SRQ DAILY Mar 13, 2019
Wednesday Philanthropy Edition
"This is 21st century learning."
Local math artist John Sims brings a Pi Day celebration 20 years in the making and fresh out of the oven to Grace Howl Contemporary Art this Thursday, March 14, with American Pi: Visions from a Math Artist. Uniting math, art, craft and community into one massive and multi-media project, Sims will unveil handmade dresses and quilts, prints, video projects and more, all made in a decades-long exploration of the unending digits of the famous constant, and his attempts to visualize its beauty. The exhibition will run through April 18, closing with a special event to commemorate Sims’ prominent inclusion in the upcoming book, Math Art: Truth, Beauty and Equations, written by Stephen Ornes and hitting shelves April 16.
A former professor at Ringling College of Art and Design, Sims’ fascination with pi predates his attempts to convince students of its mathematical beauty and outlasted his stay, forming a through-line as varied yet constant as its object. “Math is a universal language,” he says, “being able to speak to the relationship between abstract ideas, across language, across ethnic groups and across cultural backgrounds.” The question became how to capture the dynamic beauty of something seen as so logical and static—despite its unending and non-repeating nature—and celebrate what it signals at its core—a connection inherent in all things, and all peoples. “It becomes very universal, particularly when we start to think about physics, chemistry and the sciences,” Sims says. “It’s the infrastructural language to talk about the way we quantify the universe, to be able to explain, measure and think about it, and provide shape for the physics of our reality and beyond.”
The exploration takes many forms, seeing Sims visualizing pi in black-and-white squares on five hand-stitched dresses, and even enlisting the help of the artisans at Alma Sue Quilt Shop to create four quilts and “expand the metaphor” to more overtly introduce a communal aspect. He translated the constant into binary and then into trinary, creating a tricolor representation entitled American Pi. Sims even transposed the number into base seven—the key of b flat, to be precise—and wrote a 12-bar blues song called Blue Pi, which audiences can listen to. And at the afterparty, hosted at The Overton, attendees can view music videos created by the artist, with the first 180 digits of pi serving as lyrics
“The art provides the language to be able to talk about other things—the metaphysics, the metaphors, the sensory-driven spaces,” he says. “It gives us an opportunity to talk about the things that are not quantifiable but qualitative. Being able to create a solution between the two is the space I’m working in as an artist.”
American Pi: Visions from a Math Artist opens tomorrow, March 14, at Grace Howl Contemporary Art, with a reception at 6pm and an afterparty at The Overton at 8pm. 
Pictured: "American Pi" by John Sims. Image courtesy of the artist.
Wilkinson Elementary school kids have extra bigger smiles on their faces this week, as the students have fun getting their hands dirty in an immersive experience of "H2 Oh No!", programmed through the Education Foundation of Sarasota County (EFSC). This is the foundation’s fourth one this academic school year—planning and guiding week-long, hands-on activities outdoors for students at Sarasota County Schools. Classroom academics have come a long way from blasé PowerPoint note taking and unenthusiastic rambling from a textbook. Enough research has come to show that immersive tactics prove much more impactful and effective for kids to learn the subject at hand.
Funded by Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, FPL Connect and DART Foundation, the Wilkinson campus turned into a scientific “investigation and observation” zone. With a massive dirt hole shoveled deep into the ground, teachers and EFSC Director of Programs, Kati Burns strategically hid educational items throughout for the kids to dig up and find, learn about their origins, brainstorm how it may have gotten there and how old it is. Objects such as types of lava rock, minerals and geodes, a time capsule said to be from year’s past, faux artifacts and fossils, sharks teeth, indigenous plants, shells and acorns, stoked an inquisitive second grader to ask a valid question, “How does this stuff get into the ground in the first place?” Two science professors from USF - Tampa came out to the courtyard for “H2 Oh No!" as well—rotating around to individually interact with the students, encourage them to write down their observations, gather evidence and discuss their exciting findings. As the kids unearthed buried discoveries with their magnifying glasses and archeology brushes, they learned lessons of evolution, species’ life cycles, parts of a flower and the rain cycle, all the while scratching the surface with their little excavation tools to learn first-hand about geology. And on a less vibrant, but notably important matter, kids stumbled across the “nasty, yucky stuff”, as a first-grader so eloquently put it, referring to the broken plastics, scrap parts from an old crop duster aircraft and man-made trash—hitting home the harsh realities dumped into the ground by humans. Localized lessons of watershed, land-based sources of pollution, causes of red tide and the impact of oil spills, further opened kids’ eyes to the noticeable effects these present day occurrences have on their environment.
