November Events at Creative Liberties Include The Apricot Artist Market, Family Art Day, Exhibitions, and More

Creative Liberties will present an exhibition of works by Liza Compass and Jane Rubini, the new artists-in-residence at Creative Liberties, November 1-January 2, at Arcos Apartments location, 340 Central Avenue. There is an opening reception, Thursday, November 21, 5-7 p.m. Meet the artists, view and purchase their art and enjoy lite bites and beverages. 340 Central Avenue, Sarasota.

Creative Liberties’ November’s Featured Artists are Steve Blumenthal, Barbara Benjamin, Carol Hartley-Pinter, Eileen Saunders, Cindy Barbenera-Wedel, Dick Lyons, Lynn Cooke, Ronnique Hawkins, Paula Colman, Rick Cardoza, and Jess Nagy. Visit during business hours, Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., to view and purchase their work. At Creative Liberties 901B Apricot Avenue and 927 N Lime Avenue locations. 

Discover unique, hand-crafted art and gifts from Sarasota artists at the Apricot Artist Market, Saturday, November 23, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 901B Apricot Ave., Sarasota.

Free refreshments and face painting. Now accepting vendor applications. Fee for artists: $40 for 10'x10' space. Bring your tent and tables. Limited power available. Visit www.creativeliberties.net.

 Bring the whole family for Family Art Day, Saturday, November 23, 9:30 a.m.-noon. Enjoy creating art together with artist Traci Kegerreis. Project is suitable for all ages and skill levels. All supplies are included. This is a free program, made possible by generous funding from the Johnson Singer Arts & Education Fund.

An ongoing event is A Taste of Art at Chaz 51 Steakhouse, 549 US 41 Bypass N, Venice. The partnership pairs fine cuisine with fine art and demonstrations every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings, 5-8:30 p.m. Enjoy a meal and interact with artists. In addition to the live artmaking, Chaz 51 also hosts a gallery of local art on the restaurant's walls that is available for purchase.

SPECIAL EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: The 2nd annual "Gaze & Graze" Progressive Dinner Gallery Tour is Tuesday, December 3, 5-9 p.m. Visit six Sarasota gallery locations via trolley, including Creative Liberties 1, SPAACES Gallery & Studios, Define Gallery & Studio, Chasen Gallery at the Mark, Art Ovation Hotel and Creative Liberties 2. At each gallery guests will enjoy a small plate course from a local restaurant. Limited number of seats available. Tickets are $140 and are on sale now at CreativeLiberties.net.

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 40 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 five feature artists. The 927 N. Lime Avenue location features 12 studio artists, gallery walls for nine feature artists and the Creative Academy classroom/community space. Its third location, Creative Liberties Artist Residencies at Gaze Gallery, 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 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); Emily Baar (miniature acrylic painting); Alliene Bouchard (oil painting, ceramic and cast jewelry); Beth Climo (painting, mixed media); Jules Farnsworth (resin and acrylic painting); Robin Fredey (mixed media, collage); Dante Garcia (oil painting); Drita Dawn Hajroja (painting and mixed-media); Sandy Koolkin (acrylic fluid painting, watercolor and fiber art); Deb Lambert (fiber and weaving); 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); Sandra Wix (illustration, portraits and photography); Ava Young (abstract acrylic painting). 

For more information about Creative Liberties, visit CreativeLiberties.net; call 941-799-6634 or email info@creativeliberties.net. The Limelight District 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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