Ft.Myers magazine - Art Royale 2007

HEAD games, mind games, mazes, games of chance, patriot games, board games… What does ‘playing games’ say to you?

Art Royale is one of the Alliance for the Arts’ premiere annual events. Each year, a theme is chosen for all participating artists to interpret in their artwork. Fire dancers, musical performers, oil painters, fiber artists, and sculptors will be presenting their version of the theme.

An event like this takes months of planning and preparation, and there is one person who can be credited with things running so smoothly this year. Alliance for the Arts Board member Pam Beckman of Bon Soiree Events of Distinction is the ringmaster behind this year’s fete. The second you meet her, three things are perfectly clear: 1- She’s got enough energy to run the Empire State Building, 2- She’s got everything under control, and 3- Pam Beckman loves what she does.

Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pam decided it was time to escape from the cold and in 1988 she moved to Florida. With her professional background as an Account Executive, Sales Manager and in Entertaiment & Event Planning, Pam, tired of working in the “boring world of financial sales,” as she puts it, started Bon Soiree, where she puts together social and corporate events that have been described as unique and creative.
Pam is no stranger to the Alliance for the Arts. She has been involved with various small events and behind the scenes tasks. She has supported the Alliance for years, and is now a board member. Pam has attended every Art Royale and has had a great time each year. When asked why she decided to take on this year’s Art Royale, she responded, “Hmm... I’m crazy? I love a challenge and I love to help out.”

Even with the variety of decorating and party planning opportunities her work affords, Pam still enjoys creating multimedia pieces of her own in her much deserved free time.

Under Pam Beckman’s skillfully creative eyes, on November 17 at 6:30pm, the Alliance for the Arts’ campus will be transformed for the night to provide its guests with a one-of-a-kind art show. Whether this will be your first visit to the Alliance for the Arts or you’re an Alliance connoisseur, you won’t recognize the place! You will be greeted by people in costume and be invited to interact with artists’ work and visit every exhibit on the campus. A special time is guaranteed for all.

Steve McCarney
McCarney has spent 35 years focusing on solar and energy efficiency as an author, designer, builder and inventor. One of his latest inventions is a board game that is all about war and peace, cooperation and competition, survival and environment. McCarney and his cohorts still hope to have the game published, but for now, they’re excited to bring it directly to the Art Royale audience. “From solar design to board game invention,” he says, “my aim is to inspire positive action where all are winners.”

Jen Riley
Born in Indiana, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Art Institute of Chicago, Riley has taught ceramics, 3-D art and commercial Art/Fashion Design at Mariner High School since 2001. She has a passion for mixed media collages, fiber arts, fashion and sculpture, so She has been working on a multi-media, interactive, larger-than-life marionette for this year’s Art Royale. She’s working with Scott Guelcher, an art teacher for Lehigh Senior High School and a graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University.

Scott Guelcher
Guelcher delves into controversial local and global topics through his artwork, working in a variety of mediums. His construction sculpture exhibit last year at Art Royale showed the changing Lee County community in a collage of news articles, vivid color, and symbols. Attendees helped complete the project that evening by spray painting images and graffiti from their perspective on the outside of the sculpture.

Ray Hernandez
Hernandez was born in Brooklyn, New York and studied at the Art Institute of Dallas, Texas. He loves painting abstract watercolors, although he works in a variety of mediums. Ray says his work is about capturing a moment and going where life takes you. Not wanting to give too much away about what’s in store with his Art Royale project, he says “Let’s just say it will be a chance to get in touch with your inner child, who just can’t wait to come out and play!”

Roseline M. Young
A fiber artist and retired art teacher who studied Weaving Sculpture at Tulane University, Young is currently an art teacher at the Cape Coral Arts Studio, Edison & Ford Winter Estates and various other local workshops. Young is owner of Rose Line Weaving Studio, creating one of a kind handwovens, fabric paintings and art quilts. She is a member of Handweavers Guild of America, Weavers of Char-Lee and Art Quilters Unlimited, and has a Lifetime Classification on design, originality, craftsmanship and imagination in Fiber & Fabric Painting by the Southwest Florida Craft Guild. Young and fiber artist Ricki Howe are creating a project together.

