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Commissioner Hall Displaying Work of Local Artist in Continuing Series
Aug 2, 2007 COMMISSIONER HALL DISPLAYING WORK OF LOCAL ARTIST This month North Fort Myers resident Gary Olson will have his colorful art work on display at the District #4 Commissioner office through September 20th (see bio below). The watercolor display depicts historic downtown Fort Myers and includes prints of The Veranda, Arcade Theatre, Langford Kingston House, & the Burroughs Home. The public is welcome to view the artwork and learn more about Olson (see bio below). The artwork can be purchased. "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 eight-week intervals. Commissioner Hall's office is on the first floor of the Old County Courthouse, 2120 Main Street in downtown Ft. Myers. Office hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Commissioner Hall was elected to the Board of Lee County Commissioners in 2004 and re-elected in 2006. Her district includes North Fort Myers and the central and northern portions of Cape Coral. BIOGRAPHY: Gary Olson was born and raised in Southeastern Wisconsin. After having worked in Canada, Mexico, and Michigan during his manufacturing/engineering career, Gary and his wife, Patricia, settled down in North Fort Myers, Florida. He started painting seriously after spending eight years as a publications illustrator with both the U.S. Navy and General Motors. His initial medium was oil. He now paints in acrylic and watercolors exclusively. Having studied fine art in Wisconsin and in Michigan, in his early years, he continues to attend workshops to enhance his style. He has participated in many street festivals in Southeastern Michigan and has had one-man shows prior to moving to Florida in 1996. More recently Gary's paintings have been accepted in the Statewide Palm Beach Watercolor Society's annual juried exhibition. He has won awards in the Art League of Fort Myers annual shows. He has paintings hanging in the Fort Myers City Hall and was selected to judge the Charlotte County "All Medium" show in Punta Gorda. Gary is a member in good standing of the Art League of Fort Myers and Pine Island Art Association. He sells his work to private collectors through the Herons Nest Restaurant at Herons Glen Golf and Country Club, Arts for ACT Art Gallery, and Horsing Around Caf. Gary Olson may be contacted via email at grolso@comcast.net. |