December 2011

President’s Message

Dear NPAC Members & Friends,

It has been an exhilarating time these past two years at the North Port Art Center, as much as in 2007 when we received our first Art Center building from the City of North Port. I was happy to be your president and will continue to help find the funds to support the staff and all the services NPAC offers in the area.   

The March 4 “Bowls of Hope on the Green” fundraiser for All Faith’s Food Bank is nearing with the next scheduled bowl making: January 7 and 21 as well as February 11 at NPAC. Thanks to our dedicated potters. We could not have done this large project without them.

At the December 12, 2011, NPAC Pot Luck Holiday Party/Member Meeting, the North Port Art Center Executive Director Carol Neagles recited our many accomplishments of the past two years. The Board presented me with a large bouquet of flowers and a photo album with a commemorative silver frame cover, as a remembrance. The new NPAC Board members were voted into office by the members present at the December 12 Meeting and they are: Sue Shatzer, Doris Benton, and Bonnie Rodgers. The Officers appointed by the Board for 2012 are: President Mary Alspaugh, Vice President Sandi Hilliard, Secretary Rosalee Roche and Treasurer Mary Maples. It was good to see so many members at the Holiday Pot Luck Party with ‘Elvis’ entertaining the crowd. All current 2011 NPAC Board members will continue serving on the Board along with the new Board members.

Louise Hall, President 2010-2011

Although Judy Cowan Lee is a native Floridian she has spent time in the North Carolina mountains, the new Jersey area and Pennsylvania, all the while continuing to paint and explore new areas of creativity. Judy likes to experiment with different styles and techniques, which take her work from non-objective abstracts to colorful figurative pieces. She also works in series such as her fabric of life series in which her paintings take on the three dimensional look of fabric wrapped figures or her carousel series, which she uses the animals of the carousel to depict various stages of life. Part of the carousel series hangs in a loft in the Tribeca area of new York City.

Judy earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Florida International University, Miami, Florida in 1993 with high honors and was a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society, she was granted a scholarship from the American business Women's Association.

Working with children of grade school age as an art teacher has been very rewarding for Judy. While in North Carolina, she was invited to be a visiting artist at two public schools. She has also taught children's art at Venice Art Center in Venice, Florida and is currently teaching at the North Port Art Center in north Port Florida.

Judy has worked as a scenic artist at the Venice Little Theatre since returning to Florida in 206, she has also worked at Parkway Playhouse in Burnsville, North Carolina and the Leonia Guild Players in Leonia, New Jersey.

Executive Director’s Message

In the midst of the holiday season, we have much to celebrate and be thankful this year.

As the year is rapidly coming to a close, it is my joy to share some amazing statistics and facts of the accomplishments of the North Port Art Center in 2011. It is through you the members, artists, community and art patrons and foundations that have made it all possible.

· New Pottery Studio put in place next to the NPAC Main Building by the City of North Port

· Grant given through the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation to purchase state of the art pottery equipment, including 10 potters wheels, digital kiln, kiln shed, slab roller, tables, chairs and tools

· Grant given through the Plantation Foundation to purchase tables and chairs for both buildings

· Grant given through the Heron Creek Foundation for the beautiful NPAC sign with capitals and marquee

· Grant given through Home Depot to paint main building; Home Depot also sent its workforce to do the job

· Grant given through Gulf Coast Community Foundation to teach art therapy to 25 elder care facilities, teaching 2,200 assisted care residents

· Grant given through the Community Foundation of Sarasota "Pitching Projects" teaching  1,600 children, ages 6-12 in the Free Saturday program

· 114 Art Camp scholarships awarded to students

· Three project goals achieved through the Gulf Coast Community Foundation "Gulf Coast Gives" Project #1-Clay for Children's Pottery instruction; Project #2-Five Art Camp scholarships for "Fun"-tastic Art Camp; Project #3-Five additional "Fun"-tastic Art Camp scholarships

· NPAC fundraiser "Chick Soup" performed at the North Port Performing Arts Center selling 1,023 tickets, standing room only!

