Pictured: Art Ovation Hotel Artist in Residence, Teresa Stone. Photo courtesy of the artist.

This weekend, come to the Art Ovation Hotel for a truly rare experience: the chance to talk to an artist in the middle of their artistic, working process. This week’s Artist in Residence at the hotel is Teresa Stone, a Sarasota-based painter who grew up in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Stone’s acrylic-based paintings have ranged in size from small canvases to outdoor murals and are evocative of the tropical foliage present throughout her childhood in the Caribbean and her life in Florida. “Teresa paints in bright, vibrant colors and says that the flowers are ‘dancing across the canvas in a bohemian style’,” recounts Robyn Hall, Cultural Curator of the Art Ovation Hotel.

Stone arrived at the hotel this past Tuesday, July 26th, and will be present in the hotel’s studio for live demonstrations Tuesday through Sunday from 4pm-8pm. “While the artist may be working at their easel or on a table, we generally encourage them to interact with the guests - if someone comes up to them, we ask the artist to greet them and talk to them about what they’re interested in and share a little bit about their art. We want to promote conversation as opposed to sitting there and painting while the person watches,” says Hall.

In addition to Stone’s live demonstrations, a reception will take place on Friday from 5pm-7pm. Part of what makes the Art Ovation Hotel’s Artist in Residence program so interesting is the ephemeral nature of the art work - unlike the other works featured amongst the multiple floors of the hotel, the artist’s work is only present at the hotel for the duration of their stay. “Essentially with the residency program, the artist moves in on a Tuesday and checks out the following Monday - the installation is only here for that 7 day period,” attests Hall.

Pictured: Art Ovation Hotel Artist in Residence, Teresa Stone. Photo courtesy of the artist.