530 Burns Gallery continues its rapid-fire 2018–19 season with yet another exhibition unveiling tonight. Entitled Within the Light, the show highlights abstract art from gallery favorites such as Katie Cassidy, Tommy May and Arleen Joseph, with pieces on display from the likes of Dasha Reich and Linda Richichi as well, but the exhibition also marks the 530 Burns debut of its first new artist of 2019—Susan von Gries. Says 530 Burns’ Nikki Sedacca, “We were all fascinated by her use of color and strong brushstrokes.”

An avid traveler, a world of experience and emotion hits the canvas when von Gries wields the brush, but it all begins with the radio. Growing up in a music-lover’s house, it’s just a part of her being by now, though she admits to being no musician herself. “Music is the vehicle I use to get into the mood,” she says. Usually it’s the classical music station, though her travels have instilled in her a love of Latin music as well, with the rhythms and beats flowing through her and into her painting. Really, she’ll listen to just about anything, but does have her limits. “I don’t mean to offend,” she says, “but everything except country music.”

But what of the colors that Sedacca found so compelling? Those vibrant reds and yellows, blues and greens, swathed across the canvas in great visible strokes? Possibly the result of a life spent making her way through El Salvador, Brazil and Venezuela, as well as Belgium, the Netherlands and extensive travels through Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. Though von Gries does voice some particular inspiration from her new surrounding in Sarasota. “People wear so much color here,” she says, which came as a welcome change from her previous location outside of Chicago, where blacks and browns were the name of the game. “Color makes me happy,” she says. “It’s attractive and so expressive.”

Within the Light opens tonight at 530 Burns Gallery with an opening reception from 6pm to 9pm, with several artists in attendance. Von Gries will be in attendance for the first hour only. 

Pictured: "Mysterious Sea" by Susan von Gries. Picture courtesy of 530 Burns Gallery.

Budding entrepreneurs, established executives and the business-minded of all stripes convened at the Hyatt Regency-Sarasota yesterday afternoon for the latest SB2 luncheon from SRQ Media. Entitled “State of the Regional Economy,” the noontime presentation featured a colossal panel of seven guest speakers, including Kevin Cooper and Jacki Dezelski of the Sarasota and Manatee chambers of commerce, Sharon Hillstrom and Mark Huey from the economic development corporations of the Bradenton area and Sarasota County respectively, Phillip Rich of Seaside Bank, Drayton Saunders of Michael Saunders and Company and Jeffrey Mayers of The Resort at Longboat Key Club. Assembled on stage for more than 200 people, the group touched on everything from incentives and the importance of tourism, to the need for affordable housing and the impact of nationally low wages, but it all began with a spirited discussion of the lessons learned from the recent red tide outbreaks.

“There’s been decline,” said Mayers, referring to everything from tax dollars collected by affected businesses and occupancy rates in the hospitality industry, as tourism suffers in the face of red tide. And this affects low-level employees most, he noted, with fewer hours available for the labor force. And with all of the negative attention and impressions made, Mayers sees no guarantee of a quick recovery. “I do believe we’ll have a hangover,” he said. Dezelski was quick to agree, referring to the “ripple effect” seen as the impact on tourism and hospitality spreads to small businesses throughout the region. In the absence of such tourists, she said, rises “the need for local people to live like a tourist.”

But the long-term concern, voiced Saunders, is nothing concrete, but the lingering concern over the return of an unpredictable and smelly phenomenon. “It’s not so much the thing itself,” he said, “but the doubt.” Alarmingly, he noted, many heard that red tide would be an issue in the early summer months, but few acted on that information. This hit on Cooper’s concern. “Don’t have a short-term memory about this,” he said, urging a need for vigilance and responsible preparation. “Once [red tide] goes away, people stop thinking about it. Hopefully this was bad enough.” And in terms of long-term planning, Rich was the one to invoke freshwater runoff and its relation to red tide. “I believe it plays a role,” he said. And though he agreed with other panelists that Florida was a natural winner, with its sunshine and beaches, he fears the region is “losing the natural assets that brought us here.” And investors may avoid the region altogether. “If you say “toxic tide” and “recurring” in the same sentence, you’re done,” he said.

In response, a big mission of the Bradenton Area EDC has been image rehabilitation, and warning businesses and residents of the lasting effect that countless posts of dead fish and murky waters have. Those posts are forever, she says, and harm the reputation, and therefore the economy, of the region. She would rather see locals and businesses posting about the positive aspects and post-recovery conditions. “These are the kinds of messages we need to get out into the world,” she said.

After further discussion of the possibility of a coming recession—“Absolutely,” said Rich, with Saunders countering that the economy slowing down is a return to a healthy norm—and business incentives—“How do we make them irrelevant?” Cooper asked—the awards were given for the 2019 Localpreneurs of the Year. Recognizing five entrepreneurs who have achieved success while keeping a local focus and appreciation, winners were Kelly Ison of Einstein Pets, Pete Peterson of Dealers United, Paul Mattison of Mattison’s Restaurant and Catering, Candice McElyea of One Eight Oh PR and Brett Wallin of Walt’s Fish Market and Restaurant.

Stay tuned for more SB2 events in the future. 

Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.

Manatee Memorial Hospital has announced that the first Dedicated Education Unit for nursing students in the area has opened on the Medical/Surgical floor of the hospital. State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota is collaborating with the hospital on the first group of nursing students. Manatee Memorial Hospital’s Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) will provide a welcoming culture and consistent environment that allows nursing students to learn with comfort and familiarity alongside staff, in order to foster better scaffold skills and more easily connect theory to practice. The nursing students will be assigned to the DEU for the entirety of their clinical experience. Those that successfully complete the DEU clinical pathway will have an opportunity to be employed at Manatee Memorial Hospital. They will also become clinical mentors for the next group. State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota staff will identify students in good academic standing with a geographic commitment to the Bradenton area and an interest in possible employment with the hospital to be part of this program. 

Manatee Memorial Hospital

The Out-of-Door Academy has announced the opening of a new building to support its athletic programs. Fox Field House is a 12,300-square-foot practice and competition space for student-athletes at ODA’s Uihlein Campus in Lakewood Ranch. The new building is the new home to ODA’s volleyball and basketball teams and features multi-purpose flooring to accommodate football, cheerleading, soccer, lacrosse and tennis practices during inclement weather conditions or extreme heat. The facility was designed with the size and needs of ODA’s growing student body in mind. The Fox Field House will provide the space needed for indoor practices to run simultaneously, rather than staggered into the evening, allowing student-athletes to return home earlier in the evening. 

Out-of-Door Academy

Join SRQ MEDIA for PROJECTHINK, a collaborative community initiative designed to explore the world of innovation and creativity in learning. PROJECTHINK is a two-day conference hosted at the Ringling College of Art and Design on March 1-2, 2019. The conference kicks off on Friday March 1 from 5:30-7pm with celebrated TEDx keynote speaker and global education innovator Ismet Mamnoon, followed by presentations from Dr. Larry Thompson, Ringling College of Art and Design; Jennifer Vigne, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, and Chris Laney, CareerSource Suncoast. On Saturday March 2 from 8:30am to 1pm, PROJECTHINK opens the world of creativity through hands-on engagement through creativity workshops and immersive workshops that transform the creative process facilitated by Ringling College faculty. The conference concludes with Lunch on the Lawn from 1-2pm, featuring local food trucks. PROJECTHINK is produced by SRQ MEDIA in partnership with the Ringling College of Art and Design, the Education Foundation of Sarasota, and CareerSource Suncoast. The full program details can be found at www.srqprojecthink.com. 

Purchase Tickets Here