From: Barr, Courtney
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 2:26 PM
Subject: Release: Local Artist Creates Commemorative Reading Festival Painting

INFORMATION RELEASE

Media Contact: Karen Sloan

(239) 533-4826 or ksloan@leegov.com

 

Local Artist Creates Commemorative Reading Festival Painting

 

FORT MYERS, Fla., March 15, 2010 – Local artist Scott Guelcher presented the Friends of the North Fort Myers Library with a colorful commemorative painting entitled “READ!” that honors the Lee County Library System’s Southwest Florida Reading Festival.

 

The painting is a three feet square acrylic on canvas piece that incorporates a variety of elements that connect with the Reading Festival.  The artwork will be used on Reading Festival T-shirts for sale at the March 20 event and the original art will be given to the winner of a prize drawing conducted by the Friends of the North Fort Myers Library.  Just 200 tickets are being offered, each for a $5 donation. Proceeds benefit the Reading Festival.

 

“I approached Scott about creating a graphic for festival T-shirts this year and he went beyond that to create this amazing painting,” says Reading Festival coordinator Karen Sloan.  “There are images representing the location of the event, some of this year’s authors, and other events related to the Reading Festival.”

 

The painting will be on display and tickets available at the following locations:

        8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. midweek days through March 17: Library Administration, 2345 Union Street, Fort Myers

        4:00-6:00 p.m. March 18: Fantasy & Fairy Tales in Books & Art, Alliance for the Arts, 10019 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers

        6:00-9:00 p.m. March 19: An Evening with the Authors, Royal Palm Yacht Club, 2360 West First Street, Fort Myers

        10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. March 20: Southwest Florida Reading Festival, inside the main entry to Harborside Event Center, 1375 Monroe Street, Fort Myers

        6:00-8:00 p.m. March 20: Book Signing with Chris Claremont, Howl Gallery, 1514 Broadway, Fort Myers

 

The 11th annual Southwest Florida Reading Festival takes place 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, March 20 at Harborside Event Center and Centennial Park in the downtown Fort Myers River District.

 

This year’s author line-up includes Lisa Scottoline, Chris Claremont and R.L. Stine as well as Sheramy Bundrick, Tim Dorsey, Sharon M. Draper, Jason Edwards, Lucia M. Gonzalez, James Grippando, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Lee Bennett Hopkins, Lisa Jackson, Robert Macomber, Johanna Moran, Gustavo Bolivar Moreno, Lauren Myracle, Carla Neggers, James O’Neal, and F. Paul Wilson.

 

The Lee County Library System produces this annual event to showcase library resources and services, and to promote reading and literacy.  In addition to meeting favorite authors, attendees to the Southwest Florida Reading Festival will be able to sign up for a library card and participate in hands-on demonstrations of the latest offerings from the Library System. 

 

Complete author information, schedules of festival activities, dates of partner events, directions to the event, and more, are available for your convenience 24 hours a day at readfest.org or call 239-337-READ (7323) during library operating hours.

 

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