Pictured: Creative Liberties studio artists. Photo courtesy of Creative Liberties.

Creative Liberties Artist Studios and Gallery, based on a foundation of artists helping artists, continues its season’s offerings with an all-packed May. It starts with a reception and party for the Spring Exhibition at Art Ovation, Thursday, May 11; 6 p.m. The exhibit is "Onaelan,” featuring the work of 10 Creative Liberties studio artists. The event includes a reception at 6 p.m., followed by a party at the Perspectives Rooftop Bar. Meet the artists, walk the galleries, enjoy hors d'oeuvres, champagne, signature cocktails and live entertainment. Featured Creative Liberties artists are: Elizabeth Goodwill, Barbara Gerdeman, Jie Li, Adrienne Watts, Sandy Koolkin, Drita Hajroja, Jeff Vasington, Donna Bergman, Traci Kegerreis, and Lisa DiFranza. Creative Liberties presents the Summer Second Saturday Open Studios, Saturday, May 13, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. All three Creative Liberties locations will be open along with six other local area studios. Visit www.creativeliberties.net for a full listing of studios (and addresses) that will be participating. Join Creative Liberties for an opening reception to welcome artists David Munoz and Emily Baar as the May and June artists-in-residence at Gaze Gallery, Thursday, May 18, 5-7 p.m. Creative Liberties at Gaze Gallery is located in the ARCOS Apartments at 340 Central Avenue in the Rosemary District, Sarasota. There will be beverages and lite bites. Finally, bring the whole family for Family Art Day, Saturday, May 27, 9 a.m.- noon. These free monthly events feature interactive art-creating sessions led by professional artists. Artist Drita Dawn will lead families in a creative project that is suitable for all age and skill levels. No RSVP is required. This is a free program, made possible by generous funding from the Floyd C Johnson and Flo Singer Johnson Foundation. Creative Liberties Artist Studios and Gallery was founded in November 2021 by Barbara Gerdeman and Elizabeth Goodwill, both artists and art educators. Goodwill explains that they launched this venture “to empower regional artists with a variety of business services and studio and exhibition opportunities.” Creative Liberties is a collective, communal space that provides work and display space for local artists. There are also display walls available for non-studio artists to rent. The enterprise recently celebrated the openings of two more locations at 927 N Lime Avenue that features 10 new studio artists, additional gallery walls and the Creative Academy classroom/ community space; and at 340 Central Avenue, which offers limited-time artist residencies for work and display space. "We are overwhelmed in the best way possible by how quickly Creative Liberties has been able to grow. We are extremely grateful for the incredible support we have received from the community, including from the public, the artists, the arts advocates and the media. This support is the catalyst to the rapid growth we've experienced,” says Gerdeman.

For more information about Creative Liberties, visit www.creativeliberties.net; call 941-799-6634 or email info@creativeliberties.net. The Limelight studios are open to the public, Thursday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and Sunday to Wednesday by appointment. The Rosemary artists residency at Gaze Gallery is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Pictured: Creative Liberties studio artists. Photo courtesy of Creative Liberties.