Artists pictured are (back row L-R) Christopher Santoro, Phyllis Pope, Rock Solomon, James Twostars Scott, (front row) Janet M. Mueller, and Monica Haskell (Executive Director of Florida Keys Council of the Arts).

A number of local artists, musicians, schools, and community members throughout the Keys will benefit from the latest "Artists In School" and "ArtReach " grants awarded by the Florida Keys Council of the Arts. These grants and awards are supported by the Arts Council fundraising and memberships, private donations and by the sale of Florida "State of the Arts" license tags.

Doing art often conflicts with paying rent, mortgage, or putting food on the table. Whenever an artist is able to partner with the community, with the artist receiving financial support, exciting things can happen. No one is happier than a painter, musician, writer, potter or dancer practicing his or her craft, and many students or members of the community are enlightened or educated by the experience!

Nine applicants secured ArtReach grants ranging from $500 to $1,000. Three painters, one photographer, two musician/song writers, two poets, and one dance group successfully partnered with a community business or organization to reach a wider audience.

• Bill Lorraine, Key West Pianist & member of Keys Chorale, wrote a song called "Sister City" for Key West's Sister City, Green Turtle Key. The 60-member chorale were guests at Green Turtle Key "Bahamas Roots Festival" this past May and gave their Premier Performance of "Sister City". Lorraine has partnered with businessman Ed Swift and will professionally record the group singing "Sister City" on CD.
  
• Jane Gilbert, a painter, has partnered with Tennessee Williams Center, to exhibit her paintings in the TWC Grand Foyer opening this fall.
  
• James Twostars Scott, a transplanted poet from Colorado, has partnered with Sipppin' on 424 Eaton St. to bring back the beatnik generation poetry readings/shows on Thursday nights from 7 - 10 PM. This Charismatic poet has titled these happenings "Poetic Instigations". He welcomes all poets to perform and listen to others; in time they'll work on themes, like love, death, & chickens.
  
• Zoe Hawkins-Wells, dancer/choreographer with her dance group, Brazen Hussies, has partnered with the Key West Film Society to fuse dance with other art forms at the Tropic Cinema.
  
• Irene Stanton, painter and grand recycler, has partnered with the Grand Café, 314 Duval St, where she will exhibit her paintings on recycled fabric, canvases and collages.
  
• Janet M. Mueller, another painter, has partnered with Key West Museum Art and History at the Custom House. Her grant will be used to have two frames handmade for part of her one-woman show from Dec 2 through Jan 14, 2005. Key West Fine Art Printing & Photograph will be making specific frames for her special paintings called "Card Shark" and "The Heeling Process."
  
• Hooked on Books owner, Penny Bower has partnered with the Friends of Islamorada Library in a project called "One Book, One Community". Across the whole country communities are encouraged to read the same book with the goal of promoting reading, sparking discussion across all diverse ethnic, age, economic, social, and educational backgrounds. Earnest Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea" is such a perfect first choice for here in the Keys. Grab your copy and be ready for their kick off in February!
  
• David Schneider, a musician from the Upper Keys who has written songs about the Keys, has partnered with Saltwaterblue Productions to record a professional CD of his music.
  
• Rock Solomon, a photographer originally from Seattle, has been photographing how the architecture has been changed to accommodate the tropic plants and vice versa. His project is titled "Edifice in Bloom."
  

Five projects were awarded in the Artists In School Fall 04 Program ranging from $375 to $1,000. Grantees in the Artists In Schools Program partner with a teacher or librarian to enhance the existing Curriculum.

This fall we have Horace O'Bryant Middle School art teacher, Jimmy Wray, partnering with two different artists; potter Jay Gogin in Ceramic & the Wheel and juggler "Bounce" Margil in Juggling & the Circus.

At the Glynn Archer Elementary School Librarian and Puppeteer Phyllis Pope will bring two projects titled Up Close & Personal. Pope will do a puppet show and then open the back, so the students can see what all goes on behind the scenes. Children's Book Illustrator, Christopher Santoro, will show how books go together using some of his own illustrated books, like Dom Delusise's The Nightingale. Then the students will write and create their own book.

Penny Jampol and the Coffee Mill Dance Outreach Program will again partner with teachers and daycare providers from Poinciana, Glynn Archer and Gerald Adams Elementary Schools and Horace O'Bryant Middle School. A lively dancing program will be brought into each of these schools once a week for six weeks.

In the Key Largo Middle School, band teacher Susan Bazin will partner with the Keys Community Band Concert and bring in music mentors for the band students from ages 10 - 14, to inspire and motivate them. Their program is titled Masters of Music.

For more information on the Florida Keys Council of the Arts grant programs, to donate, or to become a member, visit www.keysarts.com.

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