St. Lucie Cultural Alliance The Vault Gallery Your Cultural Alliance Team is determined to keep finding innovative ways to grow St. Lucie County’s cultural community, provide more opportunities to our artists and cultural institutions, and ensure that our residents and visitors return for more. Please support our artists: buy their art, go to their shows, and follow their social media platforms. We appreciate your contributions and invite you to visit our local museums, theaters, and cultural nonprofits. Let us know what you want to see and how to gain more from Cultural Alliance benefits and programs. We always seek creative input. Please feel free to reach out to us with your ideas. We invite you to get involved and let your creativity flow! We look forward to seeing you at The Vault and all our upcoming events. Dieulanie Claude, Interim Executive Director & St. Lucie Cultural Alliance Team
Dear St. Lucie County Arts and Culture enthusiasts and supporters, It is with great pleasure that I look back on these last three years and see the evolution from what was merely a good idea of a few, strung together with a mission, in a community of great need for cultural structure, and see where we are today. Our Cultural Alliance is vibrant and growing at a pace most unexpected by many especially considering we officially began during a pandemic. Today, we have a thriving cultural community with a growing membership that is communicating and participating together by providing our artists, artisans, educators and communities with a focal point, a unified vision and a shared purpose. Our organization competes with none. Instead our Cultural Alliance seeks to foster growth and success with our community’s current initiatives and help to grow future arts and artists with new ideas. To that end, our members have shared that they feel empowered and a part of a bigger and more supportive community. Our Board gathered for a half-day retreat earlier this year. We revisited our Mission and Vision statements.
STAFF
Our Mission Lead the arts and cultural communities in building the vibrancy, education, and economic well-being of St. Lucie County.
Dieulanie Claude, Interim Executive Director Grace Molina, Marketing Manager Terry Long, Curator
Our Vision We are recognized as the trusted leader to advance the arts and culture throughout St. Lucie County.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Our goals are those above. We serve our community with great humility and hope that we can be all that our mission indicates. We thank the St. Lucie Board of County Commission for continuing to support our goals and mission.
Dieulanie Claude Grace Molina Jeanne Johansen Edda Davila J. Marshall Adams Janet Roessler
With gratitude, Rebecca Miller Chair, St. Lucie Cultural Alliance / President, MPLD Consulting
What's Inside The Journey to Success...............4 On the Way to Fame......................6 The Gifts of the Crayon Man........9 Mindset Tools for Creatvity........ 11 Cultural Alliance Members......... 13 Cultural Organizations................ 16
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By Edda Davila www.eddamdavila.com I have had many failures in my artistic career, and I'm still failing. I have come to understand that everything is a process, but what does success really mean? Success is subjective. When I started my artistic career, I had so many doubts. I was in constant fear of what would happen if I failed. What happens if I don't make it? What if my art is not good enough? And so many other questions. In 2015, I failed miserably so many times. I did countless shows, and I didn't sell a single thing. Something good came from all those failures, making me work harder and become stronger. I encountered more losses, but I had a dream bigger than my failures, motivating me to keep going.
My art beautifully reflected the progress and time I put into my passion for my artwork. I connected with a fantastic gallery and sold some of my art. A few months later, I had my own studio and felt like I was living my dreams. I decided to move back to Florida because it's beautiful and it feels like home. Things went differently than planned. I went back to working out of my garage at home, holding down a part-time job, mommy duties, and working on my art simultaneously. I felt I had failed again... I thought for a second time,
In 2020, during COVID-19, I was living in California, and I dedicated more time to my art. I continued learning new techniques and skills that helped me progress and master my craft. I was so proud of my progress and what I could now create. I grew so much confidence with my new skills.
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but did I really? Not necessarily. It is all just part of the process. What I have learned in the process is that success is NOT where you are now but instead how far you've come from where you started. Following your dream requires faith and grit. No matter how old you are or what others think of you, none of that matters. What matters most is what you believe is possible! Have faith in yourself and your dreams. Hold onto your faith, and no matter how many times you fail, get up and keep trying because success is nothing but the sum of failures.
