Fan of the Arts Blog
There are many exciting creative things happening in our community everyday!
This blog will serve as an immediate link between us and our community as we relay announcements, stories, thoughts and events happening within arts and music education.
We love suggestions! If you'd like to see us highlight someone or something enhancing art and music education, please let us know!
Nine Thousand
That is the amount raised from the 10th Annual Musical Chairs Fundraiser.
$9,000.00.
Broken down that is:
1 generous donation from New York
5 tables standing in new corners
5 handmade books with 5 new owners
8 mirrors with new walls to hang from
10 chairs with new cabooses to hold
13 boxes protecting new treasures
23 tiny houses living in new, bigger homes
25 elementary schools that can participate in field trips to the Samuel P. Harn Museum and Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
50+ art and music teachers that can introduce new projects to enhance their curriculums
51 unique artists that dedicated their time
2,000 five to 12 year old hearts, given the gift of arts education.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, and again:
THANK YOU to all the volunteers, friends, families and community members who came and celebrated ten years of advocacy for elementary arts and music education!
A special thank you goes to our MC Rob Hyatt, the Gainesville Fine Arts Association for hosting us, Sweetberries for feeding us, the girls of Sigma Alpha Iota Fraternity for volunteering, Mayor Lauren Poe for serving us in more ways than one, and the generous donation from Katie Levy and our new New York Friends at Gander, Inc.
For our biggest and most successful event to date, we introduced new art pieces and inducted new local artists, who donated their time and skills for our cause. As we gear up for the Amazing Give and embark on the next chapter of FEA, we are developing innovative ways to connect and grow our community base.
Be sure to send us your thoughts and follow us on Facebook for volunteering opportunities and event updates!
Thank You Thank You
To everyone that came out.
To everyone who shared our posts.
To everyone that told and brought a friend.
To everyone who donated their time, talents, and funds.
To everyone that has supported our efforts to maintain and enhance elementary arts education in our communities all those 10 years ago to today, the Friends of Elementary Arts thanks you in every way.
If you weren’t able to attend, you can still be a part of this wonderful event! Below is a list of items still available for a donation. If you see something you like, please let us know via email!
Thank You Thank You and Thank You again for your support!
Tiny Houses
New to this year’s lineup are Tiny Houses!
This year’s 10th Anniversary theme is “Home is where the HeART is”. To ensure that everyone who comes to support our fundraiser take part and take home something special, our Artist Coordinator Linda Henderson gathered a village of artists to create intimate, intricate pieces to brighten any area of your home!
Below is a part of the small collection of Tiny Houses; the rest can be viewed in our 2019 album here, and at our event Friday, February 1, 6pm.
We can’t wait to see you there!
Mark E, Morchel, Esq.
Mark E, Morchel, Esq. would like you to know that “Not All Mice Are Orange”. With an assortment of found, reused, and purchased items, he created a piece to be used for both storage and a bit of whimsical escape each time you look at it.
“This collection of found and reused items, and purchased raw wooden boxes are bound by various old glues, dowels, paint, bushes (and optimism), offers two storage nooks.
Explore it.
Find mice.”
Susan I. Johnson
Susan I Johnson has a masters degree in printmaking, and is the current middle school art teacher at PK Yonge.
When not making art with kids, she is photographing her surroundings and creating hand made books.
One of her favorite subjects for these unique books is the 34th Street wall in Gainesville, FL. Come see it in person TOMORROW at the GFAA Gallery, 6p!
Meet the Teachers
Who said those who can’t do teach? This year a number of art teachers from across Alachua County dedicated the little time they have between class scheduling and grading papers to make this pieces for our 10th fundraiser!
Look what happens when you take your work home with you :]
Rebecca Marco–Sidney Lanier
Hannah Jackson–Hidden Oak Elementary
Linda Zidonik–Meadowbrook Elementary
Amy Talbot–Littlewood Elementary
Katie Jopling–Littlewood Elementary
Becky Lancer–Wiles Elementary
Kristi Hill–Archer Elementary
Sarah Zidonik–JJ. Finley Elementary
Chairs
As the origin and namesake of our event, the chair pieces presented at our annual celebrations are nothing short of amazing for our Fan of the Arts community. This year, the artists did not disappoint: from painted gardens, to family outings, to orange-and-blue sunsets. The range of artistry shows that at this year’s 10th Annual Musical Chairs Fundraiser there will be a chair that suits every kind of person.
