Arts Advocates Reveals February 2024 Programs and Events

 Arts Advocates has announced its schedule of February programs and events, including a member artist exhibit, an art talk, and a colored pencil workshop in the Arts Advocates Gallery; tours of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and Asolo Rep; and the monthly luncheon program at Sarasota Yacht Club. 

Arts Advocates member artists are invited to exhibit monthly in the Arts Advocates Gallery, located in the Crossings at Siesta Key mall, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. Shows open the first Saturday of the month and close the last Saturday of the month. Jana Millstone's show, “A Crooked Path,” will be on exhibit from February 3-24, Saturdays only from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Millstone's dream-like imagery propels the viewer into worlds that are sometimes funny, sometimes disquieting or calming, but always thought provoking. She believes artmaking is a weird mix of play, alchemy, terror, and transcendence. Admission is free.

The “Behind the Curtain: Exploring the Van Wezel from the Art to the Stage” tour is presented in partnership with the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall with proceeds benefitting the Arts Advocates and the Van Wezel's education/outreach programs. The art in the Van Wezel, 777 N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, was created by noted Florida artists and is on loan from Arts Advocates. A docent leads a tour of the paintings and sculptures including those by Robert Chase, William Hartman, Eugene White, BEN STAHL, Thornton Utz, Frank Colson, Dean Mitchell, and others. Participants then step onto the stage where a Van Wezel guide offers a peek behind the curtain and shares stories and anecdotes about the colorful world of show business. February 12, 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.; tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased at the Van Wezel box office or by calling (941) 263-6799.

Arts Advocates presents monthly luncheon programs at the Sarasota Yacht Club, 1100 John Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, featuring engaging speakers discussing local arts-related topics. WEDU's Jake Hartvigsen, associate director of marketing and community partnerships, is the featured speaker on February 15, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Hartvigsen helped bring local arts content to the Sarasota area through WEDU Arts Plus. $45 for Arts Advocates members; $50 for non-members. Lunch is included. 

On February 19, from 9:30-11:00 a.m., Arts Advocates is offering a tour of the Asolo Repertory Theatre and the Koski Center. Asolo Rep tours are an opportunity to witness professional-level theatrical design in the making. Tour participants will learn the history of the Mertz Theatre and get a special behind the scenes look at the Koski Center, which includes rehearsal space and the scene shop, where scenery and props are constructed for Asolo Rep as well as other organizations including the Sarasota Opera, Sarasota Ballet, Tampa's Straz Center, Universal Studios, Broadway, television, and film. $20 for Arts Advocates members; $25 for non-members.

Art talks, held in the intimate setting of the Arts Advocates Gallery, feature guest speakers covering a wide range of topics. On February 23, from 4:00-6:00 p.m., Arts Advocates presents “Don't Breathe: Jamiel Law Finds His Voice.” Law, an illustrator based in Parrish, FL, graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design in 2019 with a B.F.A. in illustration. The title of his art talks comes from one of his illustrations about the psychological notion of police presence in the African American community in the U.S. Admission is free for Arts Advocates members and $5 for non-members. 

Artist/instructor Alexandria Lillis presents the workshop “Colored Pencils Blooming on Black Paper” on February 24, 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. in the Arts Advocates Gallery. Participants will learn to combine the stark drama of black paper with the brilliance of colored pencil through a detailed presentation of materials, techniques, and design principles, and by the end of the workshop will have completed a full color work of art. All skill levels welcome. Cost is $100 which includes black paper; participants are asked to bring Prismacolor pencils in a set of 12 or more and a white eraser. 

The Arts Advocates' collection of Sarasota Art Colony and Highwaymen works is on permanent display in the Arts Advocates Gallery. The gallery is open every Saturday from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.; admission is free and written information is available for self-guided tours.

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