The Venice Art Center welcomed seven new board members at its annual meeting held Friday, Feb. 8. Outgoing president Barbara Freeman announced Maryjo Floryjanski, Debbie Campbell, Sharon Walls, Tiffany Taylor, Robert Haney, Melinda Mudge and Carolyn DeAngelis will be on the board for 2008.

The outgoing president thanked current board members Jeff Cornell, Julie Baxter, Steve Meier, Tonya Sauppe, Kerin Hough, Susan Cairo and Ernie Skinner for making her job as president run smoothly and for making the Venice Art Center the finest art center between Naples and St. Petersburg.

Tonya Sauppe was voted in as the new president; Julie Baxter, 1st vice president; Sharon Walls, 2nd vice president; Debbie Campbell, secretary and Steve Meier, treasurer.

Mary Erickson will be giving a gallery talk on Monday, Feb. 25 at 5 p.m., on Adventures in Plein Air Painting. Tickets are $5 and seating is limited.

Erickson, a nationally known artist who is famous for her birds and seascapes will be the juror for the Paint Out in Paradise III -- Feb. 26-28. For three days 30 artists from the local and not-so-local areas will be on the island of Venice, its beaches, historic-buildings, homes, gardens, parks and jetties capturing the essence of the town on canvas. Erickson will have her own display in the Solo Gallery. The finished works will be on display and selections sold March 1-7 at the Venice Art Center.

A reception and fine art sale will be held Friday, Feb. 29 5:30-7:30 p.m. Cost is $35 per person. Last year's gala was one of the highlights of the season, and this year will be especially festive with Mary Erickson's artwork in the Solo Gallery. Elegant hors d'oeurves and wine will be served. The reception is sponsored by Northern Trust and award sponsors are Lynn and Paul Moseley. Proceeds are for the benefit of the Venice Art Center.

Seventh Annual Fine Arts Show and Sale

Local artists have been gathering up their work for the Seventh Annual Fine Arts Show and Sale, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 23 and 24, 9 a.m. -- 4 p.m. in the Venice Community Center. Work in acrylic, oil, watercolor, mixed media, giclee, prints and cards will be sold. There will also be a display and sale of jewelry, glass, linens and pottery. Admission is free.

Winners of the 3-D Exhibition held Feb 1-23 and sponsored by Evelyn and Bernard Benson were as follows:

Robert Farrell, mixed media, awarded first place for Home; Kathryn Erickson, fiber art, awarded second place for Seasons in the Wave; B. Aline Blanchard, porcelain, awarded third place for Neglia Ates.

Merit awards were given to Betsy Meyer for fiber art; Robert Farrell for mixed media; Sandra Frick was awarded three merit awards for ceramic, mixed media; Warren Comstock, clay and Tammi Borntreger for raku.

Frank Colson, a sculptor and fabric artist served as juror. He will also give a gallery talk on Feb. 15 at 3 p.m. on the "World of Ceramics."

The Solo Gallery features an exhibition by the Venetian Society of Basket Weavers, Feb. 1 - 23. The exhibit brings together inspired artists from Sarasota County who work on traditional-American art forms, and those offering innovative designs blending the art of the old with new wearable art. The pieces shown are woven baskets incorporating semiprecious stones; antlers as well as woven wall hangings, jewelry and beaded hand bags

March News

The Venice Camera Club will be taking over the solo exhibition March 14- April 3.

In the main gallery will be the Members Spring Exhibition. Receiving of artwork will be Tuesday, March 11 - 10 a.m. -- 3 p.m. Pick up Friday April 25.

A reception for the Members Spring Exhibition will be Friday, March 14, 4 -- 6 p.m.

Thanks to all of dedicated volunteers of the Venice Art Center. The talents of the local arts and craft people cannot be enjoyed without the efficient and untiring help of everyone involved in the Venice Art Center.

This includes our wonderful sponsors, talented workshop artists and Venice Art Center personnel.

Misc.

Check the Art Center bulletin board, (by the classrooms) to swap and barter art equipment.

Special thanks to master musician Hal Vincent for his donation of his personal seven-foot Baldwin piano to the Center. Check the times and listings on the Venice art Center website for concerts sponsored by Dick Hyman.