516 Cultural Park Blvd., Cape Coral, FL 33990, US
Featured Artist - February 2021
G. Rod Rodriguez
G. Rod Rodriguez was born and raised in New York City, the youngest of four siblings. Her mother loved to visit all of the museums with the children that the big city had to offer. A young G. Rod was mesmerized by the art and paintings, anxious to get home to draw and color. At an early age, she began to doodle and enjoyed drawing cartoon characters with Mickey Mouse being her favorite.
In 2003 G. Rod enrolled in an oil painting class at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York and immediately became hooked on pursuing art as more than just a hobby. Upon moving to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2005, she continued her journey as an artist at the Broward Art Guild. G. Rod was honored to receive the Judges Recognition Ribbon for an acrylic, landscape piece titled “Schatz’s Backyard. Her journey continued which led to figure and portrait classes at the Spruill Center for the Arts in Dunwoody, GA.
G. Rod’s most recent move to Southwest Florida resulted in her participation in the grand opening gala of The Arts of the Inland in Labelle. She showed her first juried art exhibition in which she sold out her paintings “Beyond the Forest” and “Sunny City”. Currently, “Coming Apart” and “Not Just a Burger” are two paintings being displayed at Keiser University, Ft. Myers campus.
Most of her paintings are created not as a result of observation, but from memory with a careful consideration of negative space, composition, value and color. G. Rod tends to favor painting in acrylic medium and sometimes gouache while still enjoying drawing. She continues to be inspired by landscapes, beaches and wildlife backdrops. Today she is a member of the Cape Coral Art League where she teaches arts and crafts for the Student Sundays program. In addition to painting, G. Rod enjoys traveling and spending time with her daughter, grandson and dog.
Featured Artist - February 2021
Pat Ricci
Pat Ricci graduated from Mt. Mary University, Milwaukee with a degree in Art and Elementary Education. After 28 years of teaching, she retired and began taking workshops in watercolor painting from Karlyn Holman and others. While living in the woods of Northwest Wisconsin, she painted a series of the historic buildings on Red Cedar Lake built by Frank Stout (Lumber Barron). The originals and reproductions appeal to vacationers and locals to the area. Her donated prints have helped raise funds for the local food pantry, the school district, the Pink Ribbon of Barron County and other organizations over the years. Prints with her artwork can be ordered from her Fine Art America site https://patricia-ricci.pixels.com/
Pat moved to Cape Coral get away from the cold winters up north. At the Cape Coral Art League, she took classes and workshops to “brush up” on skills to use back in Birchwood teaching senior citizens in the summer. She now teaches Watercolor for Beginners Plus here at the Art league during the winter.
Seeing colors change as paints are mingled or layered; watching a sprinkle of salt create a sparkle; and realizing there are ways to fix mistakes for the better are some of the mysteries found in painting with watercolor. She has seen firsthand how engaging in this new activity has helped in other areas of life for students: renewing a sense of wonder, building confidence through the challenges of new learning, meeting new friends, and just having fun.
Featured Artist - december 2020
Terry Halek
My Art world opened up when I was about 5 years old. They taught me how to put a little perspective in my First-Grade painting – a house with windows, chimney and flowers but with a 3⁄4 angle. I made posters in grade school for the bulletin boards – great fun!
Finally, I went to night school for several years and started with oils. Then I tried acrylics, watercolors, pastels and even spray paints. I went back to oils and here I am.
Painting for 45 years, I wanted to try teaching and share my experiences. This turned out to be great fun.
I’ve sent most of my paintings out to Oregon and California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, one to Kentucky and New York state and wherever.
Here at CCAL I have had my most success. Painting with others is where you learn the most. Who but your teacher and friends will tell you the best and worst of your paintings?
We learn something every time we pick up the brush.
“Keep at it.” – Terry Halek
Featured Artist - December 2020
Dennis Morton
Dennis Morton’s initial work in New England was as a portrait artist. He began his
formal training as an apprentice under Richard Whitney in 1973. He worked on portraits of the Secretary of the Navy James Webb, Cardinal Medeiros and other high-profile portraits. In 1988 Morton was honored by Governor John Sununu at the New Hampshire State House where twenty-five of his paintings were exhibited for two weeks.
