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As the saying goes in the classic baseball film Field of Dreams, “build it and they will come.”
For the Elevate Artworks gallery on Fort Myers Beach, art lovers just need to see it and surely they will arrive in droves to see the eye-popping works of art on display on San Carlos Boulevard.
Alexander Hamilton, Groucho Marx and Jim Morrison are among the great historical figures that stand out in various artistic portraits in the gallery.
The prized possession in the space is a portrait of The Doors’ frontman Jim Morrison by celebrated artist Jim Warren on a door that is one of seven doors that belonged to the Clearwater home of Morrison’s grandparents house, where Morrison once lived.
The door, like everything else in the gallery, is for sale. There are numerous other impressive Warren artworks and prints for sale, including an oil painting. Flounders said he counts Warren, a Grammy Award winner for his artwork on a Bob Seger album cover, as a friend. “He is amazing,” Flounders said.
The gallery, which is located on the property of Estero Bay Marina at 17953 San Carlos Boulevard on Fort Myers Beach, opened in March.
Owner and operator Rodney Flounders recently expanded the art pieces, adding new works from a large roster of artists he has dealt with over the years from around Florida and beyond. He has previously run art galleries in the Orlando and St. Petersburg area.
There are seven local artists whose works are displayed at the new Fort Myers Beach gallery.
There is a wide variety of different artforms in the Fort Myers Beach gallery space.
There are mixed media sculptures composed of clay by Gil Sanchez, and pastel works by the late Austrian artist Helmut Preiss. Among the newest artists in the gallery are Missy Cowan and Suzanne Holt.
Cary DiValentin, who has done works for Disney and has connections to Fort Myers, is also represented. Flounders said DiValentin will visit the gallery in March.
Among the most impressive collections is from Luis Sotill, who uses beatle shells, plants, stones, a dye from basil, minerals and other natural mixtures to create portraits of flamingos, butterflies and birds. The artwork is done on a “grand piano finish,” Flounders said. It’s called that because the material is the same as what is used to seal grand pianos.
For every artwork he sells, Flounders is pledging to make a donation to the Miles of Smiles Foundation, an equine therapy charity for veterans. “That’s a major part of what I do. I don’t just sell art, I sell art to benefit the artist and a charity,” Flounders said. “Lee County has one of the highest numbers of veterans in the state,” Flounders said.
Flounders said Sotill is “the reason why I do what I do.” Flounders said he started raising funds for charity through art sales after following the model set by Sotill (who he represents).
Flounders has plans for a charity event in the future as well as appearances from some of the artists whose works adorn the walls of the gallery.
Flounders is looking to get the word out about the treasures of art he has.
The operating hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.