Creativity and structure appear to be polar opposites. Many people imagine that creative work gives them freedom, while structure boxes them in to inflexible routines. For artist Laine Nixon, creativity and structure go hand in hand, and when combined, can foster personal growth in every aspect of life for everyone, regardless of whether or not they are artists themselves.

This July, Nixon hopes to help Sarasotans kick start the accomplishment of their goals by offering two programs. The first, called the Practically Dreaming Workshop, is a four-part month-long workshop. This hands-on workshop focuses on helping participants define their goals and values while discovering how to work towards them. “We starts with exploration, creatively looking at our goals, dreams and anything we want to do with the rest of our lives,” says Nixon. “Then, we analyze a particular goal in different ways, exploring our fears about that goal, why we want to pursue it and catagorizing our goals to see if our life is balanced and whether we are working in the categories that we want to prioritize.” Participants gain new tools that help them examine their lives from an innovative perspective while making meaningful changes. One of Nixon’s favorite tools is creating a deck of vision cards, which tie together everything learned during the workshop and guide students toward their desired futures. While this workshop meets once a week, people searching for consistency on a day-to-day basis will enjoy the Creative Habits Lab.

Nixon runs the lab as a month-long session for one hour every weekday morning. The lab is a virtual accountability group, in which participants commit to showing up each day with the intention of setting aside time to work on a particular goal or habit. They set their intentions for the day, then go to work in one of four areas: visualization, meditation, journaling or another creative project. This structure allows the group to zero in on their goals while providing proven strategies for working towards them. “The labs are for anyone who wants to progress in those four areas but hasn’t made them a priority,” Nixon adds, “and I give them foundational tools to help build that structure.”

The desire to engage with the community and leave a positive impact inspired Nixon, who as an artist often works by herself, to start the programs. During the pandemic, she realigned her studio practice to be more in tune with her values and intentions. “Alignment is about finding purpose and success in my natural way of being, which is also my personal affirmation,” she says. “When we take a creative approach to self reflection and have an attitude of open inquiry as to what might give us that answer, we have a better chance at self-fufillment.”

To learn more and enroll in the July sessions of the Practically Dreaming Workshop or Creative Habits Lab, visit lainenixon.com. 

Vision cards are one of the many tools participants gain from the workshops, and are instrumental in guiding them towards their objectives. Photo courtesy of Laine Nixon.

DreamLarge, the first registered benefit corporation on the Gulf Coast of Florida, is thrilled to announce the RADD BBQ Bash & BLVD Bike Ride, scheduled for July 13th, 2023. DreamLarge and Rosemary Art & Design District (RADD), invites you to an unforgettable evening of barbecue, bike riding, and community fun at Rosemary Park! This extraordinary event is free and open to everyone, offering an opportunity for individuals of all ages to come together and celebrate the spirit of community and creativity. Before the BBQ Bash kicks off, join the signature BLVD Bike Ride led by Bill Waddill, Chief Operating Officer of The Bay Park Conservancy. Embark on an exciting group bike ride through the Rosemary District and the scenic Bay Park. The ride is free and will take place from 6:00 pm to
6:45 pm (check-in starts at 5:30 pm) and will conclude at the RADD BBQ Bash. To secure your spot for the bike ride, we encourage all attendees to register online at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/blvd-bike-rides-tickets-602688998017.

Event Details: July 13th, 2023, Thursday Time: 6:30 pm, Rosemary Park, 1386 Blvd of the Arts, Sarasota. There is no cost to register. 

To register click here

 The UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County Master Gardener Volunteer program was recognized for excellence during the 2023 International Master Gardener Conference, hosted by the Kansas State University Extension Master Gardeners of Johnson County, held in Overland Park, Kansas, June 18 – 22,2023. The award was presented during the conference and was attended by 1,130 Extension Master Gardeners and Extension professionals from 44 states, Canada, and England. The David Gibby International Search for Excellence Awards, named in honor of the founder of the Extension Master Gardener program, recognize exemplary group projects that show significant learning by the Master Gardeners or the public. The award-winning projects showcase the efforts and talents of Master Gardener volunteers, often providing economic, environmental, educational, and health impacts. These innovative projects frequently serve as models, influencing the development of Extension Master Gardener-led programs worldwide. The awards are divided into seven categories: Community Service, Demonstration Gardens, Innovative Projects, Research (Applied Scientific Methodology), Special Needs Audiences (Senior, Disabled Audiences or Horticultural Therapy), Workshops or Presentations, and Youth Programs. UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County Master Gardeners placed second in the following category: Community Service for Plant-A-Pail Community Outreach Workshops™. Plant-A-Pail Community Outreach Workshop™ (PAP) targeted residents of Manatee County living in food desert communities where access to fresh, healthy vegetables is limited. Conceived and operated by Manatee County Master Gardener Volunteers (MGV’s) as a way to reach underserved members of the community, the purpose of PAP was to conduct a series of workshops to teach residents how to grow their own vegetables at home in containers. All materials were provided free of charge. 348 people have attended PAP workshops from August 2017 to December 2022. We have vastly increased the educational outreach into the underserved communities that comprise just under one-third of our county’s residents. The success rate of their vegetable gardens has been outstanding, with over 90% reporting yields of over 14 different crops for an estimated 200 lbs. of vegetables. Extension offices of four other land-grant universities have adopted PAP in one or more counties at University of Arizona, University of Minnesota, University of North Carolina, and Cornell. Currently, there are 133 Master Gardener volunteers in Manatee County who support UF/IFAS Extension's educational programs in consumer horticulture. They help Extension better serve the home-gardening public by answering questions, speaking to groups, gardening in demonstration gardens, and participating in many other projects. 

