Last Minute Gift Idea:

Have someone on your list who loves Jacksonville?

The outdoors?

Art?

History?

The environment?

Choose this family friendly book!

Check out this VIDEO to learn more about the book.

Contact me directly if you like, I can personalize the book for you.

Or see below for retailers to purchase from.

San Marco Books and More: 7 pm Thursday May 11, Book Signing and More!:

Meet the Artist: (me!) - Kathy Stark at 7 pm, Thursday, May 11 at the San Marco Books and More.

Need a Thoughtful Mother’s Day Gift? (or Father’s Day Gift)?: 

Give The Wilderness of North Florida’s Parks by Kathy Stark 

- signed by Kathy (and Tanner if you want!)

I will be displaying my original art used for the sketchbook journal pages about 60 of our wilderness parks. The bookstore will be ‘transformed’ into pages of the book!

Walk around viewing the original art - book pages and be immersed in art, education and history all about our amazing park system and our community!

Meet the real Tanner - he will be there too! You can get his ‘paw-o-graph’!

And children (and adults...) can make their own animal track guide using Kathy’s hand-made life-size stamps!

San Marco Books And More: 1971 San Marco Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32207

Here is a sample sketchbook journal page from the book: 

All of these parks listed below are featured in the book:

Tanner is featured in the book: ('Where's Waldo?") - "Where's Tanner?"

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Wilderness of North Florida’s Parks by Kathy Stark

PAPERBACK BOOK  $25 + 7% sales tax = $26.75

HARDBACK BOOK  $40 + 7% FL sales tax =  $42.80

Approximately 120 + full color pages

Fold out Project Map -

showing all of the parks, preserves, conservation areas and forests where you can get a ‘sense of wilderness’, all within one hour of downtown Jacksonville.

19 large scale watercolor paintings of these parks

60 parks represented by sketchbook journal page entries 

about their features, history and trail map.

3 nonprofit groups featured 

that “preserve and protect our land and water” with sketchbook journal page entries about their mission, goals and how to help them.

Timucuan Parks Foundation, St. Johns Riverkeeper

and North Florida Land Trust

Foreword by Mark Woods, FL TU columnist

Afterword by Bob Graham, 

Former Florida governor and US Senator

Family friendly resources in the back of the book

ImagiNATURE: Wednesday, May 3rd Art Walk-Downtown Jacksonville-Hemming Park:

 Join us this Wednesday, May 3, as Music Director Courtney Lewis and the Jacksonville Symphony perform on the main stage at Hemming Park at 6:30pm and 8:00pm. This FREE concert is part of the Mayo Clinic Community Concert Series.
I will be there with a red tent selling my book: The Wilderness of North Florida's Parks
Images from the book are used in the park walk signage to be shown at the event. The interpretative signs will be installed downtown. Five of our National Park sites are featured, Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Ft. Caroline National Monument, Theodore Roosevelt Area, Kingsley Plantation and Cedar Point:

 ImagiNATURE is a multi-disciplinary arts festival and installation honoring the National Park Service’s 100th Anniversary.  ImagiNATURE is made possible by grants to the Jacksonville Symphony from the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) and the Downtown Investment Authority. The focus of the May 3rd event at Art Walk will include a Jacksonville Symphony performance  in Hemming Park featuring violinist Piotr Szewczyk’s composition, St. Augustine Suite, art presentations by Will Dickey and David Montgomery, art installation from MOSH (Museum of Science and History), performance by Mal Jones, and the unveiling of artist Kathy Stark’s interpretive signs of National Parks in North Florida. Follow this event on Twitter at #imaginaturejax and #ArtWalkJax.

ImagiNATURE is made possible by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and Downtown Investment Authority. Program partners include the Jacksonville Symphony, Downtown Vision, the National Park Service, Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Timucuan Parks Foundation, MOSH, the Jacksonville Public Library and artists Kathy Stark, Piotr Szewczyk, Will Dickey, Mal Jones, and David Montgomery. 

Buy Kathy's new BOOK about our PARKS and Visit her MOSH exhibit!

PLEASE SHARE

A newly released book by Jacksonville artist Kathy Stark offers a unique and family-friendly exploration of the extensive system of natural parks in North Florida.

The Wilderness of North Florida’s Parks combines Stark’s lush and expansive watercolor paintings with sketches, notes, historical facts and maps to create a work that is a both a guide and handbook, as well as a tribute, to the great unspoiled stretches of the region.

Former Governor and Senator Bob Graham and Florida Times-Union columnist and author Mark Woods both provide commentary.

The book is an outgrowth of Stark’s personal passion for the outdoors and her love of the natural beauty of North Florida. Stark, accompanied by her dog Tanner, spent years exploring the region’s parks, capturing the wild scenery in sketches that became the basis for a large collection of paintings.

