May 17, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: County Commission, District #4 Office
(239) 335-2226
(Attached Photo; pictured left to right facing photo: Lee County Commissioner Tammy Hall; artist Carl Schwartz)
COMMISSIONER HALL SUPPORTING LOCAL ARTISTS THROUGH DISPLAY OF WORK
FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 17, 2005) - Lee County Commissioner Tammy Hall is continuing to support local artists by giving them an opportunity to display their artwork in her Fort Myers office.
The second artist to be featured - Carl Schwartz - will have his artwork, including pieces entitled "Dancing Koi," displayed in the District #4 Commissioner office starting TODAY (March 17) and running through July 30 (see bio below of Schwartz).
Commissioner Hall's office is in the first floor of the Old County Courthouse, 2120 Main Street in downtown Fort Myers. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The public is welcome to come view the artwork and learn about Schwartz, and the paintings can be purchased.
The first artist to be featured was Kit Hoisington and had her artwork displayed from March 15 through April 25.
"The arts are an important part of the cultural development of our community," says Commissioner Hall. "I believe that government can play an important role in providing assistance in public awareness, developing the use of public spaces for display and interaction of art, and for the encouragement and commitment of continued financial support both public and private of all the arts."
Other local artists will be featured at six-week intervals.
Commissioner Hall was elected to the Board of Lee County Commissioners in 2004 and serves as the Board's vice chairman. Her district includes North Fort Myers, and the central and northern portions of Cape Coral.
ABOUT C.E. SCHWARTZ
Artist
Carl is a nationally recognized painter and print maker. His impressive biography lists awards such as the Logan Medal from the Art Institute of Chicagojuried and invitational exhibitions at Art Across America sponsored by Mead Corporationone and two person shows at Illinois State Museum and the Art Institute's S&R Gallery in Chicagoand many major placements in permanent collections throughout the United States, such as The Smithsonian Institution, Kemper Insurance, AT&T, Sears, Delta Airlines, Beatrice Foods as well as such Universities as Michigan State, Ball State, Loyola, Nevada, Minnesota and Chicago. He has worked with and been published by both Reader's Digest and Playboy Magazine. He can be found in Who's Who, Who's Who in the Midwest, and Who's Who in American Art.
Carl taught figure drawing and painting in Chicago at the North Shore Art League for almost 30 years. In 1984 he moved to Florida permanently. Only recently has he returned to teaching at Florida Gulf Coast University where he heads the Drawing Department, where he is experiencing much enjoyment and satisfaction in watching the growth of young artists.
Carl resides in Fort Myers, Florida, in a picturesque setting surrounded by an extensive lush water garden where he raises Koi and cultivates water lilies that often are the focus of his art. He is a member of several professional artist groups, including the Florida League of Artists.