April 10 and 11 from 9 AM- 4 PM at the Kimal Event Center in Venice (follow the signs). 

“Green Fest” Venice Style with the combined efforts of Kimal Lumber Company and the Venice Area Garden Club is shaping up to be something grand. “ Earth-Our Shining Jewel” will be a Flower Show and Family Friendly Festival with Demonstrations and Presentations for Green Enthusiasts of all ages.

Commissioner, Jon Thaxton who is recognized as one of Southwest Florida’s preeminent advocates for protecting our natural environment will be on hand at 10 AM on Saturday, April 10^th for the ribbon cutting.

At 2 PM on April 10 another notable participant will be taking center stage, Jack Perkins.  Jack is known best for his career in television as host for “Biography” on A & E. Upon retiring to Florida, he began pursuing photography and poetry combining those art forms to produce two books:  “Acadia: Visions and Verse”, and “Island Prayers:  Photographs and Poems of Praise.” The public will be able to hear more about his inspirational “Poetography” up close and personal. Book signing and purchase also possible.  Other scheduled presenters include Fleet Feet, Landscapers, Green Builders, Yoga, Flower Designers…

In “Frog Hollow”, the children activities include face painting, puppeteers, stage door dancers, green plantings and art exhibit of the Earth Day Posters submitted by the elementary schools’ art classes.

Over 40 vendors with a “green” theme will be on hand, as well as a juried flower show, raffles, food, fun.  Admission is FREE for this first time ever event.

The Lieder Theatre Company from Australia will present The Colour Play, directed by Chrisjohn Hancock.

Romania’s production of Shakespeare, I Love You comes from Wake Art Theatre. It is written and directed by Sorin Misiriantu.

Representing the United States is Delta Center Stage from Greenville, Mississippi with their production of Sanctified.

Israel will present the original drama,Sheket Hogegim.

Italy will present L’Ora della Perla (Blue Day) by Alessandro Corazzi.

Singapore’s Chinese Opera Institute will present the opera Painted Skin.

From the country of Georgia: GEORGIAN MODERN THEATRE CENTER will bring their play, AUSCHWITZ, by Devid Zane Mairowitz. Directed by Irakli Gogia.

Theatre Maneken of Russia will present William Gibson’s She Who Made The Miracle (The Miracle Worker).

Maguey (Cie Theatrale et Centre Culturel) from Lima, Peru will present Wili Pinto’s Inticha y el Pajaro Nubero (Inticha and the Cloud Bird).

Combining theatre, puppetry and the circus arts, Brazil’s entry is Circo Poeira, designed by Caio Stolai and Beto Lima.

Sarasota Artist, Beth Wilson (left) visiting with Claudia Eaton who invested in one of Beth’s original oils this week entitled Red Sails in the Sunset. Pure Serendipity that they were in gallery at the same time. Fun!

Von, Former Owner and Great Designer stopped in to say Hi!  All in all an exciting week of personalities and a great one for sales.  Hope YOU will stop by for a little chat soon, too.

Well known for his line drawings of Sarasota and Manatee counties historic buildings, Richard Capes has developed a distinctive style that has become his personal trademark and that adds a flourish or a touch of Baroque to recreate the idea of each individual site in a time capsule mode.

Richard Capes is locally known as “The Artistic Chronicler of the Area” of Florida’s West Coast, but he was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He obtained both a bachelors and masters degree in art from the University of Georgia. He has exhibited and won honors for his paintings that have been shown in all fifty states and Europe. The Sarasota Video Archives inducted him into the artist hall of fame in 1998.

Two official United States Postal Service Commemorative Cancellations Stamps were created from his original paintings of historical sites in Florida.

“The Flying Wing Pavilion at Venice Beach” • 20X10 S/N Print $30 • 38X20 S/N Print $125

“The Jetties and Venice Beach” • 20X10 S/N Print $30 • 38X20 S/N Print $125

“It’s Time to Visit Venice” • 24X31 S/N Art Poster $30

“Sharky’s on the Pier” • 14X11 S/N Print $30 • 20X16 Framed $135

“Sharky’s Dining on the Deck” • 14X11 S/N Print $30

“Venice Little Theatre” (several Venice Area scenes available as prints and cards)

