For the last week, visitors to the Ringling Museum of Art have raved about the latest installation from multi-media artist Anne Patterson, with its near 24 miles of hanging ribbon transforming the newly opened Keith D. and Linda L. Monda Gallery of Contemporary Art into an otherworldly experience before any other first impressions could be made. But the New York-based artist did not stop there, trekking across town to Alfstad& Contemporary, where her latest installation, Airidescence, opens today with a selection of watercolors, wire sculpture and ribbon installation comprising a triadic exploration of color, line and movement.

Upon entry, Patterson’s deft manipulation of the space is apparent, with every eyeline occupied and intrigued. To the left, a massive wire sculpture entitled The Sea Is My Sky loops across the wall to a collection of vibrant watercolors. Above, perforated steel slabs hang suspended, ribbons pouring through and streaming to the floor straight as an arrow and startlingly still, their delicacy offsetting the industrial rigidity of the metal. Patterson’s work thrives on this juxtaposition, employing materials and concepts seemingly in opposition and wrangling their inherent push and pull into a harmonious pulse. Steel begets ribbon, metal wire floats and the watercolors on the wall advertise stark and forceful strokes.

“I’m trying to create a leap into my world,” says Patterson of the installation, “which is really full of color and shape—like a total break from reality.” Maybe not a total break, but Patterson’s synesthesia—wherein music brings with it visual stimulation in the form of color and shape—does grant a fresh perspective to what could, in the hands of another artist, be just another landscape. On one wall hangs a series of watercolors depicting ocean rocks off the coast of Rhode Island, their explosive color and abstracted forms coming as much from the objects themselves as the music of Michael Gandolfi and his composition, The Garden of Cosmic Speculation, which Patterson listened to while painting. “His music is very colorful for me,” she says, in contrast to something like Mozart’s Requiem, which appears to her largely as a greyish blue. “But [Gandolfi’s] music takes you on a huge journey and I was really connecting to the movements and shape of his music.”

And movement drives Patterson—another reason she finds herself drawn to watercolor in all its unpredictability and immediacy. Whereas oils and acrylics offer numerous opportunities to rethink and edit the work, watercolor by its nature embraces the initial action fully, becoming part of the page once the mark is made and rarely open to negotiation. “Watercolor is a bit of a dance,” she muses. “You don’t have control and you never know exactly what’s going to happen.” But she enjoys the happy accidents, she says, because that’s when the painting becomes a conversation.

Airidescence opens tonight at Alfstad& Contemporary with a reception with the artist. The exhibit runs until December 9. 

Pictured: "If You Look Hard Enough The Light Is There" by Anne Patterson. Photo courtesy of Alfstad& Contemporary.

For nearly seven years as curator of modern and contemporary art at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Matthew McLendon has worked with artists both regional and international to build a vibrant and accepting atmosphere for modern and contemporary art within the museum and out. This week, McLendon announced that he would be leaving the Ringling come January 2017 to take over as director of the Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia.

Through programs such as the Art of Our Time initiative, which celebrated and supported contemporary artists like Trenton Doyle Hancock, whose work did not always fit the rigid contours of museum taxonomy, McLendon not only expanded the purview of the storied institution but simultaneously brought it closer to its roots and the bold tenure of its first director, Arthur "Chick" Everett Austin. That mission lives on, McLendon says, left in the capable hands of Executive Director Steven High, Curator of Performance Dwight Currie and Associate Curator of Photography Chris Jones, and he “would not even entertain the notion” of leaving were that not the case.

“The contemporary program here at the Ringling is well on its way and supported in such a way that it will continue well into the future,” McLendon says. With the recent opening of the Keith D. and Linda L. Monda Gallery of Contemporary Art complementing the revamped Searing gallery spaces and the upcoming Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion, McLendon leaves the Ringling with near 10,000 square feet dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Instead of lamenting his departure, he points to the possibilities inherent in introducing a new voice to the curatorial staff of the museum in his successor, “which is important and should be very exciting for everyone,” he says.