2023. I encourage you to believe in yourself and your dreams, even the craziest ones; It is possible. Have faith in yourself, discover, and share your gift with the world. No matter how many obstacles come your way. Trust the process. An obstacle or a failure is a leaarning tool that indicates moving in a different direction.
In 2022, I came across the wellknown event known as Art Basel in Miami. Artist all over the world travel to be a part of that event. I thought to myself, next year I will be there! I don't know how, but I know God will guide me to the right place and surround me with the right people. He did. I'm currently preparing to participate in Art Basel in December
Art inspires and changes lives, and it has changed my life. It gave me purpose. It has brought me peace and happiness. I want to inspire others to follow their dreams and to believe in themselves and their dreams. Talk to God about your dreams and goals. Tie your faith to it and hold it close because without it, it is not possible.
By J. Marshall Adams, Executive Director
McLendon, R.A. (b. 1932). Three Waders, not dated. Oil on Upson board, 24 x 36 in. Collection of the A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery, 2017.H.2.OU.1
www.backusmuseum.org
When a nineteen-year-old Harold Newton became inspired to paint the Florida landscape in 1954, his vision, courage, and accomplishments encouraged his friends and neighbors to take paintbrushes and follow a new path as professional artists. Over time, dozens of individuals joined the venture and unintentionally founded a movement. After over fifty years of becoming an overnight
success, the 26 landscape artists, now known as The Original Highwaymen, were inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame on March 24, 2004. What is the Florida Artists Hall of Fame? Established by the Florida Legislature in 1986, the Florida Artists Hall of Fame recognizes persons, living or deceased, who have made significant contributions to the arts in Florida, either as performing or practicing artists in individual disciplines. Recipients of this award demonstrate the diversity of artistic accomplishment that comprises the rich cultural tapestry of this state. The Florida Artists Hall of Fame Wall is located on the Plaza Level in the rotunda of the Capitol building in Tallahassee. In addition to a plaque mounted on the Hall of Fame Wall, inductees
receive a commemorative bronze sculpture commissioned by the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The sculpture "La Florida", was created by Enzo Torcoletti, an artist residing in St. Augustine. January 13 – March 3, 2024 Fast Forward: The Original Florida Highwaymen on the Way to Fame 1954-2004 A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery in Historic Downtown Fort Pierce This exhibition of rarely seen paintings, gathered from private collections, celebrates the artists' first fifty years of fame and bold course forward to the hard-won triumph of statewide recognition. (Opening Reception – Friday, January 19, 6:00-8:00 pm | Remarks: 6:30 pm)
Newton, Sam (b. 1948). Washer Woman, not dated. Oil on Upson board, 24 x 36 in. Roger Lightle Collection.
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By: Jeanne Johansen
“Once there was a man who saw color EVERYWHERE.” -This Is the opening sentence of Natascha Biebow’s book, “the CRAYON MAN. The True Story of the Invention of the Crayola Crayon,” about Edwin Binney, the creator of Crayola® crayons and a St. Lucie county resident. In 2023 the Fort Pierce Art Club submitted a nomination for Edwin Binney to join other great St. Lucie County residents in the Florida Artist Hall of Fame for his philanthropic work in Florida and the world. As early as 2020, the club started working with the community to bring back Edwin Binney’s contributions to our area. On March 30, 2024, the club is planning to celebrate him and his family with a book giveaway, crayons, history, storytelling, and art on March 30, 2024, at Riverwalk, Fort Pierce. The event is called “Color Fort Pierce Beautiful – The Edwin Binney Experience.” While the product idea and its name “Crayola,” named by Alice Stead Binney, Edwin Binney’s wife, a school teacher, is still trusted and loved by children and adults. Binney’s impact on the Treasure Coast, Florida, has slipped in and out of memory. In St. Lucie County, Binney made a huge impact on the farming industry and the development of the Port of Fort Pierce. Binney was a wealthy northerner when he and his family arrived in Fort Pierce in 1911 on his yacht. He was an avid sailor with a passion for the sea and a love of gardening. The family built a winter bungalow in an area Alice named Indio, a combination of Indian and the Spanish word, “rio” for river, north of Fort Pierce. Little remains of Binney’s thousand-acre “Fort Pierce Farms.” The modest manor house, “Florindia,” lies on the south side of Indio Road in St. Lucie County barely visible with the remaining oak trees that Edwin and his wife, Alice, planted themselves over a hundred years ago.
