Arts & Entertainment


Insider's Guide: Galleries & Visual Art

Southwest Florida is more than covered when it comes to art both fine and funky.

BY December 9, 2013

 

“The arts on the Gulfshore are as vibrant as the Florida lifestyle we live (perhaps here on colorful, quirky Matlacha Island, a little more so). It is eclectic and engaging, and at the same time approachable and exciting. We have a vast diversity of galleries and an abundance of world-class exhibitions, monthly art strolls, public art tours and spontaneous happenings. I enjoy showcasing authentic Florida in a tropical, painterly way, from pop-up performances and random acts of art. Last Valentine’s Day I filled my basket with paints and bicycled to the Downtown Fort Myers Art Walk. All evening I painted hearts and gave them away. When I’m not in my own gallery, I’m exploring other wonderful galleries and admiring the art of others. My advice to visitors and locals: Add joy to your life—visit a gallery!”

—LEOMA LOVEGROVE, MATLACHA ISLAND ARTIST/GALLERY OWNER

 

MARCO ISLAND

BLUE MANGROVE GALLERY, 1089 N. Collier Blvd., Suite 417, (239) 393-2405. Local and national art including photography, glass, ceramics, accent furniture and jewelry. bluemangrovegallery.com

MARCO ISLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 1010 Winterberry Drive, (239) 394-4221. Includes three galleries and hosts classes, workshops, exhibits, art shows and events. marcoislandart.com

 

NAPLES

ADAMS GALLERIES, 5201 U.S. 41 N., Suite 3, (239) 403-0040. Original oil paintings in Italian, Mediterranean, impressionist, tropical and contemporary styles. adamsgalleriesflorida.com

ALAN BROWN GALLERY, (239) 403-4487. Art by contemporary masters, including Tommy Simpson, Leo Kaplan, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, Jim Dine, Larry Rivers and James Rosenquist. By appointment only. alanbrowngallery.com

ARSENAULT STUDIO, 764 12th Ave. S., (239) 263-1214. Paintings by Paul Arsenault. arsenaultstudio.com

ART 41, 4115 U.S. 41 N., (239) 263-0933. A wide variety of original contemporary/ transitional paintings, sculptures and more created by local Naples artists. jcrabtreefineart.com

ART ALLIANCE NAPLES, (239) 821-1061. More than 25 independent artist studios and galleries located in the Naples Art District. Offers studio art classes.

ART GALLERY OLD NAPLES 2, 1187 Eighth St. S., Suite 3, (239) 560-9569, (941) 587-4040. Gallery featuring the work of Karen S. Stone and Lynne B. Wilcox. Monthly shows featuring works in pastel. artgalleryoldnaples2.com

AUCTIONS NEAPOLITAN & GALLERY, 1100 First Ave. S., (239) 262-7333. From sleek, modern delights to classic antiques, this unique auction house and consignment store sells home furnishings, decorative accessories, jewelry and more. Visit website for schedule of auctions and estate sales. auctionsneapolitan.com

BARBARA GROENTEMAN FINE ART STUDIO & GALLERY, 5760 Shirley St., Suite 7, (239) 572-3386. Features the work of Barbara Groenteman, specializing in fine-art watercolors with tropical, floral and Florida wildlife themes  executed in a realistic technique. barbaragroenteman.com

CALUSA GALLERY ART & FRAME, 2460 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 404, (239) 594-3888. Custom frame shop and eclectic art gallery featuring mouldings, original and limited-edition prints, and custom mirrors. calusagallery.com

THE CLAY PLACE, 1555 Shadowlawn Drive, (239) 775-1078. The gallery of potter Jim Rice features functional artwork, including tiles, platters, clocks, mugs, plates, and decorative and architectural pieces. naplesclayplace.com

THE DARVISH COLLECTION INC. GALLERY OF FINE ART, 1199 Third St. S., (239) 261-7581. Nineteenth to 21st century European and American oil paintings, marble and bronze sculptures. darvishcollection.com

DEBRUYNE FINE ART, 275 Broad Ave. S., (239) 262-4551. Offers collections of museum-quality, original art. debruynefineart.com

DENNISON-MORAN GALLERY, 600 Fifth Ave. S., Suite 102, (239) 263-0590. A contemporary American craft gallery featuring the work of more than 150 artists and craftsmen, including the owners, painter Mary Moran and goldsmiths Kathleen and Robert Dennison. dennisonmorangallery.com

THE EMILY JAMES STUDIO & GALLERY, 780 Fifth Ave. S., (239) 777-3283. Portraits and paintings of landscapes, seascapes, European scenes and more by Emily James, a native Floridian. emilyjamesart.com

THE ENGLISHMAN FINE ART & ANTIQUES, 1190 Third St. S., (239) 649-8088. Features a collection of 19th and early 20th century European oil paintings and presents new modern and contemporary collections. theenglishmanusa.com

FANTASY AND FAUX, (239) 298-1072. Hand-painted furniture, accessories and murals; specializes in Venetian plaster, faux painting and faux bois.

