Exhibitions
Arts Bonita proudly presents a wide range of art exhibitions that enlighten visitors throughout the year. Some shows feature member, faculty or local student artists—others are national or international traveling exhibitions.
Our seasonal schedule focuses on a particular theme, medium, or concept. Regional artists are featured in the summer, traveling exhibitions are on display in the summer and fall, and our Annual Members Exhibition is on view in the winter.
The Center's Galleries are free and open to the public. View exciting exhibitions year-round, and buy select artwork directly from the artists—a portion of the proceeds benefits Arts Bonita.
MEMBERS ONLY EXHIBITION
February 8 - March 7, 2024
Visual Arts Center, Main Gallery & Tranovich Gallery
26100 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs
Opening Reception & Campus Open House: Thursday, February 8, 6-8pm at the Visual Arts Center
Arts Bonita turns its exhibition spotlight on our incredibly talented members with an annual member-only juried exhibition. We are honored to present our annual Member-Only Juried Exhibition, a highly-anticipated event encapsulating our members' artistic excellence. Our Member-Only Exhibition showcases artwork created by our vibrant creative community of visual arts highlighting our members' artistic skill and vision region wide. We invite you to be a part of our annual visual journey as we curate this beautiful exhibition.
Artist Pick up: Friday, March 8, 9am-Noon
SELECTED WORKS OF RAMON CHIRINOS
February 22 - April 11, 2024
Performing Arts Center, Gallery-in-the-Round
10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 22, 6-8pm at the Performing Arts Center
Ramon Chirinós is known internationally for his expressive abstract paintings inspired by the colors and rhythm of life in his native South America.
Chirino’s paintings have a distinctive touch and style. From his early figurative paintings to his current abstract collection, they represent an explosion of colors, forms and lines. We can distinguish the strokes of his brush and the mood of his gentle creations. His steady sense of calm, the invitation to look at the painting and yet to complete the visual process with a deeper perception that involves both mind and spirit.
ROMANCING THE STONE 2024
March 14 - April 11, 2024
Visual Arts Center, Main Gallery
26100 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs
Opening Reception & Campus Open House: Thursday, March 14, 6-8pm at the Visual Arts Center
Since ancient times, stone carvers have sought to set free the forms they see trapped within a stone. It is a careful and unyielding process. The relationship between the sculptor and the stone is not unlike a true romance. There are some give and takes as well as a lot of heart. When carefully and skillfully romanced, stones become extraordinary works of art. Arts Bonita is home to an exceptional stone sculpture program. This exhibition reflects the program’s level of excellence by showing the achievements of students and their instructors.
SHARING CREATIVITY: JOYCE WADDELL BAILEY AND LAURA NISITA
March 14 - April 11, 2024
Visual Arts Center, Tranovich Gallery
26100 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs
Opening Reception & Campus Open House: Thursday, March 14, 6-8pm at the Visual Arts Center
After a lifetime of studying and practicing art, two artists came together to share the same creative path. Laura Nisita and Joyce Bailey met as neighbors while living in Estero. A friendship budded at social gatherings and dinners and then formed around their mutual love of art. Both women share a lifetime of experience as practicing artists. Living only one block apart, the two were often found together visiting in their top-floor studios. Like artists in a Greenwich Village garret or Paris atelier, their conversations centered around all aspects of making art as well as art history and the work of the great artists. Although they have each moved away from their old neighborhood, they continue to share a path to creativity.
This joint exhibit shows two different approaches to rendering reality in a work of art. Nisita usually paints from a life form. She uses her extraordinary skill to render the effects of light, color, shadow, surface and reflection in her paintings. She has been referred to as a “Super-Realist” by art critics. Bailey presents a reality that usually goes unseen. She invites the viewer to see the subject through a change in scale and color palette. Tiny tillandsias (a genus of plants) are enlarged on a grid scale to 120 times their actual size. In Bailey’s paintings unremarkable forms are made significant through changes in scale and color palette.
Joyce Waddell Bailey wishes to thank the Marcus Jansen Foundation Fund/Collaboratory Fort Myers for grant support.
VOICES THROUGH ABSTRACTION
A themed open call exhibition.
April 18 - May 16, 2024
Visual Arts Center
26100 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs
Opening Reception: Thursday, April 18, 6-8pm at the
Visual Arts Center
Voices through Abstraction is a juried competition open to 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional abstract artwork in any media. Abstract art is created by removing the usual references and making visible that which is not easily seen. It embodies flexibility and freedom, with a boldness or perhaps absence of color. Line, pattern, form, and composition are still elements that are employed. Mark making becomes unique and compelling. The viewer is offered an opportunity to experience a range of ideas and emotions by creating a “voice through abstraction.”
A FUSION OF ORCHIDS AND AI
April 18 - May 16, 2024
Visual Arts Center, Tranovich Gallery
26100 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs
Opening Reception: Thursday, April 18, 6-8pm at the
Visual Arts Center
Photographer and former scientist Morris Herstein presents this series featuring an experimental process through the use of generative AI, resulting in this thought-provoking evolution of orchids into abstract forms.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT SHOWCASE
May 23 - 30, 2024
Visual Arts Center
26100 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs
Closing Reception: Thursday, May 30, 6-8pm at the
Visual Arts Center
Join us in celebrating the creativity and talent of our local high school students. Showcasing the remarkable works of budding artists from various high schools in the area, this exhibition promises to ignite your imagination and inspire awe.
From vibrant paintings to intricate sculptures, the exhibition will feature a diverse range of artistic expressions, each offering a unique glimpse into the minds of these young visionaries.
In addition to showcasing their artistic dedication, exhibiting seniors vie for college scholarships. Witness these young artists as they compete for opportunities to further their education and pursue their dreams in the world of art.
Don't miss this extraordinary celebration of youth, art, and limitless potential!