Ricki Howie
Howe is a fiber art instructor at the Fort Myers Art League, Edison & Ford Winter Estates, Weavers Guild, Lee County Libraries and the Lee County State Fair. She is the winner of several local and state art competitions and has received scholastic grants from National Endowment for the Humanities. Howe is a member of Weavers of Char-Lee, Art Quilters Unlimited, Fort Myers Art League. Howe and Roslaine Young were inspired to create their project by their differing politicall views, but common love for fabric painting, quilting, creativity and fun.

JoAnn Golenia
From early childhood, JoAnn Golenia was fascinated by the patterns and designs of nature. Born an avid observer, every day, every walk, every car ride was a panorama of shapes and colors. Her Art Royale project asks: What is in a face? All the lines of a face hint at its thoughts, secrets, dreams, fears. What is he thinking? What would you say to him if he could speak?

Sissi Janku, Jean Claude Roge, Sherry Coffin
Janku, a graduate of the Academy of Arts in Munich, Germany, lives part time on Captiva Island. She creates oil and watercolor paintings with themes such as tropical scenes, abstracts and European imagery. She even paints furniture with jungle and Hawaiian landscapes as well with elements such as panthers, mermaids, and flowers. Janku will be collaborating with artists Roge and Coffin on a piece for Art Royale 2007.

Bryan Chaikin
Chaikin graduated with a BFA in writing and a BA in literature from the University of Pittsburgh in 1999. Now, he is the principal designer and owner of D of G Design & Advertising, located in Fort Myers. He has assisted in promoting Art Royale the last three years and he was the curator for the Alliance’s ‘Digital Imagination’ computer based exhibition.

Gerard Damiano
Gerard spins a wide range of musical styles, from ‘American Songbook’ classics, to straight up dance music. Along with his ability to DJ, he works with video projections to add a little something extra to events—from ambient backgrounds to customized photo montages to powerpoint pop art.

Lisa Geertsen
As a 1997 graduate from West Virginia University with a concentration in metal sculpture, Geertsen derives her inspiration from nature. Her passion is to work towards having blacksmithing be recognized as the fine art that it is. Geertsen has been busy constructing a new fine art installation for Art Royal 2007.

Cracker Blues
Don Hedman, Doug MacGregor, Tom Pillsye, Ted Scott and Bob Stickel make up the band Cracker Blues. They’re dedicated to continuing the art of blues music in Southwest Florida, blending new and traditional blues. They have performed at various festivals around the area including the Edison Festival Block Party, Taste of The Town and the Buckingham Outdoor Blues Festival. The Cracker Blues band’s Art Royale contribution will be to “give us the blues.”

Compton & Bennett
Rick Compton and Betsy Bennett are crack songwriters—both in the respect that they’re excellent at what they do as well as in the sense that they make a lot of jokes. They’ll be performing their original music at Art Royale and they’ll be setting up several activities involving play on words. Compton is an award-winning writer and Bennett is a veteran of more that 75 plays and musicals. They’ve been working together for more than ten years and are known best for their original musical satires. Often these shows include two acts, a cast of as many as six and a full band. They play to sold out crowds in theaters and country clubs throughout Southwest Florida and have been featured nationally on WNMF radio and on NPR’s Car Talk.