FIFTH AVENUE DESIGN GALLERY, 365 Fifth Ave. S., (239) 417-3650. Jamali fine art, cork paper, frescoes, canvas and sculpture; high-end interior design gallery. fifthavenuedesigngallery.com

FOUR WINDS GALLERY, 340 13th Ave. S., Suite A, (239) 263-7555. American Indian gallery specializing in fine sterling silver and gold jewelry. Carries sculpture, Pueblo pottery, Navajo weavings, antique beadwork and other ethnographic artwork. fourwindsnaples.com

GALERIE DU SOLEIL, 393 Broad Ave. S., (239) 417-3450. Features more than 30 regional and international artists through paintings, sculpture, glass and objets d’art. galerie-du-soleil.com

GALLERY ONE, 770 Fifth Ave. S., (239) 263-0835. More than 200 artists and colorful art glass, paintings, sculpture, Frogman bronze frogs, ceramics and unique jewelry. galleryonenaples.com

GARDNER COLBY GALLERY, 386 Broad Ave. S., (239) 403-7787. Representing an exceptional group of living American artists. gardnercolbygallery.com

GUESS-FISHER GALLERY, 1187 Eighth St. S., Suite 1, (239) 263-3417. Features plein-air paintings and more by area professional artists. guess-fishergallery.com

HARMON-MEEK GALLERY, 599 Ninth St. N., Suite 309, (239) 261-2637. Promotes American artists and artists’ estates for 50 years. harmonmeekgallery.com

HW GALLERY, 1305 Third St. S., (239) 263-6640. Offering modern, contemporary and traditional art. hwgallery.com

JO-GI GALLERY, 1080 Fifth Ave. S., (239) 659-5644. The gallery’s niche is contemporary French fine art, bringing part of Paris and Provence to you since 2000. Jo-Gi’s unique collection offers original paintings, sculptures and limited-edition lithographs. jogigallery.com

THE LADY FROM HAITI GALLERY AND FUNKY BOUTIQUE, 110 10th St. N., (239) 649-8607. Reopened in Old Naples’ “design district,” featuring colorful Haitian folk art and paintings, ladies’ casual accessories, funky jewelry and a mid-month Folk Art Fest. ladyfromhaiti.com

LESLIE HINDMAN AUCTIONEERS, 1300 Third St. S., Suite 201, (239) 643-4448. Based in Chicago for more than 30 years with regional offices in Naples, Palm Beach, Milwaukee, Detroit and Denver. Conducts regularly scheduled auctions of fine art, jewelry, furniture and decorative arts. lesliehindman.com

MARIANNE FRIEDLAND GALLERY, 359 Broad Ave. S., (239) 262-3484. Major works by modern American masters. mariannefriedlandglry.com

MARY MARINER GALLERY AND ART STUDIO, 2205 Hawksridge Drive, Suite 904, (239) 353-0013. Working studio of Mary Mariner, who specializes in impressionism and abstracts.

MUFFY CLARK GILL FINE ART, located at Funky Flamingo Studio, 2725 12th St. N., (239) 434-7006. Features work of batik artist Muffy Clark Gill. Portrait commissions accepted. Call for appointment. muffyclarkgill.com, funkyflamingo.com

NATIVE VISIONS GALLERY, 737 Fifth Ave. S., (239) 643-3785. Featuring the world’s premier nature artists. Traditional and contemporary landscapes, seascapes, wildlife and bird life. nativevisions.com

NORA BUTLER DESIGNS, 800 12th Ave. S., (239) 572-4701, (239) 597-9776. Art gallery, gift boutique and working studio featuring Butler’s whimsical, tropical and coastal-inspired colored-pencil drawings. norabutler.com

PETER GARON STUDIO, (239) 331-6024. Landscape-reminiscent oil and acrylic paintings. petergaronstudio.com

PHIL FISHER GALLERY, 810 12th Ave. S., (239) 403-8393. Watercolors and oils by Phil Fisher and batiks and clay works by Natalie Guess. philfishergallery.com, philfisherfineart.com

PROVENANCE NAPLES, 1300 Third St. S., Suite 103B, (239) 263-4457. An online store specializing in fine antique china, porcelains, crystal and silver as well as furnishings. provenancenaples.com

ROSEN GALLERY & STUDIO, 2172 J & C Blvd., (239) 821-1061. Provides a unique artistic experience uniting three gallery spaces that surround the working studios of featured artists, including painters and sculptors.