In the last two years, she organized this extensive portfolio into a book that documents, educates and inspires. 

The Wilderness of North Florida’s Parks is being published in partnership with the Timucuan Parks Foundation, with a portion of the process supporting that nonprofit, which, advocates for North Florida’s parks.  

Merrill Lynch is the title sponsor for the project, supporting both the book and an accompanying exhibit at MOSH - the Museum of Science and History that will run from Feb. 25 - Sept. 6, 2017. The exhibit will then travel to other gallery venues around the area.

As part of the project, Merrill Lynch is underwriting the cost of over 300 books to be donated to public libraries and public school libraries in Duval, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns counties. This donation will increase the impact of the project.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Wilderness of North Florida’s Parks by Kathy Stark

PAPERBACK BOOK  $25 + 7% sales tax = $26.75

HARDBACK BOOK  $40 + 7% FL sales tax =  $42.80

Approximately 120 + full color pages

Fold out Project Map -

showing all of the parks, preserves, conservation areas and forests where you can get a ‘sense of wilderness’, all within one hour of downtown Jacksonville.

19 large scale watercolor paintings of these parks

60 parks represented by sketchbook journal page entries 

about their features, history and trail map.

3 nonprofit groups featured 

that “preserve and protect our land and water” with sketchbook journal page entries about their mission, goals and how to help them.

Timucuan Parks Foundation, St. Johns Riverkeeper

and North Florida Land Trust

Foreword by Mark Woods, FL TU columnist

Afterword by Bob Graham, 

Former Florida governor and US Senator

Family friendly resources in the back of the book

WHERE TO BUY:

From the artist: www.kathystark.com - purchase online or contact her

or you can find it at: MOSH, San Marco Bookstore, Cummer Museum, Book Mark, Black Creek Outfitters, North Guana Outpost, Edge City, more coming…

Panoramic photo of Kathy's exhibit at the Museum of Science and History - MOSH - runs through Sept.6, 2017

Kathy Stark standing at the entrance to her MOSH exhibit

Come to the Downtown Art Walk this Wednesday to buy the book and have it signed!

New Park Watercolor and Art Walk and Links:

Please FORWARD this email to your friends!

Here is a new project park watercolor "Avenue of Palms, Road to Kingsley Plantation" H 45" W 68" original watercolor on paper $4000 - available. It will be at Southlight for the March 4 Art Walk (see below).

 To me, it is a very iconic scene of Old Florida - Our Sense of Place.

I found these two photographs in the book "Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage" about Kingsley Plantation and Ft. George Island. History buffs will like the written page from the book I included, there is an interesting legend about the creation of the Avenue and why it is incomplete...

 I am excited to be the featured artist and my project The Wilderness of North Florida's Parks at Southlight Gallery for the March 4th Downtown Art Walk, themed "Shamrockin Downtown". If you haven't come in awhile, make a point to go. I will have the new painting and will show off THE MAP for the project I am working on. It is watercolor and pen with illustrations of area animals and historical figures, and of course the parks on it. I might not be completely done but will show it in progress.

 Art Walk sounds fun this March 4 "Shamrockin' Downtown" Bagpipes and Brews - Irish ones. "Dance a jig to the sounds of the JFRD Pipes and Drums and Aurora." 

If you are not already, please follow my project on Facebook, click HERE for a link - I post new park paintings and sketchbook journal pages, photos from my adventures in our wilderness parks and other project news. You might learn about a new park to visit...  

I also started an Instagram account for the project: #WILDPARKSNFL

Speaking of sketchbook journal pages, here are the ones that will accompany the new painting in the forthcoming book and traveling exhibit. Enjoy and SHARE this email. Thanks

For those of you unfamiliar with my project, here is a description: The Wilderness of North Florida's Parks consists of completing a series of large scale watercolor paintings of our area's park system. These paintings, in print form will become part of a traveling exhibit. Sketchbook journal pages will highlight the features and history of each park as well as highlight the non profit groups that preserve and protect our land and water. The park paintings and Sketchbook journal pages about the parks and non profit groups will be published as a family friendly book. Educational engagement can occur through exposing children to these wilderness parks, the art that can come from it and the opportunity to create their own Sketchbook Journal. The traveling EXHIBIT, when shown around the area and elsewhere, along with the BOOK - will be useful tools to showcase to residents, students, visitors, and business investors, the wildness and beauty of the parks right here in our backyard. And inspire them to go there!