Toa Tropical Productions
Authentic Polynesian-style dancers perform dances from six Pacific islands—Tonga, Hawaii, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa and Tahiti—in elaborate costumes and with an actual fire knife dance for the finale. •




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		Art Is As Art Does by Eugenua Nicolini HEAD games, mind games, mazes, games of chance, patriot games, board games… What does ‘playing games’ say to you? Art Royale is one of the Alliance for the Arts’ premiere annual events. Each year, a theme is chosen for all participating artists to interpret in their artwork. Fire dancers, musical performers, oil painters, fiber artists, and sculptors will be presenting their version of the theme. An event like this takes months of planning and preparation, and there is one person who can be credited with things running so smoothly this year. Alliance for the Arts Board member Pam Beckman of Bon Soiree Events of Distinction is the ringmaster behind this year’s fete. The second you meet her, three things are perfectly clear: 1- She’s got enough energy to run the Empire State Building, 2- She’s got everything under control, and 3- Pam Beckman loves what she does. Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pam decided it was time to escape from the cold and in 1988 she moved to Florida. With her professional background as an Account Executive, Sales Manager and in Entertaiment & Event Planning, Pam, tired of working in the “boring world of financial sales,” as she puts it, started Bon Soiree, where she puts together social and corporate events that have been described as unique and creative. Pam is no stranger to the Alliance for the Arts. She has been involved with various small events and behind the scenes tasks. She has supported the Alliance for years, and is now a board member. Pam has attended every Art Royale and has had a great time each year. When asked why she decided to take on this year’s Art Royale, she responded, “Hmm... I’m crazy? I love a challenge and I love to help out.” Even with the variety of decorating and party planning opportunities her work affords, Pam still enjoys creating multimedia pieces of her own in her much deserved free time. Under Pam Beckman’s skillfully creative eyes, on November 17 at 6:30pm, the Alliance for the Arts’ campus will be transformed for the night to provide its guests with a one-of-a-kind art show. Whether this will be your first visit to the Alliance for the Arts or you’re an Alliance connoisseur, you won’t recognize the place! You will be greeted by people in costume and be invited to interact with artists’ work and visit every exhibit on the campus. A special time is guaranteed for all. Art Royale’s Artists (some, but by no means all) Steve McCarney McCarney has spent 35 years focusing on solar and energy efficiency as an author, designer, builder and inventor. One of his latest inventions is a board game that is all about war and peace, cooperation and competition, survival and environment. McCarney and his cohorts still hope to have the game published, but for now, they’re excited to bring it directly to the Art Royale audience. “From solar design to board game invention,” he says, “my aim is to inspire positive action where all are winners.” Jen Riley Born in Indiana, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Art Institute of Chicago, Riley has taught ceramics, 3-D art and commercial Art/Fashion Design at Mariner High School since 2001. She has a passion for mixed media collages, fiber arts, fashion and sculpture, so She has been working on a multi-media, interactive, larger-than-life marionette for this year’s Art Royale. She’s working with Scott Guelcher, an art teacher for Lehigh Senior High School and a graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University. Scott Guelcher Guelcher delves into controversial local and global topics through his artwork, working in a variety of mediums. His construction sculpture exhibit last year at Art Royale showed the changing Lee County community in a collage of news articles, vivid color, and symbols. Attendees helped complete the project that evening by spray painting images and graffiti from their perspective on the outside of the sculpture. Ray Hernandez Hernandez was born in Brooklyn, New York and studied at the Art Institute of Dallas, Texas. He loves painting abstract watercolors, although he works in a variety of mediums. Ray says his work is about capturing a moment and going where life takes you. Not wanting to give too much away about what’s in store with his Art Royale project, he says “Let’s just say it will be a chance to get in touch with your inner child, who just can’t wait to come out and play!” Roseline M. Young A fiber