To learn more, visit

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) presents Off the Charts!, a new family-friendly revue celebrating the universal language of music. Featuring more than a dozen chart-topping songs from the past eight decades, Off the Charts! explores music’s ability to make us think, feel, and connect across generations. With such hits as “Hound Dog,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Shake It Off,” and “Can’t Stop The Feeling,” Off the Charts! will play in FST’s Bowne’s Lab Theatre on Sunday, July 2 and Sunday, July 9. Tickets are $10 and are now on sale at FloridaStudioTheatre.org or 941.366.9000. FST’s production of Off the Charts! is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts. The production is also supported by The Shubert Foundation. In addition, this music-filled show will play during weekdays on FST’s downtown Sarasota campus for registered camps through July 14, 2023. To schedule a performance for your camp or group to attend, contact Shelby Lynhall, FST’s Education and WRITE A PLAY Manager, at 941.366.9797 or slynhall@floridastudiotheatre.org. 

Mark your calendars for July 1st because we've got an event that's going to make your taste buds dance with joy! It's National Hot Dog Day AND the birthday of our award-winning food truck, Hamlet’s Eatery, and we're celebrating in style! Join us in the courtyard of The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime (where Hamlet’s is permanently located) from 11-3. We'll have a hot dog extravaganza like never before. We're talking about tons of different toppings, from classic ketchup and mustard to daring jalapenos and chili. You can mix and match to your heart's content, and you’ll also enjoy our crowd pleasing hand cut french fries. We will also have vegan hot dogs available. But wait, there's more! We've got live music from the one and only Geri Blunt, who will serenade you with her eclectic mix of genres from classic country and rock to a ballad or soulful blues. And for those of legal drinking age, we've got free beer samples from Sun King Brewery and Big Top Brewery. That's right, folks, FREE BEER! And for those who want more beer, Hamlet’s will have $2 drafts and other grown-up drinking options! So bring your friends, bring your family, bring your pets (as long as they're on a leash), and let's celebrate National Hot Dog Day and Hamlet’s birthday in the most delicious way possible. See you there!

821 Apricot Ave in Sarasota. For more information visit www.HamletsEatery.com or call 941-445-1938. 

The Suncoast Science Center/Faulhaber Fab Lab is pleased to announce and extend heartfelt congratulations to Duncan Marmash, longtime Fab Lab volunteer and 2023 graduate of Pine View School, for being awarded a prestigious Archimedes Award scholarship. The scholarship is generously sponsored by the Andrew and Judith Economos family, pioneering Suncoast Science Center/Faulhaber Fab Lab donors and cherished members of its board of directors. Duncan, a student volunteer actively involved with the Fab Lab since 2019, has left an indelible mark on the organization. His contributions as a member of the Remote Control (RC) Car Competition student committee and the Student Community Innovation Program (SCIP) have been nothing short of remarkable. Duncan's journey from a middle school racer in the RC Car Competition to become a dedicated leader of the one-of-a-kind community program demonstrates his passion and commitment to inspiring a love of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) in his community. He truly embodies the Fab Lab's mission to inspire and support the innovators of tomorrow through experiential STEAM learning. Named in honor of the renowned Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer and astronomer, the Archimedes Award is bestowed upon graduating seniors from Pine View School, Booker High School, and Manatee High School who have demonstrated exemplary academic and intellectual accomplishments and intend to pursue post-secondary studies in a STEM-related field. Made possible by the Andrew and Judith Economos family, the $10,000 scholarship will empower Duncan as he embarks on his post-secondary pathway studying Physics at Princeton University. Award recipients are carefully selected by an impartial scholarship committee comprising of dedicated school staff and esteemed community members. The Suncoast Science Center/Faulhaber Fab Lab extends warm congratulations to Duncan Marmash for the extraordinary achievement and sincere appreciation to Andrew and Judith Economos for their unwavering support of countless community initiatives that recognize and nurture exceptional youth. 

Pictured: Archimedes Award recipient and Fab Lab student leader, Duncan Marmash shows off a Best Engineer title he earned from his fellow RC Car committee members. Photo courtesy of Fab Lab.

Dr. Jason Wysong will be sworn in as Superintendent of the School District of Manatee County during a special meeting of the School Board on Monday, July 3, 2023, at 10 a.m. The ceremony will take place at the Walter E. Miller School Support Center, located at 215 Manatee Avenue West, in Bradenton. Dr. Wysong is replacing Cynthia Saunders as superintendent. Ms. Saunders is retiring June 30, 2023, after serving 34 years in education in Florida, including the last five as superintendent in Manatee County. The ceremony will be live streamed by Manatee Schools Television (MSTV) on the district website at the following link: https://www.manateeschools.net/Page/3700 on YouTube @SchoolDistrictManatee, and Spectrum Channel 646 and Frontier Channel 39. A Deputy Superintendent for Seminole County Public Schools since 2021, Dr. Wysong’s responsibilities included leading K-12 instruction and organizing strategic action across district departments and schools. Prior to becoming Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Wysong served Seminole County as Executive Director for Instructional Excellence and System Equity (2020-2021), Executive Director of Education Pathways and Strategic Partnerships (2016-2020), Director of Education Pathways and Strategic Partnerships (2013-2016), and Coordinator of Race to the Top (2011-2013). He served in Seminole County schools since 2007. An “A” rated district located northeast of Orlando, Seminole schools are home to more than 63,000 students. Earlier in his career, Wysong was a Social Studies Teacher and Debate Coach (2000-2007) followed by Dean of Students (2007-2008) and Assistant Principal at Lake Brantley High School (2008-2011). Wysong earned a doctorate and a specialist degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Central Florida, as well as a master’s in Social Studies Education and a Bachelor of Arts with honors in Political Science and History from the University of Florida.