Greater Naples Leadership Masters class XX Cultural arts day November 18, 2015 Session Day Materials - Table of Contents A. Goals & Objectives B. Agenda C. Biographies D. Volunteer Opportunities E. Locations and Directions (please click on a heading to be directed to that section in the document) Dress Code: Business casual chosen for comfort in air-conditioned rooms and for walking Venues: First Venue: The von Liebig Art Center Second Venue: Artis-Naples Post-Session Gathering: Figge Conservatory at Artis- Naples Session Leaders: Margaret Brodeur, Lauree Personette, Mary-Vance Duggan, Jane Potter Graham, Bob Eoff Theme: The Arts Come Alive in Naples Goals To provide GNL Masters Class participants with an understanding and appreciation of the range of cultural arts offerings in the Greater Naples area. Objectives To share with GNL Masters Class participants: • Introduce the diverse range of artists, arts organizations, and venues in the local area. • Highlight the positive impact of culture on the educational, economic, aesthetic and social quality of life in Naples and Collier County. • Explore the critical issues confronting established and emerging cultural organizations. • Inspire class members to participate and support volunteer opportunities in the arts. Cultural Arts Day Agenda 8:15 Gather at The von Liebig Art Center, 585 Park Street, Naples. Park in garage at 735 Eighth Street South, across from Cambier Park in downtown Naples. (see section E for address and directions) 8:30 Welcome and Introduction: Jean Foster, Class Chair 8:35 Introduction of Cultural Arts Day Team: Margaret Brodeur Overview of the Day 8:40 Team Exercise: “Art in Public Places” 9:00 The Visual Arts in Naples and The von Liebig Art Center Aimee Schlehr, Executive Director, Naples Art Association 9:18 Katie Schweikhardt, Executive Director, United Arts Council 9:35 Comfort Break 9:50 The Visual Arts Come Alive The Masters Class will break into four separate groups and visit four distinct studios set up in The von Liebig Art Center showcasing artists and their works. The artists will explain how they approach an artistic project and demonstrate their crafts. Artists include the following: • Paul Arsenault - oil painting • Leigh Herndon - silk dye and batik • Jim Rice - pottery • Dennis Goodman - photography 11:15- Comfort Break 11:30 11:30- Drive to Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay, Naples 12:00 Meet in the Board Room on the third floor of the John Kohan Administration Building on the east side of the Artis-Naples campus. (see section E for address and directions) 12:00 Lunch and discussion hosted by Artis-Naples CEO & President, Kathleen van Bergen and introduction to members of her team: • David Filner, Vice President Artistic Operations • Ashley Mirakian, Director of Marketing • Frank Verpoorten, Director of the Baker Museum 12:45 Q&A 1:15- Comfort Break and move to Figge Conservatory 1:30 1:30- Assemble into 4 groups for docent led sculpture tour 2:05 2:05- Return to seats in Figge Conservatory; Announcement of panel 2:10 discussion by actor John McKerrow 2:10- The Theatre Scene in Naples 3:05 Panel discussion in the Figge Conservatory moderated by John Lyngaas Presenters include: • Jessica Walck, Assistant Artistic Director, Naples Players • Kristen Coury, Founder & Producing Artistic Director, Gulfshore Playhouse • John McKerrow, Founding Artistic Director, Shakespeare in Paradise • Chick Heithaus, CAPA Board President Q&A 3:05- Comfort Break and Snacks 3:20 3:20- The Performing Arts Come Alive! 4:30 Introduction of performing artists by Claudia Polzin, Consultant to Arts, Non-Profits Participants include: • Judy Evans, Founder of Music Scores!, preK violinists • John Hushon, Chairman and Acting Executive Director, Opera Naples, with Leah Summers, vocalist • Judi Baruck, ReCreation Tappers of Southwest Florida • William Noll, Artistic Director for the Classic Chamber Concerts, Fifth Avenue Chamber Orchestra, guest conductor for Opera Naples and Founder of Arts Naples World Festival 4:30 Conclusion of Cultural Arts Day: Margaret Brodeur, Program Chair 4:32 Wrap up and collection of evaluations 4:35- Reception in Figge Conservatory 5:30 (back to Table of Contents) Biographies Aimee Schlehr Executive Director, Naples Art Association (von Liebig Arts Center) Aimee Schlehr approaches life and business with great ideas and a passion for making a positive difference. In September 2012, The Naples Art Association (NAA) Board of Directors promoted Schlehr to her current position. Schlehr began part time with the NAA in 2009, serving the organization's accounting needs. She was soon offered full time employment as Chief Financial Officer. From the beginning, she focused on strengthening the financial foundations of the organization and through her diligence and careful budget oversight, the organization has persevered through difficult times. In April 2011 Schlehr was appointed to Chief Operating Officer due to her strong attention to detail and team building strengths and served as COO/CFO since then. In this role, she took charge