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ARTS + CULTURE THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015

YOUROBSERVER.COM

HIGHLIGHTS

Photos by Nick Reichert

Annette Berezeale and Brendan Ragan

Urbanite Theatre opens ‘Isaac’s Eye’ by Lucas Hnath

Photos by Nick Reichert

Members of the newly re-formed artist collective, SARTQ, prepare for their inaugural show, “Here and Now” at State of the Arts gallery.

Theater-lovers descended onto the Urbanite Theatre for the organization’s final show in its first summer season. The play, “Isaac’s Eye,” focuses on scientist and father of modern physics, Isaac Newton, as he tries to understand the inner workings of the human eye and perception.

SARTQ 2.0 The diverse artist collective returns after a three-year hiatus with a fresh lineup, a debut show and a new vision for the Sarasota arts scene. PAGE 2

Summer Wallace and Vincent Carlson-Brown

Chelsea Attena and Becki Leigh

ONLINE

Javier Rodriguez

Tim Jaeger

Steven Strenk

Read theater critic Marty Fugate’s review of “My Old Lady” online at YourObserver.com.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015

SARTQ 2.0: Artist collective returns

FROM PAGE 1

THE NEW SARTQ

NICK REICHERT A+E EDITOR

Local artists Tim Jaeger and Joseph Arnegger started SARTQ in 2008 as a casual visual-artist forum for artists to get together and discuss their latest work.

At the time, local arts organizations were losing state funding, and private galleries were closing amid the recession.

So SARTQ took on the mission of showing artists’ work.

Jaeger says at the time, there were a lot of artists without places to exhibit their work. So the group decided to create temporary exhibitions in multiple venues to provide more opportunity for Sarasota artists. In addition, it provided education and outreach programs for the community.

“Our mission was to stay in Sarasota,” says Jaeger.

What started out as 12 artists grew to around 30, with members joining and leaving at various points. And as the economy and art community began to stabilize and members became more active in other arenas of their life, the group took a hiatus.

Now, Jaeger and 15 other artists are set to relaunch SARTQ as a permanent fixture in the Sarasota arts community. The first salvo in this artistic commune is the aptly titled show, “Here and Now,” running through Aug. 29 at the State of the Arts Gallery’s gallery C space. And though it presents works by 16 individual artists, members say the group gels artistically.

“With that many people with

After a hiatus of three years, SARTQ is back with a brand new collection of local artists including: n Andrew Long n Cassia Kite n Caui Lofgren n Daniel Miller n Elena De La Ville n Javier Rodriguez n Jenny Medved n Laine Nixon n Larry Forgard n Morgan Janssen n Natalya Swanson n Nathan Wilson n Noelle McCleaf n Steven Strenk n Tim Jaeger n Zachary Gilliland

such strong sensibilities and individuality, it’s very possible that it could not work,” says member Andrew Long, who focuses mostly on ceramic art.

“We seem to mesh very well and work together,” he says. “The fact that we can all work together and orchestrate events like this together is pretty phenomenal.”

Others are looking for a shared

Photos by Nick Reichert

Above: Daniel Miller and Tim Jaeger prepare the State of the Arts gallery for the first SARTQ exhibit since its return.

Right: Zachary Gilliland

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artistic community.

Originally from Puerto Rico, member Javier Rodriguez moved to the east coast of Florida in 1999 and moved to Sarasota soon after to study at the Ringling College of Art and Design. After he graduated, he decided to stay in Sarasota with his wife and son. Even though he was working, he felt something was missing.

“After college, you feel like you’ve been abandoned unless you have good people representing you or other artists and educators that you can go back and forth with and help you and guide you,” Rodriguez said. “Everything is new, and it’s hard once you face reality.”

Membership is always open for new enrollees, but it’s not just a social club.

Entry is open at sartq.org to any working artist who lives in Sarasota or Manatee counties.

The membership committee then judges the applicant’s artistic portfolio and status within the community and decides whether to admit the artist.

