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She also entered My Grandmother
In her own words: I like to draw when I was a child. But I never had any training except in the art classes in middle school in China. In late 2020 I saw my Chinese friend in Ft Myer posted her pencil and charcoal art works online and they were very impressed. I found out her art teacher was Dr Wei Xu in San Diego, the author of Drawing in the Digital Age: An Observational Method for Artists and Animators. Dr Xu could not teach art courses in person and had to switch to online class during the Covid-19 pandemic. So I signed up for his online Zoom art classes. The art work Empathy is one of my homework assignment of the second art courses. After I finished two art classes, I started to draw my husband’s grandparents, then my great grandparents, my grandparents, my great aunt. Most of the art work I gave to the family as gifts. I kept my grandparents portrait for myself. My grandmother passed away when she was 57 in 1968 during the culture revolution in China. She grew up in a Christian family and was a teacher in an elementary school. It was a tragedy. I was born in 1973. I never met her. I can tell you more about her story in person.
She also entered Jewel of the Sea
As an artist, I’m drawn to the whimsy of the world. Through the folklore of tales, to nature – all of it inspire me. The ‘Spirits of the Earth’ that had placed in the exhibition, was native American inspired. There’s many folktales of creatures educating humans and telling them cautionary tales. Tribal culture has a particular draw for me, since many tribes are different yet one in the same. All have their own ideas of stories, that can influence the art and culture that they produce.
My process for creating this piece in particular was handbuilding with raku clay. It’s a type of clay that typically has a lot of ‘grit’ to it, extra minerals to assist in helping it withstand the firing process. When firing raku pieces, its brought up to temperatures 1,400 – 1,800 F (800 – 1000 C). This is where it may differ from potter to potter, but in all the processes I’ve tried – this brings out the most in the glaze on your piece. Once its at peak temp, its brought from the kiln and placed in either: a dirt pit filled with: newspaper, branches, leaf litter, etc. OR a trash can with the similar filling. That gets covered up completely by the dirt and organic materials until its fully cooled. The organic materials burn and help provide extra colors or patterns to the piece. No two pieces are ever alike, and raku pieces are unique every time. It’s one of my favorite types of ceramics to produce for that sole reason.
Another example of ancient civilizations with great draws of inspiration are the Minoan. I had made some flying fish out of porcelain clay. Their frescos inspired the pieces, along with the designs on each. Flowers & creature symbols from their seafaring frescos (examples attached).
Pop art is also a giant influence for me, I like to blend the folklore of creatures with colorful shapes and very ‘new’ and ‘fresh’ designs / patterns. Below is a set of pieces as part of a set of a folklore inspiration of animals feeding from colorful trees. The trees give them their pigments, and share color through the wonderous beings of the natural world.
Art is a wonderful thing, and I appreciate the opportunity given to me to be able to show my fellow coworkers, and the community what unique art I bring to the Collier County Community.
She also entered Verdant Vantage
In her own words: From a young age, I’ve had a deep affinity for art. My first big break came in first grade when I placed in an elementary school art show at the Edison Mall. In high school, I won a Christmas Card contest at Bishop Vernot, and even in middle school, I took first place in a local art contest at the Cape Coral Public Library. While I may not have achieved national recognition, my passion for art and painting continues to drive me, and I enjoy contributing to my community through my artwork.
My creative process is a bit unpredictable, but when I’m painting, I dive headfirst into the experience. If I’m immersed in a long art class or enjoying a spontaneous session, I revel in the opportunity to get lost in my work. Back in high school, I often entered a sort of trance, and I cherished that deep, almost meditative focus. One of my proudest creations, “Grace in Bloom: A Tribute to Strength & Beauty,” was showcased at the Creative Collier art show. This piece was inspired by a live model from a 2018 art class I took at The New School in New York City. Her confident presence and striking purple headpiece captivated me, and I aimed to capture these elements as vividly as possible.
