Mary Davis Wallace speaks about public art at the April 10x10 Series. Photo by Nicholas Ferris.

At last Thursday’s 10x10 Series, presented by Halflants and Pichette Architects, speakers from various local circles shared compelling stories about their work and lives. During the event, ten speakers, each an expert in their field, are challenged to create a ten-slide presentation, with only 30 seconds to speak about each slide. While the presenters work in a vast array of areas, from commercial real estate to painting, their talks all shared some element of what inspires them.

For some presenters, like Ian Black, founder of Ian Black Real Estate, travel and time spent with family drive him forward. He spoke about his childhood in Ireland, his fascination with the countries of Israel and Panama and his love for his wife. “What keeps me going are our two daughters and three wonderful grandchildren. We live our lives vicariously through them. They keep us going and we love them,” he said.

Other speakers, like creative director and educator Amanda Elsbree, discussed the ways that fashion, dance and design move her, displaying images of vintage clothing and connecting them to costumes worn to this day during ballet performances. Artist Tim Jaeger offered the audience a glimpse into his process of turning beach observations into vibrant paintings of people floating on inner tubes by the shore. “I started flying drones over our beaches about 10 years ago, looking at how people arranged themselves there and embracing the rich colors that are all around us, which evolved into different paintings,” adds Jaeger. “I got into texture. With artificial intelligence and everything that’s around us now, I wanted to create something with a surface. While technology is constantly in our faces, you can never fall out of love with a real painting.”

Although each speaker’s relationship with their own sources of inspiration remains an intimate experience, their presentations illustrate their enthusiasm for sharing that spark of an idea with the rest of the world. Senior Planner and Public Art Manager for the city of Sarasota Mary Davis Wallace delved into the importance of public art for all people. “Public art planning is the intersection of planning and placemaking. We try to create beautiful spaces and utilize public art in different ways and stages,” she says. From an image of a giant smiley face squished into an alley to a cloudlike fountain in a park, she examined how this kind of art impacts communities. “Public art is always one of the best places to intervene in a person’s day-to-day life,” adds Wallace, eager to pass the inspirational baton on to the community and mirror the goals of the 10x10 to bring everyone together.

The 10x10 Series will return on May 25th for the first time in Tampa. The next Sarasota event will occur this fall. For more information, visit 10slides10speakers.com.

Mary Davis Wallace speaks about public art at the April 10x10 Series. Photo by Nicholas Ferris.