GALLERIES

Eye Candy

Local galleries offer an endless array of visual delights.

Sarasota’s art galleries have a reputation for rare, varied and exquisite works of art—they have to. After all, they’re challenged with drawing your eyes away from our emerald Gulf waters and indescribable sunsets, which are as much competition as they are inspiration for our sizeable population of painters, sculptors, curators and collectors. Fortunately, the local galleries you see here hold their own against the area’s natural beauty.

Sarasota has long been a hub for collectors of fine art, whether it’s John Ringling and his museum collection of Peter Paul Rubens masterpieces (the largest outside Europe) or private collectors whose homes feature the likes of Chagall and Warhol. And from its early days as an artists’ colony to today’s internationally renowned Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota has always fostered the creative spirit. Look no further than Sarasota’s Towles Court, Bradenton’s Village of the Arts, or throughout the collections of these galleries to marvel at the works of our homegrown Picassos and Rembrandts.

After all, with so much natural beauty all around, it’s no wonder we hold our artwork to a higher standard.

 

Visual Arts, Museums and Galleries

Allyn Gallup Contemporary Art | 1288 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota. (941) 366-2093. allyngallup.com. Monthly contemporary exhibits, original paintings, sculptures and mixed media assemblages.

Art Center Sarasota | 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. (941) 365-2032. artsarasota.org. This art center, one of Sarasota’s longest-running arts institutions, offers a wide array of exhibits, classes and workshops.

Art Uptown | 1367 Main St., Sarasota. (941) 955-5409. artuptown.com. Cooperative gallery featuring paintings, sculptures, ceramics, basketry and other media.

Cambridge Christner Fine Art | 415 S. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota. (941) 364-4300. Original art works for sale, including acrylics by Torres Rojas, oils by masters.

Clyde Butcher Gallery and Studio | 237 Warfield Ave., Venice. (941) 486-0811. clydebutcher.com. Black-and-white landscape photography featuring natural Florida environments by acclaimed photographer Butcher.

Crissy Galleries | 640 S. Washington Blvd., Suite 150, Sarasota. (941) 957-1110. crissy.com. Specializing in fine art and antiques.

Dabbert Gallery | 76 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota. (941) 955-1315. dabbertgallery.com. Contemporary paintings, sculptures, watercolors, drawings and bronzes.

Elizabeth Rice Fine Art, Home Accessories and Antiques | 1467 Main St., Sarasota. (941) 954-8575. elizabethrice.com. Contemporary fine art, as well as Biedermeier furniture and other antiques.

Elizabeth Stevens Gallery | 1945 Morrill St., Sarasota. (941) 365-4222. elizabethstevensgallery.net. Paintings by Marge Bennett and Debbie Dannheisser, plus blown glass, pottery and jewelry are featured at this Towles Court space.

Frary Gallery, 1419 Fifth St., Sarasota. (941) 362-0021. frarygallery.com. Fine and contemporary art by local and national artists in a variety of media.

Galleria Silecchia | 20 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota. (941) 365-7414. galleriasilecchia.com. National and international sculptors, painters, glass artists and more; regular exhibitions.

Hodgell Gallery | 46 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota. (941) 366-1146. hodgellgallery.com. Contemporary fine art and glass works.

Imperial Fine Art | 1453 Main St., Sarasota. (941) 954-8901. imperial-fineart.com. Fine art prints and original works, many by very well-known artists.

John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art | 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota. (941) 351-1660. ringling.org. The state museum of Florida houses an extensive Baroque collection, modern collection, Asian art and changing exhibitions.

Longboat Key Center for the Arts | 6860 Longboat Drive S., Longboat Key. (941) 383-2345. This long-established center, now affiliated with the Ringling College of Art and Design, offers classes, exhibits, sales and special events.

Madeby Gallery | 734 Central Ave., Sarasota. (941) 822-0442. Works by Ringling College of Art and Design students and alumni for sale.

SAGA Gallery | 53A Palm Ave., Sarasota. (941) 536-3661. sagagallery.com. International trader in modern and pop art.

Sarasota Season of Sculpture | (941) 366-7767. Presents a biennial exhibition of large-scale sculptures along Sarasota’s downtown bayfront.

s/ART/q | sartq.com. Local contemporary artists with the mission of enhancing local arts culture and engaging the community through exhibitions and educational opportunities. Produces regular shows at various locations.

Selby Gallery, Ringling College of Art and Design | 2700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. (941) 359-7563. ringling.edu/selbygallery. Presents works by national and regional artists in a variety of media; it also hosts annual faculty exhibitions and the "Best of Ringling" student show.

Stakenborg Fine Art | 1545 Main St., Sarasota. (941) 487-8001. stakenborgfineart.com. An art resource for collectors of paintings, drawings and prints, including works by such artists as Picasso.

State of the Arts Gallery | 1525 State St., Sarasota. (941) 955-2787. sarasotafineart.com. This contemporary fine art gallery presents work from local and national artists in regular exhibitions.

Towles Court | just west of U.S. 301 between Adams and Morrill streets. towlescourt.com. This working artist colony offers gallery/studio spaces for viewing and buying; a gallery walk takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. every third Friday of the month.

Venice Art Center | 390 Nokomis Ave. S., Venice. (941) 485-7136. veniceartcenter.com. The area’s largest community art center, begun in 1958, offering exhibitions, classes and occasional special events, such as a Paint-Out in Paradise.

Village of the Arts | east of 14th Street West, between Ninth and 17th avenues, Bradenton. Community of artists, studios and galleries. Art walks take place the first weekend of every month, Friday, 6 to 9:30 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

William Hartman Gallery | 48 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota. (941) 955-4785. Displays 18th- and 19th-century antique prints.

Wyland Galleries of Sarasota | 314 John Ringling Blvd., St. Armands. (941) 388-5331. wylandgalleries.com. Marine and wildlife art by Wyland and other environmental artists is featured here, along with Oggetti glass.

In addition to Sarasota’s museums, several other fine arts museums are nearby, including the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, the Salvador Dali Museum, also in St. Petersburg, and the Tampa Museum of Art.