Two new exhibitions salute Sarasota's place as art epicenter

There was a time, before museums and art galleries began sprouting up throughout west-central Florida, that Sarasota was the epicenter of visual arts in the region, if not all of Florida. Before and after World War II, it attracted dozens of artists who taught at the Ringling School of Art and opened their own schools.

An enduring institution was the Sarasota Art Association, which was founded in 1926 and grew to become the common ground for the diverse arts colony. It's now Art Center Sarasota and undergoing an expansion as it looks to the future. But in two new exhibitions, it looks back. "Artists Who Made Sarasota Famous" displays the works of about 40 artists who lived in Sarasota (including some who still do) and helped put it on the map as a cultural force.

"The Story of the Sarasota Art Association, 1926 to 1966" has memorabilia from and archival photographs of the art association. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Free. The shows open today with a free reception from 5 to 7 p.m. and continue through March 10. (941) 365-2032 or artsarasota.org.

Lennie Bennett, Times art critic