Art celebration coming to famous inventors' estate
Outdoor festival this weekend at Edison & Ford Winter Estates
FLORIDA WEEKLY STAFF REPORT

Dyer

The 5th Annual Edison Celebration of Art, an outdoor festival, will unfold on the lawns of the Edison & Ford Winter Estates on McGregor Boulevard, Saturday, Jan. 26. Forecasts predicting gorgeous weather during the festival's duration, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., bode well for all comers. Art from across the nation will be displayed; live music, performance work, demonstrations and children's creations fill the bill.

"Our festival is more for families," said event organizer Deborah Kelly. "It's well rounded with entertainment, children's activities and fine art. And they're on the most beautiful grounds in Southwest Florida."

Beyond fun, event coordinators say the celebration benefits young or emerging artists and the Lee County Public School system. Professional artists' work will be on display next to that of locals and students, creating mentoring opportunities, Kelly said.

Last year, the festival donated nearly $6,000 for student art and music programs.

And that's a long way from the humble beginnings of the art event that could only manage to raise $250 five year's ago.

COURTESY PHOTO Marie Dyer is the featured artist at the 5th Annual Edison Celebration of Art at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates on Saturday, Jan. 26. Dyer is a North Captiva Island painter.

"The event was started to save the (orchestra at Dunbar Middle School) program by raising funds," Kelly said. That support enabled the school to hire an orchestra teacher

Now, the event's board of directors sifts through grant applications from school art and music programs. "Currently we have 21 grant applications," Kelly said. They range from classes needing instruments to sending students on a field trip to an art gallery.

Marie Dyer is the signature artist for this year's celebration. Dyer, well know as a North Captiva Island painter, works in acrylic on canvas, evoking Southwest Florida in landscapes and floral-based still life images. Her paintings have been used as backdrops for Chico's fashion shoots and have appeared in magazines, such as "Southern Living." Note cards depicting Dyer's art will be available for sale at the Edison & Ford Estates in the Creative Cottage, Ford Cottage Shoppe and the Museum Store. Limited Edition Prints signed by Dyer are available there now.

Partners in the celebration include the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center in downtown Fort Myers, the Lee County School District and the Edison & Ford Winter Estates.