Each member must either pay annual membership dues of $250 or volunteer for the organization for 25 hours over the course of the year. Members are encouraged to participate in all exhibitions. They must participate in all fundraising events and exhibit with the group or as an individual in the community at least once a year.

In addition, members must spend 10 hours volunteering on at least one of the organization’s committees.

After “Here and Now,” the collective will begin a two-month residency at the Longboat Key Center for the Arts, where each

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015

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SARTQ SPOTLIGHT

“With that many people with such strong sensibilities and individuality, it’s very possible that it could not work.

We seem to mesh very well and work together.”

With a brand new batch of 16 local artists, SARTQ represents a diverse range of experiences and mediums. Here are a few of the members and a snapshot of their personality and craft:

– Andrew Long, SARTQ member

member will receive studio space.

The residency will culminate in the exhibit “Key Influence” (Sept.

26 through Oct. 31), which will show art-lovers each member’s process.

After that, the collective will work on a show titled “Green,” which will focus on its titular color at the Englewood Art Center.

Eventually, Jaeger and other artists hope to raise enough money through such shows and fundraisers — like the successful print-making party the group held in March — to establish a physical location that could be used not only as an exhibition and meeting place, but also as a center for arts education and community forums.

“In essence, we’re all learning from each other and seeing how communication works in a group of artists,” says Cassia Kite, a member artist. “We’re providing for the things that we love as individuals, bringing them together and giving them to the community.”

JENNY MEDVED

JAVIER RODRIGUEZ

LAINE NIXON

Age: 40 Preferred medium: Watercolor Current Inspirations: “I love working on tribal subjects,” says Medved. “I love exploring different cultures and the stories they tell. I’ve been working on Native American culture as of late, but after this show, I’m going to work on portraits of Polynesian and Hawaiian tribes.”

Favorite time of day to work: “I like working late at night. I’m usually working until 2 to 3 a.m.”

SARTQ is...: “Home. It’s finding a new set of friends, and you help each other display your art.”

Age: 40 Preferred medium: Oil and acrylic paint Current inspirations: “These four works I made for this show represent different things in my life. I made them thinking about reemerging movements in life.

For this first show for SARTQ, I wanted to show what I’m capable of. Even though you can tell that they’re all paintings of different women, I like to add a little twist to each one to make them more stylized.”

Favorite time of day to work: “At night.”

SARTQ is...: “A blast. For artists, this group is an oasis in this business.”

Age: 48 Preferred medium: Acrylic and watercolor Current inspirations: “I’m really into the sciences and existential philosophy right now. Math and science let us communicate with the inner workings of the universe, and philosophy lets us understand the inner workings of ourselves.”

Favorite time of day to work: “Early morning. It’s hard to get up in the morning, but once I’m up, I’m happy.”

SARTQ is...: “The most supportive bunch of artists I’ve ever encountered.”

August 14–September 16 Selby Galleries: I & II StereoType: New Directions in Typography A groundbreaking exhibition of experimental typography.

This exhibition was organized for the Boston Society of Architects/The Space by Ginger Gregg Duggan and Judith Hoos Fox, c2—curatorsquared.

Opening reception: August 21, 5-7 pm Curator Tour: Monday, Aug. 24, 11:30 am For more information please visit: www.ringling.ed/selbygallery Paid for in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015

STUDIO SPACE: Matteo Caloiaro and Brooke Olivares When two illustration graduates from Ringling College returned to teach at their alma mater, they imparted their wisdom — and learned something themselves.

NICK REICHERT A+E EDITOR

Walking into married artist couple Matteo Caloiaro and Brooke Olivares’ art studio is a bit like falling through Alice’s rabbit hole or stepping into Narnia. Located in the already visually fantastic Burns Court neighborhood, the halo of ivy and vegetation surrounding the studio’s entrance only adds to its charm. A few knocks later, one enters the crisp and colorful confines of the couple's artistic inner sanctum.

