The 40th Annual Pine Island Art Show takes place in historic Matlacha this weekend, Februay 11 & 12. It will not only feature more than 500 oil and acrylic paintings, pastels, pen and ink drawings and watercolors, it offers art lovers a large selection of original mini paintings.
The minis are ideal for art enthusiasts with limited wall space or limited budgets. These small pieces measure just 3-1/2 by 4-1/2 inches and come double matted. According to Pine Island Art Association member Phyllis Dowd, "the minis are perfect for either gifts or keepsakes, and because of their compact size, they are easily shipped or packed in a carry-on flight bag."
At 3.5 by 4.5 inches, the “minis” featured at the Pine Island Art Festival are a little too big to be considered “art cards.” To fall into the category of Art Card Editions and Originals or ACEOs, a drawing or painting must be 3.5 by 2.5 inches, or trading card sized. ACEOs are extremely popular at the moment, with thousands of ACEO-formatted originals being sold online every single day. In fact, there are currently 15,600 ACEOs listed on eBay at prices ranging from one cent to $2,200, and another 30,000 on Etsy at prices ranging from $1 to $2,999.
People who’ve never collected art before are acquiring ACEOs and minis because of their low entry level prices, and since they are small and lightweight, they are easy to transport and can be grouped together on a wall to create a collage-like effect that compliments most country and shabby chic interior designs.
The minis sell for just $10 including tax. Also available for purchase are frame kits designed specifically to fit the minis, available for $10 as well.
Pine Island is about an hour’s drive west from Southwest Florida International Airport. It is a charming stretch of waterfront some 17 miles long by two miles wide known for colorful bungalows, quaint old country cottages and hospitality as intense as the bright Florida sun. The area actually consists of five separate communities, one of which is Matlacha (pronounced Mat-la-shay). Once a fishing community, Matlacha is now a highly-regarded artists’ community where the shacks once occupied by fishermen have been dappled in bright funky colors and today house art galleries and studios, gift and island wear boutiques, seafood restaurants, rental cottages and small motels. Even the telephone poles have murals.
Now in its 40th year, the Pine Island Art Show and Sale has become the largest event on Greater PIne Island, drawing more than 3,000 attendees from all over Southwest Florida. However, the PIAA goes out of its way to preserve its small town feel.
“At the show,” says Dowd, “our members will greet you at the door and invite you to sample their home-baked goods after you see their work. The artists will be there to talk to you and it will be a trip back in time to a Florida that is rapidly disappearing.”
The show runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Admission is free, as is the parking.
For more information, please telephone 239-283-4432 or visit the Pine Island Art Association online at http://www.pineislandart.com/artshow.html.
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