Arte dell’ Orchidea, a fine art exhibition and auction, was held Saturday, October 9 and Sunday October 10 at The Italian American Civic Association (IACA), 1600 25th Street, Vero Beach, Florida, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the organization’s high school scholarship fund. Event sponsors included Hometown News, Florida Eye Institute, Panera Bread, Carrabba’s and FlHomes of ExP Realty LLC .

Doors opened art and a silent auction began, 5-7 pm, Saturday, October 9. A ticketed dinner started at 7 pm ($25 per person). Musician Kenny Clarke performed during the dinner event. Clarke is a jazz organist and pianist, who plays a wide variety of genres from Latin and Blues to American Songbook. He performs regularly at the Grind + Grape, Vero Beach, FL.

Two events were scheduled on Sunday, October 10: 2-4 pm a family art rvrny with food provided by Panera Bread, an activity painting the vibrant houses of Positano located on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, a video presentation was given by children’s author and illustrator Camy De Mario, and fine artist Cynthia Colella painted on location outside the IACA building; 5-8 pm an artist reception and the final day of the silent art auction was held. An Italian pasta dinner was available for $8.00, and beverages were for sale in the club bar. The silent art auction winners were announced at 7 pm on Sunday.

With the theme “From the Amalfi Coast to the Treasure Coast,” Arte dell’ Orchidea featured artworks in three categories: Treasure Coast of Florida locations and coastal art, Italian scenes, and the Italian American heritage. Each featured artist created one piece of artwork for the silent art auction during the event, with proceeds from the silent art auction benefiting the IACA’s local high school scholarship fund.

Ella Chabot, creator of GetShotByElla.com, was one of five artists with works showcased in the exhibition. Other exhibiting artists included Judy Burgarella, Camy De Mario, Lynn DiMenna, and Cynthia Colella. Additionally, the exhibit spotlighted the IACA’s permanent art collection of paintings by the late Vero Beach artist Alyce Spinosa, composed of Italian scenes including Mount Etna, Sicily; the Bay of Naples; Venice; Pompeii; The Castle Sant’ Angelo, Rome; and Marina Adriatica, Abruzzi.

Judy Burgarella’s fine art encompasses painting, drawing and sculpting, utilizing an array of mediums. Portraiture is her preferred genre, though she is also extremely skilled at landscapes, seascapes, still life and animals. A professional fine artist and teacher for over 20 years, she has exhibited in numerous solo and group shows.

Camy De Mario is a fine artist, author, illustrator, and screenwriter, giving voice in her creations to unique characters as well as manifesting bright, colorful imaginative artworks. Born in Milan, Italy before relocating to the US in 1995, De Mario’s children’s book and animated short film The World I Want To See is selected by and a finalist in several international film festivals. Her website: www.camydemario.com

Lynn DiMenna is an accomplished portrait artist acclaimed for her true to life images created in oil pastel. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree at Dunbarton College of the Holy Cross with a major in Applied Art. With an extensive career in music and radio, DiMenna is also a gifted singer and performer.

Cynthia Colella is a contemporary impressionist, whose landscape and wildlife oil paintings are created outdoors in the landscape. Her work focuses on documenting and preserving Florida’s natural habitats, agricultural and ranching history. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from the University of Miami and has worked as a professional fine artist and teacher for over 20 years. Highlights of her extensive juried museum and gallery exhibitions include the Lowe Art Museum, Coral Gables, and The Hortt, Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale.

Ella Chabot is a multi-media fine artist and photographer, also creating with recycled materials. The first “Artist Spotlight” featured by visitindianriver.com in April 2021, Chabot exhibited internationally for the first time in November 2019 at International Print and Artworks on Paper, Euskalduna Palace, Bilbao, Spain.

Participating as a guest artist in the Arte dell’ Orchidea silent art auction was fine artist Daniela Zaharia, who donated her painting “Mystic lake,” acrylic on canvas to the event. “I love to create paintings that tell a story both to me and to others about the world and the people around us,” says Zaharia.

The IACA Board of directors with club president Tom Aspromonte collaborated with IACA member and past officer Marta Bertoldo, Realtor with Exp Realty LLC in Vero Beach along with IACA member and artist Chabot on this event to benefit the club’s local high school scholarship program..