Ring in the new year at Art Walk

COURTESY PHOTO I wanna be a cowboy by Janet Dutton. January marks the fourth of the monthly Art Walks since it debuted in October. Held the first Friday of every month from 6 to 10 pm., Art Walk showcases local and national artwork in the downtown art galleries of the Fort Myers River District. The evening culminates with an after party at 10 p.m. The January after party will take place at Envie Lounge, located off the Patio de Leon.

Participants in January's monthly Art Walk include the Art League of Fort Myers, Arts for ACT Gallery and Boutique, daas Gallery, Howl Gallery, La Casa Del Arte Gallery, the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, Southwest Florida Museum of History and Space 39 Gallery.

Some highlights are:

Art League of Fort Myers - Opening of "Bring in the New" Fine Arts Show.

Arts for ACT Gallery - Opening reception for January's exhibit featuring a group exhibit by 21 artists and two authors of the National League of American Pen Women. Paintings on paper and canvas by Greg Stuart and a Silent Auction Fundraiser for ACT hosted by David Dehart of Florida Gulf Coast University. The art for the auction was donated by local high school and college students.

daas Gallery - Opening reception for Skin, a collection of provocative and uncensored, yet tasteful and brilliant masterpieces by Southwest Florida artists April Clary, Doug Heslep and Daniel Lovely.

HOWL Gallery: A grand opening preview at its Broadway Avenue location next to Starbucks. An additional HOWL Gallery show at Envie Lounge is tentatively planned.

La Casa Del Arte: Opening reception for new show featuring fine artist Arturo Samaniego.

Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center - Exhibit showcasing artwork of artists from River District galleries.

Southwest Florida Museum of History - "Art History of SWF Wildlife: Fishing for Art" by David Hammel and Joel Loeper.

Space 39: A new show celebrating 20 years of Vyd entitled Aprés Moi Le Déluge.

Along with the art galleries, restaurants and other businesses will support the monthly walk. Opening receptions will be held at some of the galleries, along with refreshments and music. Friday Night Live, the popular weekly concert series in the Patio de Leon, provides a musical interlude between 5 and 8 p.m. as art patrons wander from one art stop to the next.

For more information on Art Walk, participating galleries and links to gallery Web sites, visit www.fortmyersartwalk. com