Creative Liberties Artist Studios & Gallery opens Creative Academy at second location
Creative Liberties Artist Studios & Gallery is gearing up for a new year filled with art and artists, including an open studio event on Saturday.
Creative Liberties artists are participating with the Sarasota Studio Artists Association to offer open studios from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event allows the community to meet with artists and discuss their creative process. A “New Beginnings” art market will feature a food truck, artisan vendors, free beer, a kid’s art tent and live music by Joni Adno.
Creative Liberties founders Barbara Gerdeman and Elizabeth Goodwill also have opened a second location at 927 Lime Ave. that includes the new Creative Academy. The new building will be used for a variety of classes and workshops.
“In addition to offering more studio space and display space to local artists, we are thrilled to now also have a classroom/community space for art education and community events,” Gerdeman said.
Creative Liberties Artist Studios & Gallery, 901-B Apricot Ave., was founded in November 2021 “to empower regional artists with a variety of business services and studio and exhibition opportunities."
“Thanks to a huge amount of support from the community – the public, artists, arts advocates and the media – we have been able to grow Creative Liberties in a short time period,” Gerdeman said. “With the opening of the second location, we will be home to 21 studio artists, offer 16 art display walls and be able to provide art education opportunities.”
Creative Liberties artists include Jenny Berry (oil painting); Elizabeth Goodwill (book art, fiber art, mixed media); Barbara Gerdeman (photography, acrylic painting, mixed media); Donna Bergman (collage, mixed media); Lisa DiFranza (acrylic painting, gouache, mixed media); Traci Kegerreis (acrylic painting, collage, mosaics); Sandy Koolkin (acrylic fluid painting, watercolor, fiber art); Jay Li (pastel and charcoal portraiture, plein air oil painting), Judy Levine (jewelry design, collage, photography); Drita Dawn (painting, mixed media); Swirly Painter (painting, canvas, mural); Sandra Wix (illustration, portraits, photography); Jeff Vasington (landscape oil painting); Gary LaParl (oil painting); Adrienne Watts (abstract painting); Henry Martin (photography, mixed media); David Sigel (oil painting, mixed media); Cheryl Taub (acrylic paint, pastel, collage); Steve Schwartz (acrylic paint, mixed media), Lee Oberlander (watercolor, acrylic paint, mixed media); and Audrey Elk (oil painting, printmaking).
Creative Liberties also will hold a Third Thursday Open Studio on Jan. 19 from 5-7 p.m. and Family Day on Jan. 28 from 9 a.m.-noon. For more information, visit creativeliberties.net or call 941-799-6634.
Submitted by Su Byron
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Creative Liberties opens art academy at 2nd downtown Sarasota location
