The Sarasota public art scene continues to grow, with the imminent addition of a large-scale mural made in tribute to the famous Florida Highwaymen, a group of 26 African American landscape artists who created their own style and their own art scene at a time when white galleries and institutions were often closed to them. The project, designed and spearheaded by artist Beck Lane, who is joined by fellow artists Greg Cruz and Jade Griffin, will span three 13’ x 13’ panels on the eastern wall of the Whole Foods in Downtown Sarasota. Painting begins late August.

Active from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, the Florida Highwaymen carved a niche for themselves in the southwest Florida art world through ingenuity and determination, painting impressionistic landscapes on construction materials like fiberboard and Masonite and painting them quickly, selling them door-to-door or roadside from the trunk of their cars—a practice which would one day give them their name. “It’s absolutely astounding what they were able to accomplish,” says Lane. “And they were doing this out on the highways of Florida during the Jim Crow era.”

The planned design for the new mural, which Lane has been reworking and revising for nearly a year, pays homage to the Florida Highwaymen and their story through both style and content. Looming large in the design are portraits of both Alfred Hair, the youngest of the group and a leader until his death at age 29, and Mary Ann Carroll, the lone woman in the group and also one of the nine original members. Behind them, the burnt-orange clouds and vibrant blue skies speak to the impressionistic style found in so much of the Highwaymen’s work. “There are endless nods,” Lane says.

For Cruz, the project represents an opportunity to pay tribute to a group of artists who were “almost like folklore” for a young person of color making his way in the art world. “It was just so cool to learn about artists who looked like me,” he says, “and who had such a large contribution to the community.” It’s a tribute that will be crafted in many layers, using everything from acrylic handpaint and regular housepaint to spray paint and more. “That’s the way you get the proper texture and the proper tones,” he says, so that the finished product will present well in any light and withstand the Florida weather. It is, after all, public art.

“And public art is important,” says Griffin, a Fort Myers-based painter also joining the effort. “When you drive through Florida cities that don’t accentuate the arts, it’s dull and bland,” she says. “But if you go through places like Sarasota, where art is living and creativity is everywhere, it’s a different feeling.” And when that public art can also draw attention to a group like the Florida Highwaymen, it becomes something even more. “It’s historic,” Griffin says. “It says that black artists have a place in the Sarasota arts scene and we’re bettering the community we’re in.” 

Pictured: Beck Lane's design for a mural honoring the Florida Highwaymen includes a portrait of member Alfred Hair. Photo by the artist.

Nine years ago Katie McCoy had her life changed forever. McCoy, then 24, was born with retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic eye condition that inhibits her ability to see in the dark, negates any peripheral vision and causes her to struggle with depth perception. It was, for much of her life, not only an extremely isolating condition, but a dangerous one as well. Then came Bristol, her guide dog from the Palmetto-based nonprofit Dogs Inc. “The first moment where I realized that this was going to change my life was during our training together when we did traffic checks. A traffic check is when your dog stops you from getting hit by a car, I’ve been hit by cars so I was pretty nervous that day of training because they have different types of vehicles coming at you from different angles,” says McCoy. “Bristol stopped every single time so that there was no point to where we were ever even close to being hit by a car. I thought to myself, ‘this dog is going to save my life’ and she has, multiple times.”

Bristol, a yellow lab, and McCoy have been paired together for the last nine years. They’ve formed a bond that goes so much deeper than just that of a pet–Bristol has been McCoy’s lifeline, the catalyst that has allowed McCoy to live life on her terms Together, the pair have hiked through National Parks, attended music festivals and traveled to Disney World.

McCoy’s story is just one of many that have been made possible through Dogs Inc., which provides their services–which include training, housing, preventative veterinary care and the service/guide dogs themselves–free of charge to their recipients. Last month, Dogs Inc., released their animated short Ace, a prequel to their 2018 award-winning animated short film Pip, which has amassed nearly half a billion views on YouTube. Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_lBQkhZs2g to watch Ace.

Dogs Inc, 4210 77 St E, Palmetto, 941-729-5665. 

Pictured: Katie McCoy and her Guide Dog Bristol. Photo courtesy of Dogs Inc.

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Due to audience demand, Florida Studio Theatre (FST) announces the extension of its final Summer Mainstage production, The Outsider. Called “Hilarious” by Venice Gondolier and “Bound to make you laugh” by Sarasota Magazine, The Outsider has captivated audiences with its sharp wit and insightful commentary on politics, identity, and the nature of leadership. The play will now run in FST’s Gompertz Theatre for an additional week through August 25, 2024. Tickets are now on sale at FloridaStudioTheatre.org or 941.366.9000. 

The Hermitage Artist Retreat’s popular series, “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens,” continues into its fifth anniversary as part of the Hermitage’s 2024-2025 season. The outdoor series — a celebrated collaboration between the Hermitage and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens — features performances and explorations of works-in-progress by Hermitage artists-in-residence and alumni.  “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” events are currently scheduled to take place at Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus and the Historic Spanish Point campus in Osprey. The first of these events, “Let the Music Set You Free,” features Broadway veteran, Tony Award-winning co-founder of Broadway Advocacy Coalition, and 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize finalist Britton Smith. As the bandleader for the alternative soul band Britton and the Sting, this visionary artist and advocate is a force of nature determined to unite the world through a passion for music and theater. Britton's vibrant work bears witness to the inspiration that can be found within and around us all. Catch this dynamic performer like never before in a stripped-down presentation surrounded by the beautiful sanctuary of Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus on Thursday October 17 at 5:30pm. The second of these events is “Solo Flute — Destiny of Density,” where award-winning flutist, composer, and returning Hermitage Fellow Claire Chase will share selections of her genre-defining work and discuss her innovative approach to music. This event will take place on Thursday, December 5 at 5:30pm, at Selby Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point campus in Osprey. Chase is a world-renowned musician and composer who was also one of the inaugural artists in the “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” series, in addition to performing at two past Hermitage Artful Lobster events. A soloist, collaborative artist, curator, and advocate for new and experimental music, she has been described by The New York Times as “the most important flutist of our time.” Chase was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2012, and in 2017 was the first flutist to be awarded the Avery Fisher Prize from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. A professor of music at Harvard University, she recently concluded her term as a member of the Hermitage National Curatorial Council.  

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Asolo Repertory Theatre has received a $50,000 grant from the Designing Women Boutique. This grant continues a longstanding community partnership between Designing Women Boutique and Asolo Repertory Theatre; this year’s grant is in support of the theatre’s upcoming 2024-2025 Season.Celebrating 22 years of giving back to the Sarasota community, Designing Women Boutique & Estate Services has bestowed $12,000,000 in grants and merchandise to more than 100 non-profit recipients. With active leadership by the co-founders and the Board of Trustees, the business is managed by a talented and committed team of staff and volunteers.The grant will provide essential support for the 2024-25 mainstage season, complete with big musicals, bold plays, thrilling comedies, and a new holiday classic. Productions include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (November 13, 2024 – January 5, 2025), Ken Ludwig’s Lady Molly of Scotland Yard (January 17 – February 8, 2025), Anna in the Tropics (February 19 – March 13, 2025), Dancing in Lughnasa (March 19 – April 19, 2025), Good Night, Oscar (April 2 – April 27, 2025), Jesus Christ Superstar (May 14 – June 15, 2025) and All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 (December 4 – 25, 2024) in partnership with The Ringling and The Historic Asolo Theater. To learn more about Asolo Rep’s 2024-25 season and programs, visit www.asolorep.org.