Art of the Olympicans Announcements
Calendar of Events
Upcoming Events:
January 6 - Art Walk: Special Performance by Dance Alliance.
Now Showing:
Legends of 68', featuring artwork from four dynamic USA Olympians from the 1968 Olympic Games.
Click here for other events and details
Creativity Starts at a Young Age at Gateway Elementary School
A passion for creativity starts at an early age at Gateway Elementary School. More than 30 kindergarten students spent the last few weeks of class learning about the Olympic Games, the different sporting events, and creating art projects with the colors of the Olympic Rings to a prepare fortheir class field trip to Art of the Olympians Museum and Gallery in downtown Fort Myers.
The field trip was sponsored by Gregory Shepard, a bobsled Olympian who competed at the 1998 Nagano Olympic Winter Games, and retired business owner of Exotic Car Specialties, auto restoration in downtown Fort Myers. Sheppard is also the Director of the South Florida Defense Antiquities Museum in Immokalee.
"I enjoy giving back to the community,” said Shepard. “Doing good things for others simply make you feel good."
"Art of the Olympians connects individuals with positive role models and engaging exhibitions to ignite inspiration," said Liston Bochette, AOTO board member.
According to kindergarten teacher, Shanon White, the students were very excited to see Olympic memorabilia and to meet an Olympian in person.
During the field trip, students participated in a drawing lesson with Bochette, an Olympian and artist. Bochette is a five-time Olympian in both bobsled (1992, 1994, 1998, 2002) and decathlon (1984) for Puerto Rico. He began to transform his passion for sport into a creative representation in paper drawings.
Sandy Talaga, Operations Manager at AOTO, has helped escort numerous field trip groups through the museum. Talaga said she looks forward to the visits to see the excitement on the children’s faces as they get to connect with the subject through drawing lessons or by holding a discus and experiencing the exhibits. "We’re always inviting groups to come out," she grinned.
For more information on group tours and field trips, please contact 239-332-5055, visit our web site at www.artoftheolympians.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/artofolympians, fan us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/artoftheolympians.
Gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Gallery is closed to on Sundays, Mondays and holidays.
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Art of the Olympians is a 501(c ) 3 non-profit organization, dedicated to inspiring creativity and stimulating change through an international program of art, education and outreach initiatives. By introducing an individual, particularly youth, to the ancient Olympic ideals of excellence in mind, body and spirit we aim to enhance the relationship between athletics and aesthetics. The discipline, dedication and passion born and cultivated in an athlete’s physical training stimulates a desire for creativity.