Artist donating work to Sanibel Rotary

If you see some folks sporting an intriguing

Matsumoto T-shirt emblazoned with a watercolor of a bird in flight, you can be sure they're wearing a reprint of Ikki Matsumoto's artwork. Each year Ikki donates a piece of his artwork to the Rotary for its annual Arts & Crafts Fair and his design is printed on commemorative T-shirts, sold at the fair.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Sanibel-Captiva's Rotary Arts & Crafts Fair, which will be held on Feb. 16-17 at the Sanibel Community House, 2173 Periwinkle Way.

Matsumoto was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1933, the son of a prominent cartoonist and children's book illustrator. He, like his father developed an artistic talent and in 1955 came to the United States to study at the John Herron School of Art in Indianapolis and later at the Art Academy of Cincinnati where he worked under renowned humorous wildlife artist Charles Harper.

Upon graduating, he began a career in the advertising field, raised his two sons and a daughter on his 50-acre farm and eventually opened his own art studio. Among his early accomplishments were the two-volume Rand McNally publication of punch out animals designed by Ikki, and, the Joy of Cooking illustrations for which he was commissioned in 1972 and then again in 2006. He and his wife Polly, a fellow artist, relocated from their farm in Ohio to Sanibel Island in 1975 where he began a second career as a painter and printmaker using the island's native birds as his subjects.

During his years as a painter he was one of 50 artists chosen by Nancy Reagan to paint an Easter egg that is now in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum. The C&S National Bank of Sanibel commissioned Matsumoto to paint 30 original works of art, which remained on display throughout the building.

Until 2006 when the Matsumotos retired and moved back to Ohio, Ikki was still producing paintings and prints from his gallery on Sanibel. He was also designing annual posters for the island's newspapers and other local organizations including the Rotary.

.. If you go

>>What: Sanibel-Captiva's Rotary Arts & Crafts Fair

>>Where: Sanibel Community House, 2173 Periwinkle Way

>>When:10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 16 and 17

>>Cost: Free

>>Info: Call (239) 810-9333 or online at www.sanibelrotary.org/artshow