How do you pay homage to two of the most iconic artists of the 20th Century? In the case of photographer Rober Mapplethorpe and punk-rocker Patti Smith, you pair their work with nature. A new attraction has arrived at the Marie Selby Botanical Garden’s 15-acre Downtown Sarasota Campus. From Feb 13th through June 26th, Robert Mapplethorpe and Patti Smith: Flowers, Poetry, and Light, an exhibit curated by Dr. Carol Ockman, Selby Gardens’ Curator at Large, will bring a new way to immerse yourself into Mapplethorpe and Smith’s work.

“Our exhibition explores their mutual interest in flowers and the natural world as part of their larger iconic bodies of work. We’ve taken Mapplethorpe’s high-art floral photography and placed it alongside lyrics and prose from Smith’s work,” says Greg Luberecki, Vice President of Strategic Communications at Selby Gardens.

Mapplethorpe and Smith’s relationship - which ranged from artistic to romantic and ultimately platonic - paved the way for some of the great nature-inspired artistic works during the counter cultural movements of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. In an attempt to reinvigorate that bond, Selby Gardens’ Tropical Conservatory has been repurposed in the style of Mapplethorpe’s photography. “ Upon entry visitors are met immediately with the music from Smith’s debut album Horses, as well as an enlarged photo of the album’s cover art which was a portrait of Smith taken by Mapplethorpe,” recalls Luberecki.

Inside of the conservatory a series of vignettes incorporate living plants into conceptual designs that evoke Mapplethorpe’s approach to photography. “There’s a small pond that is surrounded by a photography studio, a long ‘living’ wall with orchids hanging as suspended living art, and a set of framed flowers that play with light and shadow.”

Throughout the exhibit various interactive horticultural installations depict the balance between Mapplethorpe and Smith’s work. Visitors can have their picture taken with orchids reminiscent of Mapplethorpe’s famed photographs and listen to a turntable that sits amongst a colorful burst of flowers, playing yet another one of Smith’s albums.

The exhibit also traces the history of Mapplethorpe and Smith’s relationship. “Visitors will move from the South gallery which tells of their early years together, to a foyer that focuses on Smith, and eventually to the North gallery that features four of Mapplethorpe’s famous flower photographs. It’s a highly conceptualized exhibit that both pays tribute to each artist and fits right in alongside the rest of what Selby Gardens has to offer,” says Luberecki. 

Pictured: Studio in Tropical Conservatory. Photo courtesy of Selby Gardens.

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The Library Foundation for Sarasota County welcomed 430 guests in-person and 100 additional livestreaming guests when it presented its annual “Love Our Libraries” Author Luncheon at the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium on Feb. 3. The guest speaker was Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, author, literary scholar, and creator and host of the groundbreaking PBS genealogy series, “Finding Your Roots.” His talk was followed by a question-and-answer session led by Charlayne Hunter-Gault, a Sarasota resident and former foreign correspondent for CNN, NPR and PBS.

The “Love Our Libraries” luncheon raised more than $350,000, which will go toward the purchase of books and digital resources to be used throughout the Sarasota County library system, free books
mailed monthly to hundreds of Sarasota’s youngest residents through the Library Foundation’s partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, and innovative programs like the Creation
Stations that are now in nine of Sarasota County’s 10 library branches. The Community Foundation of Sarasota County was the presenting sponsor. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the nonprofit Library Foundation for Sarasota County has raised more than $8 million in private funds since its founding in 2011 for the benefit of Sarasota County public libraries. “With the conviction that great communities deserve great libraries, we are proud to champion strong public libraries, support innovation and help to extend the library system’s reach for everyone in Sarasota County,” said Alisa Mitchell, the Library Foundation’s executive director. 

Pictured: Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Charlayne Hunter-Gault at the Library Foundation for Sarasota County’s “Love our Libraries” Author Luncheon, February 3, 2022.

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Ringling College of Art and Design today announced the receipt of a grant totaling $35,000 from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County sponsoring 2021/2022 season programming for the College’s Lois and David Stulberg Gallery, the Richard and Barbara Basch Gallery, Campus Art Walks, and Silver Sponsorship of the Sarasota Art Museum’s Judith Linhares: The Artist as Curator exhibition. The Strategic Partnership grant was awarded from the Community Foundation’s Zella I. and Junius F. Allen Fund.

“The ongoing support of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County has been vital to both helping our curatorial teams create vibrant and engaging exhibitions that capture the essence and exhilaration of contemporary art and in supporting the spaces in which to experience it,” said Ringling College of Art and Design President Dr. Larry R. Thompson. “Truly the foundation is aptly-named for they have and continue to provide the resources and direction that have proven vital to building our community.” 

