Books have been written about it; many pictures have been painted featuring our Historic Naples.

On April 30th, meet the authors of “Naples Beach Homes” Robert and Carole Leher. Susan Shipman and Tara Funk, who specialize in creating works that feature Historic Naples will be painting and creating unique works. Discover more about the creative process of writing and painting as you have an opportunity to talk with these authors and artist.

Refreshments will be served!

About the Authors:
Robert and Carole Leher

If you live in Naples, Florida, you must have driven along Gulf Shore Boulevard and Gordon Drive to view the amazingly diverse homes on the beach. These houses range from the modest single-story cottages built decades ago right at beach level, to the modern multi-story mansions that tower high above the sand. These homes are depicted in Robert and Carole Leher's book, “Naples Beach Homes: Cottages, Castles, and the Families That Built Them”, which journeys back in time to explore some of the historic houses that have graced the beach in days gone by. Enhanced by the original artwork of Naples artist Paul Arsenault and highlighted with current and vintage photography, this book offers an overview of beachfront homes and homeowners whose legacies live on in the lore of Naples, Florida.

Naples residents Robert and Carole Leher hold degrees in History, graduating from The Ohio State University and Rollins College, respectively. Carole first visited Naples on her Spring Break in 1964, and twenty years later she brought Robert to Naples to “meet the parents.” Prior to retiring to Naples in 2005, Robert practiced law for 27 years in Denver, Colorado. Carole, a native of Syracuse, New York, had a career in Administrative Management. They met when Carole was called to jury duty and Robert was one of the attorneys in the court room. They are the proud parents of their one and only Cooper.

Read more about “Naples Beach Homes: Cottages, Castles, and the Families That Built Them” here:

Naples Daily News
Life In Naples Nagazine
News-Press.

About the Artists

Susan Shipman

”At age 5, I was melting crayons in beautiful designs on an old iron radiator in my room and began to imagine elephants and images in cracks in ceilings, tiles, and everything. Drawing and painting became my love and I have ever since been both blessed and challenged by a deep need to make art and images whenever I can.

My family and friends nurtured my love of art. As a child, I was enriched by my parents' artist friends, a great appreciation and love of art, places of beauty, classes at the Evanston Art Center, art supplies, inspiration, art fairs, great music and symphonies, art discussions, and art museums. I won awards and sold paintings since early grade school.

In high school, we moved in the middle of my sophomore year. When I tried to register for the painting class I was told it was too crowded, but, seeing the devastation in my eyes the head of the art department at Evanston High School asked, "Well, are you any good?” I replied with a confident, "Yes". He said, "Well then you can sit on the garbage can."

He ended up giving me my own studio senior year and the highest honor of the art department, a $1000 scholarship, which was a lot in those days.

The scholarship helped me to attend the The Cleveland Institute of Art, which after the riots and burnings in the late 60's was a formidable place for a 17 year old. Although I learned how to do beautiful calligraphy and learned human anatomy for artists and learned the traditional basics of watercolor there, I went home to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

The SAIC then shut down in the middle of the next semester by protestors to become a silkscreen factory for anti-war posters. Dadaism prevailed and I just wanted to learn to paint and draw better. So, I went across the street to the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and studied with Fred Berger and Phyllis Bramson and earned a B.F.A.

Throughout the years since, I have continued to study with wonderful people and have been encouraged by family, artists, friends, visitors to my studios, and many other dear people who have bought, commissioned and loved my paintings.

I’ve been asked over the years to paint for friends for sentimental reasons: beloved dogs, ostrich eggs brought from Africa by a sick sister, beloved homes, and family portraits.

I like to paint about what speaks to my heart: the beauty of a moment, life experiences, the speed of our lives. The subjects I most love are trees, designs in nature, music, flowers, the sun, the moon, light and darkness, color, roots, pathways, gates, clouds, blessings, rhythms, energy, mysteries, things seen and unseen. My work has been described as “happy, soulful, beautiful, and whimsical… ” And I feel blessed when it brings a sense of joy, happiness, and peace to those who experience my art. I love to create places you can live in for a bit. I hope you’ll enjoy a visit to them, too!”

Tara Funk

A passion for the visual world and the world of imagination has led to both plain air painting and creative exploration in the studio. Each painting is a journey into the unknown. The heart and mind become one with inspiration, imagination, and materials. It is the world of endless possibilities and discovery that beckons me.

Painting enplein air, I try to capture the essence of the place based on what I am feeling, seeing, and what is going on around me. I push colors and exaggerate natural movements.

More imaginative paintings begin in my studio. My method of working with mixed media has evolved as a result of experience, intuition, and exploration. Weaving layers of acrylic, and collage, each painting is an adventure and journey into the unknown. As choices are made, thoughts, ideas, and challenges are expanded and provide pathways to invention, innovation and discovery.

Beginning an art career painting seasonal themes on Atlantic City boardwalk store windows, I continued my education with a BA fro Chestnut Hill College and teacher certification from Kutztown University. I am a signature member of the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society and have exhibited widely and received many awards. Painting for over 30 years, my work had been featured recently in several publications, 100 Plein Air Painters of the Mid-Atlantic and AcrylicWorks 2: Radical Breakthroughs and AcrylicWorks 3: Celebrating Texture.