems that may arise in an art therapy class setting. Students will experience a hands-on art therapy class session during the workshop.

The “Together We Can” workshop students, that are interested, may accompany Suzanne Boeck and observe one of her actual art therapy sessions in action, following the workshop.

Cost is $35.00 for this 3 hour “Together We Can” Workshop. Supplies will be provided by instructor. Students must pre-register at the North Port Art Center or go in our new online store. Any questions, call Suzanne Boeck at 426-4858 or the Art Center at 423-6460.

Suzanne Boeck has been named September’s Artisan Port ‘Artist of the Month’ and one whole wall of the NPAC gift shop is devoted to displaying her paintings throughout September.

Suzanne states “Art is my love and I need to create and express my emotion through it. Encouragement comes from the people who enjoy my paintings. My style is somewhere between realistic and impressionistic . I love Plein Air Paint, it brings me great joy!

I use Watercolor, Acrylics, Inks and Collages to express myself spiritually. Capturing the world through my hands and use of color is a gift from God. I share this gift with many artists in giving classes, workshops and speaking to art organizations and also through Art Therapy classes set to music playing in the back ground.”

Congratulations Suzanne Boeck!

North Port Art Center is sponsoring the “Save Our Florida Gulf Coast” Exhibition March 7 – April 29, 2011 and is currently accepting submissions for this juried exhibition. 25% of sales from the sale of the artworks will be donated to selected charities, which will benefit businesses, inhabitants and wildlife that have been affected by the Gulf oil spill. For more information and to take part in this effort, click “Save Our Florida Gulf Coast” in the top menu or here for a short cut.

We are looking for a volunteer to co-manage the gift shop. If you love to play with jewelry, love to decorate a room and love to deal with the public this may be your dream volunteer job. No prior sales experience necessary. If this sounds like you, stop in, or call Doris, or Jeri, on any Wednesday.

North Port Art Center member Edie Tauginas assisted Summer Art Camp Instructor Lorraine Harrington in teaching the students how to compose the
painting of a swamp with a painted wooden alligator in the foreground, using tempera & acrylic paint.

“Fun-Tastic” Art Camp Instructor Lorraine Harrington stands between two of the students showing their colorful lizards, on left is Sarah Anderson, age
10, and Brianne Sepulveda, age 9.

A blow through the straw to move a cotton ball across the carpeting race at Art Camp for youth at the North Port Art Center.

Faux Ancient Artifacts made by Ilyssia Blake (7), Raven Loyd (10), Grace Lafo (10), and Brianne Sepulveda (9) on the right, show their two day class
project taught by Art Camp Director Clare Harvey using cardboard, watered down glue, tissue paper, sand and a little History, along the way.

Coleen Henry’s watercolor painting which is being hung in Economic Development Manager Allan C. Lane’s office on the third floor of the North
Port City Hall, along with other NPAC artists’ artworks; Allan Lane and North Port Art Director Carol Neagles admire her painting and hear about the
story.

“I painted this picture as a gift to my husband, Jim, a few years ago. I grouped all of the commercial balloons that he has flown for various companies over the past 33 years, together in one picture and there are a couple of our own balloons and of course the North Port balloon.

Before we had kids we traveled together with many of these commercial balloons and also with the boys as they got older. He flew, we crewed; and flew with him as often as we could! Jim also flew passenger flights in North Port for many years.

The one I’m pointing at is a tourist carrying balloon we flew in the south of France. Next to that are several Disney Company Balloons, Cinderella’s Castle, Mickey, Donald and the Epcot Millennium Balloon.

Several other commercial balloons are pictured and one of my favorites is the Porter Paint ‘can’ shaped balloon. In 1979, it was the first special shaped balloon in the USA; and we got it when it was still rated Experimental.

The Children’s Miracle Network is the red and yellow one that you see the little paper fundraiser balloons, all over in stores.

There are a lot of ballooning stories and fond memories in that painting!”, stated Professional muralist & artist Coleen Henry.

On July 13, 2010, NPAC Youth Director Clare Harvey taught the Art Camp
students how to go about constructing an ‘Assemblage’: the gluing of
collectables & found objects, which in this case, were all painted white.
The light will cast shadows on their artwork and emphasize the different
forms.

The beginnings of constructing an ‘Assemblage’

Vaughn Phillips, age 6, was very pleased with his ‘Assemblage’, which was
created over a two day period at Art Camp, as one of the two different art
lessons taught each day at Art Camp.