“We really want to encourage this type of experiential activity,” states Jennifer Vigne, president of EFSC. The foundation seeks Sarasota County schools to participate in this fun and deeply engaging program. Largely, they are the schools that embrace lessons outside the classroom and have teachers who believe in collaborating with different subjects and across different grade levels. “It’s about the integration of all these things and experiencing cross curricular activities. It helps to develop a real understanding at an early age, one that is memorable and sticks,” Vigne says. Because no one looks back on their schooling and remembers the days they sat in class and took notes. “This is 21st century learning.”
Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.
Four select composers come to Sarasota this month for a musical milestone, as the EarShot initiative, dedicated to identifying and promoting promising musical talent, teams up with the Sarasota Orchestra. Chosen from 127 applicants, Krists Auznieks, Nicky Sohn, Sam Wu and Kitty Xiao will spend a week in workshop with the musicians of Sarasota Orchestra, as well as three visiting mentor composers and LA-based conductor Christopher Rountree, all leading to a concert on March 16, where the young composers will hear their music performed by a full orchestra for the first time. In this four-part series, SRQ meets the minds behind the music.
A Korean composer splitting her time between Berlin, New York City and Seoul, Nicky Sohn finds as much inspiration in the world of jazz as she does classical, enjoying the likes of Bill Evans and Chet Baker next to composers like Michael Torke and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Her composition is entitled Bird Up.
What was the inspiration for your composition? Sohn: Bird Up encapsulates my perspective on the nature of New York City, as seen through the lens of the bizarre humor in The Eric Andre Show. Bird Up reflects the extreme end of the chaos that New Yorkers sometimes encounter with a humorous twist.
What was your biggest challenge in this piece? Overcoming my fear for writing for orchestra—trusting myself and my imagination and pushing through with my ideas. Even though writing for an orchestra is extremely exciting and stimulating, it is also very overwhelming.
Do you have a favorite instrument to write for? Clarinet and cello are my two favorite instruments to write for. They both are both extremely flexible with their wide range of register, dynamic, and expression. I love how they can be so delicate and elegant, but also rhythmic and athletic.
What does it mean for you, to take part in the EarShot initiative? Orchestra is the most effective, compelling and charming tool for composers to expand their music and themselves. Hearing my music played live helps me so much to grow my imagination and curiosity, and I always end up having hundreds of things I would like to try in the next piece.
Where do you hope to take your art in the future?
I hope to delve deeper into the genres of ballet music and opera, finding a way to develop my musical language to suit these mediums. I have always been passionate about raising my voice to tell the world the truth about Korean history, especially about comfort women and the independence movement in Korea. I would love to use opera as the medium to tell such stories and raise important issues.
Pictured: Nicky Sohn.
Manatee County Commissioners have unanimously confirmed longtime County employee John Osborne to serve as the Deputy County Administrator. At Manatee County Government, Osborne has served in current and long-range urban planning, construction management, environmental management and as head of the Quality Communities Team, Transportation Systems Management Division Manager and the County's Planning Department Director. Since 2015, he implemented the County's How Will We Grow? plan, the 2013 Urban Land Institute's Advisory Services Panel Report for Manatee County. In recent years he has overseen impact fees and strategic planning. He was the recipient of the James T. Farr Memorial Award in December 2013 for professionalism in urban planning by the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Florida Planning and Zoning Association. He is also a graduate of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce 2015 Leadership Manatee class.
The School District of Manatee County has announced the District Principal of the Year as Ann McDonald of Sugg Middle School in West Bradenton, and Assistant Principal of the Year as Bernadette Pletcher of Tillman Elementary School in Palmetto. Both are eligible to be named Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year for the State of Florida by the Florida Department of Education. The recognition will be announced during the State Board of Education Meeting on March 19 in Tallahassee.
McDonald has served as Assistant Principal of Manatee High School; as well as being the Principal of Daughtrey Elementary, Manatee Elementary, Johnson Middle and currently, Sugg Middle School. She has been with the School District since 1989. Pletcher has served as an Assistant Principal at Anna Maria Elementary, G.D. Rogers Garden Elementary and Tillman Elementary Schools. She has worked for the district since 2009.
