AUGUST 6TH ART WALK!

The downtown River District's monthly art event continues in August with new art shows and a one-act play.   The next Fort Myers Art Walk will be Friday, Aug. 6 from 6 to 10 p.m. The Aug. 6 Art Walk will include more than a dozen art stops and will feature new art exhibits, a one-act play, live music, and the traditional after party.

Several galleries and businesses will be open for an additional Saturday daytime reception from noon to 4 p.m. on Aug. 7.

Held the first Friday of every month from 6 to 10 pm., Art Walk features local and national artwork in the downtown art galleries and at several art stops in the Fort Myers River District. The evening culminates with an after party at 10 p.m. The August after party will be held at Spirits of Bacchus on Hendry Street.

Nearly 40 participants make Art Walk happen and they include the Alliance for the Arts, Art League of Fort Myers, Art of the Olympians, Arts for ACT Gallery and Boutique, Browtopia, Café Matisse, Cigar Bar, Coloring The World, Conch Sweet Corner Café, daas Gallery, Delicious Things, Digital Data Destruction, Downtown House of Pizza, Enjewel, First United Methodist Church, Florida Repertory Theatre, Fort Myers Redevelopment Agency, French Connection, H2 Downtown Bistro, Hampton Inn & Suites, Happenings A&E Magazine, Hideaway Sports Bar, Hotel Indigo, HOWL Gallery/Tattoo, Ichiban Japanese & Chinese Restaurant, IberiaBank, Legacy Harbour Hotel & Suites, Morgan House Restaurant, The Oasis Luxury Condos, Potomac Bead Company, Red Rock Saloon, River District Alliance, Rossy Fashion Inc., Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, Select Transportation, SKS PhotoShoot, Space 39 Gallery, Spirits of Bacchus, The Spot, Starbucks Coffee, The Veranda Resta urant, What's Up Dogs, and the Young Artists Awards Program.

Some highlights of the Friday, Aug. 6 Art Walk:

- Art of the Olympians: Berne Davis, a long-time supporter of the arts in Southwest Florida and of Art of the Olympians, will lead the dedication of renowned Olympian artist Larry Young's 14-foot "Tango" statue at 7:30 p.m.  AOTO collaborated with the Dance Alive National Ballet (DANB) and has introduced works by Olympian artists as backgrounds for Fused Tutu, a four-part ballet that presents a journey for excellence.

- Art League of Fort Myers: Summer art show plus Young Artist Award performer Shelby Ramsey, a pianist.

- Arts for ACT Gallery: Opening reception for new exhibit featuring artists Jolene Hardy, Stacey Brown, and William C. Hofer.

- Coloring The World: Opening of new exhibit showcasing photographer Phil Dodd.

- daas Gallery: Cuban artist, Fernando Soler presents Fun-Tasy, a collection of new works inspired in a life full of fun and adventure.

- Enjewel: Featured artist is Lynne Routhier (semi-precious jewelry, cigar handbags).

- Gallery Showcase and Information Center at IberiaBank (Bayview Court at First Street). New Art Walk T-shirts are available at this location as well as buttons and brochures.

- HOWL Gallery: SUGAR NINJAS exhibit featuring the art of over 100 female comic book artists.  SUGAR NINJAS is a new graphic novel anthology of women comic artists curated by the founder of Savannah College of Art & Design's Sequential Art program, Bob Pendarvis.

- The Oasis Condos: New exhibit called The Wild, a look at animals through paintings and photography.

- Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center: Opening of Piece by Piece, which showcases the stained glass creations of John Coleman. The Laboratory Theatre of Florida will also present the one-act play Anywhere from Here.

- Space 39:  Opening of a group show featuring artwork of Rauschenberg, Warhol, Icart, Buckner, Vyd, and Roskovensky.

Another highlight of the extremely popular evening will be the weekly Friday Night Live, which takes place in the Patio de Leon. Memphis 56 will perform from 6 to 9 p.m.

Always a collector's item, new Art Walk buttons will be available at galleries that night. Now, Art Walk has its own shirt (in red or black). Shirts are available for a $12 donation at the IberiaBank gallery showcase during Art Walk.

A free shuttle service courtesy of Select Transportation Inc., with stops planned near the art venues, and parking at the Harborside Event Center will be available for Art Walk patrons. Shuttle stops include The Oasis, Art of the Olympians, and Enjewel on First Street.
The seasonal Saturday Art Fair will return in the fall.

A map of Art Walk, transportation, and parking will be distributed by participating galleries. Art Walk is a rain or shine event. Art Walk was started by a group of art galleries and art enthusiasts and debuted in October of 2008. For more information on Art Walk, participating galleries and links to gallery websites, visit www.fortmyersartwalk.com.

ONLY $12 - ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT ART WALK EVENT FUND!

Art Walk Radio Ad on WAV101 Listen to it now!