New Art-O-Mat at the Center for the Arts
The Center for the Arts on Marco Island recently added a new way to purchase art for those visiting the facility at 1010 Winterberry Dr., Marco Island. The art-o-mat. This machine is made from a re-purposed cigarette machine offering each person that visits a very easy and affordable way to purchase a small piece of handmade art.
The Inspiration for the invention of the art-o-mat machine came from the artist Clark Whittington while he observed a friend who fell in love with the crinkle of cellophane. When Clark’s friend heard someone opening a snack, he had an uncontrollable urge to go and have a snack as well. Clark Whittington used a recently banned cigarette machine to create the first Art-o-mat as part of an exhibition in Winston Salem, North Carolina in 1997 as part of a solo exhibition. The famous machine sold Clark Whittington’s black-and-white photographs and they were mounted on blocks and wrapped in cellophane for one dollar per photograph. As the “show” was scheduled to leave the gallery the owner of the gallery loved the machine so much that she asked for it to stay in her gallery permanently. This gallery owner introduced Clark Whittington to a handful of other local artists that would be interested in providing additional pieces for the machine, and this started the group Artists in Cellophane.
The Art Center on Marco Island has joined in with over 100 venues around the country that are home to one of these unique art-o-mat machines. The machine is located right now in the atrium and offers special surprises that will be available throughout the 2021 - 2022 season. Each piece of small art available to be dispensed through the Art-o-mat machine makes a great gift or memory/souvenir of a visit to the art center for art collectors and new visitors.
AIC, or Artists in Cellophane, is the sponsoring organization of the art-o-mat machine. The mission of Artists in Cellophane is to help encourage the purchase of art by combining the worlds of art and commerce with a new innovative form. A more affordable form for those to be able to collect several pieces they may not have considered in their large original format. The Artists in Cellophane organization believes that art should be progressive and personal, yet approachable.
A little about the Center for the Arts on Marco Island
The Center for the Arts has been on Marco Island since 1970 and has had a focus of providing Marco Island and surrounding areas with art exhibitions and programs to enrich the community. Last year the center of the arts celebrated its 50th anniversary. The Center for the Arts features galleries with one-of-a-kind pieces on display for visual enjoyment, a gift gallery, several different music programs, and many fun community events. There are classes for both adults and children available, which is a great way to get to know other people that live on the island or visit frequently. It is a wonderful family-friendly venue that is well-beloved on the island. The Center for the Arts also has meetings and conference areas available.
For more information on living on, and visiting Marco Island, including Marco Island real estate please contact us anytime.
Posted by Guy Amato on
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