Poverty and early traumatic experiences make a child more likely to experience damaging developmental effects and physical and mental health issues. Locally 52 percent of babies are born into poverty, according to data from First 1,000 Days Sarasota County, a local initiative dedicated to supporting the wellbeing of mothers and babies. In response, a flexible $300,000 grant from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation has positioned Forty Carrots Family Center to increase services for families in Sarasota and Manatee counties with programs that have proven, lifelong positive effects. Over the next three years, the organization will be taking a strategic look at the community’s needs and develop an action plan in order to expand their services and pursue other opportunities for growth.
A partnership between Sarasota County Schools and Goodwill Manasota has enabled Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students from Booker High School to enjoy in-service training and job preparation skills at the Goodwill Mecca location in northern Sarasota. Seven students are learning on the job—five at a time, five days a week, for up to two hours each day—while earning school credit.
Booker High School is just one of the schools participating in the Vocational Instructional Program, which is currently serving 34 ESE students, ages 16-22 / grades 10-12, with varying exceptionalities. Other high schools involved with this program are Bayshore, Desoto, Manatee, North Port and Southeast; the Easter Seals VIP Academy also has six students participating. The school districts provide transportation to and from the most convenient Goodwill retail location. Previous work experience and skill levels are considered for placement in various departments at the Goodwill store.
The Barancik Prize for Innovation in Multiple Sclerosis Research was recently awarded to University of California professor Katerina Akassoglou, Ph.D. for her work understanding the origins of nerve damage in MS and identifying potential therapies to prevent it. The Barancik Prize was established by the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation to inspire original ideas in stopping the disease. The most prestigious of its kind in the MS scientific community, the annual award comes with $100,000 to be used at the discretion of the recipient. Akassoglou is the sixth recipient of the award.
Because MS affects a small percentage of the US population, research on the disease receives little to no federal funding. Most people with multiple sclerosis are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, and it affects women three times more often than men. The international prize is administered through the National MS Society.
Impact 100 SRQ, a group of local philanthropists committed to high impact strategic grant-making, recently announced it will award two transformational grants of $114,000 to Sarasota and Manatee nonprofits in the Fall.
The window for grant application is April 1 through June 18, 2019. The two $114,000 grants, which are open to nonprofits in Sarasota and Manatee counties, will be awarded at the organization’s Annual Awards Celebration on November 3, 2019. Grant applications may be submitted online for projects in any of the following areas: Arts & Culture; Education; Environment & Recreation; Family; Health & Wellness. Applications should have a focus on serving residents in Sarasota and Manatee counties.
For grant application information, 2020 membership, ongoing sponsorship or community partnership details visit the website below.
Cadets at the Sarasota Military Academy (SMA) Prep middle school recently announced the completion of a well providing water for a village in South Sudan. The cadets chose the Water for South Sudan (WFSS) organization as the focus for the SMA Prep Interact Club annual service project and raised $5,000 to fund the well. According to a letter received from WFSS, the well is located in the village of Alatip in Mading-Juer, Tonj, South Sudan. Cadets received coordinates of the well, information about the village chief and residents, photos and details of the completed project. Led by SMA-CPT Jennifer Neff, SMA-MAJ Carol Pelletier and SMA-CPT Jane Clancy, the SMA Prep Interact Club is an extracurricular activity supported by the Sarasota Southside Rotary Club. The cadets and staff received a $1,500 grant from the Education Foundation and raised donations from Prep faculty, students and parents.
In the final scene of Ibsen’s 1879 masterwork, Nora Helmer slammed the door on her marriage and family life, leaving her family. This sequel imagines her 15 years later as a successful writer and independent women, but she must return home to the one man who can help her. Universally acclaimed during its recent Broadway run, this new comedy raises questions about marriage and the roles of women have—and have not—changed.
Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
Four women musically review their life experiences as told through the songs made famous by the late and legendary “Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin. Join to pay tribute to one of America’s most iconic voices in this joyful appreciation of Aretha’s music and its impact on our lives.
Westcoast Black Theatre Mainstage, 1646 10th Way., Sarasota
Through a visceral mixing of oil and acrylic paint, Walter Matthews’ densely worked canvases create a reflection of the artist’s intensity and anxiety. Continuing the annual tradition, Spectrum IV embeds the independent work of three natural solo artists into an experimental installation that blurs the lines between collaboration and contamination. Split between a series of micro-exhibitions, New Realities features the perspectives and studio practices of junior level Fine Art students attending Ringling College of Art and Design.
