M A R A Art Studio + Gallery Opens New Season with 'Emerge: Translation from Sight to Surface' Next Month

M A R A Art Studio + Gallery opens the new season with "Emerge: Translation from Sight to Surface," a series of mixed-media works by Brigitta Sultana. The exhibit runs October 4-21, with an opening reception on October 7, 5:30-7:30 p.m. The gallery is at 1421 5th Street, Rosemary District, Sarasota. For more information, call (941) 914-8110 or visit MaraStudioGallery.com.

Sultana's work infuses different mediums from painting, collage, encaustic and photo transfers incorporated with painting. Currently her work relies on geometric landscapes that play with shape and shadow either created by nature or landscapes she constructs herself.

Sultana explains that these series of images "emerged" and were inspired from a family trip to Gozo, Malta, a small island off the coast of Italy. "One of the beautiful things
Malta is known for is its sea salt," says Sultana. "These vast salt pans line part of the coast as the evaporating sea water reveals the glistening salt to be harvested. It is
a peaceful, man-made geometric landscape set beside organic formations of
limestone, clumps of rosemary, dots of red tomatoes and cliffs that drop into
the deep blue depths of the Mediterranean Sea. This constructed landscape was so simple and beautiful that I had to capture this moment as this landscape was present for
just a glimpse in time. Whether witnessing constructed landscapes made by others or by me, this drives me to record and capture these moments."

M A R A Art Studio + Gallery features year-round rotating exhibits. MARA Torres González opened M A R A Art Studio + Gallery in downtown Sarasota's Rosemary District in 2020. Torres González explains that her gallery is also "a home for workshops, classes and special events and celebrations. I strongly believe in the power of community. We keep our doors open to regional artists." M A R A Art Studio + Gallery showcases a powerful range of homegrown talents, including Lisa DiFranza, Grace Howl, Midge Johnson, Ralph Berger, David Erdman and others. González adds that she is currently looking for new artists to join the gallery.