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Tallahassee, Fla -- At its annual Art & Soul Celebration, held October 20 at the Tallahassee Garden Center, LeMoyne Arts announced the winners of its 2022 arts volunteer awards. Foremost among the winners is prominent Tallahasseean Paula S. Fortunas who received the Richard L. Puckett Leadership in Arts award for her role as Chair of LeMoyne’s Art for Always Capital Campaign. This award is named for LeMoyne’s first Executive Director, Richard L. Puckett. Dan Taylor, local artist and last year’s Puckett Award winner, presented the award. Fortunas received the Puckett Award sculpture, which is carved and donated each year by nationally and internationally renowned Tallahassee sculptor Anthony Quickle. Under Fortunas’ direction, LeMoyne has raised some $2.5 million toward its goal of $3.2 million to fund the purchase and renovation of LeMoyne’s new education building, renovation and expansion of LeMoyne’s ever popular gardens, design and construction of a new plaza and a gazebo, repurposing of its former education building into ceramics classrooms and leased artist studios, and creation of a facilities maintenance endowment fund. Much of the success of LeMoyne’s Capital Campaign is due to the capable leadership of Fortunas. In acknowledging her award, Fortunas said, “The Art for Always master plan and its associated capital campaign represent LeMoyne’s covenant with the future for the arts in this region. While I am honored to receive the Puckett Award, the campaign’s success is attributable to the efforts and generosity of countless arts advocates, donors, the LeMoyne Board of Directors and its cohort of volunteers. Fundraising is definitely a team sport.” Now retired, Fortunas’ distinguished career perfected the skills and expertise leading to her success as Chair of LeMoyne’s Capital Campaign. It included a variety of professional roles―first at Florida State University (FSU), where she was Foundation CFO and VP for Planned Giving, as well as adjunct faculty, and then as VP of Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) hospital and later President and CEO of the TMH Foundation. In addition to her tenure on the LeMoyne Arts Board of Directors, she has served on numerous councils and boards, including such arts–related organizations as Tallahassee’s Artists Series, Word of South Festival, the Appleton Museum of Art in Ocala, and the Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, to name only a few. Volunteer of the Year Awards Also receiving LeMoyne Arts awards the same evening were Danny Allen, named 2022 Volunteer of the Year, and Cyrus Paul, selected as Student Volunteer of the Year. Their many hours of hard work have given LeMoyne much needed extra hands maintaining its appearance and fostering administrative efficiency. Allen, a local entrepreneur, first volunteered to assist with the Chain of Parks Festival, then found his various skills dovetailed with LeMoyne’s need for help maintaining the gallery’s front yard and gardens, allowing him to spend treasured time outdoors. His energy, kindness, and great communication skills have made him indispensable to LeMoyne Arts. Said Allen, “I feel very much appreciated by everyone at LeMoyne Arts. Volunteering at the gallery has been a joy for me and I look forward to expanded responsibilities.” Cyrus Paul is a senior at FSU working towards a degree in music. He hopes to pursue a master’s degree and then a career in Arts Administration. “It’s been great learning about all of the moving parts that help an organization run, and I’m honored to have been a part of that process. I’ve loved being able to contribute to something greater than myself. Being in the presence of such amazing works of art has also been a highlight of my time here.” Art for Always Capital Campaign LeMoyne’s Art for Always campaign is ensuring it will continue its mission of service to our community for years to come. LeMoyne Arts has been at the heart of Tallahassee’s cultural and visual arts for nearly 60 years. LeMoyne’s education programs have nurtured the artistic talent of four generations of Tallahassee families, and its signature events are an important part of our community’s cultural life. LeMoyne has made the arts more accessible to people of all ages and economic levels, promoted and supported the work of local artists, and generated millions of dollars for our local economy through events such as its annual multicultural Holiday Show (this year’s theme is Happy Holly Days) and the annual Chain of Parks Art Festival. For more information or to make a donation to LeMoyne’s Art for Always campaign, please contact Paula Fortunas at 850-933-2770 or [email protected]. If contributing by check, make it payable to LeMoyne Arts, write Art for Always on the check's memo line, and mail to: 125 North Gadsden Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32301. Thank you for helping LeMoyne create community through art. For Media Inquiries Contact: Arielle Raff, Executive Director, LeMoyne Arts, at [email protected], 850/222-8800, 125 N. Gadsden Street Tallahassee, FL 32301.
