This Saturday, head over to the Art Ovation Hotel to check out their latest installment of their Conversations with Artists Series. The series, which allows viewers to engage with the artists on display in the hotel’s various galleries, welcomes local art institution Creative Liberties. Creative Liberties, headed by Barbara Gerdeman and Elizabeth Goodwill, is an arts organization that is dedicated to helping local artists grow–they assist with everything from organizing and promoting the artist's work to renting out studio spaces or even being in residency in local gallery spaces.

Through Creative Liberties, the Art Ovation Hotel has 10 local artists featured in an exhibition titled Onaelan in the hotel’s Crescendo Gallery. “Onaelan is an old English word that means to ignite with fiery energy,” says Robyn Holl, Cultural Curator of the Art Ovation Hotel. “The show features a variety of different types of paintings from abstract work to representational to mixed acrylic and watercolor. On Saturday, a handful of those artists are going to present themselves on stage and I’ll be able to ask them questions and then open the conversation up to the audience for any further inquiries.”

Featuring a local organization such as Creative Liberties gives Holl and the team at Art Ovation a chance to do something that they hold near and dear to their hearts–connect with the community. “Not only is it one of our big goals to put on a group show in the Crescendo Gallery, but part of our program is really to emphasize the community by bringing them into the hotel and giving them the platform and exposure we can offer as a hotel that brings guests in from all over the world,” says Holl. “It’s exciting because Creative Liberties is such an impactful organization in the arts and I love being in collaboration with them.”

August 26, 5pm to 6:30p, Art Ovation Hotel Gallery Lounge, 1225 North Palm Ave, Sarasota.

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