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SRQ DAILY Mar 20, 2015

Friday Weekend Edition

Friday Weekend Edition

"People were willing to let go of their prejudices for the sake of their grandchildren and the future."

- Thomas Balsley, Thomas Balsley Associates
 

[Community]  Muralist Max Ehrman Returns to Sarasota
Philip Lederer, Phil.Lederer@srqme.com

Urbanite Theatre plans to make its debut in style and artist Max Ehrman recently came in from San Francisco to help out, painting a mural along the entire west wall of the 2nd Street theater building. Given a roughly 25-by-60-foot space to work with, Ehrman completed the project in three days. 

Ehrman began with a brush, painting the entire space black. It helps the colors “pop”, Ehrman says, and color is his specialty. On his darkened canvas, Ehrman weaves neon spectral wonders – with familiar forms blending into geometric waves and exploding in a visual crescendo across near 150 square feet of concrete. “It’s a rhythm or a flow that creates a color harmony,” said Ehrman. “I’m trying to guide the viewer through the piece using color.” This means using “counterbalances” for certain colors and paying close attention to the angles and eyelines, the artist added.

Urbanite founders Summer Dawn Wallace and Brendan Ragan and the building’s owner gave him a lot of freedom, Ehrman said, and so the resulting product is more representative of his own style than other projects may allow. It’s a style he calls “Organic Funk,” loosely based on natural concepts like the Fibonacci sequence in a shell.

But Ehrman actually discovered his talent for murals late in life, when he was earning his masters in architecture in Gainesville. A wall on campus was open to any and all artists, but none of it interested Ehrman. He’d seen street art but never been really impressed. That is, until the day three Germans came to town and used near the entire wall for a massive composition including photorealism and 3D elements. The architect in Ehrman appreciated the exacting nature of the feat, but there was something else. “It was a really professionally done, beautiful mural,” said Ehrman, “and for some reason it sparked something in me and just blew me away.”

Ehrman “picked up his own can,” as he put it, and gave it a shot. That was about 20 years ago. Today, he receives requests from across the country for his work.

A previous mural from the artist can be seen on the side of the SRQ offices on Pineapple Avenue, a result of Ehrman’s participation in the Sarasota Chalk Festival four years ago. 

[Planning]  Balsley Presents Power of Waterfront Parks
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

As Sarasota looks toward the future of its Bayfront, reknowned landscape architecture and urban design expert Thomas Balsley stressed leaders here should think of their grandchildren's needs and not just their own. When he has conducted charrettes in other cities regarding waterfront parks, he said maintaining that purpose ensured parks were created that could boast a lasting legacy. "People were willing to let go of their prejudices for the sake of their grandchildren and the future," he said.

Balsley spoke to a Sarasota audience Thursday as the keynote speaker at SB2: Regional Waterfront Development, the most recent installment in SRQ Media Group's ongoing panel series. The architect brought with him photographs and conceptuals drawings for projects he has overseen across the country, from waterfront parks on the Hudson and East rivers in New York City to the beloved-within-the-state Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa. Each project offered a different lesson for this community. Patience was required on the Hudson River, where a park that was planned and approved in 1991 that stretched underneath an aging elevated highway. A tunnel is in the works to redirect the road under the park, and 24 years into the project, Balsley still waits to see that plan completed. As for Curtis Hixon Park, Balsley felt some achievements there could be especially useful as the Sarasota 20:20 group and a diverse group of city leaders plot the future of a cultural district fronting Sarasota Bay. The Tampa park's reinvigoration required a relocation of a cultural institution (the Tampa Museum of Art) to better improve public access to the park, and lessons there may well apply as a master plan comes together in Sarasota.

Balsley's "21st-century parks" also demonstrated in many cases that commercial revitalization can occur around properties while preserving large swaths of publicly accessible green space in civic environments, seemingly striking a balance that Sarasota 20:20 looks to achieve here.

The SB2 event also included a panel with local speakers, including Michael Saunders and Company President Drayton Saunders representing the Bayfront 20:20 group, as well as Realize Bradenton Executive Director Johnette Isham and Bradenton Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Dave Gustafson, present to discuss waterfront redevelopment in The Friendly City. Saunders stressed that the Bayfront discussions in Sarasota, which to date have produced a vision statement and guiding principles already endorsed by the city, provide a forum for more inclusive discussion and have steered away from the endless debates that mark other community conversations. Gustafson said successes with the Bradenton Riverwalk have spurred commercial investment in downtown Bradenton at a stellar pace, and Isham said the Riverwalk has branded the city and provided a connectivity to cultural institutions around downtown, including the South Florida Museum and McKechnie Field. 

[Daily Shop]  Suede into Spring
,

Suede was all over the spring runways this season, especially monochromatic pieces in shades from light camel to dark mahogany, adding velvety softness to resort collections. Lightweight suede pieces can be easily incorporated into your wardrobe now and well into other seasons, such as these pair of stiletto ankle boots available at Foxy Lady. The structured, fitted and sporty silhouette features a peep toe and stunning zipper front detail. 

Foxy Lady, 481 John Ringling Blvd, Sarasota, 941-388-5239.

