Scene & Heard

+ Matt Allison photos ARE featured all over
Diversions recently ran a piece on Virginia Hoffman and “Florida in Context” Feb. 21. The exhibit has been on display since March 1, at Sarasota County Visitor Information Center and History Museum, 701 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.

The article also talked about area photographer Matt Allison, whose work is featured in the exhibit, as well. Well, Ringling College of Art and Design hosted a competition, “Sticks and Clicks,” in conjunction with Patrick Dougherty’s installation on the lawn at the future home of SMOA. There were a few divisions for amateurs, professionals and students; a total of 462 entries were judged. Allison took second place in the professional category for his photo, featured above. Amateur Ricky Perrone won the grand prize for his photo, “Silent Village.”

Allison’s photo, “SMOA Sticks,” was the only photo he entered. “It took me three separate trips to get one I was satisfied with,” he says. “And, I shot it on the way back to the parking lot.”

+ A fashionable music series begins
The Ariel String Quartet kicked off Designing Women Boutique’s 2013 Evening Performing Arts Winter/Spring series with a presentation Tuesday, Feb. 27. Last year, DWB hosted an evening series with the Sarasota Ballet, and this is the first evening series presenting a variety of performing-arts groups. The events begin with a private shopping session and appetizers. Tickets for the intimate showcase are $35 per event.

The performance was in conjunction with The Perlman Music Program Suncoast — Ariel String Quartet members are PMP alumni from Israel. The young string musicians performed four pieces to present the type of program they are bringing to the schools as part of the PMP/Suncoast Education Outreach Program. The quartet hosts the program at more than 15 area schools in Sarasota County to encourage and inspire elementary- and middle-school students to study classical music. For more information about the educational program, visit PMPSuncoast.org or call 955-4942.

For those looking forward to the daytime series, Summer Salon will pick up June 27 at DWB, 1226 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.

+ Student’s portrait is highly acclaimed
The Ringling College Library Association Town Hall Lecture Series not only affords the community an opportunity to hear world leaders speak about moving-and-shaking, and the press a special Q&A session, but it also gives students a chance to share their talent. Following the press Q&A with political leader and neurologist Dr. Ben Carson Feb. 27, student Chris Baldwin unveiled a portrait he made of Carson.

“Well, I’ve had a lot of portraits done of me, but I think that’s the best one,” Carson said.

Baldwin said he was inspired by Carson’s story and wanted to create a concept of duality.

The other students chosen so far this season to show their artistic vision through the portrait representations of the visionaries featured in the lecture series were Martina Crepulja of Jacqueline Novogratz; Sean Monaghan of Walter Isaacson; and Dan Cruit of Robert Gates.

The portraits sit on stage during the lecture, and the speaker gets to take the piece home to remember their experience in Sarasota.

+ Honoring navy seal Chris Kyle
Sarasota sculptor Gregory Marra and Gene Sweeny, of Salt of the Earth USA, were discussing building a Navy SEAL sculpture when they heard about the death of Chris Kyle of Midlothian, Texas. Kyle, a sniper and Navy SEAL, was killed Feb. 2, at a remote shooting range in Erath County, Texas, where he was helping fellow veteran Eddie Ray Routh with post-traumatic stress disorder. Routh shot and killed Kyle. On Feb. 9, Marra reached out to Kyle’s family about giving them a statue of Kyle as a gift to be erected wherever they’d like. The family lives in Texas. The sculpture left Sarasota March 4 for Texas, to where it will be cast into a bronze statue. It has not yet been decided where in Texas the statue will find a permanent home.

Hot TIckets
37th annual Pineapple Antiques Show and Sale: This annual antique sale, presented by the Rotary Club of Sarasota Sunrise and First United Methodist Church, to benefit at-risk children and families in crisis, opens at 5 p.m. March 7, with an evening preview party and sale with jazz entertainment. Tickets are $15 for the March 7 event; $6 March 8 and March 9. It takes place at Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, 801 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. For information, call 928-2817 or visit firstsrq.com.

New Stages: Narrative in Motion ­­­­— Kate Weare Company: This modern-dance program takes place at 7:30 p.m. March 7 through March 9, at the Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road. Tickets range from $15 to $25. For more information, call 360-7399.