Check out my website: www.kathystark.com

OPEN HOUSE/ART SHOW near Ft. George Island - and One Spark Follow up:

 This Sunday, April 27, come to an Open House from 1 - 5 pm at the Historic Napoleon Bonaparte Broward House, new home/offices of the Timucuan Trail Parks Foundation. The house is located at 9953 Heckscher Drive, 1/4 mile north of the Mayport Ferry. It is right at the corner of the road that leads to Ft. George Island and Kingsley Plantation. 
I have my Wilderness art on display in several rooms in the house. Come tour the house, eat delicious food and drink, and play lawn games. The backyard lawn has views of and breezes from the intracoastal waterway. 
Make a day of it and tour Kingsley Plantation and hike the trails around the Ribault Club. Hope to see you there! 30% of any art sales benefit TTPF.

Following up from One Spark: The three art jurors selected my project as one of the three they picked to pitch to them Shark Tank style on Sunday at Hemming Plaza - 5 minutes project presentation and 5 minutes of questions and answers. At stake was a $10,000 prize and a ticket to One Spark Berlin. Alas, my project didn't win. MOCA's Project Atrium/Shaun Thurston's mural won. The other project nominated by the jurors was a project to restore Norman Studios in Arlington. A studio back in the day when Jacksonville was Hollywood before there was a Hollywood.

The project received $395 in Crowdfund - 238 votes. Divide the total number of votes at the festival: 120,493 by the crowdfund amount $200,000 = $1.65 a vote. Last year it was $4 + a vote. My project received 4 fewer votes this year and less total money. $755 in Individual contributions this year ($624 last year). 

So the GOOD NEWS is: One Spark 2013 sparked me to create a neat project around my art. One Spark 2014 sparked me to make a ton of progress on it. Funds raised - not so much. 

Now though, I have a mocked up book, more parks done, 8 more parks planned and a more tangible product to promote and raise funds to finish it and publish the book! And the project is being well received by people that learn about it.

My ONE SPARK Project # 20668 - "Our Wilderness in Watercolor" - Downtown Jax - April 9 -13. ATTEND! VOTE! SUPPORT! ($)

Here are some photos of my One Spark showcase "Our Wilderness in Watercolor" - seeking funds/support to paint 8 more park paintings and their sketchbook journal pages for inclusion into "The Wilderness of North Florida's Parks" resulting in a family friendly book and traveling art exhibit.

Southlight Gallery's address is 201 N Hogan St. Take the Skyway (free parking at Prime Osborne convention station) and get off at Hemming Plaza station and walk 1/2 block down Hogan to my showcase. SHARE THIS EMAIL WITH OTHERS! Your vote counts and your support ($) adds up when a crowd does it! A unique blend of art and education, help me tell others about our amazing park system!

 Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve above

 Cumberland National Seashore above

 Theodore Roosevelt Area above

 Sketches for each of parks I want to paint next. Each frame has a park and attendees (who vote for my project) get to vote for which sketch of each of the 8 parks they think I should paint. Come and VOTE too!

 Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park

 Little Talbot Island State Park

 Featured in First Coast Magazine!

I am also on a Skyway pylon outside the gallery. Tony Wood painted each of our gallery artist for our gallery One Spark Project "Face to Face". Very smurf-like

VOTE Downtown at ONE SPARK Saturday 9 - 9, Sunday 9 - 11 am for my Project:

Those of you in Jacksonville, please come downtown to VOTE for my Project #437. My showcase is at the Southlight Gallery, 6 E. Bay Street, 2nd floor, at the corner of Bay Street and Main Street at the foot of the Main Street Bridge on ramp. We have a total of 40 creators on our floor and on the fourth floor. Help distribute the $250,000 crowdfund by attending and VOTE for my Project- The Wilderness of North Florida's Parks: 

The Wilderness of North Florida's Parks Project consists of completing a series of watercolor paintings of our area's park system. These paintings, in print form will become part of a traveling exhibit. Sketchbook journal pages will highlight the features and history of each park as well as highlight the non profit groups that preserve and protect our land and water. The park paintings and Sketchbook journal pages about the parks and non profit groups will be published as a coffee table book. Educational engagement will occur through exposing children to these wilderness parks, the art that can come from it and the opportunity to create their own Sketchbook Journal.

My Project page on the One Spark website: http://www.beonespark.com/discover/creator_projects/437

There is a project video you can watch on my page link above.

Preregister to vote: https://www.beonespark.com/voters/new

Smart phone users, upload the app: 'One Spark'

Check in on the app with your GPS on the phone and you are ready to vote, you don't even have to come to Southlight, just get downtown, check in and VOTE #437, done! Or check in at a voting kiosk and vote by text or later from the website and at home.

Our building, 2nd floor, 6 E. Bay Street, corner of Bay Street and Main Street

 Three prints of Hanna Park, and two of Theodore Roosevelt Area and project information, project team and project phases.