Award winning artist Ruth Höök Colby expresses her vision through the medium of pastel. She prefers pastel for its versatility, immediacy and vibrant color. Her enjoyment and perfection of this medium, in both abstract and realistic interpretations has won acclaim with numerous awards nationally and internationally. She has attained signature membership with both the Southeastern Pastel Society and Degas Pastel Society winning an award with SPS in the Open International Juried Exhibit at Oglethorpe University Museum in Atlanta, GA. For many years her paintings have been featured in national and international juried exhibitions throughout the United States, this year winning two awards in the Richeson 75 Landscape, Seascape and Architectural competition. She is the recipient of a Distinguished Alumni Award from Bradford Alumni Assoc. in Kenosha, WI and is included in the Best of America, Pastel Artists and Artisans 2007. Ms. Colby was one of 10 finalists internationally selected in a competition sponsored by Pastel Artist International magazine (September/October 2002 edition).

Colbys work is in the permanent collection at the Belk Library at Appalachian State University, Boone, NC and included in private collections throughout the United States and Europe.

In addition to studies at the Ringling School of Art and Design and Manatee Community College, Ms. Colby as participated in numerous workshops with nationally recognized artists such as Katherine Chang Liu, Doug Dawson, Susan Ogilvie, Albert Handell, Doug Dawson and Alan Flattmann.
She is a pastel instructor at the Venice Art Center and Art Center Sarasota.

Selected Juried Exhibitions
Degas Pastel Society, Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, Laurel, MS
Pastels Only solo exhibit at FL. W. Coast Symphony Center, Sarasota, FL
Renaissance in Pastel, 12th Annual National Pastel Exhibition, W. Hartford, CT
Art Encounter 2000ne, 2003, Von Liebig Art Center, Naples, FL
Southeastern Pastel Soc. International, Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art, Marietta, GA
Eighth Biennial National Exhib. Pastel Society of N. Florida, Ft. Walton Beach, FL
Hilton Head National Exhibit, Hilton Head, SC
The Artists National, Coastal Center for the Arts, St. Simon Island, GA
Pastels on Cape Cod, Creative Arts Center, Chatham, MA
Selby Gallery, Ringling School of Art and Design, Sarasota, FL
Pastels U.S.A., Sacramento Fine Arts Center, Carmichael, CA

“Palm Shadows” • 16X12 Giclee Print on Paper $90 • 24X18 Giclee Print on Paper $180

“Peaceful Harbor” • 30X24 Giclee on Canvas $600

“Flowering Palm” • 24X13.5 Limited Edition Giclee Print $150

“Path to Serenity” • 22X18 Limited Edition Giclee Print $130

“Palm I & Palm II” • 8X10 each Vivid Colored Giclees on Tile

“Myakka River” • Available in canvas, paper or tile

Filippo’s early paintings combined childhood memories of his Italian neighborhood and his love of De Chirico’s works. This period explored the particular importance of the intensity of light and the power of shadows.

With a move to the west coast, the rustic colors of the Malibu canyons and the moody blues of the Pacific Ocean became his dominant
inspiration. His beach scenes with the Southern California lifeguard towers became well known in the area. His work was shown in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Young Artists Program and is still prized in such prestigious personal collections as those of Ms. Annie Getty, Ms. Jean Huntington and Mr. Elliot Gould.

Filippo’s artistic explorations and personal study, eventually developed into an architectural style as he explored the use of “chiaroscuro”. During this time his subject matter was chosen and intentionally manipulated to explore that unique relationship. This style has been described as ’shadowminimalism’.

With a move to the South of France came a lust for color, freedom of artistic expression and new visions. The colors of the wine, flowers, fruits and the red earth of Provence hat gave inspiration to the Fauvists were still alive and working their magic for Filippo. Exploring the village antique markets and ‘vide- greniers’ brought many surprise finds, hief among them Japanese prints and art pieces that touched Filippo’s inner need for organization and order.

Filippo’s work today blends these sentiments into a new vision, through a meticulous mosaic technique by extensive use of layered under-paintings juxtaposed against the intense color tones in the foreground. Color fragments in an abstract tapestry, which are as important as the subject.

“Cabanon” • 34X28 Framed Giclee on Canvas • $425

“Etang” • 32X40 Unframed Giclee on Canvas • $650

“Perroquet” • 30X40 Giclee on Canvas • $580

“Koi” • 18X24 Giclee on Paper • $145

“Symetrie” • 21X26 Available as Original or Giclee

“Chene Ancien” • Available as Original or Giclee

Art Note: 

The Clydesdale is celebrated in one of the most popular images of rural life, G. W. Lambert’s painting “Across the Black Soil Plains”.