Come see for yourself, and take one home to sit in or simply stare at.
*visit the Facebook 2019 album for more info on the artists and their works!
It Takes Two
We at FEA believe art is all about creatively expressing ourselves, and bringing people together. Such beliefs are beautifully exemplified by “The Village Bench” made by seasoned Musical Chair artists Jay Winter Collins and Linda Henderson. This wonderful collaboration between Jay–who loves to paint–and Linda–who loves to stitch–resulted in a paint based bench, with a stitched fabric collage.
Sometimes excellence takes a Village.
Frames
We've been Framed… and have never looked better!
Below is a look at the frames up for silent auction at our Friday event! Check out our Facebook page and the blogs on our website for more looks at the pieces featured in this year’s fundraiser. The fun starts at 6p!
Amy Talbot, "You Look Meowy Nice"
Katie Jopling, “Florida Jungle”
Pamela Barry, “Foliage”
Linda Henderson, “Full Moon”
Adrienne Gonia, “Textured Gold”
Annette Johnson, “Imagine”
Becky Lancer, “Joie de Vie”
Chris Brundige, “Stillness After the Rain”
Kathie Wobie, “A Different Way to Enjoy Tea”
Laura Showers, “Bird in a Nest”
Mary Reid, “Reflection”
Wanda J Burnette-Walker, “Solemn Willows”
Sylvia McIntyre
Here are before and after shots of Sylvia McIntyre’s table “Crook, Riparian”.
Note from the artist:
“One of my favorite themes for art involves local flora and fauna around our water sources. I used dried plant material and decorative birds, butterflies and a nest. The pond and fish are acrylic paint and varnished. The Apple Snail shell is real. The snail body is paper maché.”
Alfred Phillips
The before and after photos of Alfred Phillips "Party Animal" table! He transformed a square piece of wood on a low metal base into a beautifully painted round table, with adjustable height.
Stay tuned for more before and after photos, and definitely check out all the "afters" Friday February 1 at the GFAA Gallery for our Musical Chairs Fundraiser!
Suzanne Seitz
We are so lucky to have such a strong art and music community here in Gainesville!
Each year we partner with a group of artist who donate their time and talents to produce the works we (silently) auction at our Musical Chairs fundraisers, and this year Ms. Suzanne Seitz donated not one, not two, but four pieces of mixed media art for our 10th Anniversary celebration.
Be sure to come to the GFAA Gallery THIS FRIDAY at 6p, to take one (or all) of her pieces home!
Piece Descriptions:
“Your House Becomes Your Story" Mirror Frame
"Guided Drift" Cigar Box (closed & opened)
"Snug as a Bug" Tiny House #1
"Sage and Aubergine" Tiny House #2
10th Annual Musical Chairs Fundraiser
Happy New Year Friends!
We hope you all are as excited for 2019 as we are! To jumpstart “resolution season,” we would love you all to attend, or take part in our 10th Annual Musical Chairs Fundraiser.
Below are some of the artworks that will be available at our silent auction, and you can view to the entire collection on our Facebook page.
See something you like, but are unable to attend? Please let us know! We can give you live updates on the bidding process for an item you have your eye on and place bids on your behalf.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via email!
Boxes
Tables & Chairs
Introducing: Tiny Houses
From our first FEA Village Summit, artists came together to create small artworks that add a beautiful subtle touch to any room! They are $25/minimum donation and in short supply, so make sure you come to the 10th Annual Musical Chairs event to take one (or two!) home with you.
Welcome to the Fan of the Arts Blog!
Hello Family, Supporters, and Fans of the Arts!
This is our new blog page, where we will highlight all the wonderful things happening with art and music education in our community, as we work with our County Public Schools to provide our children with a more fun, culture-enriched curriculum each day.
We'll have new content up with the start of the school year, so check back soon!