January Events at Creative Liberties Will Celebrate Regional Artists

Creative Liberties Artist Studios and Gallery will continue its season's offerings with an all-packed January, starting with its in-progress group exhibition at Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Suite C in Sarasota. Opening reception is Monday, January 8, 5-7 p.m.

Next up! Creative Liberties presents two new exhibitions at its Limelight District locations: Work by 11 artists will be on display at 901B Apricot Avenue and 927 N. Lime Avenue. The artists at 901B will be featured January, February and March, and the artists at 927 N. Lime Avenue will be featured January and February. Opening reception is Thursday, January 11, 5-7 p.m., at both locations. Meet the featured artists, the studio artists and enjoy lite bites and beverages.

From January 16 to 21, 21 Creative Liberties' studio artists will be participating in a group show at Art Ovation Hotel, 1255 N Palm Avenue in Sarasota. The artists will be taking turns working in the Art Ovation studio each evening between 4 and 8 p.m. Opening reception is Friday, January 19, 5-7 p.m. See the art, meet the artists and take in all that the Art Ovation Hotel has to offer.

Meet fiber artists Michael Stevenson, Rebecca Quigley and Ellen Goldberg, who are the featured artists-in-residence at Creative Liberties in Gaze Gallery at the ARCOS Apartments, 340 Central Avenue in Sarasota. Enjoy bites and wine and observe the creative mind in process. The exhibition runs January and February. Opening reception is Thursday, January 18, 5-7pm.

Bring the whole family for Family Art Day, Saturday, January 27, 9 a.m.-noon. These free monthly events feature interactive art-creating sessions led by professional artists, which are suitable for all age groups and skill levels. No RSVP required. This is a free program, made possible by generous funding from the Floyd C Johnson and Flo Singer Johnson Foundation.

Creative Liberties Artist Studios and Gallery was founded in November 2021 by Barbara Gerdeman and Elizabeth Goodwill, both artists and art educators. Goodwill explains that "more than 35 independent local artists have artwork on display or are working at our three locations." She adds that Creative Liberties provides “affordable working studio spaces, display walls, emerging artist residencies, education opportunities, community outreach, and unique events—all in close proximity to the downtown center of Sarasota."

Creative Liberties now has three locations in Sarasota; the original location at 901-B Apricot Avenue features nine studio artists and gallery walls for four feature artists. The 927 N. Lime Avenue location features12 studio artists, gallery walls for six feature artists and the Creative Academy classroom/community space. Its third location, Creative Liberties Artist Residencies at Gaze Modern, is in the ARCOS Apartments, 340 Central Avenue and offers limited-time artist residences for work and display space.

"We are responding to the needs of the artists in our community and the interests of the art enthusiasts,” says Gerdeman, "and we are thrilled to offer a whole new art buying experience that adds depth and value for both the artists and the collectors. We want to make art accessible to all, for those who want to create, sell, learn, view and buy.”

Twenty-one artists have made Creative Liberties Artist Studios and Gallery their artistic workspace. These include: Elizabeth Goodwill (book art, fiber art and mixed-media); Barbara Gerdeman (photography, acrylic painting, and mixed media); Donna Bergman (collage and mixed media); Lisa DiFranza (acrylic painting, gouache, and mixed-media); Drita Dawn Hajroja (painting and mixed-media); Traci Kegerreis (acrylic painting, collage and mosaics); Sandy Koolkin (acrylic fluid painting, watercolor and fiber art); Gary LaParl (oil painting); Judy Levine (jewelry design, collage and photography); Jie Li (portraiture pastel, charcoal portraiture and plein air oil painting); Henry Martin (photography and mixed-media); Lee Oberlander (watercolor, acrylic paint and mixed-media); Steve Schwartz (acrylic paint, mixed-media); Nancy Turner (printmaking and mixed media); Cheryl Taub (acrylic paint, pastel and collage); Adrienne Watts (abstract painting); Sandra Wix (illustration, portraits and photography); Susan Hurwitch (mixed media, collage); Ava Young (abstract acrylic painting); and John-Norman Tuck (acrylic and mixed media); and Gemma Hobbs (custom tropical sculptures and arrangements).

For more information about Creative Liberties, visit the link below; call 941-799-6634 or email info@creativeliberties.net. The Limelight studios are open to the public, Thursday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and Sunday to Wednesday by appointment. The Rosemary artists residency at Gaze Gallery is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

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