It took a Village

As Warren Simonds, chairman of the task force for the Longboat Key Center for the Arts, Culture and Education, begins his efforts to raise $12 million for the new center, perhaps he and others involved might find inspiration from Longboat Key pioneers who gave birth to the original Longboat Key Art Center in 1952.

As you’ll glean from the excerpts below from Lora Colvin Whitney’s 1984 book, “Hail This Feisty Village!,” the original art center was a result of simple, old-fashioned ingredients:  relationships, friendships, neighborliness, volunteerism, a spirit of community … and nowhere close to $12 million.

Go back to the fall and winter of 1951. Lora Whitney recounted how more than two dozen art instructors and aspiring artists congregated in Longbeach Village for outdoor classes. Some of the names may be recognizable: 

Frank Swift Chase, an instructor and noted landscape artist; Bache Brown; Lorna Whittmore; Meda Hope; Ralph Jennison; Helen Goodman; Helen Ridyard; Earl and Addy Gross; Jan and Larry Stults; Marilyn Bendell; Peggy Donnell; Betty Seelye; Trixie Lundhaut; Eva Bauer (“a concert singer whose glorious voice thrilled audiences”); Pike Seibert; Ruskin Williams; Troy Morgan and Florence Etter.

After listing all of these names, Whitney wrote: “Writing this has made me realize how many artists, both professional and amateur, were living on the north end of Longboat Key, or visiting Whitney Beach in 1951. The stage was surely set for the founding of an art center in the village.”

Indeed. But it didn’t come about from the artists coalescing. No, it came to life on a boat. Here is how the art center was birthed,  excerpted from “Hail This Feisty Village!”:

In February 1951, our dear friend Arthur Ferguson Sr. died. He was sorely missed by all his many friends and will be remembered for his kindness, dry wit and his civic activities, particularly in the field of zoning … In April 1951, his wife, Allis, took a freighter trip to New Orleans with the (Grace and George) Yerkes and Whitneys.

During this trip, Grace suggested an art center for the Longboat Key. She had it well planned in her mind, and we had many discussions during the trip concerning ways and means. She asked Allis and us if we would be interested in donating the triangle of land in Longbeach, which at one time the Fergusons and ourselves had bought together. We agreed with enthusiasm. 

However, upon our return, we found that the Ferguson half of the property had been left to their children and litigation to turn it over to the Art Center would take time. Gordon bought the Ferguson half, and Allis contributed in other ways. This is the triangle of land upon which the first buildings stand.

Grace contacted our mutual friend, Werner Kannenberg, who had designed the majority of home Bayou Hammock, and was an outstanding Sarasota architect. We were all good friends as Louise and Werner had frequently vacationed at Whitney Beach. Werner immediately offered to contribute his services as architect.

In March 1952, an organization meeting was held at the home of Gene and Carl Schuneman. The following officers were elected:

• President — Lora Whitney
• Vice President — Grace Yerkes
• Treasurer — Carl Schuneman
• Secretary — Allis Ferguson, who asked to be relieved as soon as possible. Mary Yerkes (Mrs. Burgess), served as an efficient secretary until the arrival of Adella Miller (Mrs. Albert).
• Advisory Committee — George Yerkes, Gordon Whitney and Werner Kannenberg.

It was decided to ask Sarasota lawyer John Pinkerton to act for Longboat Key Art Center. He wrote the charter. Ruskin Williams designed and executed the seal. Carl Schuneman, first Whitney Beach customer, builder of the first home in Bayou Hammock and former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, with his talented wife, Imogene, who had had her own radio program in the north, volunteered to start an immediate fundraising campaign.

Both a local and a mail fundraising campaign were started in April 1952, with a paper written by Gene Schuneman, titled: “What Is the Longboat Key Art Center?” By late summer, the architect’s plans were ready, sufficient money had been raised, including $14,000 borrowed from the Palmer Bank through a note signed by officers of the Center … Both small and large contributions seemed literally to flow into the fund from all over the Key and Sarasota …

Ansel McMichen and his crew built the first units at cost as their contribution, working with volunteers from Art Center, Civic Club and Junior Civic Club membership.

Millie Johnson brought much-welcomed beer and soft drinks to the workers every day. Plumbing and its installation were donated by Howard Ridyard and Ross Fleming, both Longbeach plumbers, active in civic affairs. Wiring was contributed by Wilfred LePage, who at the time was president of the Civic Club, and Gilbert Herringshaw, who was also responsible for mosquito control.

Interior finishing of the painting studio was done by Ruskin Williams and volunteers under his supervision. Ruskin also built the model stand and large screen that, when necessary, divided the painting studio into two smaller studios and served as an extra exhibition wall or background for a model. 

Frank Conrad, who owned an electric appliance store in Sarasota and considerable land in Longbeach, contributed the heater for this studio. He and his wife, Marjorie, spent several summers at Whitney Beach with their two daughters.

Planting was donated by Pearson Conrad and his assistant, Isobel Nowell. Neil Ulrey, who, as Gordon once said, seemed to see what needed to be done and also saw that it was done (even to founding three important organizations himself), donated the clearing of the land and readying it for building and planting. Ruskin and I were in charge of the painting of the studio, and Grace took charge of the pottery studio with the help of George Yerkes and many volunteers. This studio included a screened breezeway and kiln room with shelves for drying green goods.

On Nov. 14, 1952, 14 officers and members who had most deeply involved in the start of the Art Center met and accepted the bylaws and decided on instructors, classes, exhibits and programs for the first season, which would open in January. It was decided to have meetings at night because the majority of members were not free in the daytime.

The gala and well-attended opening of Longboat Key Art Center was on Dec. 6 and 7, 1952 …

I marvel now at how much we all accomplished and how much fun we had doing it.