Port Charlotte, Florida-The collection of old-time fishing villages
and eclectic southwest Florida beach towns overlooking Charlotte
Harbor and its barrier islands are home to a thriving arts scene
that infuses these charming communities with bold splashes of
color.  Numerous galleries, over 600 resident artists, and a
renowned arts center offering hands-on workshops in every medium
from painting to pottery are complemented every winter by some
of southwest Florida's finest and most extensive art festivals.



Located on the Gulf between Sarasota and Naples, the heart
of the Charlotte Harbor arts community is Punta Gorda, a picturesque
village overlooking Charlotte Harbor and the Peace River whose
cobblestone and brick streets are lined with majestic royal palms
and gaslights.  

 

Here, art literally spills outdoors -- 23 colorful, 
professionally-executed murals adorn buildings in Punta Gorda's
historic commercial district.  They depict Calusa Indian life,
the 1800s railroad boom, the running of Cracker cattle down the
main street, birds, manatees and other sea life, as well as the
fishing. Conceived in 1993, the town's mural program, sponsored
by the Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society (www.puntagordamurals.com),
was set back by Hurricane Charley nine years later, but restoration
has been completed and new scenes are being painted.  



Art also takes to the streets in two dramatic festivals each
February.  The first -  Downtown Punta Gorda Fête Plein Air
- incorporates an expression coined by French Impressionists
and  translates to painting "on location."  Art lovers will flock
to Punta Gorda on Valentine's Day, 2009 to see up to 40 professional
and aspiring artists on the streets, parks and waterfront, capturing
their surroundings on canvas from early morning until mid-afternoon.
Shops and restaurants are transformed into galleries for the
day, and all the art can be purchased. www.pressellergallery.com



This year, the juried annual Peace River National Arts Festival
follows from February 28 to March 1, 2009.  More than 10,000
people are drawn to Punta Gorda's Laishley Park overlooking Charlotte
Harbor and the Peace River to view the works of 100 national
artists who sell their original art in a wide variety of media:
oil, acrylic, and watercolor paintings, drawings, pottery, sculpture,
textiles, and jewelry. 



The key sponsor of this event is The Visual Arts Center 
(www.visualartcenter.org), a magnet for visitors who want to
indulge their inner Picasso on an art vacation. Recognized as
one of the finest art centers in Southwest Florida, The Visual
Arts Center provides a beautiful 12,000 square-foot venue for
artists to exhibit and students to study with talented instructors
in a wide range of classes, workshops and lectures for all ages
and stages. A catalyst for the Charlotte Harbor arts scene, the
Visual Arts Center took root in 1961, according to Executive
Director Michele Valencourt, when a small group organized an
outdoor show and an astonishing 3,000 people came. For the first
time, the Florida Watercolor Society has chosen Punta Gorda to
host its annual exhibit from September 21 - October 27, 2009.




Another multi-artist gallery is The Sea Grape Gallery 
(www.seagrapegallery.com), a 25 member co-operative in Punta
Gorda offers original award-winning acrylics, oils, pastels,
watercolors, fiber art, basketry, fused and stained glass, jewelry,
pottery and woodworking.  Artist members share the responsibilities
and expenses of running this not-for-profit business. Sea Grape
holds artist demonstrations and rotates its exhibiting works
on a monthly basis. 



Every third Thursday from 5pm till 8pm, shops in Punta Gorda
are open late for "Gallery Walk," a feast for the eyes, ears
and palate as residents and visitors stroll or take an old fashioned
trolley to explore the town's galleries, boutiques and restaurants
while listening to live music and enjoying libations and appetizers.


  

Acting as an overarching umbrella for this depth and breadth
of artistic endeavor is the non-profit, official local arts agency,
The Arts & Humanities Council of Charlotte County, Inc. 
(www.charlottearts.org).  According to Executive Director Judy
Malbuisson, "We call the Council Charlotte Harbor's 'Chamber
of the Arts,' and we act as a greenhouse to develop, support
and promote local visual artists, musicians, theater groups,
dance studios, writers and cultural organizations." 



Held November 1, 2008 and free to the public, Charlotte Harbor
Artsensation is the Council's annual all-day, all-arts festival
celebrating the community's many performing and visual artists.
Local artists and cultural organizations participate with performances,
exhibits and more. 



While the galleries and festivals attract many visitors, this
undiscovered gem of a destination celebrates the natural beauty
of its un-crowded, shell-strewn beaches, its miles of peaceful
wildlife preserves and its photo-opp sunsets as much as it does
its lively and thriving arts scene.



Editors Note: A complete listing of festivals and galleries,
as well as high resolution photographs, are available.



About Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands

Located halfway between Tampa and Naples on the Southwest Florida
Gulf coast, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands is a collection
of nine charming coastal communities surrounding the state's
second largest harbor.  Florida's premier year-round eco-tourism
destination, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands is known for
its pristine, unspoiled beauty. The area has hosted seven major
feature films, been featured on SAIL magazine's list of the "10
Greatest Places to Sail in the United States," ranked by Golf
Digest as the "Third Best Place to Live and Play Golf in America,"
rated by MONEY magazine as one of the "Best Places to Live in
the South," and annually hosts the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup
broadcast by ESPN, the only permanent stop on the Redfish Circuit.




For information about area events, activities and attractions,
contact the Charlotte County Florida Visitor's Bureau, 18501
Murdock Circle, Suite 502, Port Charlotte, FL; 941-743-1900,
or call toll free at 1-800-652-6090 for a free Visitor's Guide;
or visit the Web site at www.CharlotteHarborTravel.com.