Island Art Association celebrates 50 years and eyes expansion

Fifty years ago, 10 Amelia Island artists gathered at the Atlantic Rec Center to discuss their love of art and desire to share it with the public. The Island Art Association was born.

It’s rare for a small, nonprofit, volunteer-based organization to endure for five decades, but that’s what the IAA has done. Since 1975, the assemblage of artists, art collectors, art students and supportive members of the community have enthusiastically promoted the fine arts — culminating last month with a 50th Anniversary Gala at the Courtyard/Springhill Suites hotel.

It appears that the island and artists belong together, says Lis Krawiecki, a ceramic artist and president of the IAA.

“This started as a group of artists who wanted to get together,” she says. “It seems as if artists just sort of came here. It’s such a beautiful place, and it attracts people like that.”

Fifty years ago, local artists displayed their works at the old schoolhouse on Atlantic Avenue (now the Amelia Schoolhouse Inn) and held art shows outside the old train depot. One of the 10 IAA founders, acrylic painter Georganna Mullis, remains a working artist on the island today.

Today, the organization has grown to include a co-op gallery with space for 48 artists, and is housed in the charming, pink stucco and mosaic-tile building on Second Street in downtown Fernandina Beach. Almost everyone recognizes the building, notes Krawiecki. However, the IAA plans to launch its sixth decade by helping Nassau County residents learn more about the organization beyond its unique building facade.

IAA isn’t just a gallery. While it promotes the work of juried artists, the organization also offers art lessons to the public and funds art lessons and scholarships for Nassau County School District students.

Offering more art classes to the public is a major goal of the group as it moves into its sixth decade, Krawiecki says.

“The biggest secret to us is the nonprofit side of us,” she says. “A lot of people think we’re just an art gallery and we’re selling art and ceramics and jewelry. But we spend most of our time trying to raise money to enhance and promote art in the community.”

The IAA building on Second Street consists of a gallery and an education building behind the courtyard. Classes are held in the education building, including fee-based classes in several types of painting and pottery as well as some free classes. An open studio is held twice weekly for artists of all mediums. Summer camps and a free monthly art class are held for children.

“Part of what’s kept us going is we’ve seen a need for people who want to express themselves,” Krawiecki says. “Our education building is wonderful for painting. But if we want to teach pottery and glass and jewelry and woodworking, we need another space.”

The IAA also is a key player in the annual Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, organizing the arts and crafts part of the festival. Each year, the IAA provides a blind jury to review hundreds of applications for Shrimp Festival booths. “It’s a year-round job,” Krawiecki says. “We already have 150 artists who have applied for next year’s festival.”

IAA has also been a key player in supporting the return of art classes to Nassau County School District students. When the district decided to return art lessons to students, IAA stepped in to help. It has provided $15,000 for this school year, Krawiecki says. The group also provides funds and support for art classes at the Council on Aging and Boys and Girls Clubs of Nassau County.

Moreover, each year, high school seniors are invited to apply for art scholarships. Three scholarships — in the amounts of $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 — are awarded. The county is awash with talented artists of all ages, she says.

“We have a special hallway, Nouveau Art Hall, that is open to anybody in the community to display art,” Krawiecki says. “Every March is the high school show where students from all over the county submit their artwork.”

The IAA hopes to launch a capital campaign to fund the construction of a second education building for community art lessons, Krawiecki says. However, the organization needs some indication that the community is ready to support the venture.

There are numerous ways to support IAA. Memberships are available now that will include the final two months of 2025 plus 2026. Memberships are $10 for students, $50 for an associate membership and $85 for a family membership. Exhibiting artist memberships, which must be juried into the IAA, cost $200 a year.

IAA is also seeking donations of $500 or more to seed a capital campaign. Each donor receives a ceramic art leaf that is mounted on a stunning piece of gallery wall art called the Giving Tree. Finally, about 50 pieces of art from IAA artists are on display at the Luna Fine Arts Gallery at the Courtyard/Springfield Suites, 2700 Atlantic Ave., until the end of the year. All proceeds will go to the IAA.

The IAA is the perfect place to shop for special holiday gifts, Krawiecki says, and the proceeds will help the gallery soar.

“We absolutely want to offer more classes to the public,” Krawiecki says. “But we need support to expand.”