During the Great Depression the family saved the St Lucie Bank & Trust from going under with an infusion of over $200,000 of personal money and damped the economic hardship here in St. Lucie County. He also paved Indio Road out of his own pocket and helped fund the repairs to the South Beach bridge and causeway which bore his name until the new bridge was built. Edwin Binney’s focus on the Port of Fort Pierce led to the development of a wider inlet into the Atlantic Ocean, a large shipping port, and a refrigeration warehouse and expanded the delivery of fresh Florida produce north. Edwin Binney’s tale of wealth is not one of glamor and decadence which characterized other inventors during the Roaring Twenties. The Binneys focused on community. Binney & Smith created a work-at-home program in Easton, PA during the depression. They gave out produce to individuals and families in need. The Binney’s said to be color-blind and charitable people. They hired people of all origins. Their daughter, Dorothy Binney Putnam, was good friends with Amelia Earhart before and after her husband, George Putnam of G. P. Putnum & Sons, divorced her and married the famous aviator. While “the CRAYON MAN. The True Story of the Invention of the Crayola Crayon,” is a colorful book that tells the story of the first child-safe, five-cent box of crayons by Binney & Smith. It has a very important lesson: to never stop trying even if you fail hundreds of times. Please join the community and The Fort Pierce Art Club as we work to remember and celebrate the contributions of “the CRAYON MAN of Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County who loved the colors of our town.
By Janet Roessler www.innervoicesoutervision.com In the realm of creativity, artists often face challenges that impede their flow and connection with their inner selves. This obstruction, whether triggered by external factors like time and financial constraints or internal struggles such as fear of failure and selfdoubt, can result in a disconnection from the source of inspiration and joy. Expressive artists view their creations as a dialogue between their conscious and unconscious minds, using art as a tool for selfunderstanding and expression. While technical skill, aesthetic beauty, and inspiration play roles in artistic pursuits, the primary motive is communication – conveying ideas, emotions, or connections to the world, nature, or the Divine. When the creative flow is disrupted, whether by external pressures or internal conflicts, artists experience a decline in happiness and resilience and experience an increase in stress. Recognizing the innate need to create, they must prioritize self-care and artistic expression for their well-being and those around them. The analogy of the oxygen mask in
an airplane applies here – artists must prioritize their ability to function creatively before assisting others. Several effective tools can be used to overcome real-world challenges to creative time. External challenges, such as time, space, and financial constraints, can be addressed by bringing awareness to obligations and negotiating or rearranging priorities. Connecting with arts organizations and support groups can provide valuable strategies and resources. Internal challenges, including mindset issues, require mindfulness tools. Recognizing that reactions to outer criticism are personal responsibilities can empower artists to manage their responses. Mindfulness becomes crucial during the initiation of creative projects, helping bridge gaps between creation and insecurities. Taking action, showing up, and allowing oneself to fail are emphasized as means to overcome avoidance and build creative momentum. Consistent practice, exemplified by renowned authors like Hemingway and King, is highlighted as a powerful tool. Daily creative routines, such as journaling or drawing, aid idea development,
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and unexpected connections. The practice of meditation, supported by abundant research on its stressrelief benefits, is recommended for its positive impact on creativity. Simple techniques like BOX Breathing provide accessible ways to incorporate meditation into daily life. The key message is that integrating awareness, mindfulness, conscious choices, journaling, meditation, and consistent action into daily routines can profoundly enhance the artist's relationship with their creative flow. Whether one seeks to be more creative or desires a deeper connection with their inner creativity, adopting these practices can make a significant difference in the quality of the creative process. Janet Roessler is an artist, coach and member of the St Lucie Cultural Alliance. She emphasizes the importance of these practices in her roles as a teacher, transformational coach, instructor and speaker. Contact her at 1voice@ innervoicesoutervision.com or (410) 553-1374 for further insights into nurturing your creative self, or a complimentary coaching session. 2022 I came across the art basel event and I thought to myself next
Rooted carefree getaways in
Unplug, unwind, and rejuvenate your mind. Escape into the miles of untouched estuaries and nature preserves begging to be explored or sink your toes into the pillowy sand of our relaxed beaches. St. Lucie County, Florida offers an expansive list of ways to spend your time - on land, in the water, or on the town. Whether you choose to do everything or nothing at all, our sunny days and good vibes will be everything a vacation should be. Come explore. Visit us at
VisitStLucie.com
INDIVIDUAL ARTIST DIRECTORY
MEMBER ARTISTS
Visit www.artstlucie.org to view artists bios and work samples.
