On January 31, 2014 a grateful gathering of friends from Lake Placid and beyond honored the Porters. Bob and Harriet, founders of the Lake Placid Mural Society, have for over twenty years been the driving force behind transforming the financially stressed town of the '90's into a nationally recognized tourist attraction.

   The Caladium Capital of the World, The Town of Murals, and 
Florida's "Outstanding Rural Community" recently earned a new title as "America's Most Interesting Town."

 
 The mural Celebrate Lake Placid - 'America's Most Interesting Town. by Keith Goodson on the Walgreen Building in Lake Placid was appropiatly dedicated by celebration January 25th.

"Be Aware. Do not let your days slip by aimlessly, be ever on the lookout 

William shows his Florida Folk Art Faces creation

 for the meaning behind every episode which comes along. Life is ... given so that you may welcome and rejoice in every experience...awaken the Love and Light of God in your heart."            White Eagle

The above quotation aptly applies to the spirit in which Steve Safrans, Gingerlee Dread and Chris Williams go about the continuing creation of Divinely Driven Awareness Center & Co-op  and it's programming . The expanding list of programs include: Reiki Circle, Introduction to Acrylics, Meditation,  Florida Folk Art Faces, and Property/investment. See sidebar for program scheduling

Naples Library exhibit installation, Feb. 2014

The reception for the HCA Lake Wales Ridge Project exhibit in Naples was great. Good turn out of interested and concerned people that never heard of Lake Wales Ridge. Lots of questions and very positive feedback.

Brochures were flying off the table in large numbers. People were studying and talking about them.

The District Manager of Collier County  Library system said word of this show is going to get out fast.

One person asked how he could support HCA's efforts to spread the word. I suggested he donate through our site. "I mean now", he replied, and pulled a $50 bill from his wallet.

There is no doubt this exhibit hit its mark. Many people outside of our area are learning about the importance and beauty of the Ridge. They will likely visit and/or support the needs of this threatened ecosystem.  The word of the artistic talent in Highlands County is also spreading. 

Many thanks go out to Patty & Ron Lloyd for hanging these exhibits.

Tampa Library, December 2013

Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Bob Fishel enjoys the mountain air of his home state during summer months and the warm Florida sun during winter months. He considers himself a native of both states and has been a resident of Avon Park, FL for over 36 years. A military veteran, Bob served four years in the United States Air Force.

An avid artist, woodworker, photographer and musician, Bob's first artistic inspiration came as a young child. An art teacher at Summer Bible School took the children out to draw in a field of flowers and marveled at the detailed images on Bob's sketch pad. Self taught and hooked on art for life, Bob transformed himself from the pencil-clasping child to an artist proficient in oils, watercolor and his medium of choice, acrylics. He studied the old masters and many prominent artists and developed his own style which has been described as hi-definition. His art covers a variety of subjects and has been collected both nationally and internationally. Bob is a third generation artist..

Besides Bob's artistic success, Bob has succeeded in business. The majority of his career was with the world's largest semi trailer manufacturer, Fruehauf Corporation. From his Miami office, Bob's bottom line responsibility was managing the sales and service operations for the lower twelve counties of South Florida, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and the Virgin Islands and the export of equipment into Central and South America. He was later promoted to the sixth largest trucking market in America. In Charlotte, North Carolina his bottom line responsibilities covered four North & South Carolina operations, 157 employees, and a 20+ million annual sales volume. Just prior to retiring he was vice president of sales and marketing for a North Carolina trucking firm.

After retirement Bob began exhibiting his art in Mathews, NC and at the TAG (The Artist Group) studio/ art gallery/classroom located at the Jacaranda Hotel in Avon Park. TAG's six member artists and art instructors sell art and teach oils, watercolor, acrylics, jewelry making and ceramics in association with South Florida State College's community education program. 
 

Bob has served on the HCA's Board of Directors since January 9, 2012. His art may be viewed on the web at www.bobfishelart.webs.com. 

       Zoom - Art of the Automoble

By Karen Varrow
March 1 - 31 

 Pulling inspiration from her upbringing in the auto-manufacturing hub of Mid- Michigan and family weekends spent at Sebring International Raceway, Barrow focuses on the relationships that develop between people and cars. Her work layers images from vintage auto brochures, her own photographs, stencils, paint, mediums and sometimes auto parts, Barrow layers and scrapes clear mediums and paint, allowing chance to play an important role in her process

 The Yellow Brick Road 

By Stefanie Newlett

April 4 - May 3

 Julie Howlett, Artist

Cindy Rose, Photographer

Joan Morrone, Writer

Jerry Kingsbury, Artist

Chris Noel, Artist, Musician

Judy Graham, Photographer

Tom Bruha, Artist
Karen Barrow, Artist

Terry Daisey, Supporter

Bill Parken, Photographer

Richard Howard, Photographer

Rachel Wheaton, Artist

Divinely Driven Awareness Center & Coop

MaKayla Ryan, Writer

Beta Sigma Phi, Supporter

Marilyn Pier, Supporter

Jeremy Berkson. Photographer

This addition to the newsletter is to give our readers expression and share their thoughts about HCA, HCA Today and its contents.  Send letters to info@heartlandculturalalliance.org.  All letters for publication must be identified with the writer's name.

Dear Fred,

Victory - your voice was heard on Capitol Hill.

Late last night, Congress released the details of its massive FY 2014 Omnibus spending bill. I am pleased to share that the online petition that you and 40,000 other arts advocates signed this fall helped lead the way to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) being allocated $146 million for the year. We cannot thank you enough for taking the time to sign and share our petition.

Because of members like you, arts advocates successfully prevented a proposed 49% budget cut from taking place! In fact, this new funding level is, in effect, an increase over last year's since Congress is suspending the automatic sequester cuts that began last year. NEA will now have the full spending power of $146 million to invest in community-based arts programs across the country

.

Together, we provided a strong voice for the arts. Thank you,

Nina Ozlu Tunceli
Executive Director
Americans for the Arts

Fred,
(Re. Lake Whaes Ridge Project)
How wonderful. You surely have made a lot of people in HighlandsCounty proud and also invited many other Floridians to realize the potential value of such a project.  I'm pleased to be a part of the HCA even though I had no part in this wonderful project. Bravo.

Sunny Serafino

Dear HCA,

I just got my Florida State of the Arts license plate and the process could not have been easier! I wanted this colorful, happy-looking tag the moment I saw it but I put it off because I thought the process would be a time-consuming hassle. Was I ever wrong! I was the only person at the desk and I was in and out the door within 5 minutes with the tag in my hand.

People ask me all the time where I got this pretty tag because they want one too. I am quick to tell them that $20 from each tag is donated to the HCA. Its a really good thing!

Miss J. L. "SAM" Heede

SpringLake

Buy a Florida State of the Arts license plate. Enrich yourself and your community. $20 from the cost of the plate is donated by the state to HCA.  The funds are then re-granted by HCA to A&C organizations in Highlands County.  Show you care and wear your new plates proudly.