More than 110 artists submitted 205 pieces of artwork in response to BIG ARTS call for submission for its first ever-juried exhibit to open Oct. 5, 2020 in the new Dunham Family Gallery.  Submissions came in from Bogota, Columbia to Nyon, Switzerland and from many local and Southwest Florida artists who shared some of the finest, most diverse work we have seen at BIG ARTS.  The show, entitled “Create, Inspire, Connect”, mirrors BIG ARTS 2021 Season theme which celebrates the vital role the arts play in reflecting our shared humanity and the healing power of community and creativity. The show opens October 1st and can be viewed on site by limited groups at a time.  You can also visit the show online in our 3D virtual gallery starting October 5th. At bigarts.org.

“The response to the show was fantastic!” said Programs and Gallery Manager, Lauren Huff “It was great to see the mix of artists and artwork that submitted. We had submissions from BIG ARTS members, past artists who have shown with us and ton of new artists from across the country — as well as a few international submissions.” In total 111 artists submitted 205 works that span a wide range of mediums. Submissions included everything from watercolor and oil paintings to sculpture and photography.

“It’s great seeing the mix of mediums and subject matter that we received with this show” commented Huff “We got so many wonderful works of art the jury had their hands full narrowing it down. I wish we had enough walls to share them all.”  The show was juried by the members of BIG ARTS Visual Arts Committee: Diane Olsson, Deborah Butler, Bunny Ospa, Bea Pappas, Kathy Taylor, Annie Wainwright, Peter Zell and BIG ARTS Programs and Gallery Manager Lauren Huff. The jury selected 62 works out of the 205 submitted to be part of the show as well as the top prizewinners.

To maintain a safe environment for our guests, volunteers and staff, BIG ARTS is limiting the number of people allowed in the gallery to a maximum of 30 at any given time. Masks are required to enter the building, and please be mindful of social distancing.  For more information, contact the BIG ARTS 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 upcoming 2021 Season, and don’t forget to visit us on   Facebook!