Typically, I work on a piece over several sessions. Once I consider it finished, I don’t go back to make changes or corrections. Unfortunately, this sometimes means I have a few unfinished works that may remain that way unless I find new motivation to complete them. I’m particularly drawn to darker themes in my paintings, preferring them to have a shadowy, intense feel. Adding my personal touch is essential to me—even in a sip-and-paint class, I’ll tweak the artwork to give it a unique flair and infuse it with my own style.
She also entered Friendly Neighbor
What’s my process or what inspires me?
It’s hard to put into words my process because every piece that an artist does tells a story. It’s a small glimpse of their life the artist is willing to share, the good, the bad and the ugly. Art is meant to be the expression of one’s thoughts and emotions. It is an outlet and escape from one’s world. What I put into each piece is not merely just the pencil to paper; it’s a piece of me. I’m not talking about my time but the emotion I feel for what I’m creating. I have to bond with the subject without that connection then it’s not truly finished or alive. The process of drawing and painting is meant to be messy some of my favorite pieces I’ve made were an absolute mess to make- from using charcoal (Venom) and chalk pastels (elephants) or experimenting with a different technique (the dog and snowy barn). So what I use for inspiration is the hope of the future. That someday my art can connect with someone and inspire then to create just like the greats from the past has inspired me- pushing myself and discover what I can do without formal training- just to be authentic.
In her own words: I’ve set up a corner in a small spare bedroom in our condo where I can paint and draw on weekends and after work. For painting on silk, I buy inexpensive 100% silk shawls off the internet, then pin them to stretcher bars and paint using fabric dyes. On the left is a photo of my setup for painting a large scarf. In the half painted center photograph you can see that I start by painting lines in black or gold gutta (similar to a wax resist) and in transparent gutta that will dry clear, which leaves white lines on the finished product. After the gutta is thoroughly dry, I can start applying the color dyes, much like painting in watercolor. The photo on the right shows how I can paint three small scarves at once, which is fun.
I paint from a combination of memory, sketches, photos, and just looking out the window. I paint to express joy in the beauty that is all around us. I paint for fun; luckily, I don’t have to make a living from it!
I enjoy giving things I’ve made to friends and family members. I especially enjoy it when I actually sell something, but that’s rare. Here’s a photo a friend sent me of a vase I gave her.
Seeing the sunflowers and table arrangement just quadrupled the pleasure of painting the vase in the first place.
In their own words: What inspires me most is seeing other people’s art. Nothing makes me want to draw more than seeing someone else make something I admire and aspire to create. I follow many other artists online, and am friends with quite a few too, and it brings me great joy to see all the beautiful and amazing things these people have put together through their dedication and passion. People often think of art as a fairly solitary hobby, but in truth there is a large community that has been born out of the shared love we all have for art and the act of creating something new. And it is precisely because of the inspiration I have gained from these skillful creators that I have experimented with an array of other artforms myself. Primarily, I enjoy drawing with pencils, pens, and/or markers as my main mediums, but after seeing what marvelous pieces other people have designed through painting, sculpting, photographing, sewing, and digital editing, I have since branched out and explored these methods as well. I know it is a common perception that you are not a “true artist” until you can create something entirely on your own, only by relying on the images you can conjure from your own mind. The truth is, however, that the vast majority of artists use reference photos all the time to help craft their own works. I, myself, find it hard to start a project without first researching examples of similar pieces to help me shape the layout of my idea. But just because I look to outside sources for assistance, does not mean I am not every bit the artist as someone who chooses not to. And the same goes for anyone else who may be nervous calling themself “an artist.”
In his own words: A good poem is merely a brief insight or a snapshot of something quirky you’ve experienced. For something more in depth, I turn to fiction writing. But to be honest, after creating the characters, they move the storyline along more than I do.
In his own words: My Inspiration started as a as a young child watching cartoons and animation. I grew up in New York City in the late 70s early 80s. As a child I loved watching the huge “Art in Motion” that was the “Traveling Billboard” of a NYC subway car. I would marvel at them as they moved from station to station each with their unique Artistic expression painted on their outsides.
I seized every opportunity to view these audacious expressions of inner-city rebellion as they traversed the 5 boroughs, all with their Explosive High Energy Colors and diverse Themes often depicting the current atmosphere of NYC. I never thought that in my wildest dreams upon starting high school as a teen that I would enter into the realm of Pop Culture’s Underground Street Art as a Graffiti Artist.