Art Center Sarasota, 707 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
Applications are open for this year's SRQ Magazine SMARTgirl Mentorship and Leadership Luncheon taking place on Friday, March 15, 2019 from 9:30am-1:30pm at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota. The free program provides 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade girls attending school in Sarasota and Manatee counties with career pathway exploration, STEM coding workshops and a luncheon featuring speakers presenting on the topic of overcoming challenges, being a leader and achieving success. The sessions and workshops are led by some of the community’s top women leaders including the ambassadors of the Hear Me Roar Leadership Circle.
Free program, no cost to apply or attend. Submit your application online at SRQMAG.COM/SMARTGIRl by Thursday, January 31, 2019 to be considered. All materials for the conference will be provided, including lunch and snacks. Limited spots available, apply early.
Hyatt Regency Sarasota, 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, FL 34236
With a 17-piece orchestra, the program includes such well-loved favorites as “Here’s That Rainy Day,” ”September Song,” “Over the Rainbow,” “Minor Blues,” “Artistry in Rhythm” and many more from the American popular music and jazz artist.
Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave., Venice
A percussionist of great versatility and virtuosity, George Nickson brings the marimba to the fore in this concert that includes selections from Debussy’s “Children’s Corner Suite” and “Over The Rainbow” by Harlan/Oetemo. Principal percussionist for the Sarasota Orchestra and founding member of ensemblenewSRQ, Nickson has been hailed across the country, including as “a performer handling his role with ease and flair” by The New York Times.
Michael's on East ballroom, 1212 South East Ave., Sarasota
A musical tribute to the black musicians of the Harlem Renaissance and the new “swing” beat, experience the jazz scene—uptown, downtown, raffish and startling beautiful atmosphere. Come, swing and jive to such songs as “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” “I’m Going To Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter,” “The Joint is Jumpin’” and, of course, “Ain’t Misbehavin’.”
Stone Hall: Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W, Bradenton
Wizards and sorcerers. Magicians and illusionists. Fairies and elves. Genies and dragons. Singer Stevie Nicks or Titania, Queen of Fairyland? Harry Potter or Harry Houdini? Midsummer Night’s Dream or Puff the Magic Dragon? The magical world beckons you to step through the sliding doors of illusion and onto the dazzling Ringling College campus, where we will honor the most wondrous beings in our realm - Ringling College students. Reserve your seats now for this spellbinding evening.
A Key Chorale special event, Cirque des Voix is a performance unlike any other. See world-class circus artists combine with the 100+ voices of the Key Chorale and the musical mastery of the 40-piece Cirque Orchestra to produce one of the most unforgettable productions you’ll ever experience.
The Mall University Town Center, 140 University Town Center Dr., Sarasota,
Enjoy a night of exquisite dining while supporting USF Sarasota-Manatee’s Hospitality Management program. This dining experience is organized, prepared and served by USFSM students and faculty. Students in the restaurant management, event management and food prep courses organize, plan and execute each aspect of the event from start to finish.
The Ritz-Carlton, 1111 Ritz Carlton Dr., Sarasota
Good food and great music is always a perfect pairing. In this performance, enjoy a "West Side Story Medley", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "And I Love Her", "Fiddler on the Toof Medley" and a nod to the classics with "Beethoven With a Twist!"
Plantation Golf & Country Club, 500 Rockley Blvd., Venice
How does a place create a community? We know from research that a person’s zip code is a more reliable determinant of health than their genetic code. Why then, do we still struggle with poverty, addiction and homelessness in this region of beauty and prosperity?
Join us for our annual luncheon in March, where guest speaker Elma J. Felix-Lamontagne, AICP, will deliver a presentation about how places help to shape the identity of a community.
The Westin Sarasota, 100 Marina View Dr, Sarasota, FL 34236
This is a wine pairing experience unlike any other. Each individually themed station features exciting food and wine pairings along with activities and entertainment throughout the Ringling estate. Taste a variety of wines from Total Wine & More and engage with their wine experts while enjoying culinary delights from Sarasota's top caterers.