Before the two ever met, married or found the space, both Caloiaro and Olivares majored in illustration at the Ringling College of Art and Design. Though the two both graduated nearly at the same time (Olivares in 2006 and Caloiaro in 2007), they didn't interact much on Ringling’s small campus.

“We met very briefly at school and that was it,” says Olivares. “We didn’t have any classes together. We met the week I was graduating, and we kind of just kept in touch ever since via email and just talking about art.”

In the year after she graduated, Olivares went back to her hometown of San Diego, where she organized a charity art show

through her church. Caloirao was the only one of her Ringling artist friends who ventured out to California to participate. After the show, the two started dating and have been together ever since.

The two have expanded their craft away from traditional pencil, pen and paper. The artists of the “Golden Age of Illustration,” from the 1880s to the end of World War I, such as Dean Cornwell, N. C. Wyeth and Harvey Dunn, currently inspire the couple. These artists incorporated paint and canvas into their drawings, and their influence is apparent in the couple’s work and teaching.

Caloiaro and Olivares returned in 2010 to Sarasota, after gaining teaching jobs as illustration instructors at their alma mater.

As employees of the college, the artists also have access to Ringling’s vast library of art books to find inspiration.

“That’s something we try to instill in our students as well: to constantly be looking at other work,” says Caloiaro. “When you get in a rut, the different colors you use or the way you apply paint — if you’re looking at other artists’ work, it challenges your own abilities and way of perceiving things.”

“I’m attracted to really warm colors,” says Olivares. “Warm and dark. Overall, my paintings can be too dark at times for some people, but I like moody stuff. I love lighting.

I love the way light plays on my subjects."

"We listen to all different kinds of things, depending on our mood and taste that day," says Caloiaro. "Like early Louis Armstrong. We listen to a lot of different kinds of music. I grew up listening to a lot of ’60s and ’70s rock ’n’ roll."

"We’re always trying to throw a wrench in our gears by using tools or colors or surfaces that we might not be used to using,” says Caloiaro. As soon as you throw something new into the mix, it forces you to get out of the rut of using the same colors.”

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"The stuff in this studio has gone through changes," says Olivares. "When we first moved into the space, there was a lot of random stuff in here. We just repainted the studio a couple of months ago. These toys were all over the floor when we got here."

“The studio is constantly evolving,” says Olivares. “We wanted nothing on the walls. A visual emptiness, so you could focus on the work you were doing. But we like the toys and the rocking horse. It’s a nice break to look at when you’re absorbed in your work.”

Photos by Nick Reichert

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FOOD + DRINK

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

full force trying to make this happen. When I decided to do this, I traveled around to several beer gardens across the country, and I picked up pieces of beer-garden food I wanted in ours. I hired Christian Hershman, gave him my ideas and said put it together in the menu.

What is your favorite thing about owning Mandeville Beer Garden?

When I take a step back and look around on a busy Friday night and see everyone enjoying the space. Creating and transforming the space was a lot of fun for me, and to see families and people with their dogs outside laughing and having a great time is so rewarding. People enjoying the space and enjoying themselves — that’s what I wanted this place to be.

Heather Merriman Saba

Rebekah Mandeville Gelvin

HEATHER MERRIMAN SABA BLACK TIE EDITOR

What brought you to Sarasota?

We moved here from Denver in 1997. My husband got a job here when he finished his residency.

What was your restaurant background before Mandeville Beer Garden?

I was a server in several restaurants in Denver, as well as a corporate trainer for a brew pub. I wasn’t in the restaurant industry at all during the time we moved from Denver to here.

In the meantime, I got two degrees in finance and was a

Owner, Mandeville Beer Garden, 428 N. Lemon Ave., Sarasota

practice administrator in an internal medicine office.

Who has been your biggest beer influence?

My brother. He’s always been very into beer, he’s a home brewer. He’s been the biggest influence on me as far as my knowledge and love of beer.

What was your inspiration for opening Mandeville Beer Garden?

There is a beer garden in Denver that my brother and I enjoy.