[Dog's Best Friend]  Dog and Kitty Cohabitation
Gregg Flowers

When acclimating a new cat to your dog, start out by having the cat in a room with her food, litter box and so on, with a baby gate partitioning the threshold. By walking your dog past the doorway a few times a day for several days and giving him high-value treats each time he's relaxed about it, he comes to associate civil behavior in her presence with treats. Every time the cat approaches the gate to investigate, toss her a high value treat too. She'll start to get a positive feeling about him. Your new cat has to set the pace, though. If she chooses to run and hide under the furniture when you and the dog walk by, let her. This just means your introductions will take longer. (Maybe weeks longer). Taking things slow now, will build a nice foundation for the future, however. Cats can take a long time to form relationships with other animals. Holding your cat to force interaction, or in any way restricting her, is a very bad idea.

If your cat doesn’t seem afraid of Max as you pass by the doorway of her room, or if she shows an interest in hopping the gate, you can introduce them in your living room or other large room. Make sure she can get away from him during the introduction. Having him on a slack leash, and being ready to correct if he acts out, makes sense here. She should always have the leeway and space to run and hide, or slip under a piece of furniture or to jump up on something higher than him. Use your recall ("come") and “leave it” exercises if he starts nosing her or following her and she seems irritated. This is a very good start, but there's more! I'll share that next time. 

Dog's Best Friend

[Exec Moves]  Shinn Welcomes Williford

Shinn and Company, an accounting firm with offices in Bradenton and Sarasota, announced Scott Williford as its newest audit partner. Bringing more than 30 years of experience to his new position, he will be responsible for leading the audit and advisory services for the for-profit sector of the firm. Prior to joining Shinn and Company, Williford was a partner with two Big 4 CPA firms, working with privately held companies in a wide variety of industries, specializing in real estate, financial services, construction, manufacturing and distribution.  

Shinn and Company

[Exec Moves]  Urbanite Hires Coffey-Ruiz del Vizo

Urbanite Theatre, Sarasota’s newest downtown theater, announced Brandy Coffey-Ruiz del Vizo has joined the organization as interim director of development.
 
Coffey-Ruiz del Vizo, a top Sarasota real estate-broker, has been an area resident for over 30 years. She manages Coffey and Company with Keller Williams On the Water in Sarasota, team of real estate agents. 

Urbanite Theatre



[Breakfast and Political Banter]  SRQ Where the Votes Are

Make your reservation for Where the Votes Are, Tuesday, March 24 at 7:45 AM. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles will present his findings from the March 10 election for Sarasota City Commission at SRQ Studios. As campaigns brace for a runoff in May, SRQ Media Group will conduct an in-depth analysis of the first election results, carefully examining data based on geography, demographics and other voter behaviors. After presenting his findings, Jacob will lead a discussion of the results and what the means for the city’s future. Breakfast and coffee provided. Please RSVP to wtva@srqme.com.  

[SRQ SB2 Symposia]  Vibrant Bayfronts

SRQ Magazine was pleased to host SB2: Vibrant Bayfronts on March 19th at the Francis. With the development of our local waterfront as such a hot topic and important issue, we were pleased to host a formal panel discussion on the status of the project. The event's panelists, Johnette Isham and David Gustafson shared their experiences from the development of the Bradenton Riverwalk. Representing Bayfront 20:20, Drayton Saunders was candid about the group's desire to provide all sectors of the community with a dedicated place to enjoy Sarasota’s beautiful bay. Audience members were treated to a presentation by renowned landscape architect Thomas Balsley of New York. His particular expertise is in the design of civil park spaces. As a premier landscape architect, his insights on the development of land along the waterfront were enlightening and inspiring. Stop by the SRQ Inside the Brand blog soon for a post on what we learned and a gallery of photos from the event. Special thanks to yesterday’s sponsors, CS&L CPAs and MLC & Associates.  

Click for Photos

[Women in Business Luncheon | April 23, 11:30am]  Meet the Keynote Speaker Pam van der Lee

The first annual SRQ Hear Me Roar Awards and Leadership Luncheon is fast approaching! We are thrilled to share the winners from the 2015 Women in Business competition with guests and to introduce you to Pam van der Lee, our keynote speaker. Pam is the Chief Marketing Officer for San Francisco based, financial technology company iMatchative, and its flagship product, AltX.  In her current position, Pam is responsible for communicating the iMatchative and AltX brands to its partners, customers, and the media. Throughout her 25-year career, Pam has worked at the intersection of marketing, strategic planning, and branding. Prior to iMatchative, she was a consultant to nonprofits, primarily within the educational and disability sectors. She served as chair of the National Down Syndrome Society and is currently President of the Board at the Tuxedo Park School, a pre-K to 9th grade independent school in Tuxedo Park, NY. Before making nonprofit work a full time occupation, Pam ran corporate marketing and managed the marketing, licensing and research councils for Viacom.  She was also the head of Ad Sales and Promotions Marketing and Strategic Partnerships for Nickelodeon. Join us at Hear Me Roar on April 23rd, 2015. Table sponsorships and tickets on sale online. 

Reserve Your Ticket

SRQ Media Group

SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email

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