Florida Real Estate News

One of the best things that you’ll find about living in Florida is that it gives you the chance to really check out the arts in the area. In other words, when you’ve got a home in Florida, you’ll find that you have the chance to check out local artisans and the work that they’ve done, to explore a variety of galleries and museums and even to attend open studio events.

Of course, when you start to think about the arts in Florida and you’re looking into more than just your local community, you’re still going to find that you have the opportunity to explore what’s out there. If you live in Jacksonville, for example, and you want to see what the galleries in St. Augustine are showing, it will just be a short drive from home. Likewise, if you live in Ponce Inlet and what to check out what’s going on in terms of arts festivals near Jacksonville Beach.

By exploring your options and knowing what really draws you in and interests you about the arts in Florida, you’re going to find that you are able to take a much closer look at what communities you’d like to be a part of. By looking into various Florida communities and identifying where you really want to live, you’ll be able to take a closer look at events that are available and where they are held so that you can be sure that you’re exploring all of the area communities and what they have to offer.

One of the great things about living in Jacksonville is the fact that it’s part of a Florida community where you will be able to explore the arts without having to stray too far from home. Now that Jacksonville has added to the arts experience – it’s no longer about galleries and museums and the art walk – there’s even more to explore.

This past weekend, the Riverside community officially opened a Saturday Arts Market:

(source) Jacksonville’s spectacular new riverfront weekly artists’ market had its Grand Opening on Saturday, April 4, 2009. Over 40,000 people enjoyed the Market on the first day!

Mayor Peyton led the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:00 a.m. to inaugurate this great Jacksonville celebration!

Beneath the sheltering expanse of the Fuller Warren Bridge structure, this huge all-weather weekend artists’ market has over one football field’s covered area and features the work of 160 artists, accompanied by musical entertainment, street performers, food vendors, and a fresh produce market.

In other words, if you have been looking for the chance to explore the arts – and if checking out a local farmer’s market is just as exciting to you as seeing live music and exploring the work of regional artists. And, if you’re an artist who wants to take advantage to what is undoubtedly going to become Saturday morning’s next big thing in Jacksonville, you’ll want to be sure to check out more information on the Riverside Arts Market which will be held every Saturday from April until December – you never know; it could prove to be your big break into the arts community!

One of the great things about Florida’s communities – particularly coastal communities in the Northeastern part of the state – is the power of the artistic landscape throughout the area. When you’re living in that part of Florida, what you are going to find is that there are a number of great ways in which you’ll be able to take in the arts.

First, if you’re living in or near Jacksonville, you’ll have the chance to take a closer look at works of art in the area’s museums, and you’ll have the opportunity to see works in progress during the monthly walking studio tours during the Art Walk. Similarly, you’ll be able to check out a number of great museums and galleries in St. Augustine and, as a result, you’ll be able to explore different artistic experiences.

Perhaps more importantly, however, if you’re thinking about living in Florida, you will have the opportunity to explore taking some art classes and to learn a new talent or to redevelop your own passion for the arts. Whether you’re interested in painting or photography or you have a passion for creating jewelry or something else altogether, you’re going to find that living in Florida gives you access to everything you’ve been looking for.

Of course, just as important as knowing that you’ll be able to explore the arts when the mood strikes, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re exploring the different communities to find the one that’s a great fit for you and your family.

One of the greatest things that you are going to be able to find about living in Florida (as well as when you visit) is the fact that there are a number of advantages that come along with being in the area. One of the best advantages that you are going to find is that you are able to explore the arts.

Within most Florida communities, the arts are important. There’s an extent to which you’ll find yourself looking into more traditional arts without straying far from your Florida community – you’ll be able to check out theatrical performances, live music and museums that show great traditional art. You’ll be able to scope out galleries that have some of the modern work – including works in progress during open gallery sessions. You’ll even – if the mood strikes you – you will be able to take a closer look at getting out with paints or a camera and spending time seeing what you can do as an artist.

In other words, one of the things that you’re going to want to think about when you’re living in FLorida is that there really is always something new to discover. Whether you have always been passionate about the arts or you just want to take some time to explore something new, you’ll find it in your Florida community.

One of the great things about living in Jacksonville is the chance to take part in each month’s First Wednesday Art Walk. This coming up Wednesday is no exception – and if you’ve got the evening free, you’re going to want to be sure to pencil it in:

(source) Art Walk with the Symphony will feature Jeffrey Peterson, JSO principal trombonist, accompanied by Ileana Fernandez, JSO principal keyboardist, previewing Søren Hyldgaard’s Concerto Borealis which Peterson performs with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra on Friday, January 9. In addition, JSO violinist Piotr Szewczyk, winner of the Fresh Ink 2008 Florida Composers’ Competition, will present virtuoso pieces for violin, accompanied by award-winning pianist Christine Clark

The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra (JSO) continues to affirm its place as the leading performing arts organization in Jacksonville, and is a vital part of cultural life on the First Coast.

In other words, this month if you want to check out the Jacksonville Art Walk you won’t just have the opportunity to check out studios and galleries; instead, you’ll also be able to hear the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra along the way.