We got the crazy idea that we needed one in Sarasota. The summer of 2013, we came up with the idea and in the fall of 2013, I quit my job and went

If you had to eat one thing on your menu for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

The kale and quinoa salad with grilled chicken and avocados, because it is delicious, and I drink a lot of beer, so I need to eat a lot of kale.

What beer would you choose?

LoverBeer BeerBrunga — it’s a sour ale with plums, and it is quite possibly the best beer I have ever tasted.

Describe Mandeville Beer Garden with one song.

“Porch Song” by Widespread Panic. It just embodies the whole spirit of the beer garden.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015

OCCUPATION: Broker and co-owner of Remax Alliance Group AGE: 41 ORGANIZATION CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN:

BLACK

PEO P LE W IT H PU R POSE PETER CROWLEY

Goodwill Manasota

TIE

HOW MANY YEARS: 12

will is doing. You get to hear about someone who was down on their luck — maybe they couldn’t find a job; maybe in some instances, people were destitute or on the street — and you hear the story about how Goodwill gave them the opportunity to pick themselves up. The dignity of a paycheck is very powerful, and those are the things that have resonated for me.

ONE OF the neatest things I’ve done has been visiting other Goodwills. Goodwill Manasota is a model across the country, and I got to go visit another Goodwill that we helped take from bankruptcy to being a thriving organization. Seeing the impact that made in that community was pretty substantial, but also I was able to recognize and understand how that translates into dollars coming back into our community.

Heather Merriman Saba

BLACK TIE EDITOR

S

ince being exposed to the nonprofit world through Goodwill Manasota when he was in college, Peter Crowley has made it a point to stay involved and connected with the organization. Dedicating his time and efforts to just one local nonprofit, Crowley discusses what he’s learned and how he’s seen Goodwill make an impact.

I VOLUNTEERED as a Goodwill intern here back in the summer of 1993. At that time, I knew nothing about Goodwill, and that was my eye-opener into Goodwill and the entire nonprofit sector in general. A friend of mine was participating in the program at the time, and he introduced me to the (then) CEO, Don Roberts. I had always assumed that nonprofits were poorly managed, more fly-by-the-seat-of-yourpants type of organizations,

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but Goodwill totally upended that perception.

IT WAS a pretty unique intern-

ship. I experienced every facet of Goodwill and nonprofits in general. We did everything: processing donations when they came through the door, store design and floor layout, the retail side of things, sitting in with the executive team on board meetings to see how that side of things worked, and we traveled on trucks and picked up things from people’s homes.

I GRADUATED law school and

business school from UF, and I came back here to practice law for a couple of years. When I came back, I stayed in contact with Don Roberts and Goodwill and basically let him know that if there was ever an opportunity, I would get involved.

I didn’t want to get involved in a bunch of organizations; I wanted to commit myself and my time to just one. Soon after

that, there was an opportunity to serve on the board. I did that for several years, and I chaired the board later.

I THINK one of the main things that not just me, but anyone who gets behind the scenes of Goodwill is blown away by, is the efficiency of the organization — from processing donations, to the HR department, to how things are handled from an executive level. From that standpoint, it was motivating for me to be a part of something like that, because I know that my time and financial resources are going to be put to good use. I felt good about going all-in with my commitment to Goodwill because I felt like it would have some impact.

ONE OF the great things about

Goodwill is that it has these mission moments at the beginning of each board meeting.

That is an opportunity for us to see firsthand what Good-

things for granted. When you’re raised in a supportive family, you take for granted simple things like coming to work on time and dressing appropriately for work. We assume that those things are things you are supposed to know, and they are not depending on your life situation.

Goodwill gives that opportunity to those people who didn’t have the support and someone to instill not just work ethic, but the basics of how to keep or attain a job. Those are life skills that are pretty invaluable.

AS A board member, I think

our purpose is to help guide the organization and make sure it’s fulfilling its mission and adhering to its mission — changing lives through the power of work. For me, it’s probably a cliché, but leaving the world a better place than when you came into it was instilled in me as a kid, and that’s what I’m trying to do, while leading by example.

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