2011 Matlacha Art Show

Today we headed over to the annual Matlacha art show, and I saw some beautiful works, as I do every year. You may recall that last year I bought the winner of the Pastel category...

This piece called "Why Me?" was done by Deanna Berko, and I almost bought another piece by her this year, too. However I have noticed something of an inconsistency with this artist. I can see a piece as stunning as the one above that I bought, and then another that just can't compare by any means. Another thing I've noticed is that she is great with eyes (which are one of the hardest things to get), making them seem almost alive, but she has a problem with noses.

I've become a fan of a number of the artists, finding that I am consistently drawn to their works. Jack Lovell has become one of my favorite artists over my years attending the Matlacha show, and I am determined to own one of his pieces one of these days, even if it is one of the minis! I also discovered a new artist this year that I love by the name of Brian Christensen or Christenson. Beautiful!

One of the Pine Island Art Association members, Cyndi Egan, is a neighbor to my mother. You can see her gallery here.

There were so many beautiful pieces, it was hard to choose! One of my favorites was a piece comprised of two separate paintings of leaves. The colors were spectacular! I absolutely loved the piece and would have bought it in a second if it had been under $200, and may have gone as high as $250 on it. But, alas, it was $500- double what I would be willing to pay for it.

So in the end I went with a piece that I admired last year, but then decided to forego in lieu of the St. Bernard I purchased. So this year I went for it. I present to you "Here Kitty" by Pat Oberg...

(Sorry, I can't avoid the glare in the glass.) I fell in love with this little...ocelot?...last year, with its almost comical face and big eyes. And I love the colors.

So after making my purchase, we headed over to Great Licks for some ice cream, and to browse the gallery. Last time I was here, I walked away with a hand-blown glass spider and a turtle box. This time Woodrow was kind enough to buy me a very cool figurine, an awesome bracelet and a neat little box for them to go home in...

Check out that very cool stingray! I was torn between it and a spiffy octopus, but I decided that the stingray was more unique and something I was less likely to come across again.

Thanks, Woodrow! Now I just need to get a nice little curio cabinet in which to put all these cool little knick knacks. That'll be next on my list.

So all in all it was a nice day in Matlacha. But then again, every day in Matlacha is a nice day!