Pictured: Michael Papadakis. Photo courtesy of PINC Sarasota.

With the imminent arrival of PINC 2018 on December 6, once again promising a day full of passionate speakers covering a broad and varied range of topics, SRQ went behind the scenes with a few of these incoming artists, activists and entrepreneurs for a quick taste of what’s to come. A sunlight artist, Michael Papadakis swaps the paint brush for the magnifying glass and uses the power of the sun to create his art. Dubbed heliography, it’s a practice few are familiar with.

SRQ: Why did you want to come to Sarasota and spend time with this audience in particular? Papadakis: I've always known Sarasota was a creative and influential place and when I heard about this opportunity I couldn't pass it up! I believe the Sun will be a great way to connect with the community of Sarasota, particularly because it is such a sunny place!

What is the best thing about using the sun as your medium? The Sun is always there. It will always rise, it will always set and, although there will be days of clouds, the Sun will always return. The most important thing I've taken from this art form is to never chase the sun because you will never catch it! I no longer check the weather reports; I live day by day, and all of a sudden it feels like it's always sunny just above my head.

What’s the most common reaction from people when you tell them you use sunlight as your medium? The most common reaction is what I'd describe as "Apprehensive Astonishment."  From children, it's always amazement as though they've just seen magic. With adults, it can be a combination of beauty and disbelief.

Pictured: Michael Papadakis. Photo courtesy of PINC Sarasota.