Barbara Adams
Miriam Alvarez Williams
Nancy Bacheller
Hanna Baxter
Kevin Beatkeeper
Bruce Beerman
Ana Booth
Zoey Alyssa Bridges
Kate Broderick
Gina Brown
Jennifer Brown
Jacqueline Camacho
Leland Carpenter
Gina Carra
Jean-Erick Chery
Judy Coffman
Allie Comer
Arlene Conklin
Susan Cremin
Gerald Critz
Edda Davila
Diana Rell Dean
Mensley Desrosiers
Angelica Dorizas
Mike Dorman
Daniel Dorval
Gina Duffy
Albania Egui Puglisi
Deborah Elaine
Catherine Estremera
Caridad Faust
Brendan Fisk
Donna Franklin
Caroline Frederiksen
Barbara Fugazzotto
Torenzo Gann
Mary Gardner
Naira Ghazaryan
Benson Gilchrist
Ellen Gillette
Joette Giorgis
Karen Gitlitz
Gail Goldstein
Christina Goudeau
Alford Greaves
Kathryn "Kitt" Grof-Tisza
Doretha Hair Truesdell
Deborah Hall
Gail Hardman
VISUAL ARTS
ARTS EDUCATION
MUSIC
PERFORMING ARTS GALLERY/MUSEUM
PHOTOGRAPHY
CULINARY ARTS
FILM
OTHER
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INDIVIDUAL ARTIST DIRECTORY
MEMBER ARTISTS Visit www.artstlucie.org to view artists bios and work samples. Chrystal Hartigan
Skip Hartzell
Candice Hayden
Debi Hedges
Lucinda Herlihy
Jill Heveron
Shah Hosein
Jason Houtrides
Lisa Hushak
Kirsty Innis
Cynthia Jackson
Louis Jawitz
Bob Johnstone
I. Joseph
Liza Karsai
MaryAnn Ketcham
Cheryl Kottke
Pandora Kujanpaa
Joan Laugois
Inca Laun
Randy Lenna
Yolanda Londono
Terry Long
Michael Love
Mira Ludevig
Barbara Lyons
Debra Marler
Robin Marshall
Daisy McGinnis
Doc McKinney
Simone Meiseles
Melissa Mellin
Maria Miele
Aurea Migenis
Susan Miiller
Ashley Moler
Helia/Marie Helene Mondou
Lynn Morgan
Marie Morrow
Claudia Munoz
Rosalind Neilen
Maurice "Nolli" Rubio-McMill
Laura O'Kelly
Susan Oraczewski
Gary Palmer
Sally Pearson
Tina Pfeiffer
Cheryl Phillips
James Pierce
VISUAL ARTS
ARTS EDUCATION
MUSIC
PERFORMING ARTS GALLERY/MUSEUM
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PHOTOGRAPHY
CULINARY ARTS
FILM
OTHER
INDIVIDUAL ARTIST DIRECTORY
MEMBER ARTISTS Visit www.artstlucie.org to view artists bios and work samples. Jacqueline Pimienta
Gary Pitchford
Tom Prestopnik
Jim Reagan
James Reeser
Tracy Reitbauer
Linda Relis
Linda Reymore
Janet Roessler
Wendy Ryals
Mark Samson
Kenneth Sandlin
Katie Santomartino
Bobby Savage
Emine Savasir
Carla Scheer
Patricia Schultz
Paul Shampine
Beth Shepard
Mark Stall
Karen Stern
Jessica Stone
Deborah Ann Stroscheim
Cathleen Sullivan
Franklin Teran
Sandra Van Vorst
David Vernon III
Linda VonCino
Susan Bayard Whiting
Robert Whiting
Treigh Wilkes
Christine Winter
Marit Woods
Alice Zinn
David DiSano
SUPPORTERS: Mary Bennett Jenny Cordero Lynn Geary Valerie Johnson Neville Lake Ainsley MacLean Donna & Tom Regan VISUAL ARTS
ARTS EDUCATION
MUSIC
PERFORMING ARTS GALLERY/MUSEUM
PHOTOGRAPHY
CULINARY ARTS
FILM
OTHER
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CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS DIRECTORY
CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery Arts Education|Gallery/Museum| Visual Arts BackusMuseum.org
Caribbean American Cultural Group, Inc. Festival|Music|Performing Arts| Community cacgpsl.org
E.N.D. IT! CORP. Arts Education|Music| Performing Arts|Visual Arts| Community everybodyisnotdoingit.org
First United Methodist Church Arts Education|Music| Performing Arts|Visual Arts| Community firstchurchfp.org
Fort Pierce Art Club, Inc. Visual Arts|Community fortpierceartclub.org
Heathcote Botanical Gardens Nature/Science Heathcotebotanicalgardens.org
Lincoln Park Main Street Art History|Community|Arts Education historiclpms.org
MIDFLORIDA Event Center Arts Education|Festival|Music| Performing Arts|Visual Arts www.midfloridaeventcenter.com
Preston Contemporary Dance Theatre Arts Education|Performing Arts pcdancetheatre.org
Southern Soul Society Arts Education|Music| Performing Arts|Visual Arts southernsoulsoctcfl.org
St. Lucie Ballet Arts Education|Performing Arts st-lucie-ballet.com
Stubborn Bastards Music|Performing Arts|Visual Arts|Festival
The Lindsay School of the Arts Arts Education|Music| Performing Arts|Visual Arts| Teaching Artist thelindsayschoolofthearts.com
TREASURE COAST INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Arts Education|Festival| Other (Business/Supporter)| Music|Performing Arts|Visual Arts tcifilmfest.org
Treasure Coast Photography Center Visual Arts tcpcinc.org
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Rebecca Miller, Chair
Miller Permitting & Land Development
Brandon Nobile, Vice-Chair Remnant Construction
stubbornbastardsband.blogspot.com/
Treasure Coast Photography Center Visual Arts tcpcinc.org
BUSINESSES Levitt Foundation levitt.org City of Fort Pierce cityoffortpierce.com
Florida Division of Arts & Culture dos.fl.gov/cultural
Fort Pierce Utilities Authority fpua.com
Visit St. Lucie visitstlucie.com
Leslie Olson, Secretary District Planning Group
Causeway Cove Marina causewaycovemarina.com
DIRECTORS Dave BuShea
Southern Eagle Distributing sedist.com
Vennis Gilmore
Time Equities Inc. timeequities.com
Sailfish Brewery
City of Fort Pierce
Thondra Lanese St. Lucie County
Maddie Williams
Treasure Coast Builders Association
LIAISONS Charlotte Lombard Bireley
Tourism Division, St. Lucie County
Mayte Santamaria
County of St. Lucie stlucieco.gov
CaboRio RV Resort caborio.com Miller Permitting & Land Development mpldconsulting.com Varsity Sport Shop varsitysportshop.com
Bottom's Up Beverage bottomsupbeverage.com Remnant Construction remnantconstruction.com Engineering Design & Construction, Inc. Successfulsolutionsllc.org
Architectonic Inc. architectonicinc.com Sailfish Brewing Co. sailfishbrewingco.com Stuart Art Supply sailfishbrewingco.com
St. Lucie County
Peter J. Tesch
Economic Development Council of St. Lucie
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