JMX Brands Director of Stores and Fulfillment Kari-Jo Koshes received the specialty retailer’s President’s Award during the company’s annual awards ceremony on February 11, 2022. Koshes was hired in 2013 as the assistant to JMX Brands CEO Jim Miller. Before being promoted to her current role, Koshes served as shipping coordinator, Customer Experience Team assistant manager, and showroom and fulfillment manager. Under the leadership of Koshes, the company expanded its warehouse from 7,500 to 23,000 square feet, organized and expanded fulfillment and warehouse teams, and created an inventory and packing model that has provided huge competitive advantages for JMX Brands’ Amazon platform. Koshes developed a team of drivers to deliver directly to customers, including the purchase of four delivery trucks and hiring excellent drivers in a very competitive environment. This new development is projected to save JMX Brands hundreds of thousands of dollars in shipping costs along with improving the delivery experience for customers. Alongside Vice President Linse Miller, Koshes led the redesign of the DutchCrafters Sarasota, Fla. Showroom, launched a DutchCrafters Outlet store in LaGrange, Ind., prepared for the next showroom in Alpharetta, Ga., and is currently exploring locations for another showroom. Under Koshes’ leadership, the DutchCrafters showroom in Sarasota, Fla. had a record-breaking year in 2021. The JMX Brands President’s Award annually recognizes one employee for excellence in work and game-changing contributions. For her notable achievements, Koshes was presented with a trophy and monetary bonus. 

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The School District of Manatee County is proud to announce the winners of the 2022 Excellence in Education Awards. Manatee County’s Educator of the Year: Deelah Jackson, 4th Grade Teacher at Samoset Elementary School; 6 years with School District of Manatee County. Support Employee of the Year: Kari Keech-Babcock, Guidance Secretary at Lakewood Ranch High School; 4 years with School District of Manatee County. Both winners receive a $5,000 cash prize, provided by Suncoast Credit Union; an all expenses paid gathering for 24 friends and family in the Mayor’s Suite at LECOM Park in Bradenton during a Pittsburgh Pirates game, courtesy of the Pittsburgh Pirates; a $2,500 scholarship to Nova Southeastern University; a two-night stay at the Courtyard/Hampton Inn by Marriott – Sarasota/Lakewood Ranch; customized spa service from Sirius Day Spa; and more. Deelah Jackson will now advance to the Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year Program, while Kari Keech-Babcock will advance to the Florida School-Related Employee of the Year Program. The remaining six finalists, who were also deserving of the “Educator of the Year” and “Support Employee of the Year” recognition, receive a $1,000 cash award from the Manatee Education Foundation, among other prizes. The Excellence in Education Awards wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our community partners including the Manatee Education Foundation, and a long list of event sponsors. Please visit www.ManateeSchools.net/EEA for details. 

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Fovari Founder Yara Shoemaker’s inspiration for Fovari first came from her childhood memories in Syria. “I grew up near these beautiful ruins. Literally, some of the world’s greatest architectural masterpieces were my childhood playground” Yara said. “My father would point to them and highlight their integrity, their genius. "If something is well constructed," he would say, "it will last forever." I was just a child, but his words marked me. And that… is at the heart of Fovari. The idea that real beauty – constructed well–is timeless.” When she was 24, Yara moved to the US. She was heavily influenced by Lebanese fashion legends Zuhair Murad and Elie Saab. And of course: Her mother’s closet. In 2006, she launched her first private fashion label and boutique in Sarasota, Florida. From there she founded a lifestyle magazine: Femme Rouge.

“Years later during the pandemic, fashion took a huge hit. People were battling grief, depression, anxiety… and our fashion seemed to reflect that. But when the world zips, I zap. As everyone turned to sweats and comfort, I thought, ‘There is a light at the end of this tunnel. There is meaning in this moment, and that is reason to celebrate.’ So I decided to create Fovari: A sustainably-focused couture brand that would make every woman who wore it feel like a queen, that life was worth celebrating.” Through virtual calls with manufacturers in Italy, artisans in France, beading-specialists in India, and artists from all around the world, Fovari was born. One year later Fovari is debuting in Paris and NY fashion weeks. “Fovari has become one of the first Syrian-American founded and woman-owned brands to debut at a major global fashion event.” Attention to detail gives this collection an ultra-luxurious touch. Fovari created a complete wardrobe ranging from the lined and fitted trouser suits to the great evening gowns, including light cocktail dresses highlighting delicate femininity and noble materials - silk and French lace. Modern yet timeless couture to wear. Fovari is couture re-invented for the modern woman by Yara Shoemaker. Each piece pushes and surpasses the boundaries of couture, rediscovering the values of craftsmanship, integrity, and individuality. Fovari’s NYFW launch video was shot onsite at Sarasota Art Museum, Ringling College of Art and Design’s dynamic laboratory for the exploration and advancement of contemporary art. 

Pictured: Fovari modeled by Sarasota Ballet dancers Danni Rae, Melanie Wells, and Taylor Sambola at Sarasota Art Museum with the art of David Budd.

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