BIG ARTS is opening its doors to the community as it hosts Sanibel-Captiva Art League’s 45th Annual Juried Art Council of Southwest Florida Exhibit themed “Exploration.” The exhibit, which opens on December 17, features exciting new works by regional artists. Hours of the exhibit are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday. Masks are required to enter the building, and there is a 25-person limit in the gallery. There will also be a virtual gallery available to view on bigarts.org starting on December 21.

 

Michele Barron Buelow, who is the chairman of the Exploration exhibit and a Sanibel-Captiva Art League board member, is particularly excited about this year’s exhibit. “The artwork submitted to this exhibit was varied and well done. There are several different mediums and many, many different styles used. This will be a beautiful exhibit appealing to everyone in some way,” she said.

 

Sanibel-Captiva Art League was started in 1964 by a group of 25 island artists who wanted to further the interest in art within the community. The first show, of 19 paintings, had hung for a single day in the Captiva Post Office a year earlier.  Since then, the League has evolved into presenting large exhibits and juried shows in public venues, such as the Sanibel Public Library and the Captiva Community Association. SCAL currently has about 160 members from across Southwest Florida.

 

This year’s exhibit is juried by Barbara Hill who runs Hill Fine ART Consulting and previously was the executive director and curator at The von Liebig Art Center in Naples. Barbara thought this year’s title, “Exploration,” was perfect to capture the spirit of the art in the exhibit.

 

“While not intended, I found the “Exploration” title of this 2020 Sanibel-Captiva Art League exhibition to actually be a very appropriate theme, with so many artists focusing on places near and far, and what one might discover while there,” she said. “I thank each of the artists who submitted the 93 artworks for review. This will be a beautiful show, highlighting the talents of the Sanibel-Captiva Art League and members of the Art Council of SW Florida.”

 

Sanibel-Captiva Art League’s 45th Annual Juried Art Council of SW Florida Exhibit opens on December 17 in the BIG ARTS Dunham Gallery located at 900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel. The exhibit will be on display until January 31. For more information, visit BIGARTS.org, or call the box office at 239-395-0900.

 

ABOUT BIG ARTS

BIG ARTS, established in 1979, is a nonprofit organization devoted to providing quality artistic, cultural and educational experiences to Sanibel and Captiva residents and visitors. Visit www.BIGARTS.org to learn more about our 2021 Season.  Please note our safety measure below:

BIG ARTS is practicing the highest standards of safety during this challenging time.  All visitors are required to wear masks before entering the building, and we ask that you are mindful of physical distancing. With physical distancing precautions in mind, BIG ARTS is selling only 50% of the seats in Christensen Performance Hall. Until further notice, only 200 seats will be available for any event in the Hall, and a maximum of 25 people will be allowed in the gallery at any given time. BIG ARTS has enhanced its air filtration system, all surfaces are wiped down between use, a professional sanitation fogger is being used after each gathering, and there are hand sanitation “stations” throughout the ground floor.