Highlights: Four Art Center Sarasota exhibits please a variety of interests

Art Center Sarasota hosted an opening reception Thursday, Feb. 28, for four new exhibitions. Approximately 150 people attended to view the diverse range of art that will fill the gallery through April.

Gallery 1 features “Child’s Play,” which runs through April 26. The exhibit plays on childhood toys and actions that reflect the darker side of childhood, such as a guillotined head coming out of a Jack-in-the-box. Although some objects are reflective of playtime, most of this exhibit is anything but innocent.

Gallery 2 features “Iconcept Retrospective,” which runs through April 26. This exhibit looks back on the previous innovative fashions featured in the annual “Iconcept.” These pieces show avant-garde materials made into haute couture.

Gallery 3 features “Paint Sarasota: Light Chasers,” which runs through March 28. This is the second exhibit that highlights vignettes of Sarasota settings painted by the Light Chasers Plein Air Painters of Sarasota.

Gallery 4 features the work of local artists in “Simply Original,” which runs through April 26. Jurors for the exhibt included Patrick Lindhardt, professor of printmaking at Ringling College of Art and Design; and Mary Roff, former director of ArtCenter Manatee.

There’s still time to see the exhibits. Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Visit artsarasota.org for more information.

If you go
5th annual IConcept
When: 6:30 p.m., Friday, April 5
Where: Sarasota Municipal Auditorium
Cost: $125
Info: Call 365-2032