SHAW GALLERY OF NAPLES, 761 Fifth Ave. S., (239) 261-7828. Represents a group of nationally and internationally acclaimed painters, sculptors and glass artists. shawgallery.com

SHELDON FINE ART, 460 Fifth Ave. S., (239) 649-6255. Brings the finest in seascape, landscape, figurative and abstract art to collectors in both Naples and Newport, R.I. sheldonfineart.com

SILVER EAGLE, 850 Fifth Ave. S., (239) 403-3033. Contemporary and traditional Native American arts and crafts from more than 20 Indian nations, including handcrafted sterling silver jewelry, Pueblo pottery, Navajo rugs, artifacts, prints and more, plus an expanded gem and mineral gallery. silvereaglegallery.com

SWEET ART GALLERY, 2054 Trade Center Way, (239) 597-2110. Featuring modern, contemporary and abstract artwork by local, national and international artists. thesweetartgallery.com

TRUDY LABELL FINE ART, 2425 Tamiami Trail N., Suite 102, (239) 434-7778. Features sophisticated contemporary American fine art ranging from cutting-edge realism to minimalist abstract construction. trudylabellfineart.com

UP ART AND DESIGN GALLERY, 340 Eighth St. S., (239) 641-3898. Presents Naples’ most “urban”- flavored exhibitions, featuring museum-level national and international artists alongside the extraordinary artworks of resident artist John Carroll Long. upartanddesign.com

THE VON LIEBIG ART CENTER, 585 Park St. (off Fifth Avenue South), (239) 262-6517. Operated by the Naples Art Association. Provides changing art exhibitions and classes. naplesart.org

 

OCHOPEE

BIG CYPRESS GALLERY, 52388 Tamiami Trail, (239) 695-2428. An eco-tour des- tination featuring the black-and- white photographs of landscape photographer Clyde Butcher. clydebutcher.com

 

BONITA SPRINGS

CENTER FOR THE ARTS BONITA SPRINGS, 26100 Old 41 Road, (239) 495-8989. Eight studios, an art library and two galleries. artcenterbonita.org

EVERGLADES GALLERY AT EVERGLADES WONDER GARDENS, 27180 Old 41 Road, (239) 273-5813. Photography gallery highlighting Southwest Florida landscapes by John Brady. timeandlight.com

THE SULTAN GALLERY AT KVS INTERIOR DESIGN, 3820 Via Del Rey, (239) 949-6700. Showcases the work of Southwest Florida’s leading artists, including painters, photographers, sculptors, and creators of pottery and distinctive craft items. kvsinteriordesign.com

 

CAPE CORAL

CAPE CORAL ART LEAGUE, 516 Cultural Park Blvd., (239) 772-5657. Nonprofit organization devoted to the education and support of artists in Southwest Florida. capecoralartleague.org

CAPE CORAL ARTS STUDIO, 4533 Coronado Parkway, (239) 574-0802. An art gallery housing works from local and state artists; art supply store, gift shop, and fine art and craft classes and workshops year round. capeparks.com

HARBOUR VIEW GALLERY, 5789 Cape Harbour Drive, Suite 104, (239) 540-5789. A cooperative gallery with featured monthly art exhibits of paintings, pottery, photography, jewelry, glass art and more. harbourviewgallery.com

 

ESTERO

FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY, FGCU Arts Complex, (239) 590-7199. Exhibits student and faculty work as well as regional, national and international artists. fgcu.edu

 

FORT MYERS

ABORIGINALS: ART OF THE FIRST PERSON, 15194 Harbour Isle Drive, (800) 305-0185. Authentic tribal art from Africa, aboriginal Australia and native North America. Visitors by appointment. tribalworks.com

ART LEAGUE OF FORT MYERS, 1451 Monroe St., (239) 275-3970. Provides an art gallery, workshops and classes. artleagueoffortmyers.org

ARTS FOR ACT GALLERY AND BOUTIQUE, 2265 First St., (239) 337-5050. A nonprofit gallery featuring 75 artists. Operated by Abuse Counseling and Treatment (ACT). artsforactgallery.com

BOB RAUSCHENBERG GALLERY, 8099 College Parkway, (239) 489-9313. Exhibits modern and contemporary artwork in all media, with more than 10,000 visitors each year. rauschenberggallery.com

BROADWAY PALM DINNER THEATRE, 1380 Colonial Blvd., (239) 278-4422. Gallery showcases a variety of paintings, mixed media and other works from Southwest Florida artists. broadwaypalm.com

HOWL GALLERY, 4160 Cleveland Ave., (239) 332-0161. Hybrid art gallery combined with a high-end custom tattoo studio and retail art store. howlgallery.com