 Two original watercolors, Tillie Fowler Regional Park and Cumberland Island

 The four nonprofit groups that preserve and protect our land and water will be featured in the coffee table book and traveling print exhibit with sketchbook journal pages about their mission, goals, accomplishments and how to join and help them. They are St. Johns Riverkeeper, Timucuan Trail Parks Foundation, North Florida Land Trust and Greenscape. 

The wall elevation mock up of the traveling print exhibit.

Early supporters for the Project - their support helped pay for the printing and framing of the three prints and two original watercolors for the showcase which will become part of the traveling print exhibit. Thank you to those supporters.
THANKS FOR YOUR EFFORT TO ALL THAT HAVE ALREADY VISITED AND VOTED!
Like the Project Facebook page: The Wilderness of North Florida's Parks to follow progress of the Project after One Spark.
I've painted 5 paintings of four parks, help me paint 15 - 20 more and inspire people to go those parks and join and support the nonprofit groups that preserve and protect our land and water...

The Wilderness of North Florida's Parks PROJECT - ONE SPARK - April 17 - 21

 I am working on a creative and dynamic project called The Wilderness of North Florida's Parks 'sparked' by the upcoming crowdfunded festival ONE SPARK, April 17 - 21. Here is a description of the Project #437:

The Wilderness of North Florida's Parks Project consists of completing a series of large watercolor paintings of our wild and beautiful park system, all within one hour of downtown Jacksonville. Five paintings of four parks are done, 15 - 20 more parks are on the proposed list to complete.

These paintings, in print form will become a traveling print exhibit. Sketchbook Journal pages about each park - highlighting their features and history will accompany each print. 

The non profit groups that preserve and protect our land and water will each have Sketchbook Journal pages about their mission, their accomplishments, goals and how to join and help them. They are St. Johns Riverkeeper, Timucuan Trail Parks Foundation, North Florida Land Trust and Greenscape.

A coffee table book will be published containing the park paintings and the Sketchbook Journal pages about the parks and the non profit groups.

Educational engagement will occur by giving children and adults an opportunity to visit a wilderness park, learn about the art that can be created from it and make their own Sketchbook Journal pages through the use of template pages.

A geocaching element - interactive contest will be part of the exhibit and book to encourage people to GO TO OUR PARKS.

The traveling print exhibit, when shown around the area and elsewhere, along with the Book - will be useful tools to showcase to residents, students, visitors, and business investors, the wildness and beauty of the parks right here in our backyard. And inspire them to go there!

I'M ASKING YOU TO:

1. SHARE THIS EMAIL WITH FRIENDS who would be interested in this project.

2. "Like" THE PROJECT FACEBOOK PAGE: The Wilderness of North Florida's Parks. Share this page with your friends, comment and like posts on it.

3. Attend the $250,000 Crowdfunded ONE SPARK Festival, Wednesday April 17 at 3 pm through Sunday, April 22 ending at 11 am. Your VOTE for my Project #437 will help distribute the crowdfund by percentage of votes garnered per project - IF I get 10% of the vote, the Project gets $25,000 and so on...

My Showcase will be at the Southlight Gallery, 6 E. Bay Street, corner of Main and Bay Street, second floor, Dyal Upchurch Building.

4. My website homepage: www.kathystark.com has links on it to preregister to vote as an attendee, my Project Profile and a link to the Facebook page.

My Project Team - 
Project Advisor: John Ragsdale - Chairman of the Board of Directors, St. Johns Riverkeeper, retired Presbyterian minister/church executive.
Business Plan Advisor: Joe Eberly - retired Human Resources executive for Fidelity Information Services, and the Brumos Companies.
Book Designer: Wayne Wood - Arts Agitator, writer and publisher of 12 books on Jacksonville's history and architecture.

The Project is getting 'legs' to take it PAST One Spark! You can take part in it.

"Tillie Fowler Regional Park Hike" - watercolor H 51" W 31" Will be shown at OS.

2nd page of two page Sketchbook Journal entry for "Tillie Fowler", more Sketchbook Journal pages of the parks and non profit groups will be shown at OS.

The Phases of the Project, most will happen concurrently, except for the book.

"North Florida, Theodore Roosevelt Area, Series #1" Print will be shown at OS.

AND

"North Florida, Theodore Roosevelt Area, Series #2" Print will be shown at OS.

"Springtime Hammock, Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park" Print will be shown at OS.

"Cumberland Island Path" watercolor will be at OS. So this National Seashore is just over the border in GA but I am counting it because I kayaked to it from Ft. Clinch. And it is within one hour of Downtown Jacksonville.

"Little Talbot Island State Park" this watercolor to be H 35" W 51" will be in progress during OS.