Coastal Breeze News

ARTFUL LIFE Tara O’Neill [email protected] There is something extremely valuable to the artful life beyond costly training, expensive tools and materials, and precious energy. Oddly enough, this most essential tool-in-the-kit is absolutely free. Patience. Patience is the stuff from where great things spring. Who doesn’t want a shortcut to greatness? Today I will create a beautiful seascape; an elegant souffle; a successful business! Well, I say to you, sorry, it ain’t gonna happen. This isn’t a curse, just a fact of life. You cannot expect to reap the most benefit from the least effort. So, along with work, diligence, and ... Read More »

ARTFUL LIFE Tara O’Neill [email protected] In nature, as in life, it’s always breathtaking when fledglings take flight. The Goodland Arts Alliance, our area’s fledgling cultural non-profit, has just taken its first flight ‘over the bridge’ (that’s island-speak, by the way). For the month of May artist members of the GAA are exhibiting at the Norris Center in Naples. The exhibit features four of the twelve founding members: photographers Celeste Navara and Jim Freeman, seashell mastermind Judy Wittwer, and myself, the oil painter. It’s not always easy for Island artists to get their work displayed on the other side of our ... Read More »

ARTFUL LIFE Tara O’Neill [email protected] How do you know when it’s finished?” Ask the writer, the painter, the musician, and you may just get a chilly answer. Oh, not the cold-shoulder type – only a reference to the practice of letting a work “get cold.” That is, walk away from it, put it in a drawer, on a shelf, or face to the wall. And while we may refer to letting the work get cold, the reality is that it’s the artist that needs cooling off. It’s the old forest-for-the-trees thing. Our passion for perfection can lead us to get ... Read More »

Like most artists, I’m frequently asked about the mysterious whereabouts of that elusive creature, inspiration. Nothing mysterious about it, I can’t speak for all artists, but I am surrounded by it (and those of you familiar with my work will get this). So why is it you see a palm tree in your front yard and I see magnificent swipes of blues and greens? Part of it certainly owes to my artistic temperament, but a great deal is owing to the fact that your tree is new to me, and to you it is routine, like visual white-noise. Change is ... Read More »

I’ve recently gained admittance into a secret world, a parallel universe, as it were. A world both frenzied and fabulous: a world that exists only deep inside… The Art Festival. The parallel reference is certainly true; participating in art festivals doesn’t mean you have any idea how to organize one. Sure, you know the pretty bits that apply to you: there must be an application and selection process. There must be an itinerary for setting up and breaking down. There must be goody bags with cool gifts! There must be rules. I’ve always read the rules very carefully to avoid ... Read More »

Collier County hosts many national art festivals and gallery/museum exhibits throughout the year. But there is one event that stands apart from the others and it’s happening Sunday, March 17, 11-5 PM. It’s the 11th annual “Five Painters & a Potter.” The uniqueness of 5P&P stems from the fact that it is comprised of nationally known artists all of whom work locally and have had deep roots in our community for decades. The party – and it is most certainly a party as well as an exhibition – is held at Jim Rice’s Clay Place, 1555 Shadowlawn Dr. (corner of ... Read More »

My dad had a saying, “if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I still call upon that from time to time, like when I get a case of the ‘whinies’ because IT ALL JUST SEEMS TOO HARD. Then I am forced to remember some of the jobs I’ve had just to earn what passed for a living. Then it’s one big shudder and back to work. And work is good. There’s a great deal more to the artful life than the process of creation. As I’ve said before, if your business is art, ... Read More »

By Tara O’Neill [email protected] I am often asked by artists in the early stages of their careers how they should price their work. Likewise, many an art collector has shown me a recent purchase and asked if I thought it had value. These questions aren’t as difficult to answer as some would think – although they each require work on the inquirer’s part. Sorry, no short cuts. Regarding the artists’ question: a standard practice is to attend art festivals – where you’ll have a chance to see many artists at once – and pay attention to the work by artists ... Read More »

Artful Life Tara O’Neill [email protected] Well, here we are at the end of an old [read: worn-out, done-in, used-up] year and ready to take on a shiny new one. (Mmmm, don’t you just love that new calendar smell?) I’m not one to make resolutions, but I do try to set new goals each New Year, and assess my previous ones. Oh, I know, many of you will put your best scoffs on: it’s just a date; a day like any other; it’s arbitrary! it’s imaginary! To you I say an artful life is filled with imagination and much else that can ... Read More »

ARTFUL LIFE Tara O’Neill Although much of his work reflects the beauty of a rather small geographical area, I doubt if folks around Giverney ever labeled Claude Monet as a local artist. For that matter, do you think New Yorkers ever referred to local artist Jackson Pollack? Of course not. While the term is often used by well-meaning journalists, most would be surprised to find that professional artists consider it a derogative. It implies a degree of smallness, in scope and in audience, and it reveals nothing of the art created – except perhaps to tell a serious collector that it ... Read More »

ARTFUL LIFE Tara O’Neill Drawing is a form of language you can conjure an image, a story, a feeling, even an idea, using pictures instead of words. Our prehistoric ancestors may have had the capacity to grunt and bark basic concepts – yes, no, danger, hunger, lust, scram – but they could also tell whole stories, epics even, by drawing pictures in the dirt or on rock walls. Drawing may not have preceded verbal language, but it does preceded written words. How do we learn to talk? We learn through practice, through trial & error, and by making many, often ... Read More »

