26 NAPLES ILLUSTRATED
INSIDER
HEAVY METAL
ART EXHIBIT
“All of the artists I represent and myself—
we’re all makers,” says Kosmas Ballis, who
owns KAJ Gallery in Naples with friend
Jason Taylor, a plastic surgeon in Los Ange-
les. “My background is making ceramics, but
I’m just really passionate about furthering
contemporary art.”
Determined for the small gallery to make
a big statement, Ballis is bringing in mas-
sive metal sculptures by Rob Lorenson that
will be on display through December. While
the Boston artist has a 17-foot-tall stainless
steel work at 3530 Kraft Road in Naples and
a 16-foot-tall aluminum work at 13350 Metro
Parkway in Fort Myers—both permanentpieces designed to juxtapose the
office buildings—the sculptures at
KAJ Gallery will be less unwieldy.
“We’ll be rotating the pieces
outside, so there’ll be new works
throughout the exhibit,” Ballis says,
adding that Lorenson also creates
indoor-sized sculptures as well. His
first public commission in Florida,
installed a decade ago, sits in front of
Five Points Plaza in Sarasota.
When asked how the Naples
art market differs from, say, Los Angeles or
Miami, Ballis replies that larger cities typi-
cally target trends. “While that’s good, I liketo focus on artwork that has more of a lifes-
pan. People here really appreciate things that
endure.” (kajartgallery.com) —L.G.Colorful and inviting,
the newly opened Aunt
Janet’s House for Avow
Kids bereavement and loss
programs provides space
for meetings, activities, and therapy.
Financial support for renovation
of the existing house on the Avow
campus in Naples was provided by
area philanthropist Janet Cohen,
who also supports Golisano
Children’s Hospital of Southwest
Florida and the Fran Cohen Youth
Center, named in memory of her
daughter who died of breast
cancer in 2010. Additionally, Avow
recently received a $75,000 grant
from the Naples Children & Educa-
tion Foundation, founders of the
Naples Winter Wine Festival. Avow
Kids has offered free bereavement
services for Collier County children
ages 5-17 for 36 years.“I value the grief process and be-
lieve in a supportive environment for
children who have experienced loss,”
says Cohen, the center’s namesake.
“It’s so important to provide a cozy,
home-like place to help with healing
as well as provide opportunities for
music and art therapies.”
Avow also helps children pro-
cess other types of loss, such as di-
vorce, instability in the foster-care
system, or deployed or incarcer-
ated family members. Support is
in the form of in-school workshops,
one-on-one sessions, family
groups, day and overnight camps,
and special activities. (avowcares.
org) —Loretta GranthamLOVE
& LOSS
Below: Janet Cohen
(center) with Studio+’s
Vanessa Pena (left) and Pa-
tricia Rice-Spivey. Studio+
donated interior design
services, carpet, and base-
boards to the home.Rob Lorenson’s stainless
steel sculpture on Kraft
Road in Naples. Below right:
Lorenson’s aluminum Niagara
Marquette piece, which he’s
done in more than 20 colors.ROB^ LORENSONROB^ LORENSONJOEL^COLLAZO