TALLAHASSEE, FL — LeMoyne Arts’ 59th annual Holiday Show themed, “Happy Holly Days” opens on November 25 running through December 24 at 125 N Gadsden St. With support of presenting sponsor, the City of Tallahassee Utilities, WestScott Construction Inc., and others, this show has something for everyone to enjoy. Artisan-made, one-of-a-kind gifts, decor, ornaments, and art is displayed in holiday style featuring pieces from more than 50 local and regional artisans. A family tradition for four generations, the show is both an art spectacular to enjoy and a one-stop-shop for unique, affordable, and handmade local gifts for the whole family.
The show will include several Special Events and workshops to celebrate the season with the community. Special Events include a Muffins & Mimosas: Ugly Sweater Contest Edition, Sparkles & Spirits Cocktail Party, Festive Family Fun Day, and a Multicultural Holiday Celebration. ““The LeMoyne Holiday Show has always been a tradition for our family as it has for so many. I grew up attending the show with my mother and remember the anticipation of seeing the gallery in full holiday splendor - brimming with beautiful works of art. It remains a magical experience and we continue to be awed and delighted each year,” says Stephanie Whitfield. Opening on Friday, November 25, LeMoyne Arts members enjoy an exclusive first look of the show from 9-11 a.m. while the public is invited at noon. Live music by Elsinore Sewing Club begins the holiday fun from 12-1 p.m. and Hot Tamale plays from 4-7 p.m. Entry is free for LeMoyne Art members and children 12 and younger, $5 for ages 13 and older, which includes re-entry for future visits throughout the run of the show (excluding some special events). Open November 25-December 24:
Featured Special Events: Muffins & Mimosas: Ugly Sweater Contest Edition Saturday, December 10, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Sparkles & Spirits Cocktail Party Thursday, December 15, 5:30-7 p.m.
Festive Family Fun Day Saturday, December 17, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Multicultural Holiday Celebration Tuesday, December 20, 5:30-7 p.m.
About LeMoyne Arts Since 1963, LeMoyne Arts has been true to its founding principles: promote the work of local artists and preserve Florida’s art heritage. Through regularly changing exhibitions, LeMoyne offers inclusive and varied programs that appeal to a large constituency. LeMoyne fosters active collaborations with artists and partners with a wide range of institutions including local public and private schools, the Council on Culture and Arts, the FSU Museum of Fine Arts, the FAMU Foster Tanner Gallery, local businesses, and nonprofits. Learn more about LeMoyne Arts at lemoyne.org. More about LeMoyne’s 59th Annual Holiday Show at lemoyne.org/holidayshow. Tallahassee, Fla --You have probably seen his people throughout Tallahassee and elsewhere without even realizing it. You may have seen his children reading at the Leon County Public Library or playing in the park across from the Governor’s Mansion. You may have been seated next to an older veteran on a bench at the World War II Memorial and talked to him of life, politics, or the weather. FSU’s Bobby Bowden is one of his fellows. So are the Heisman Trophy winners at the University of Florida. And soon, you will find one of his very special people at LeMoyne Arts’ revitalized and enhanced garden.
