ART IN THE PARK STARTING JUNE 8th, 2008

Announcing a very special outdoor art event open to all artists!Joan Regan (volunteer and organizer), of Narrows Botanical Gardens (NBG), and Georgine Benvenuto, photographer and Gallery 364 proprietor, have joined forces to create "ART IN THE PARK," a recurring event in Bay Ridge to celebrate the Sundays of summer.This very special series of shows will allow artists the opportunity to display and sell their works in a unique and pastoral setting: the Narrows Botanical Gardens - a 4.5 acre garden located at Shore Road and 71st St. in the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn."ART IN THE PARK" will be held the second Sunday of every month for the summer of 2008, from June 8th through September 14, 2008. Show hours are from 11 a.m. -4 p.m.; artists' setup time begins at 10 a.m. Mark your calendar for all four "ART IN THE PARK" dates for 2008: June 8, July 13, August 10 and September 14. "ART IN THE PARK" will take place rain or shine. Local photographers, painters, and a variety of mixed media artists will be selling their latest original art pieces.Artists interested in participating in "ART IN THE PARK" need to pre-register by contacting Joan Regan at joan@narrowsbg.org . Artists' spots are available only to those who have pre-registered. A $25 annual membership fee payable to the NBG will get you a spot for all four Sundays. Be the first to register - the first "ART IN THE PARK on June 8 is right around the corner!Gallery 364 is housed in an historic 1910 limestone, and is privately owned and operated by Benvenuto, a longtime Bay Ridge resident. Gallery 364 is the only fine arts studio/gallery in the Bay Ridge neighborhood and has been featured on Brooklyn Community Access Television and Channel 12. Gallery 364 offers affordable classes in digital and film photography, digital printing, painting, watercolor, drawing, and other media. Every month, the gallery conducts open competitions and the winners' artwork is displayed in a group show. If you'd like more information about Gallery 364, contact Georgine Benvenuto at 917-767-3848 or send an email to georgine@gallery364.com.The NBG was created in 1995 and is maintained by a group of dedicated volunteers. Formerly an abandoned part of Shore Road Park that had been allowed to decline, the NBG is now a meticulously-kept garden and greenspace that has become a cornerstone of Bay Ridge. Every year, the NBG hosts major events in the park: Outdoor Movies on the Lawn; the Halloween Canine Costume Contest; and the Craft Fair and Art Show, to name a few. Overlooking the Narrows, the NBG affords nature-lovers the chance to admire several Rose Gardens, a Redwood Grove, an Alpine Garden, a Moon Garden, and a Butterfly Garden, among others. For more information about the Narrows Botanical Gardens, log on to www.narrowsbg.org.