of the day-to-day responsibilities of running a successful art center, holding weekly meetings with staff to keep operations steadily on track, brainstorming and planning for future programs, and serves as an ambassador to the Naples community with fellow business leaders. As Executive Director, Schlehr is a chief representative and spokesperson of the organization, and she eagerly engages with community leaders to encourage investment in the Naples Art Association. She will also continue to oversee the financial management and guide the staff and organization toward growth and progress. Her vision is to strengthen the organization’s roots in the community, continue supporting and promoting artists and inspiring new audiences to discover and create art. Her management experience and solid understanding of the dollars and cents of the business makes her a true asset to the Naples Art Association and the community at large. “As a nonprofit, the challenge is to run the organization as a business while staying focused on our mission. We have a responsibility to our donors and corporate supporters to utilize their gifts to strengthen programming and provide sustainability while reassuring them that their investment will make an impact on their community." Aimee Schlehr is both a Leadership Collier and Fast Trac Graduate, class of 2012, as well as a member of the National Association of Professional Women, which named her one of their 2012 Women of the Year. Schlehr serves on the boards for Immokalee Housing and Family Services, Seminole Club of Naples, and the FSU Family Connection. She holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Leo University and she owned her own catering business for 15 years on Florida’s east coast. Schlehr is a fifth generation Floridian. She loves traveling and spending time with her family, her husband of 26 years and her four children. Her first grandson was born in August 2012. Also, with two of her daughters attending Florida State University in Tallahassee, she loves keeping tabs on FSU football. Go Noles! Katie Schweikhardt Executive Director, United Arts Council Katie Schweikhardt currently serves as the Executive Director of the United Arts Council of Collier County. She joined the Council in 2014, and oversees all aspects of the organization’s operations and services. A Naples native, Katie graduated cum laude from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas with a major in Foreign Languages and Literature. She graduated from the University of Florida, College of Law and has been an attorney in Florida since 2000. She practiced law in Naples for 11 years. Katie worked as the Director of Programs for the Harry Chapin Food Bank beginning in 2011. There, she helped increase the amount of food distributed to Collier County by millions of pounds per annum by creating strategic partnerships within the social service, not for profit and public school communities. Katie remains involved in the community. She is a graduate of Leadership Collier. Paul Rudolph Arsenault Painter A native of Montreal, Paul Arsenault grew up in Hingham, Mass., where his love for the sea and travel emerged. Following his graduation from the Art Institute of Boston in 1973, he began a 6-month stint as a deckhand on a research vessel. He signed off in Florida in 1974, and began his professional painting career. With Naples as his base, he has embarked on painting trips to the Caribbean, Central and South America, Asia, the South Pacific, Indonesia, Australia, Hawaii, and Europe. His heartfelt connection to the Hawaiian Islands, which began in 1984, has resulted in a commitment to reside and work in Hana on Maui for up to 6 months of the year. Paul’s early exposure to and knowledge of working ports and exotic harbors, along with his talent for immediately zeroing in on the essence of a place, have made him a popular choice for commissions requiring extensive yet efficient travel. Paintings from his travels hang in public places and in private and corporate collections around the world. To great acclaim, he has recently painted and installed a 72-foot mural at the Naples Yacht Club. Along with travel, annual fundraising shows in Naples and Nantucket have been a hallmark of his career, and since 1980, these have benefited a variety of non-profit organizations devoted to health, environmental protection, and historic preservation. Paul’s vibrant and widely collected paintings reflect a rhythm and pattern that distinguish his easily recognizable style. His lifelong pursuit to paint contemporary life in coastal communities is enhanced by his passion for history and his natural storytelling ability. Arsenault paintings are available at his gallery at 1199 Third St. South in Naples. His work is also shown at the South Street Gallery in Hingham, MA; the Hana Coast Gallery, Hana, HI; the Blue Harbour Gallery, Nantucket, MA; and 1020 Art in Tallahassee, FL. Leigh Herndon Silk/Rozome Painter Leigh works daily in her Naples studio dyeing silk using rozome (Japanese kimono design techniques), direct dye applications and batik.