Naples, FL (August 2, 2011) – The Naples Art Association proudly presents approximately 200 works created by children ages 5 to 14 during the eight-week summer art education program at The von Liebig Art Center. The annual ARTScool exhibition kicks off with a preview reception on Sunday, August 14 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. and will remain on exhibit at The von Liebig Art Center through August 26. Admission to the reception and exhibition is free, and the public is invited to attend.

Nearly 1,000 students attended ARTScool and took part in nearly 50 different class offerings taught by professional art teachers and certified instructors. Each class was designed to teach an underlying lesson of art history, geography and/or math. Children learned new skills and techniques and had the opportunity to experiment with new mediums such as batik, clay, and tie dye. The exhibition showcases 2D and 3D work including painted masks, paper mache sculptures, pencil drawings, acrylic paintings, jewelry and more.

“I am amazed with the quality and variety of work produced by our ARTScool students,” said Callie Spilane, Director of Education for the Naples Art Association. “Not only did I see big smiles each day leaving our classrooms, I also saw tremendous creativity, expression, and individualism.”

The Naples Art Association awarded over 30 scholarships to students from low income families to attend the program. These scholarships were provided by the generosity of individual donors. The program also hosted over 40 local high school students through the ARTScool intern program. Each intern went through a formal interview process and CPR training to earn a coveted spot. The interns served as class aides and earned community credits for school.

Following the exhibition at The von Liebig Art Center, select works from the program will be on display at Naples City Hall September 14, 2011 through January 31, 2012.

About The Naples Art Association

The Naples Art Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded in 1954. The goal of The Naples Art Association is to educate and promote visual arts in Southwest Florida by holding exhibitions, art festivals and educational classes for adults and children.

Today the organization boasts over 1,000 members and operates The von Liebig Art Center located at 585 Park Street in downtown Naples. The art center is open Monday – Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please call (239) 262-6517, visit naplesart.org, follow us on facebook at facebook.com/vonliebigcenter or twitter at twitter.com/vonliebigart.