Sarasota’s art gallery scene continues to grow, as a new gallery dedicated exclusively to the art of photography opens this month in the Rosemary District. Called Divergent Image and founded by David Steiner, cofounder of State of the Arts Gallery, where his painting can still be found, the gallery features the work of Steiner, as well as photographers Salvatore Brancifort and Todd Marti, and aims to reframe the medium for modern audiences.

“I want to photograph things that people don’t normally see,” Steiner says, making a visual circuit of the one-room gallery, where blown up photographs of white painted arrows on cracked and gravelly streets hang next to neon pop art-inspired experiments and portraits of rusted-out cars lost deep in the Georgia woods. It’s not that you won’t find the occasional landscape—or even an obligatory shot of the John Ringling Bridge—but Steiner’s eye seems decidedly less interested in sunsets and lifeguard stands than elevating the overlooked of everyday life, from the built environment literally underfoot to tools of yesterday deemed obsolete and intentionally discarded. Photographic series memorialize used paintbrushes and antique cameras, isolated on white like artifacts in a museum. Detail shots of old machines slowly reclaimed by time look alternately like crime scene photos or triumphant elegy, finding nobility in the thing, once powerful, now broken down.

It's a sentiment that could almost apply to the photograph itself, a technology grown so ubiquitous as to be seen by many as entirely disposable. “So many people never look at a photograph unless it’s on a screen,” Steiner says, where the image becomes just one of a million conglomerations of pixels beamed directly to the brain every day but largely bouncing off into the digital ether. But by creating a space dedicated to the medium—a modern-day temple with walls for pedestals—Steiner hopes to recapture the old magic and rekindle an appreciation for the photograph as art, not product. After all, it worked for vinyl. “This is slowing everything down,” he says. “And people still want to have that experience.”

Operating his own print shop and framing service next door, Steiner also hopes to keep the art accessible by keeping the pricepoint down—or, at least lower than what one could expect to pay for a similarly sized oil painting. With this vertical integration also comes flexibility, and Steiner is able to resize, reprint and reframe just about any image in the gallery for a collector’s specific need. And if they don’t find what they need on the walls, the greater collection is viewable on request.

Located at 327 Central Avenue in Sarasota’s Rosemary District, Divergent Image is open Tuesday through Saturday. 

Pictured: 1956 Cadillac Coupe DeVille by David Steiner.

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On May 3, an exhibition that only could have originated in Sarasota is coming to the SPAACES Art Gallery. Women Artists: Courage in the Lifelong Pursuit of Art Making will highlight the work of the Petticoat Painters, one of the longest tenured continuously exhibiting women’s art groups in the country.

The group, which consists of 20 female artists from the Sarasota-area, was created in 1953 as a reaction to the inequality experienced by women artists–it was a time where women struggled to not only find venues to show their work, but to gain adequate compensation for it as well. What started as a one-off show featuring seven women who dubbed themselves the “Petticoat Painters” has evolved into a tight-knit community that has lasted for over 70 years. To be a member of the Petticoat Painters is not an easy feat, one has to reside in the Sarasota area and be invited to join. The group celebrates that its members include artists of diverse styles and visual mediums and serves as a support base for these select female creators. The Petticoat Painters stand for more than just their elite membership, however, as the collective aims to push for further exposure and equality for women artists.

One of the members who will be showing at the SPAACES exhibition is Jana Millstone, a New York City born and bred artist who moved to Sarasota in 2014 and was invited to join the Petticoat Painters soon after. Millstone, an accomplished artist whose work spans various mediums including painting and textiles, can attest to the support she has received from the group as a woman artist. “The issue of women’s exhibition has been a long one and the group is almost 72 years old. While women are now finding more opportunities for exhibition, the parity of pay and general career track for very established female artists is still nowhere near their male counterparts,” says Millstone. “There’s definitely still a need for this kind of camaraderie. It’s really easy to get sidetracked in an art career, particularly for women, because you often have to balance family requirements with the time needed to put into your art as a creative person. The Petticoat Painters are people that have my back and share the challenges and peculiar joys of making art.”

May 3 to June 1, Opening Night Reception May 3, 6-8pm, SPAACES Art Gallery, 2051 Princeton St, Sarasota.  

Pictured: Jill's Jewels by Susan Klein. Photo courtesy of SPAACES Art Gallery.

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Sarasota Opera is pleased to host the finals for Schmidt Vocal Arts (SVA) third  annual national Schmidt Vocal Competition at Sarasota Opera House June 1-2, 2024. The top three winners from each of 15 regional competitions will compete for a $10,000 first prize. Five Floridians have qualified after competing in three different regional locations. Distinguished judges for this competition are Dallas Opera General Director Ian Derrer, soprano Ana María Martinez, and baritone Reginald Smith, Jr. Tickets are available to various events of the Schmidt Vocal Competition on June 1 for $15 (Students: $10) and on June 2 for $25 (Students: $10) at SarasotaOpera.org or (941) 328-1300. Visit SarasotaOpera.org for more information. 

Choral Artists of Sarasota’s 45th season concludes with “United We Stand,” a Memorial Day concert commemorating the legacy of the brave women and men of the US Armed Forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country, freedom and liberty. The performance features a tribute to the 80th commemoration of the Normandy Invasion of World War II, also known as D-Day. Performing with Choral Artists is the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble under the direction of Joe Martinez. The concert is Sunday, May 26, 4 p.m., at the Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. Tickets: $30-$60; students $5. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.ChoralArtistsSarasota.org or call 941-387-4900. 

Pictured: Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble. Courtesy of Choral Artists of Sarasota.

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is proud to announce the lineup for its 2024 Summer Season, featuring a three-show Mainstage Series and a three-show Cabaret Series. The Mainstage Series
includes the humor-filled The World Goes ‘Round, the heartwarming drama Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise, and the timely comedy The Outsider. The Cabaret Series features some of the country’s top Cabaret artists celebrating the county's most fierce and fantastic females, the music of one of the sacred places of the 60s and 70s, and the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons catalog. With its mission to make theatre accessible to as many people as possible, FST offers all three Summer Mainstage productions, or all three Summer Cabaret shows for as little as $59. Subscriptions and single tickets are now on sale at FloridaStudioTheatre.org or at 941.366.9000. 

 Sarasota Orchestra’s 2024-2025 season promises programming that will bring joy to newcomers and seasoned concertgoers alike. The new season will highlight beloved classical works, high-energy pops shows and more. “After celebrating our 75th Anniversary this past season, we are elated to launch into the next 75 years of great music and exceptional artistry,” said President & CEO Joseph McKenna. “We are thrilled to welcome back many favorite guest artists and to share the stage with illustrious performers who will join us for the first time. From Ravel’s Boléro to a celebration of film scores by John Williams, it will be a truly joyous season of music-making.” The 2024-2025 season is comprised of five popular concert series 

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Creative Liberties Artist Studios and Gallery continues its season’s offerings with an all-packed May starting with a program, May 2-June 30, to meet artists Ailliene Bouchard and Christine Libbey, the featured artists-in-residence at Creative Liberties in Gaze Gallery at the ARCOS Apartments, 340 Central Avenue in Sarasota. Meet the artists, learn about their process, and view and purchase their art. There is an opening reception on Thursday, May 16, 5-7 p.m. Open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 

Pictured: Elizabeth Goodwill and Barbara Gerdeman of Creative Liberties.

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2024 WOMEN WHO ROAR NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN | We invite our readers to nominate an individual who best exemplifies the attributes of professional acumen, philanthropic passion, personal integrity and community leadership. Nominations close today, April 26, 2024. 

Nominate Here!