All entries for February 2015

Alfstad& Opens New Exhibit Today, Reception With Artist Tonight

Posted by Philip Lederer on Saturday Feb 28, 2015 11:41 am

Newly opened Alfstad& Contemporary Art Gallery opens its second show today, debuting a collection of large-scale constructions, paintings, drawings and serigraphs from Ringling College professor and three-time resident artist with the Hermitage Artist Retreat, Michael Wyshock. An opening reception tonight at 5pm is the community’s chance to meet the artist and discuss the work.

Entitled “Devil’s Swamp,” the vibrant colors and energetic compositions first seem at odds with the name, but the artist’s process informs the darkness which the name evokes. Utilizing found objects, much of the work comes from objects Wyshock collected following the aftermath of the tragedy that was Hurricane Katrina. The great canvases are actually abandoned tarps stitched together; the title piece is crafted from the remains of a fallen fence, cut reeds, cloth and rope, all reinvented through Wyshock’s touch.

“When Michael [Wyshock] took us inside and showed us “Devil’s Swamp,” I was floored,” said Sam Alfstad, owner and operator of Alfstad&, who paid Wyshock a visit at his studio. “The history of the piece, the technique, the color, the wild combination of materials – I knew it was a master work, a really important work.”

Following the previous exhibit – a sculptural exploration called “Rubber, Metal and Stone” – Wyshock’s work, exquisite on its own, within this context hints at a varied approach for the new gallery as well, not tied down by medium or content.

“There is a wealth of undiscovered art talent in Sarasota,” said Sam Alfstad, owner and operator of the gallery. “And at Alfstad& we want to help bring these artists to art lover’s attention.”

“Devil’s Swamp” opens today at Alfstad& Contemporary and runs until Mar. 27. The opening reception with the artist begins at 5pm this afternoon.

Mote Founder Eugenia Clark Dies

Posted by Jacob Ogles on Wednesday Feb 25, 2015 10:26 pm

Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium announced Wednesday evening that founder Eugenie "Genie" Clark had died. She was 92. Clark, referred to affectionately as the "Shark Lady," founded Mote 60 years ago.

Clark died from complications from lung cancer. She was active with marine research even late in life, and took her last ocean dive in late 2014 in the Gulf of Aqaba to do research still under peer review. Clark conducted 71 submersible dives as deep as 12,000 feet and led over 200 field research expeditions to the Red Sea, Caribbean, Mexico, Japan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Thailand, Indonesia and Borneo to study sand fishes, whale sharks, deep sea sharks and spotted oceanic triggerfish, Mote officials said. She wrote three popular books and more than 175 articles, including research publications in leading peer-reviewed journals such as Science and a dozen popular stories in National Geographic magazine.

She founded Mote in 1955 as the Cape Haze Marine Laboratory; it took on the Mote designation, named for a benefactor, in 1967. Clark would also join the zoology faculty at the University of Maryland from 1968 to 1992.

“There was absolutely no one like Genie Clark,” said Dr. Michael P. Crosby, President and CEO of Mote. “Her fascination with fishes and dedication to research changed marine science forever; her life story set an example for women in science and countless others who are striving to make a positive impact; her graciousness and warmth opened hearts and made ocean knowledge more accessible to many; and above all, her leadership and legacy sparked a tradition of world-class marine research and education that will continue for generations. Her passion for science and her freedom to pursue that science at Mote continue to inspire us all.”

New Saks GM Announced at UTC Store

Posted by Jacob Ogles on Tuesday Feb 24, 2015 11:18 am

Saks Fifth Avenue today announced that Terri Najmolhoda will take on the role of Vice President, General Manager, Sarasota, and will be in charge of the Saks location at University Town Center, the first full-line Saks store to open in a decade. She succeeds Joel Ellzey, who opened the new store in October before taking on a position as Vice President, General Manager, Boston.

Najmolhoda previously held a similar post in Chevy Chase, Maryland for a Saks location there. In the new post, Najmolhoda will report to Kim Nye, Sakes senior vice president and regional director of stores for this part of the country. Najmolhoda has worked in national retail since 1987 for such companies as U.S. Shoe Corporation, Banana Republic and Dayton Hudson Marshall Fields. She joined Saks in 2008 and has worked in Troy, Michigan and in Florida stores in Boca Raton and Tampa.

Police: Body, Most Likely Missing Ex-Councilman, Found in Venice

Posted by Jacob Ogles on Wednesday Feb 18, 2015 1:46 pm

Venice Police believe they have found the body of missing ex-City Councilman David Sherman. Police Chief Tom McNulty said a body was found north of the Pinebrook Park fitness trail, dead from an apparent... More »

Kathy Baylis, EDC founding president, Dies

Posted by Jacob Ogles on Monday Feb 16, 2015 2:28 pm

Kathy Baylis, founding executive director of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County, has died following a years-long battle with cancer. She was 67. Baylis ushered the creation of the... More »

Former Superintendent Gene Witt Dies

Posted by Jacob Ogles on Thursday Feb 5, 2015 3:55 pm

School officials in both the Sarasota County School District and Manatee County School District today confirmed the death of former Superintendent of Schools Gene Witt.  “I am very sorry to... More »

Ringling Team Wins Imagineering Competition

Posted by Jacob Ogles on Tuesday Feb 3, 2015 3:48 pm

A team of students from Ringling College of Art and Design won first place at the 24th Walt Disney Imagineering Imaginations. The annual contest, held since 1992, has been one of the cief ways the... More »

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