LEE COUNTY ALLIANCE FOR THE ARTS, 10091 McGregor Blvd., (239) 939-2787. Facilitates and nurtures the creation, development, promotion and education of arts and culture, striving to reach the widest possible audience  while promoting area artists and arts organizations and advocating for increased arts programming and funding in Southwest Florida. artinlee.org

SIDNEY & BERNE DAVIS ART CENTER, 2301 First St., (239) 333-1933. Offers exhibitions and networking events, theater, special events and education. sbdac.com

SPACE 39, 39 Patio De Leon, (239) 690-0004. Modern and contemporary art gallery and bar. spacethirtynine.com

VAVRINA ART GALLERY, 12577 New Brittany Blvd., (239) 936-0305. Laurel Fine Arts Foundation features the work of Vavrina, a modern impressionist. artofvavrina.com

 

FORT MYERS BEACH

FORT MYERS BEACH ART ASSOCIATION, Donora & Shell Mound Blvd., (239) 463-3909. Working gallery offering classes, workshops, exhibits and sales. fortmyersbeachart.com

 

PINE ISLAND

BERT’S PINE BAY GALLERY, 4332 Pine Island Road, Matlacha, (239) 283-1335. An eclectic variety of art, books and clothing. pinebaygallery.com

CROSSED PALMS GALLERY, 8315 Main St., Bokeelia, (239) 283-2283. Pottery, glass, jewelry, paintings and metal sculptures.

ISLAND DÉCOR & MORE, 4206 Pine Island Road NW, Matlacha, (239) 283-8080. Nautical and tropical gifts, souvenirs and home décor.

LEOMA LOVEGROVE GALLERY & GARDEN, 4639 Pine Island Road NW, Matlacha, (239) 283-6453. National headquarters of renowned artist Leoma Lovegrove. Colorful art depicting Florida’s flora and fauna. leomalovegrove.com

POTTER’S WORKSHOP & GALLERY, 3058 Stringfellow Road, St. James City, (239) 834-7399. Open-air tropical building that features hand-made items. thepottersworkshop.com

TRADERS HITCHING POST, 4618 Pine Island Road NW, Matlacha, (239) 283-4040. The oldest gallery on the island, featuring authentic Native American jewelry and art for more than 30 years. tradershitchingpost.com

WILDCHILD GALLERY, 4625 Pine Island Road NW, Matlacha, (239) 283-6006. More than 120 local artists. Island-inspired oils, paintings, watercolors, sculptures, pottery and more. wildchildartgallery.com

 

SANIBEL/CAPTIVA ISLANDS

2 ISLANDS GALLERY FINE ART, 14830 Captiva Road, (239) 472-2772. Handmade baskets, pottery, paintings, fiber sculptures and weaving, gold and silver jewelry, wearable art and more. 2islandsgallery.com

BIG ARTS CENTER, 900 Dunlop Road, (239) 395-0900. Educational classes and workshops, Phillips Gallery and Founders Gallery, Schein Hall, a 414-seat concert hall and sculpture garden. bigarts.org

HIRDIE-GIRDIE ART GALLERY, 2490 Library Way, Sanibel, (239) 395-0027. Sanibel’s premier co-op of unique, award-winning Southwest Florida art, including paintings, wood turning, jewelry, photographs, basketry, wood carving, pottery, sculpture and fused glass. hirdiegirdiegallery.com

ISLAND STYLE, 2075 Periwinkle Way, Suite 6, (239) 472-6657. Fine contemporary American crafts. islandstylegalleries.com

JUNGLE DRUMS GALLERY, 11532 Andy Rosse Lane, (239) 395-2266. Wildlife, tropical and environmental art in metal, wood, clay, glass, jewelry and much more. jungledrumsgallery.com

SANIBEL ART AND FRAME, 630 Tarpon Bay Road, Unit 8, Sanibel, (239) 395-1350. Fine art and prints by local artists, plus custom framing and custom mirrors. sanibelartandframe.com

SANYBEL’S FINEST, 1700 Periwinkle Way, Suite 8, (239) 472-6776. A gallery of arts and crafts, gifts and jewelry; features local artists in various media, including original paintings, prints, giclee, sculpture, stained glass and wood carving; custom framing and shipping available.

THREE CRAFTY LADIES, 1628 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, (239) 472-2894. Arts and crafts supplies, island-themed crafts, fabrics and quilting. threecraftyladies.com

TOWER GALLERY, 751 Tarpon Bay Road, (239) 472-4557. Expressionist and abstract paintings, gyotaku, black-and-white photography, raku ceramics and more by a cooperative of 24 artists. towergallery.net

WATSON MACRAE GALLERY, 2340 Periwinkle Way, Suite B3, Sanibel, (239) 472-3386. Fine art and contemporary crafts in jewelry, glass and ceramics. watsonmacraegallery.com

 

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