The second Saturday of each month, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m, North Port Art Center hosts “Free Kids Art Class” for kids age 6 to 12 and on July 10th Instructor Lorraine Harrington taught the youth how to make yarn dolls. She was assisted by Shannon Kalhoun, a North Port High School senior and volunteer at the Art Center.

From left to right, volunteer Shannon Kalhoun (18), Karley Sowers (7), Jericho Kally (6), Piper Hanson (8), Mya Hanson (6), Grace Gowans (9) and Jessica Kowalski (12).

The two Hanson sisters: Piper & Mya, with the broken arm, and Grace Gowans

were busily working on constructing their yarn dolls.

Bethany Haydt, age 12, and Amanda Burke, age 11, are nearly finished making their yarn dolls. The kids also learned the steps to making tassels for future projects.

North Port Art Center is proud to present “Arts Alive” October 16 and 23, 2010 – Saturday – 7:00-9:00 pm. Come and experience a collaboration of Visual and Performing Arts.

The Gallery Exhibit will be of Art from the Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society. The Society consists of artists from the west coast counties of Florida: Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and Lee.

FSWS was formed in 1983 for the advancement and promotion of excellence in watercolor art through exhibitions, lectures, workshops, demonstrations, website presence for member artists and awards and scholarships are presented to outstanding art students. The organization has 175 members as of June, 2010. Additional groups and artists include:

North Port Chorale, Joyful Ringers
The Joyful Ringers was added to the Chorale in the 2003-2004 season. The Joyful Ringers perform at the North Port Chorale concerts and have performed with the North Port Band and the North Port Orchestra. The Joyful Ringers handbell group play a variety of music from show tunes, classical, sacred, folk tunes and spirituals. The Ringers are available to perform concerts and programs throughout the community.

Dolce Quintet
Dallas Robinson, HORN, grew up in St. Louis. He was an IBM salesman for 35 years, mostly in the upper Midwest. In 1998 he retired to play golf and tennis and moved to Venice. He has enjoyed playing for over 50 years in civic orchestras in St. Louis, Minneapolis, and now in Venice.

Susan Aaron, OBOE, retired to Florida 6 years ago after teaching early childhood education. In Florida, plays with the North Port Band and Orchestra, Venice Band and various quintets and other musical groups in the area.

Jolene O’Brien, FLUTE, a native of Maine, grew up in Missouri. In 1998, she moved to Florida from Bar Harbor, Maine. Since , she then has played in bands in Venice, Sarasota, Port Charlotte, North Port, the North Port Orchestra and various small musical ensembles.

Diane Nichols, CLARINET, hails from the Berkshires in Massachusetts and holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from UMass-Amherst. She currently lives in Venice and also performs with the Suncoast and Sarasota Concert Bands, the Venice Concert Band, and the Gulf Winds.

Nancee Weigel Duffy, BASSOON: “I am passionate about making music .” Nancee has played in orchestras, small chamber groups, and quintets in the Indianapolis area for the past 30 years and is now enjoying finding new music venues on the Suncoast.
North Port Poetry Workshop
Throughout “Art’s Alive” evenings , the North Port Poetry Workshop members will read poems which they have composed, demonstrating their interpretation of selected artwork displayed in the current exhibition “Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society
Artistic Demonstrations
Live Artistic Demonstrations will be presented throughout both “Art’s Alive ” nights”. Come! “Meet and Greet “the Art Instructors and members of North Port Art Center. The following will be guest demonstrators will be sharing their gifts and talents while working in their specialized mediums.

Catherine Beausoliel – Acrylic on Silk

Bob Bolling- Archie Comic Book Illustrator and Creator of Little Archie

Nancy Colby- Watercolor

Julie Hanson- Oil

Clare Harvey- Acrylic

Bette Luksha-Gammell: Wire Jewelry

Don Melander- Watercolor

Roger Parents- Watercolor – From the Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society/Main Gallery

Bonnie Rodgers- Mixed Media

Alicia Radefeld- Mixed Media

Ron Sanders- Oil

…and many more to be announced.

Be sure to mark your calendar for these exciting, fun-filled nights of Creative Energy at the North Port Art Center. Come and experience the collaborative efforts of Visual and Performing Arts working together to present an eclectic Arts environment. Catch the excitement of a lovely evening filled with creativity for the eyes, the ears, and the soul.

The Second Saturday of every month the art center offers “Free Kids Art Class” and June 12th featured handmade paper. Olivia Martin (8) was pleased with her decorated handmade paper, to which she added stars & sparkle & food coloring. $500 was donated by the Mosaic Fertilizer Company to cover supplies and instructor pay toward the monthly Free Kid’s Art Classes. Call 423-6460 to register students for the July 10th, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., free class.