When you are a young aspiring artist, but yet an unsupervised latchkey kid, like I was, left to my own devices to explore the City Streets, anything was possible, so I jumped into this Ocean of creativity running with Crew of Infamous Fellow Graffiti Artist from The High School of Art and Design. It was there in the tunnels of The NYC Transit System, that I had perfected what we call in our dubious profession “Can Control” onto the illegal canvases that were the NYC Subway Cars.
Nowadays, what inspires me is getting to a place where I am stress free and in total awareness of the beauty of my surroundings. I can do this by walking breathing and listening to some obscure classical baroque quintets on my Air-Pods. Or Just sitting on a beach and watching the waves roll in and out. Viewing art online is also very satisfying to me. I love Color, Intense, Vibrant, and Mystifying.
Art is Breath and Breath my friends is Life. I am so pleased that this form of Art would be as been as sought after as it has become, and so mainstream as well, and so I must take this time to thank and recognize all who have set aside their own individual prejudices towards the more “rebellious” and earlier forms of this phenomena called “Street Art” or “Graffiti” so that they can see it for the Magnificent Form of Expression that it truly is, I Thank you all for the opportunity, but most of all for your love and support.
In her own words: I started painting after my first tour in Iraq. The painting was a way for me to express my dark ideations that I was having in a positive productive way. I usually paint in the afternoon outside by myself. I pain when I am in the mood or I need to get something out. Painting has let me deal with my demons, that’s why a lot of painting are of angels or angels of darkness. I pain in watercolors for the chaotic nature of the colors how they blend in together and the mingling of the colors on the paper. I find that to be easier for me than the control of oils or even acrylics.
In his own words: The greatest challenge for any law enforcement officer is to avoid losing oneself. The soul of a peace officer is relentlessly eroded by the twin challenges of witnessing humanity at its worst and responding to the tragedies of life. The relentless waves of evil, anger, hopelessness and sadness have the same effect on the human soul as an ocean’s waves crashing into a rockface. Eventually even the strongest of rocks will yield to the ocean and crumble. I picked up the paint brush as a deeply personal therapy to convert the awfulness I was experiencing in my law enforcement career into objects of beauty. My painting began with a realization that although a person cannot change the events of their past, they can change their perspective of the past. During my creation process, I intentionally recall awful memories and experiences, I then naturally allow the act of painting to shift the perspective. The serenity and beauty of my art replaces the chaos and horror.
In his own words: My photography journey began with capturing the beauty of sunsets, wildlife, and moments with friends. As my passion grew, I pursued art classes that sharpened my skills and deepened my understanding of composition, significantly enriching my creative vision. Living in Naples, I’m continuously inspired by the natural beauty around me. The beach at sunset is a particularly captivating source of inspiration, where the interplay of sunlight and clouds creates a breathtaking natural masterpiece. My goal is to translate this dynamic color palette and beauty into my photographs, preserving these moments and sharing them through my lens.
In her own words: I have been creating art for most of my life. Each chapter have inspired different forms from pencil drawings, to acrylics, and mixed media. A friend asked me a few years ago if I could create a beach glass tree for her friend’s birthday. I absolutely fell in love with the process and creation. Naples beaches and my absolute love for the Christmas season makes this process so enjoyable. Each one is unique and inspired by memories of the many Christmas trees I’ve decorated over the years. Sugar Bay Designs is named for the favorite backwater bay within the 10,000 islands off of Marco Island, which is our favorite fishing spot! I also create “themed” trees, for example a “Golf Themed” tree made for someone in my hometown in Ohio. Sugar Bay Designs is named for the favorite backwater bay within the 10,000 islands off Marco Island, which is our favorite fishing spot! Producing these pieces is a great way to express my creativity, along with my career in accounting.
Lena Dye makes recycled art from objects sourced by children in the parks where she works. Her palette includes plastic bottles, bits of shell and wood, dropped leaves from local flora, and more. “Everything the kids bring, I turn to recycled art,” she explained.