Moving to Hawaii in 1991, he continued to receive commissions in portrait
painting. He painted portraits of three circuit judges, Father Damien for the catholic church in Molokai, William Waddell the last Buffalo Soldier, John Lydgate and family in Kauai, and Father Mackey of Chaminade. He was also fortunate to paint Glen Campbell and family.
In 2012 he was commissioned to paint Patty Hastie, George Clooney’s wife in the movie “The Descendants”. The portrait of Patty ended up on the cutting room floor. The director Alex Payne did a follow up entitled “Real Descendants” in which he interviewed John Morgan the head of Kááawa’ Valley along with others about the Hawaiian Alli and merging with wealthy foreigners. Alex sent Cammy Spenser from Fox in Los Angeles to John Morgan’s office where she saw the painting of Púu Ohulehule. She decided to show the painting morphing into
reality to start her documentary.
Dennis has sold paintings to Richard Chamberlain, John Travolta and Glen Campbell. Some of his landscapes have been sold to wealthy clients on Óahu and have been in the background of at least six episodes of Hawaii Five O. In the mid-90s he began aggressively pursuing his interest and talents in landscape painting. Many of his pieces reflect the area of Windward Óahu and Kauai. Thru the years he moved back and forth from New England and Hawaii painting many studies and paintings in Plein Air. He refers to his style as visual impressionism, which can be explained in Richard Whitney’s book “Painting the Visual Impression" whereby it is a combination of classical realism and impressionist color notes.
Dennis is now painting Florida landscapes and is continuing to paint portraits & landscapes.
He now resides in Fort Myers and is teaching art classes at The Cape Coral Art League and private classes.
For more info on him you may visit his website: dennismorton@hawaii.com or call him at 239-440-0027 regarding classes or commissioned artwork.
Featured Artist - November 2020
Kathy Gibbs
Art is meditation. You get lost in it and it stills your mind. Once the mind is still it becomes a vessel and the art flows. In teaching art, I get to share my love for it with others.
I studied art at the University of Hawaii, but I can honestly say that art is not something you study, and you are done. Each and every day I learn new information and techniques to incorporate in my work. I have always made some kind of art, but I began to paint at age 36. My work has been exhibited in various Art galleries on the Big Island as well as the East Hawaii Cultural Center, the Volcano Art Center and the Wailoa Art and Center in Hilo, Hawaii. My work was sold at Omri Saint Gilles Fine Art Gallery at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel in Kona and at the Toulouse Lautrec gallery on the scenic drive road just outside of Hilo. I have won several awards and taught art for 2 years to a group of Girl Scouts in Hawaii. I offer Abstract classes off and on at the Cape Coral Art League. I work in Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor and Pastels. I like to interchange from realism to abstract to afford myself room for creativity.
With realism, no matter what medium I am working in, I begin my process by finding a strong composition of lights and darks. By staying true to the value changes and the light the painting seems to paint itself. When working in Abstract I just have to get out of my own way and let the process take on a life of its own. It becomes a series of problems requiring a solution. I never know where I am going and that is the fun of it. By combining the two I get an unexpected outcome that is hard to replicate and far more interesting for the viewer.
I am the current Show Chairperson for Cape Coral Art League. We have judged shows monthly.
Kathy Gibbs
Ph 808-987-0735 gibbssag@aol.com
Featured Artist - November 2020
Carmen Sprague
“Carmen’s Gallery Photography”
Fine Art Photographer Carmen Sprague, originally from Lansing, Michigan, worked for General Motors Parts Division as their Editor and Chief Photographer for over 27 years.
In Lansing, I earned a Degree in Applied Science and Photography from Lansing Community College’s Media Institute and Michigan State University. I was a winner of the Kinsa - Kodak Award in the black and white portraiture division, and was also chosen for Photographer’s Forum Magazine and featured in their “Best of Photography Annual”, published for college libraries, photography, art instructors and graphic artists for instruction and was a featured artist at the “Lansing Art Gallery” for many years.
After being diagnosed with Cancer in 1996, “I felt it was time for a life change and relocated to the Florida Keys”. While there, I owned and operated “Carmen’s Gallery” in Key West and was co-owner of “Artists in Paradise”.
I am currently a member of the Florida Keys Art Guild, Lower Keys Artist Network, and the Cape Coral Art League. In Cape Coral, I am a member of the Cape Coral Art League where I am President and a Board Member and a Teacher of Digital Photography and Graphics Classes.
