A Free Art Festival Comes to UTC This October
Some vacation souvenirs deserve a little more room in the suitcase.
Sarasota has long been known for its vibrant arts community. On October 24 and 25, nearly 100 fine artists and crafters will gather for The Mall at UTC Art Festival with Craft Marketplace, a new fall event offering visitors a chance to browse, shop and meet the people behind the work.
The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Admission is free. (artfestival.com)
For travelers looking to spend part of a weekend exploring Sarasota’s arts scene, it’s an easy addition to the itinerary. There’s no need to know anything about art before you arrive. Take your time, see what catches your eye and ask the artists about it.
That conversation is part of the appeal. You can learn where a painting began, how a particular texture was created or what inspired an unexpected combination of colors.
Among the featured artists is Victoria “Vicki” Cooley, whose connections to Sarasota reach back decades. Born on Nantucket, she has lived in Sarasota for most of her life and graduated from Ringling School of Art and Design in 1986. Her career has included mural painting, greeting card design, exhibitions on Nantucket and operating her own gallery in Sarasota’s Towles Court.
Artist David Edmund brings another coastal perspective. Raised in Brazil by an American mother and Austrian father, he studied at the Center for Visual Arts of Rio de Janeiro. He now divides his time between Tampa and the Brazilian coastal village of Búzios. Those tropical surroundings influence his colorful paintings, which combine a warm color palette with alternating brush and palette knife work, resulting in highly tactile, layered surfaces.
St. Petersburg mixed media painter Tina Swaney-Black explores the compelling duality between structure and chaos. Her painting practice began in her garage during a period of personal change. Today, she balances her professional life building corporate strategies on one day, and immersing herself in paint, texture and movement the next.
Beyond the artwork, the festival’s greenmarket will offer live plants, handmade soaps, edibles and other finds. Well-behaved pets are welcome, too.
Come to look, come to shop or simply spend a few hours discovering an artist whose work speaks to you. With UTC’s shops and restaurants nearby, you can make an afternoon of it.