Her two pieces displayed in the art show are titled “Sail Away” and “Sailboat,” twin iterations on a nautical theme in different scales. Her work also includes a water bottle American flag, a large hanging sculpture, and a palm frond elephant. “People always ask about the elephant ‘Who made that? Who made that?’ and I say, ‘The kids [collected] the palm tree for me and I [made it].’”
Magdelis Rodriguez’s piece is “The Queen’s Garden,” a silk scarf embellished and displayed behind glass. An explosion of pink and green, it is meant to ride the line of beauty and simplicity, of attention grabbing and relaxing, of polish and nature. According to Magdelis, “a glamorous queen will always have a glamorous garden. [It’s a matter] of presentation for the guest, but at the same time it’s the queen’s renewal fountain.”
Discussing her piece centered on nature and its restorative properties. She said “everybody needs their magical place to recharge and find themselves. After the stress of life and dealing with decisions, all we need is nature.”
“Life,” she said, “without the beauty of nature is death.”
In her own words: Hi! I’m Mariana Herrera St.Surin, and I’m a “Naples Florida” born Artist “! Rare, I know! I am a wife, as well as a mother of three amazing children, Cisco, Vivica and Salma. They are my best work of art. I have been an artist since i was a child. It just came natural. Painting with acrylic has been my favorite however, in recent years I’ve learned to love digital painting by using my iPad! I would say that most of my inspiration comes from within my Mexican heritage. I love the vibrant colors. Some of my pieces are inspired by great artists who came before me such as Diego Rivera and Van Goegh. Two examples are my Marigolds painting and “Nopales De La Luna”. Marigolds was inspired by Diego Rivera’s “Nude with Calla Lillies”. My rendition is of a fully clothed full figured woman holding marigolds. My painting “Nopales De La Luna” was inspired by Vincent Van Goegh’s “Starry Night “. My rendition consisted of the moon illuminating cacti.
In his own words: JeopardyLabs.com is the platform I use to create the games. The fun part for me is coming up with witty categories and doing the research for the clues and responses. They can host the games on the platform but I download the code so I can customize the user experience with a little HTLM razzle dazzle. For example, Speechify.com is used to produce the text-to-speech AI audio for the clues and by downloading to a device, the game can be played without the internet.
Inspiration: I’ve always enjoyed trivia and have watched Jeopardy since the days of Art Flemming hosting the show. When we started brainstorming on activities for the Collier Centennial, I thought the game was a perfect “container” to share some fun facts about our first 100 years.
Since then, I’ve created games and helped people use the concept for wedding party dinners, family reunions, staff training, motivation, community associations, and just for fun!
CollierMuseums.com/collier-county-jeopardy-game
In her own words: While an undergraduate art major, I primarily enjoyed three-dimensional disciplines line clay, metal, and glass. However, these all take time to produce a single piece and require a lot of investment, e.g. kilns, materials, and electricity. However, painting can be much more flexible. I stick with acrylics, primarily. I like the immediacy and vibrancy of using them, particularly Goldens. It allows me to build layers and provide texture to the images pretty quickly. Often, when I am painting, I am in a meditative state. This is why my work tends to be fanciful and whimsical.
In her own words: Having a relatively unusual name, I especially like the quote from famous dancer and choreographer, Twyla Tharp:
“I’ve always thought my creative life began the moment my mother called me Twyla”.
Although I was never particularly suited or talented for a life in the arts, I enjoy the concept of creativity and am delighted that creativity exists in “everyday” events especially when we are seeking solutions.
The motivation for the stone crab and honey bee watercolors, submitted for the employee art exhibit, was to find six Extension program-related images to paint on existing, repurposed, large wooden boxes to add interest to the Extension Multi-purpose Room.
Watercolor painting is a favorite due to the “happy accidents” especially when using wet on wet techniques. Pour painting is a new favorite because you never quite know the outcome. I have experimented with glass art and ceramics and want to learn more. Growing orchids and gardening is a creative and nurturing experience that I thrive on. When I cook, I love the art of making delicious food with a beautiful presentation.