The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota
Cat Depot’s Mardi Gras-themed, Meow Masquerade, will take place at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota on Friday, March 29, 2019 from 6:30-10 p.m. Guests will be treated to a variety of entertainment featuring performances by The Circus Arts Conservatory, Gumbo Boogie Zydeco Band, and DJ Jay. The good times will roll with a delicious plated dinner, handcrafted cocktails, premium raffle, and silent auction. Enjoy an interactive photo booth with TapSnap, and face painting by Pixie Painting. Tickets are $150. Please email claudiah@catdepot.orgor call 941-366-2404 for more information. Tickets available online – www.catdepot.org.
Hyatt Regency Sarasota, 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota FL
This year marks the 7th Anniversary of Women & Medicine and will support the Internal Medicine Residency Program at SMH. This educational luncheon features informative presentations and discussions from Sarasota Memorial Physicians. The topic of this luncheon will be, How to Be A Parter in Good Health [Making the Most of Your Physician Relationship]
Michael's on East, 1212 East Avenue, Sarasota
The Music Compound’s 5th annual Beer, Bands & BBQ is back on March 30, 2019 from 11 am - 4 pm. It will be hosted at a new location, the courtyard of The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, 821 Apricot Ave. Sarasota.
Look forward to 10 bands including Kara & Kaleidogroove, students from Music Compound will perform between sets. Food trucks and beer will be available throughout the day.
Admission is free and you are encouraged to bring your own lawn chair.
VIP wrist bands are available for $15 and include food samplings and a beer.
The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, 821 Apricot Ave., Sarasota
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Join us for the Greatest Circus Scavenger Hunt in Sarasota! Fun for all ages, The Circus Angel Scavenger Hunt is a benefit for the Showpeople's Winter Quarters, established in 2015 by The Circus and Traveling Shows Retirement Project, Inc.a 501 (c) (3) organization which helps provide affordable housing assistance for elderly or infirm circus performers in the Southwest Florida area.
The scavenger hunt includes 6 circus theme stops, live entertainment , giveaways and gift bags. You will have enough time to enjoy each stop, solve riddles with clues to find the little circus angels missing wing. The Grand finale is at 2:30 back at the registration hall at St. Martha's Church on Orange Avenue in Sarasota where the “All Aboard” Grand Prize package, a gourmet dinner served in the private "Silver Car' on an Original Circus Train, will be awarded to the winning team of up to 6 people.
Scavenger Hunt is by auto, in and around 5 miles of downtown Sarasota. Important: this is not a race. Tickets are reserved by emailing srqlynn@gmail.com and are available for purchase from The Circus and Traveling Shows Retirement Project, Inc. on Venmo via Lynn McDonald @ Lynn-McDonald-16384. $25 per person. Two to six people per car to qualify.
A world premiere from Mark St Germain, when a young surrogate mother is found dead, a police investigation explodes the lives of everyone who knew her. As Detective aleece Valez and Walt Dixon begin to put the pieces together, secrets surface, alibis weaken, and lies are uncovered. This dramatic new play explores motherhood, passion, and the thin line between right and wrong.
Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 North Palm Ave., Sarasota
Faith, family and frosting collide in this heartfelt new comedy. Thirty-something Jen wants her deceased mother’s best friend Della, a struggling baker, to create her wedding cake. She returns from New York with her betrothed to her North Carolina hometown and finds that Della will honor her wish, until she discovers that there are two brides. Moral quandaries and lots of butter collide in this new play told with generosity, humor, and more than a few surprises.
Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
Join us to experience an evening of award-winning bites and imbibes as voted on by the readers of SRQ Magazine in this annual TGIF Best of SRQ Local Party on Friday, April 5th from 5-8pm at the Aloft Sarasota Hotel in Downtown Sarasota. 15+ Restaurants. Cocktail Samplings. Live DJ in the Courtyard. Celebrating the best locally owned establishments in the region, SRQ MEDIA asks our astute readers to vote for their favorite local eats, shopping, arts, luminaries and hotspots culminating in the buzzworthy special "Best of SRQ Local" awards feature published in the April edition. Celebrate your TGIF with the best our region has to offer—we will highlight local experiences—from new restaurants to the memorable theatre productions, from our community's best achievements to seriously talented chefs. Tickets on sale at SRQMAG.COM/BestOf.
Aloft Sarasota Hotel, 1401 Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota, FL
SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email |
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