Oh, and just because the Art Walk is in Jacksonville doesn’t mean that you have to live in the city. Just being nearby in areas like St. Augustine, Daytona Beach, Ponce Inlet or Jacksonville Beach will give you easy access to taking in all that the evening has to offer.

One of the great things about making the Northeast Coast of Florida your home is the fact that you’re going to have the opportunity to check out the arts. Whether you’re checking out Jacksonville art walks or you’re visiting one of the area’s many museums, you’re going to find that you’ve got a great chance to see what’s going on and what’s out there.

Ultimately, you’re going to find that one of the best spots in the First Coast areas to check out art is going to be the Cummer Museum – where you’ll also be able to spend time hearing from the director about pieces in the collection and why they are included:

(source) Director’s Lecture Series, 7 p.m., The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, 829 Riverside Ave. Museum director Maarten van de Guchte discusses themes and topics inspired by works in the Cummer collection. Free. (904) 355-0630 or www.cummer.org.

Attending events like this are a great way to get a sense of what’s going on and of what’s important in the Florida art world. Whether you have been passionate about the arts for a long while or your interest is just developing, you’ll find that talks like these are a great way to meet others who share your passions.

One of the things that you’re going to find when you are living in Florida is that the arts are important. You’re going to want to be sure that you are thinking about which of the arts are the most important to you personally too – whether you’re passionate about photography, about painting or even about writing.

Within First Coast communities, one of the things that you are going to find is that there are a number of opportunities for writers to gather together – and one of the next opportunities is going to be this coming March:

(source)Members of The First Coast Romance Writers are accepting registration for a March 14 conference. Award-winning authors Mary Buckham and Dianna Love will present “Five Key Elements for a Powerful Story.” During the interactive workshop, participants work on their own stories. Writers of all types of fiction are encouraged to attend. To make a reservation, visit firstcoastromancewriters. com/conference/.

Conferences like these are a great way to sharpen up your writing skills, to interact with others, to find out a little bit more about the way that others write and, ultimately, to make connections that will be there for you the next time that you need to brainstorm, to vent or to ask a question about something you’re working on.

One of the best things about living in the Jacksonville, Florida area – whether you live in Jacksonville, Ponce Inlet, St. Augustine, Daytona Beach or in other Florida coastal communities – is the opportunity to check out the arts. One of the great places for doing that has been at the Museum of Conteporary Art in Jacksonville. These days, a lot of the talk about the MOCA involves whether or not the University of North Florida will be able to move forward with an acquisition of the museum.

(source)First, the museum’s lease would be reassigned to UNF. Secondly, several paintings owned by the city are on loan to the museum, so the agreement would have to be amended that the paintings would be on loan to UNF now. Finally, the Jacksonville Cultural Council is currently prohibited from providing funds to any organization that’s operated by a government agency. The City Council would create an exemption for the museum.

Under the deal, Delaney said, the museum would be a direct support organization, which is a separate nonprofit that is affiliated with a university.

One of the benefits to UNF’s acquisition is that the university could use the museum as a teaching tool for students.

All in all, it seems that having the University of North Florida take over the MOCA would be beneficial for everyone involved.

One of the greatest things about living in Florida is that it gives you the opportunity to look beyond just the natural beauty of the area and to see how others have been inspired by that beauty. When you’re living in Florida, in other words, you’re going to find that there are a number of ways in which you’ll be able to experience the Florida arts.

A few things that you’ll want to consider:

1. Living in Florida is going to be an inspiration for artists, photographers, painters and crafters and local art tends to make a great holiday gift (especially when you want to remind your family and friends about how great you have it.
2. Living in areas like St. Augustine, Jacksonville and even on Amelia Island is going to give you access to artist galleries where you will be able to see works in progress and completed projects.
3. Open studios that you can attend while living in Florida will help you to understand the process of creating art.
4. A wide variety of museums on Florida’s First Coast not only will allow you to take a look at great art, but also it will create opportunities for you and your family to learn and play together.
5. Living in Florida is going to allow you to participate in art history studies and in classes that will help you to learn more about what you can do to bring out your own artistic passions.

The more that you recognize the opportunities that you have, the better that you’re going to feel about living in Florida and experiencing the arts community.

It’s that crazy time of year again when we all tend to find ourselves running in circles trying to make the holidays as close to perfect as is humanly possible. The challenge, of course, is that there really isn’t such a thing and it’s so easy to get caught up that often we don’t take advantage of the other things that are around – even in the Jacksonville area where we’ve got great beaches along with a wide variety of great family friendly activities.

Given the the Florida arts are so important, when you are in Jacksonville, you might want to be sure that you’re taking advantage of events like the upcoming family day at the Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art:

(source)Take a break from the holiday shopping on Sunday with your family and do something different. From 12.00 – 4.00 pm the family can go to the Museum of Contemporary Art, MOCA, for free. Children under the age of 18 and accompanying adults are free thanks to the sponsorship from Bank of America.

So if you haven’t been to the museum, why not check it out on Sunday.

In other words, if you’re looking for a chance to take in the arts – and you haven’t been to the MOCA for a while, you might want to be sure to mark your calendar for this coming Sunday so that you can check it out.