Who is “he” and who are his “people”? He is W. Stanley "Sandy" Proctor, a native Tallahasseean and renowned American painter and sculptor, who has more than a dozen sculptures on display in and around Tallahassee. His works appear in the British Museum, the Smithsonian, the White House, and in outdoor settings across the US. While Proctor has worked in several media, he is best known for his bronze figures—his “people”. Inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2006, Sandy Proctor has also received many other awards, most notably, the National Sculpture Society's American Artists Professional League Award for a traditional realistic depiction in sculpture. Many art collectors value his figurative and commissioned works as among the finest examples of life–size sculpture available today. LeMoyne Arts is delighted and proud to announce that Sandy Proctor is donating a beautiful bronze sculpture, one of his extraordinary lifelike “people”, for the renovated and expanded gardens at LeMoyne Arts, to be installed once the garden’s current expansion is complete. Because of Proctor’s generous donation, LeMoyne will have a “little gardener” to enchant children and adults alike. The piece, entitled Lilies, will join LeMoyne’s impressive permanent collection of works by other illustrious sculptors, including Fred Holschuh, Roland Hockett, and Ralph Hurst. The LeMoyne Arts Garden For decades, LeMoyne’s garden has been one of Tallahassee’s most popular venues for weddings, receptions, and special events. The garden holds thirteen sculptures and fountains designed by seven Florida artists. LeMoyne’s garden is a point of community pride and a beacon to tourists and local visitors alike. But, it is more than just a beautiful venue for events. Gardens often play a variety of roles in a community. Foremost, a garden such as LeMoyne’s connects us to nature, and as humans, we need that connection for our minds, our bodies, and our spirits. LeMoyne’s outdoor display gardens and natural areas also serve to inspire the home gardener for what is possible in their own yard. It helps pollinators by creating inviting habitats for them as well as for people. The expansions and enhancement presently underway at LeMoyne’s garden will make it even more engaging than ever. They include a new gazebo, significantly improved accessibility for persons with disabilities, refurbished fountains and sculptures, new plantings, a Japanese–style garden, and now a beautiful new sculpture by Tallahassee’s own Sandy Proctor. The Perfect Match: Sandy Proctor and LeMoyne Arts LeMoyne Arts offers a myriad of art education classes and has recently focused on bringing more varied, fun, interesting, and educational programs for all ages. Today, Proctor’s career in the arts can serve as an inspiration to the children and amateur artists who participate in LeMoyne’s programs because he is a self-taught artist who turned a hobby into a fulfilling career later in life. As a child and young man, he sketched and painted what he knew and what inspired him. His love of the outdoors, birds, flowers, trees, landscapes and animals provided Proctor with a wealth of subject matter, which helped him perfect his abilities to capture an identifiable essence and realism in his work. Initially working in the family business and raising his family here in Tallahassee, his painting “hobby” began to take more and more of his time. As he honed his talents, people became increasingly interested in his artwork until, at the age of 40, he began to devote his efforts full–time to his art. Proctor started as a painter, working in watercolor, oils, and acrylics. From painting, he began pursuing more three-dimensional mediums, eventually specializing in bronze sculpture. Proctor has completed numerous public and private commissions, providing both life–size and monumental bronzes. He notes, “The human form, from the freedom of childhood to distinguished seniority, has always moved me. I strive to capture the emotion, personality, grace, and honor of all my subject matter and have been fortunate to be chosen to sculpt many private and public monuments. Creating a sculpture for LeMoyne has allowed me to combine my love of the outdoors with my love of the human form.” Creating Community Through Art LeMoyne Arts has been at the heart of Tallahassee’s cultural and visual arts for nearly 60 years. Its signature events are an important part of our community’s cultural life. LeMoyne has made the arts more available and understandable to people of all ages and economic levels, promoted and supported the work of local artists, and generated millions of dollars for our local economy through events such as its annual holiday show and the Chain of Parks Art Festival. LeMoyne’s education programs have nurtured the artistic talent of four generations of Tallahassee families. To preserve its mission of service to our community for generations to come, LeMoyne Arts developed and adopted its Art for Always master plan and associated capital campaign to fund a new education center, ceramics firing pavilion, artists' studios, other facilities improvements and additions, along with the expansions and enhancements presently underway in LeMoyne’s gardens -- a new gazebo, significantly improved accessibility for all, refurbished fountains and sculptures, new plantings, a Japanese–style garden, an African American Tribute Garden, a Jewish Community Tribute Garden, and now a beautiful new sculpture by Tallahassee’s own Sandy Proctor. The Art for Always capital campaign goal is $3,200,000 -- $2,700,000 for capital improvements and $500,000 for facilities endowment. LeMoyne has experienced amazing success by raising $2,473,197 from June 2021 to the present. However, its work is not done, and your help is needed to fully realize the vision and objectives of the Art for Always master plan and to achieve the capital campaign goal. Please join in supporting Art for Always by making your personal contribution. If you wish to give by check, please make it payable to LeMoyne Arts and mail it to 125 North Gadsden Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32301 or please donate online at lemoyne.org/art-for-always.html. For gifts other than check or credit card, please contact Arielle Raff, LeMoyne Executive Director, [email protected]. For Media Inquiries Contact: Arielle Raff, Executive Director, LeMoyne Arts, at [email protected], 850/222-8800, 125 N. Gadsden Street Tallahassee, FL 32301. |
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