Naples Invitational Art Fest Brings Area Residents, Children and Artists Together

Naples, FL, January 19, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Naples Invitational Art Fest Brings Area Residents, Children and Artists Together

Annual event supports autism programs

Some of the nation’s finest artists will descend on Naples’ Fleischmann Park later this month, displaying and selling their wares ranging from oil, acrylic and water color paintings, blown glass, turned wood pieces, sculptures, jewelry to a variety of mixed media. They’re coming to town for the 14th annual Naples Invitational Art Fest, a juried art show, to be held on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 29 and 30, at Fleischmann Park, 1600 Fleischmann Blvd., Naples.

Art Fest Director Jill Spanbauer, a lifelong art lover and gallery owner, seeks the best and brightest new talent to bring to Naples, alongside local artists and well-known names.

“We’ve had well-known artists from around the country and even as far as Israel exhibiting at our shows,” Spanbauer says. “Artists like glass and bronze sculptor Charles Savoie, painter David Gordon and sculptor, John C. Long have all attended.” Spanbauer has been the Art Fest director for 11 years.

Additions to the Art Fest this year include a booth featuring art for sale by the students of Eden’s Schools as well as a coloring contest for local children. The Art Fest will also feature the “Art for Autism” silent auction made possible through donations from the show’s artists to directly benefit Eden Autism Services’ programs. Consistently ranked as one of America’s top art shows by industry magazine Sunshine Artists, the show is judged by prominent art collectors, gallery owners, educators and guest artists. The Naples Invitational Art Fest is unique in Florida and the country because the proceeds benefit a 501 (c) 3 organization, Eden Autism Services Florida.

The inaugural Art Fest Coloring Contest features adorable line drawings by a long-time friend of Eden, John Carroll Long, of Up Art and Design Gallery, Naples. Children ages 5 to 18 are invited to participate by downloading the line drawings from www.EdenArtFest.com or www.edenflorida.org. Children are asked to deliver their entry to the Art Fest by 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 29. Artists in the show will help to select a grand overall winner and a winner and runner up in one of three categories: age groups 5 to 7, 8 to 12 and 13 to 18. Winners will receive a gift certificate for lunch or dinner for two and the overall winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to be used at Jason’s Deli in Collier and Lee Counties. The Art Contest is sponsored by the Naples Daily News. Other show sponsors include Home-Tech, Arthrex and First National Bank of the Gulf Coast.

“The Art Fest is a major fundraiser for us each year and we greatly appreciate the community’s support,” says Eden Executive Director Susan Suarez. “Many of our staff members and parents, along with other community members, work as volunteers at the event. We’re able to raise needed funds to support developmental and educational programs for our students with autism.”

Open to the Public, donations welcomed
Date: Jan. 29-30, 2011
Time: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. both days
Place: Fleischmann Park, 1600 Fleischmann Blvd., Naples, Fla.
More information: www.edenartfest.com or www.edenflorida.org.

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