My Fine Art Photography is printed on Canvas from original negatives and high rated digital files. I participate in various art shows throughout Florida and my artwork can also be found on my personal website, Facebook and at:
The Franklin Shops located in downtown Fort Myers, Florida.
Phone 239-772-5657
Email: Carmens321@aol.com
Website: www.PictureTrail.com/carmengallery Facebook: Carmen Sprague Photographics
Featured Artist - October 2020
Pat St. Onge
Pat likes to define her primary medium as "color". Working in acrylic, watercolor, and pastel, color is the key that unifies her work. She seeks to infuse vibrancy into her subjects by incorporating subtle colors that enrich and harmonize all elements. Recently she's enjoyed incorporating paint- pouring with brushwork. She finds it a delightful challenge to develop images from the random patterns created by the process.
Pat grew up in Ohio, and has 40 years of experience as a potter, tile designer, muralist, and digital illustrator. She's taught classes for adults and children at art leagues, art studios, galleries, and in private settings since the 1970's.
Pat learned the fundamentals of art at Cooper School of Art in Cleveland, OH, during the early 1970's. Pat earned her BFA from Quincy University in IL in 2002, and an MALS in Art History from Findlay University in OH in 2006. From 2008-2010 she studied print production and digital media at the Rhode Island School of Design. She's attended several workshops in watercolor and is a past member of the Great River Watercolor Society in IL.
She continues to help others discover the pleasure of painting when her opportunities for teaching expanded with a move to Fort Myers in 2016. Pat's paintings continue to garner awards in shows and are collected by clients across the globe.
Featured Artist - October 2020
JAN WERDIN, ARTIST
Watercolor, Acrylic, Mixed Media
Jan has raised her family with her husband, Tom, in Minnesota. When the nest was empty, they moved to Cape Coral in 1989. She has had an interest in art since childhood, had some training in college, but put it all on hold to raise a family.
When she moved to Florida, she started taking classes at The Cape Coral Art Studio in 1991 with watercolor being her first medium. Since then she has taken classes and workshops with many nationally known artists.
Jan is a member of the Florida Watercolor Society, the National Collage Society, Cape Coral Art League, Pine Island Art Association, and former member of other Art Leagues around Florida and Minnesota. She has been accepted into many exhibitions in the area where her work has won awards and has been sold. She teaches a unique method of collage developed by Jon Talbot at Cape Coral Art League.
Jan Werdin’s work is for sale at Wild Child Gallery in Matlacha, Florida.
She has a blog at www.joyfulartistblog@blogspot.com
Featured Artist - March 2020
Patty Sole
Patty is an award-winning artist, collected Internationally in England, German, Portugal, London, Puerto Rico and throughout the U.S. She is a full-time artist, residing and teaching in Southwest Florida. She has served on the board of the Pine Island Art Association and Cape Coral Art League and is a long-time instructor at both. Her preferred medium is oils, acrylics and mixed medium. Connect with Patty at Pattysole@embarqmail.com
Featured Artist - January 2020
Pat Ricci
Graduated from Mt. Mary University, Milwaukee with a degree in Art and Elementary Education. After 28 years of teaching she retired and began taking workshops in watercolor painting from Karlyn Holman and others. While living in the woods of Northwest Wisconsin, she painted a series of the historic buildings on Red Cedar Lake built by Frank Stout (Lumber Barron). The originals and reproductions appeal to vacationers and locals to the area. Her donated prints have helped raise funds for the local food pantry, the school district, the Pink Ribbon of Barron County and other organizations over the years. Prints with her artwork can be ordered from her Fine Art America site https://patricia-ricci.pixels.com/
Pat moved to Cape Coral get away from the cold winters up north. At the Cape Coral Art League, she took classes and workshops to “brush up” on skills to use back in Birchwood teaching senior citizens in the summer. She now teaches Watercolor for Beginners Plus here at the Art league during the winter.
Seeing colors change as paints are mingle or layered; watching a sprinkle of salt create a sparkle; and realizing there are ways to fix mistakes for the better are some of the mysteries found in painting with watercolor. She has seen firsthand how engaging in this new activity has helped in other areas of life for students: renewing a sense of wonder, building confidence through the challenges of new learning, meeting new friends, and just having fun.
