A call to artists underway until the end of this June will culminate in the third annual “Florida Flavor” at Art Center Sarasota, a juried exhibition to showcase the extraordinary talents of Florida-based artists. The show, which is expected to draw more than 300 two- and three-dimensional works, will fill all four of the center’s galleries July 9-August 14, 2015.
This year’s exhibition will be juried by internationally acclaimed Artist
Robert Tarbell, known for his arrestive technique in manipulating smoke to create his works. Tarbell’s “Failure to Appear” series was a hit at the 2014 Art Basel in Miami and was awarded the 2014/2015 John Ringling Towers Fund Individual Artist Award. Tarbell, who lives in Sarasota and teaches at
Ringling College of Art and Design, says he was "drawn to work that is conceptually strong, technically sound, and incorporates interesting materials or unique processes."
Though the Florida Flavor exhibit is not themed,
Art Sarasota Executive Director Lisa Berger says some artists “take it as a theme.” But the real goal of the exhibit is to provide “a broad picture of the diverse talent in Florida.”
“We get everything from digital art, photography, mixed media, all kinds of paintings, sculpture, even videos sometimes. A really nice mix,” says Berger.
In addition, she says summer is a good time to attract cultural tourists form around the state. “A lot of people who visit Sarasota, the tourists, people that live in Florida, like to do local day trips and things like that. It gives our audience a flavor of the state they live in, to celebrate the artists that are working and living here.”
Florida artists who wish to be considered for inclusion in "Florida Flavor" can bring their work to Art Center Sarasota on June 30, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Artists may also submit their work online until June 26, 2015.
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