A working artist is a unique type of person. Typically, their work can be found in galleries and museums or other fine art establishments, not in bars and restaurants and man caves. Typically, working artists have agents, who hawk their work to such establishments and pedigrees, dating back to college and graduate school. They have taken classes in formal color theory and composition, they are trained, groomed and educated to be “professionals”. But not Tim Steller.

Tim Steller was a bartender, working in Sarasota, when he hopped on Craigslist to search for wooden pallets in the hopes of making something cool for his son’s bedroom. The result? Ten years later he has a full-time woodworking business, specializing in creating lightbox constructions of coastal inspired designs out of reclaimed wood, backlit with LED lights. In the past couple of years, his wife, Ashley, a veteran of the restaurant business has joined him as well and specializes in ocean resin designs–anything from cutting boards to bar tops to dinner tables is on the menu.

“I have no technical schooling, but I’ve always been interested in art since I was a kid growing up in New York. When I was in high school, I delved into the graphic arts with illustrations and even tattoo design,” says Steller. “What started all of this, back in 2014, was that I was trying to make a wood cutout of a shark for our newborn’s bedroom. I cut the shark out and realized that the relief, the hollow, was so much cooler than just the wood shark itself. Then if you made a rectangular frame out of the original piece of wood it looked like a headboard.”

Not long after, Tim and his wife happened upon some battery powered LED lights at a store. Inspiration struck and Tim immediately backlit the shark in his son’s room and sent some pictures to friends. Not long after, people were clamoring for orders. “Never in a million years did I think I would be doing this full time. My wife and I still laugh about that. We’re really grateful and thankful for what we're doing,” says Steller. “We’re always telling people you don’t know how much this means to us. This was just a silly fun idea that turned into a full-blown business within only a couple of years.”

Tim and Ashley’s work can be found on their website, where they happily take commissions as well as at farmer’s markets and art shows around the region. Working out of their backyard, with no formal training whatsoever, the Steller’s are proof that you don’t have to have a pedigree to produce great art. You just have to give it a shot. 

Pictured: Ocean resin table, one of many artistic creations by Tim Stellar and his wife Ashley. Photo courtesy of the artists.

To learn more, visit

Mark your calendars for an unforgettable experience at the Bazaar on Apricot & Lime this Saturday, January 27th. Be mesmerized by a thrilling combination of fire and giant bubbles that will heat up your New Year! Join us as we welcome the incredibly talented Smiley, a professional Fire Breather and Bubble Maker, who will showcase his breathtaking skills from noon to 2pm. Prepare to be dazzled by the sheer artistry and excitement that he brings to every performance! This spectacular display of fire and bubbles is absolutely free to witness! So bring your family and friends to 821 Apricot Ave in Sarasota. This is an event you don't want to miss! For more information about this incredible fusion of fire and bubbles, visit www.bazaaronapricotandlime.com.  

The Bayfront Park playground and splash pad grand reopening and ribbon cutting ceremony is set for Thursday, Feb. 1, at 10 a.m. at Bayfront Park, 5 Bayfront Dr. The public is invited to the ribbon cutting celebration of the newly renovated shipwreck-themed playground and splash pad. For the first 150 attendees, there will be a free gold doubloon to commemorate the occasion. The playground and splash pad have new features and amenities, such as new climbing structures, plenty of seating areas and large sails which offer shade. The new splash pad system allows children to control the flow of water instead of having a continuous flow like before. The original concrete animal sculptures from the previous Steigerwaldt-Jockey Children’s Fountain have been placed in the new landscaping after being restored by the artist. The playground and splash pad areas are ADA-compatible following the City’s ADA plan to update accessibility in City-owned spaces. Therefore, the new design raised the splash pad up by about seven feet to be level with the playground. This allows the playground and splash pad to become one entity instead of two separate ones like previously designed. As conceptualized and overseen by the Parks and Recreation Department, the restoration process started in Oct. 2020. The splash pad required a full renovation due to the Children’s Fountain needing increased maintenance and the cost of repair outweighing the lifespan. Hours of operation at the facilities will be: Playground: 9 a.m. – 11 p.m; Splash Pad: 9 a.m. – dusk. The project had a final budget of $3.3 million, with the majority being funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and the remaining balance coming from Penny Surtax III. For more information, contact Landscape Operations Manager, John Kretzer, via email: John.Kretzer@sarasotaFL.gov. 

Nathan Benderson Park (NBP) will light the lake on fire as they “Unleash the Dragons”, January 22-25, 2025 at the Dragon Boat Festival & Leadership Camp event. Nathan Benderson Park, in partnership with Linked in Pinks, is proud to announce the inaugural 2025 Dragon Boat Festival & Leadership Camp known as “Unleash the Dragons”. This international event is for All Cancer and Breast Cancer survivors from all over the globe and features multiple clinics and competitions, with a strong focus on building camaraderie. Keynote speaker is the world-renowned Dr. Don McKenzie, a leader in the science of cancer and exercise, since he questioned the dogma preventing women with breast cancer from engaging in meaningful exercise. Registration for the event opens on April 16, 2024 and space is limited. For more details and information, visit https://nathanbendersonpark.org/event/dragonboatfest/. Sponsorship opportunities are available. 

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County has opened its Traditional Scholarship Application for students planning for the 2024-2025 school year. With a single application, a student may be considered for up to 79 different scholarships available to students residing in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties. This year’s application cycle at the Community Foundation is extended due to changes in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that are expected to prolong the FAFSA experience for many students. As a part of its mission to provide access to post-secondary pathways, the Community Foundation prioritizes students who demonstrate financial need. Another key component of the Community Foundation’s scholarship strategy is assistance for non-traditional post-secondary education, such as community college or technical college. President and CEO Roxie Jerde said that investing in postsecondary education offers community-wide benefits. “While scholarships go to individual students to pursue individual goals, when they accomplish their dream of mastering skills and subjects, we all win,” Jerde said. “Not just for now, but for generations to come—the greatest predictors of a child’s success in life are their parents’ educational level and income. What we do now has major positive ripple effects down the line.” Applications are reviewed by nearly 90 local community volunteers in the spring months and scholarships winners will be notified via email by May 21, 2024. Last year, the Community Foundation awarded roughly $1 million in Traditional scholarships to applicants under the age of 24, including those enrolling for the first time in postsecondary programs as well as those who sought scholarship renewals to help them make it to the finish line. Overall, the Community Foundation awards more than $2 million annually to more than 700 recipients. More can be learned about the robust and varied scholarship opportunities available for adult learners, parents seeking higher education, and people aspiring to nursing programs by visiting the Community Foundation website.  The Adult Scholarship Application, for people 24 and older, runs Feb. 15 through April 15, 2024.  The Community Foundation is also seeking volunteers to serve on a scholarship review committee. This rewarding undertaking connects adults in the community with those up-and-coming leaders, allowing a glimpse into the lives and aspirations of college-bound students. Volunteer scholarship committee members fulfill a vital part of the Community Foundation’s mission of supporting the next generation of leaders, innovators, creators, and community caretakers. 

AN ANCHOR FOR THE ARTS | After a rough year-or-10-it's a new day on Palm Avenue, as a whole cluster of new, relocating and returning galleries have set up shop near the southern end, threatening to revitalize the once-famous gallery scene that made Palm Avenue an art collector's destination, January 2024. 

Read Here!