Madonna WILLIAMS – DEDICATED ARTISTS of southwest florida inc

Featured Artist
Madonna WILLIAMS

Raised in an Irish neighborhood of Buffalo, New York with my first and second generation German family made for a very small-town atmosphere. Grandma ruled the kitchen so that ruled out learning to cook. As an only child, I had fun by gravitating to the basement after diner to do projects with Dad. I had to draw up the plans for him to cut the wood with his power tools. Planning, assembling, sanding and painting boxes was my ‘thing.’ A fond memory is helping him build a garage and mixing cement by hand with a hoe.

One elementary school project featured a hinged plywood cover with an India inked map of Brazil dad cut on the scroll saw and another had line drawings of presidents. Reading horse stories led to pencil drawings of horses. I had a talent for artwork. Art was the perfect quiet outlet in a small home with three generations sharing one bathroom!

As a middle school and high school science teacher, I created and illustrated lab worksheets and projects for classes, the school district and even a national middle school conference in New York City. Moving to Florida in 2004 was a childhood dream after family vacations from the Florida Panhandle to Key West began back in the 1940s.

Real art lessons began when I joined the Cape Coral club. Painting monthly program projects with many talented teachers has helped me develop painting skills. I identify myself as a hobbyist, not an ‘artist’, and am honored to occasionally be called on to teach one of my paintings as a program.

The link between staying in touch with other people and health is profound with one in two adults reporting loneliness. DASF was important to me for the friendships I’ve made, so, when our SDP Chapter wanted to withdraw from International it was an opportunity to research the Internet to learn how to keep the club operating. I registered the new Dedicated Artists as a public charity with the state of Florida in 2019 with a mission of building social connections for members. Low cost monthly art projects do just that.

German ethnic values of organizing and thriftiness have been a high priority since childhood so designing and maintaining a website, annual budgeting, and fund-raising at Winter Luncheon fits right in to what I do best. So, thanks to DASF for all the fun I’ve had and friends I’ve made since joining in 2005. And thanks to all the real Featured Artists who have helped me along the way.