ARTFUL LIFE Tara O’Neill We can bluff a lot in this lifetime, and that’s often OK, but when it’s important, when it matters, I prefer to reference those wiser than I. So I am borrowing heavily from artist and instructor Robert Genn and author Elliot Eisner in regards to art in education; and offering from myself a little something about education in art. Robert Genn is author of the free on-line Twice-Weekly Letter found at [email protected] At it’s best, and at any level, art education teaches students creative problem solving, how to tap into one’s inner-reservoir to create innovative solutions. Crazily, ... Read More »

ARTFUL LIFE  Tara O’Neill Recently I was asked by a fearlessly inquisitive art collector why so many artists wear black, or shades of grey, or neutral brown. “I mean,” said my inquirer, “their stock in trade is, generally, color.” It’s true, we often mute ourselves. The best answer I ever heard to that oft-asked question came recently from Brian Curtis, head of the drawing department at University of Miami, and a much lauded oil painter. Mr. Curtis explained to a roomful of workshop participants (part of the Naples Philharmonic Lifelong Learning program) that colors are so emotionally evocative, that it was ... Read More »

ART UNCOVERED  Tara O’Neill  On Saturday, September 29, I attended the funeral service for artist Jerry Vallez in Naples. I didn’t know him well, we met years ago when he was painting at the City Dock at Crayton Cove (before Tin City, and before the Dock Restaurant) and I was a teenager with high aspirations of being an artist. He was cordial, sweet actually, if maybe not a wee bit salty, and over the years I made it a point to stop into his various Naples galleries for a chat and to view his latest paintings. I learned something from Jerry ... Read More »

Artful Life Tara O’Neill [email protected] Artists are the canaries in the economic coal mine. When the financial world starts to wobble art is the first to get sliced from budgets: federal & state budgets, school budgets, and, of course, individual budgets. Individuals will pass over that original work of art, those theater seats and concert tickets; public funding is gone, or tragically diminished, for schools, museums, and arts organizations. However, we’re also the first solid clue when things start to pick-up. Being part of a large, multi-disciplined arts community, I can truthfully report a steady increase in art-buying. Month by month ... Read More »

ART UNCOVERED Tara O’Neill “Times are a-changing.” Well, for me, anyway…and, technically, for the thousands of devoted readers of Art Uncovered. Art Uncovered is finished. Kaput. No mas. The fat lady is singing her head off. Last one, right here. After fifty-two issues, I am putting to rest the vehicle that made me a literary superstar. The original mission of Art Uncovered was simple and sincere: to share with you the exceptional, lesser-known, artists, art venues and events, that grace our artful coast. Together we met talented artists (of which there are so many) who maybe didn’t have the wherewithal for ... Read More »

ART UNCOVERED  Tara O’Neill  I am just back from my ‘working’ vacation in beautiful, if only slightly cooler, New England. Devoted readers will remember that I attended the opening night reception for Maine-ly Marco at The Gallery at Harmon’s & Barton’s in Portland, Maine. They’ll also know that Maine-ly Marco is an exhibition of nine Marco Island artists – a reciprocation for the highly successful Maine Fiber Artists exhibit held last January at the Marco Island Center for the Arts. Both events were spearheaded by the lovely, and art-loving, Sandy Wallen – who, with husband Bill, divides the year twixt Marco ... Read More »

ART UNCOVERED  Tara O’Neill  [email protected] As dedicated readers of my column already know, I’m taking a quasi summer hiatus from Art Uncovered - but there’s still news just itching to be shared. Besides, I wouldn’t want you to forget me! Things are always changing, always shifting, and always happening, at Marco’s own Artist Colony. Rightside Studio and the Artist Colony at the Esplanade welcome newest member Nancy Dowdall, photographer. Dowdall, a professional for over 20 years, is well known locally as a fine art photographer, but the artist considers her portrait and commercial photography as nothing less than art. Dowdall shies ... Read More »

ART UNCOVERED  Tara O’Neill  [email protected] Here we are at my second anniversary as the “Accidental Columnist.” Who‘da thunk? What say we shake things up a bit? Oh yes, let’s do. My original intent (as much as I had one!) was to uncover for you, and to give exposure to, artists and art projects/ exhibits that might otherwise fly under your radar. Out of the mainstream. Off the grid. Important. I certainly never entertained the thought of being a ‘calendar of events.’ And while I don’t think I ever made it to ‘calendar’ status, I do believe I have strayed. Turns out, ... Read More »

ART UNCOVERED  Tara O’Neill  The ancient Japanese tradition of SENBAZURU promises that a person who folds one thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish, such as long life, or recovery from illness or injury. It represents a form of healing and hope during challenging times.  I first met Barbara Parisi as fellow contributing artists at Bras for Life, a fundraising exhibition sponsored by the Marco Island Center for the Arts in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Participants were asked to decorate, create, or recreate bras for live auction, a portion of all sales went directly to the Marco Island ... Read More »