Still, the departure is bittersweet, says McLendon.“I love the Ringling, I love Sarasota and Sarasota has been so good and wonderful to me in every way,” he says. “It’s difficult to leave, but Sarasota will always be home to me.” And he’ll take a little bit of Ringling with him to Fralin: “Chick Austin will always be one of my professional touchstones. The lessons I learned from what Chick did at the Ringling, I will carry with me always.”

As the move to Virginia nears, it’s time to see old friends, nab some beach time and revisit some favorite restaurants, he says, summing up his time with the Ringling and Sarasota in three words: “Supported. Encouraged. Optimistic.” 

Pictured: Matthew McLendon. Photo by Daniel Perales.

Get groovy with these '60s-inspired sunnies, perfectly positioned between fashion and functionality. Stop by eyewear boutique Ioptics, located in the heart of Burns Court, and try these beauties on first-hand. Designer TOD’s constructs an alluring mix of rose gold lenses and a hand-made gold-tinged frame, allowing them to fit seamlessly on all face shapes. If appearance alone doesn’t convince you to purchase, functionality will. With 100 percent UVA and UVB protection and a scratch-resistant exterior, these glasses are made to last. Sport anytime day or night for major love and peace vibes and become a true spectacle from the past.

Ioptics, 446 Burns Ct., Sarasota, 941-955-5133.

The smell of seafood is in the air as Chef Don Schoenburg from the Coral House whips up his seafood pasta, ideal for an elegant evening. Stemming from the Italian verb pappare—or “to gobble up”—Chef Schoenburg’s pappardelle contains locally made pasta from Tampasta, perfectly pairing with the tossed-in seafood. Fresh local fish, Key West pink shrimp, PEI mussels, baby octopus and scallops get cooked in a white wine garlic butter sauce, enhancing the dish’s aroma, not to mention the taste—the bursting flavors of cooked-to-perfection fish. Schoenburg picks up freshly baked french baguettes from C’est la Vie every morning which he slices, toasts and adds to the plate to use for soaking up the broth at the bottom. “I love the use of all the different seafoods in one dish,” he says. “The tenderness of the pasta brings the dish together and some say the bread is the best part. There are times when I’ve thought about serving the dish with a straw.” A true taste of seafood at its finest, this plate matches perfectly with a glass of chardonnay. 

The Coral House, 8389 South Tamiami Trail, 941-365-4232. www.thecoralhousesrq.com

The Coral House is a member of Nosh, the SRQ magazine content marketing program for local restaurants. 

Coral House

Families in the Sarasota-Bradenton community have a new playground to enjoy now that the Ronald A. Balducci Playground and Event Garden at Nathan Benderson Park (NBP) has opened. Located on the northern end of the park, the playground is the newest addition to the Sarasota County park. Named in memory of Ronald A. Balducci, the playground will be a fun gathering place for parents, children and friends. It will be open daily during regular park hours and the pavilion will soon be available to rent for birthday parties and special events. 

Nathan Benderson Park

Gateway Bank of Southwest Florida has achieved the rank of Top Lender in dollar volume of small business administration loans for the most recent fiscal year in both Sarasota and Manatee Counties. This is per the South Florida District Office of the US Small Business Administration, an agency of the United States government. Gateway Bank of Southwest Florida is an independent community bank serving business and consumer banking clients in Sarasota and Manatee counties.  

Gateway Bank

Cheryl Woodard, parking supervisor for the City of Sarasota, is the recipient of the Florida Parking Association’s 2016 Carol Easterling Award, for the Central Region. This award recognizes an individual’s exemplary professionalism and work ethic in the parking industry. Woodard is one of three statewide finalists who will be considered for top honors during the 2016 Florida Parking Association annual conference next month in Championsgate, Florida. Woodard has been an employee with the City of Sarasota since 2007, was promoted to parking supervisor in 2011, and currently oversees seven parking enforcement employees, parking fine collections, and the parking permit program. 

City of Sarasota