Sarasota's Got Art!

"Liberty" by Jesse Clark (2023)

The fact that Sarasota is a town full of art and culture is not exactly a news flash. Even in the summer months, there is plenty to do and see. But as the season ramps up, the art scene is on overload. Read on for a sampling of works I've recently seen that have stayed with me. 

"Liberty" by Jesse Clark is a reimagining of Delacroix' "Liberty Leading the People" for our times. Clark created the work as part of his thesis project at Ringling College. Yes, he just graduated in May. What maturity his work has. To view the image in a larger format, just click on it.

The intent of Clark's work is to reshape how people view Black identity. All of the models in the photograph were fellow Ringling students, and participation in the project was a powerful experience for them. "We are here, and we are proud," one student said in a video about the creation of the work. I've heard Clark speak, and he is smart and thoughtful and articulate. He's definitely someone to keep an eye on as his career progresses. For a film about the making of "Liberty," click here.  And for Clark's website, click here. 

"Verdant" by Mara Torres Gonzalez (2023)

When I walked into MARA Art Studio + Gallery's new home on Palm Avenue, I came face to face with Mara Torres Gonzalez' "Verdant." I can't articulate why this work speaks to me, but I know it has to do with the movement and what Mara calls "a labyrinth of layers to be discovered." I wanted to know more. It was the first Friday of the month, though, and that means it was an Art Walk night. It was great fun, with loads of people and a festive atmostphere in the gallery. It wasn't, however, a good time to talk to Mara about her art. And so I went back on a quiet afternoon when I had the artist all to myself (except for the person coming in to pick up a sculpture they'd purchased).  

Mara works intuitively when she creates her art. No sketches are done in advance; it's just Mara, a blank canvas and her imagination. Each work incorporates multiple mediums. "Verdant," for instance, includes oil pastels, ink pencils, charcoal and acrylics. While you can't see them here, some of the floating shapes have scribbles around the edges. They are a secret language, the artist's thoughts as she works. When I asked if she remembered what she was thinking, she just smiled and said no. I have my doubts. But she did let me in on another secret in her work. Each painting contains hashmarks that relate to her family. Here the four marks represent Mara, her husband and their two children. The number was reduced to three in some cases because her son is off at college. 

Like all art, Mara's paintings are best seen in person. As a bonus, you'll be introduced to work by a number of other talented artists as well. For more info on MARA Art Studio + Gallery, click here. Maybe I'll see you at one of the First Friday Art Walks.  

"Judgement Day" by Clifford McDonald (2023)

Clifford McDonald is a local artist whose work first came to my attention in connection with the Art in Common Places project. Artists were paired with poets to create works that engaged in conversation and built on one another. The pairings were then printed on posters and placed throughout the community in unlikely spots -- car washes, housing developments, laundromats -- together with postcards of the work that people can take home. The idea is to bring art to people who might not encounter it in their day to day lives. Last year I attended an event in which McDonald and poet Cedric Hameed spoke about their combined work, which you can see by clicking here. I immediately became a fan.

Art Center Sarasota is currently hosting an exhibit of McDonald's work titled "Soundtrack." McDonald's artist statement explains. "Using Hip-Hop lyrics as a jumping off point, I combine figurative and abstract imagery to narrate the stories of these songs and pay homage to the artists who creates them...I am interested in capturing the feelings behind the lyrics." 

Not surprisingly, I'm not a consumer of rap/hip-hop music. But I did watch a video of Method Man's "Judgement Day," which was the inspiration for the painting shown here. The two lyrics that jumped out at me were "Can't we all get along?" and "The Grim Reaper's Calling -- It's the Judgement Day." The first, of course, is a reference to Rodney King's plea in the midst of the Los Angeles riots more than 30 years ago for Americans to live amicably. It takes great compassion for someone who's been beaten by police officers to take that approach. But I digress, sort of. I suspect the "Grim Reaper/Judgement Day" lyric doesn't require any explanation, but it's interesting to note the religious connotations. 

Having this context makes McDonald's work even more powerful, with its references to Black Lives Matter and George Floyd. Who is this hoodied young man? What risks does he face going out into the world every day? Each of the portraits in the exhibit has its own story, and I'd like to learn more. Who knows? Maybe I'll become a hip hop fan. (Unlikely.) "Soundtracks" can be seen at Art Center Sarasota through November 11. For more on McDonald and his work, click here. 

I'll leave you with a work from the Embracing Kindness exhibit now on view on Sarasota Art Museum's Great Lawn. Embracing Our Differences is celebrating its 20th year of pairing art with quotes and displaying them in billboard style fashion. The submissions come from around the world, and the selection process can't be easy. 

This work is entitled "Separate but Equal - Dream Like You Marched with Martin" and was created by Canadian Carling Jackson for the 2015 exhibit. The quote was submitted by Irene Nicola of Sarasota and couldn't be more apt. "When will the road to equality be the road most traveled?" she asked. 

The exhibit runs through November 26, and no admission fee is required to see it (although you do have to enter through the Museum to access it). And keep your eyes out for the annual Embracing Our Differences exhibit in Bayfront Park, which opens on January 21st. I'm already looking forward to it. For more on Embracing Our Differences, click here. 

I've only scratched the surface of what's happening in the art scene in our wonderful city. Stay tuned!  You (and I) never know what's coming up next.