· NPAC Festival sARTée "Arts Alive" attended by large numbers

· Home school students provided the "Butterfly Garden" at the entrance of the NPAC building

· Two DOT directional signs for NPAC installed on HWY 41

· Three signs placed on main thoroughfare giving the direction to NPAC

· 300 Bowls made as the first fruits of the NPAC Pottery Studio and given to All Faiths Food Bank for its Bowls of Hope event in November 2011

· "Where Community & Art Meet": 149 non-profit and service organizations hosted by NPAC

· Gallery exhibitions throughout the year:  Embroiders' Guild of America-Sarasota Chapter; Our Florida Gulf Coast (contributing to the recovery of the Gulf of Mexico through the Conservancy of South West Florida); Spring Art Show; Fur, Fins and Feathers; Kaleidoscope; Treasures; along with several invitationals.

2011 Fun & Interesting Stats:

· 300 students have taken 6-week art instruction in 2-D visual art

· 112 students have taken 5-week Pottery & Sculpture classes

· 120 students took 1-day workshops

· 250 residents, non-members made bowls for Bowls of Hope

· 10,000 people visited the center this year

· 10,000 on-site volunteer hours were recorded

· 8,000 off-site volunteer hours (many behind the scenes people)

·  2,498 United States visits to the website: 365-Asia, 197-Europe, 24-Africa, 222China, 118-Japan, 50-United Kingdom, 43-Russia, 40-Ukarine, 38Sweden, 34-Jordan, 34-Singapore, 34India, 32-France, 31-Germany, 31South Korea, 31-Canada, 25-Belarus, 23-HongKong, 22-Israel, 21-Hungary, 21Iceland, 20-Dominican Republic, 20Kuwait, 19-Moldova,  19-Finland, 154others

Thank you to the Board of Directors for serving NPAC:

· President & Grant Chair:  Louise Hall

· Vice-President, Social Chair & Art in Public Places, Art Advisory Board: Carol Dawkins

· Treasurer: Mary Maples

· Recording Secretary: Rosalee Soler Roche

· Assistant Treasurer, Art in Public Places, Art Advisory Board:  Sandi Hilliard

· Youth Director:  Clare Harvey

· Art Advisory Board, Event Surveys: Chris Sylvester

· Public Relations: Mary Alspaugh

· Project Coordinator: Nate Boyette

Tickets are on sale for "Cabaret" with Kitt Moran to be held on Saturday, March 24 at 7pm. You won't want to miss this awesome event! Tickets may be purchased here at NPAC. We accept Visa, MasterCard, cash or check.

It has been my blessing and privilege to serve NPAC. I am surrounded by creative, positive and lovely people every day. People that give so freely of their time and talents to have such a large impact on the community in the year 2011. I am personally thankful to God, and all the blessings that abound from his hands of goodness. He is good all the time!

With heartfelt thanks.

Carol Neagles, Executive Director

“Mark Anthony, The Clown” by Francis Smith

20”x16” pastel drawing

Blue Floral Vase by Ricardo Hicks

7” tall x 8” wide

“Just Passing By” by Colleen Henry

19”x23” watercolor painting

Bracelet by Jan Ellwood

 

Coral Shell and Pearl Set by Chris Sylvester

19” necklace with 2” pendant

Small Should Strap Bag by Carol Dawkins

7.5”x8”

NorthPortArtCenter.com

Artistan’s Port Gift Shop

North Port Art Center’s mission is to provide the community with artist support, art classes and educational, cultural events and programs. We are asking community members like you to help support our mission. Memberships and donations make it possible to operate the North Port Art Center. Our organization helps elevate the quality of life in our community by offering positive and creative activities and opportunities for all ages. The Art Center has been called “a jewel in the crown that is North Port.” For further information, please visit our website.

Board of Directors

5950 Sam Shapos Way, North Port, FL 34287  941.423.6460  Mon-Sat 10-2

 

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Featured Member

Award winning artist Maryanne Jacobsen won 1st Place with her oil painting titled "Monterey's Treasure Coast." The top painting is also a Jacobsen entry in the "Treasures" Art Show, which will be on display until January 6 at the North Port Art Center.

Artist Patricia MacLean won 2nd Place and People's Choice award for her acrylic painting "My Youngest Treasure" surrounded by all her 'treasures.'

"Treasures" art show 3rd place winner Ben Barber and family.