artist and retired art teacher who studied Weaving Sculpture at Tulane University, Young is currently an art teacher at the Cape Coral Arts Studio, Edison & Ford Winter Estates and various other local workshops. Young is owner of Rose Line Weaving Studio, creating one of a kind handwovens, fabric paintings and art quilts. She is a member of Handweavers Guild of America, Weavers of Char-Lee and Art Quilters Unlimited, and has a Lifetime Classification on design, originality, craftsmanship and imagination in Fiber & Fabric Painting by the Southwest Florida Craft Guild. Young and fiber artist Ricki Howe are creating a project together. Ricki Howie Howe is a fiber art instructor at the Fort Myers Art League, Edison & Ford Winter Estates, Weavers Guild, Lee County Libraries and the Lee County State Fair. She is the winner of several local and state art competitions and has received scholastic grants from National Endowment for the Humanities. Howe is a member of Weavers of Char-Lee, Art Quilters Unlimited, Fort Myers Art League. Howe and Roslaine Young were inspired to create their project by their differing politicall views, but common love for fabric painting, quilting, creativity and fun. JoAnn Golenia From early childhood, JoAnn Golenia was fascinated by the patterns and designs of nature. Born an avid observer, every day, every walk, every car ride was a panorama of shapes and colors. Her Art Royale project asks: What is in a face? All the lines of a face hint at its thoughts, secrets, dreams, fears. What is he thinking? What would you say to him if he could speak? Sissi Janku, Jean Claude Roge, Sherry Coffin Janku, a graduate of the Academy of Arts in Munich, Germany, lives part time on Captiva Island. She creates oil and watercolor paintings with themes such as tropical scenes, abstracts and European imagery. She even paints furniture with jungle and Hawaiian landscapes as well with elements such as panthers, mermaids, and flowers. Janku will be collaborating with artists Roge and Coffin on a piece for Art Royale 2007. Bryan Chaikin Chaikin graduated with a BFA in writing and a BA in literature from the University of Pittsburgh in 1999. Now, he is the principal designer and owner of D of G Design & Advertising, located in Fort Myers. He has assisted in promoting Art Royale the last three years and he was the curator for the Alliance’s ‘Digital Imagination’ computer based exhibition. Gerard Damiano Gerard spins a wide range of musical styles, from ‘American Songbook’ classics, to straight up dance music. Along with his ability to DJ, he works with video projections to add a little something extra to events—from ambient backgrounds to customized photo montages to powerpoint pop art. Lisa Geertsen As a 1997 graduate from West Virginia University with a concentration in metal sculpture, Geertsen derives her inspiration from nature. Her passion is to work towards having blacksmithing be recognized as the fine art that it is. Geertsen has been busy constructing a new fine art installation for Art Royal 2007. Cracker Blues Don Hedman, Doug MacGregor, Tom Pillsye, Ted Scott and Bob Stickel make up the band Cracker Blues. They’re dedicated to continuing the art of blues music in Southwest Florida, blending new and traditional blues. They have performed at various festivals around the area including the Edison Festival Block Party, Taste of The Town and the Buckingham Outdoor Blues Festival. The Cracker Blues band’s Art Royale contribution will be to “give us the blues.” Compton & Bennett Rick Compton and Betsy Bennett are crack songwriters—both in the respect that they’re excellent at what they do as well as in the sense that they make a lot of jokes. They’ll be performing their original music at Art Royale and they’ll be setting up several activities involving play on words. Compton is an award-winning writer and Bennett is a veteran of more that 75 plays and musicals. They’ve been working together for more than ten years and are known best for their original musical satires. Often these shows include two acts, a cast of as many as six and a full band. They play to sold out crowds in theaters and country clubs throughout Southwest Florida and have been featured nationally on WNMF radio and on NPR’s Car Talk. Toa Tropical Productions Authentic Polynesian-style dancers perform dances from six Pacific islands—Tonga, Hawaii, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa and Tahiti—in elaborate costumes and with an actual fire knife dance for the finale. • from the November-December 2007 issue
Pam Beckman
	Jen Riley
	Scott Guelcher
	Gerard Damiano
	Lisa Geertsen
	Ray Hernandez
	Steve McGarney
ART ROYALE November 17 6:30pm Alliance for the Arts 10091 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers 939-2787