From Sarasota to Marco Island and Venice and Sanibel to Arcadia and LaBelle, Southwest Florida is home to more than a dozen art centers. Most host visual art exhibitions showcasing member, regional and nationally renowned artists that change every month. In March, there are 24 shows at these venues. Each will stimulate your imagination and underscore the importance of the arts in our part of the country.
“Christina Jensen Vincente: Encoded” [Art Center Sarasota]: Sarasota-based Christina Jensen Vicente is a fiber artist and designer. She earned an MFA in interior design from Pratt Institute, followed by a 20-year career with Chanel in New York. Jensen Vincente’s experience in design honed her sensibility for the significance of place and the power of materiality, light, texture and movement to elevate how and why we connect with our environment. Her wall hangings and sculptural works are held in private collections throughout the United States. “Encoded” is an immersive installation of handmade textile and mixed media works. On view March 13 to April 19, with artist talk on Thursday, March 27.
“Bobby Aiosa: Eternal Landscape” [Art Center Sarasota]: “Eternal Landscape” is an exhibition of sculptures that reflect on the relationship society has with the built environment, which can have a profound influence on the quality of our lives and how we navigate day to day. Originally from Smithtown, New York, Aiosa currently lives and works in Orlando. He earned his MFA from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2015. His work has been shown throughout the United States and was included in the Skyway 20/21 exhibition, the 2019 Florida Prize exhibition at the Orlando Museum of Art and the 2018 southXeast Contemporary Art Triennial. He is a recipient of many residencies, awards and fellowships, most recently from the Museum for Art in Wood in Philadelphia. Aiosa joined the School of Visual Arts and Design at the University of Central Florida in 2022 as an assistant professor of sculpture in studio arts. On view March 13 to April 19.
“Gale Fulton Ross: Divine Love” [Art Center Sarasota]: In “Divine Love,” Gale Fulton Ross recalls a genre of images of the Virgin Mary, reinterpreting a visual rhetoric within an African American context. In this work, her notions of race and familial cohesion are up for re-examination. Fulton Ross started her art career during the freedom movement of the 1960s. She has been celebrated with many gallery and museum exhibitions including her solo exhibition “My Museum” at The Ringling Museum of Fine Art in Sarasota in 1998. Fulton Ross owned two galleries, one in Oakland, California, in the early 1970s, the other in Sarasota in the late 1990s. She founded The Fulton Ross Fund for Visual Artists in Sarasota in 2000. She delivered a TEDX - SRQ Talk in 2016 on “The Creativity Within and Without” and has been featured in two PBS specials and one documentary on powerful women in the arts. Her art is held in private and corporate collections nationally and internationally including in the permanent collections of Harvard University, The Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit, The Oakland Museum, San Francisco General Hospital, Carillon Imports for Absolut Vodka, NJ, The Maryland Historical Society, North Carolina Central University, Michigan State and West Michigan State Universities, The Seattle Library and The Converse Memorial Museum, Malden, Massachusetts. Fulton Ross is currently an artist in residence at Studio Channel Islands Art Center in Camarillo, California. On view March 13 to April 19.
“Epoch of Change: Footprints of Humanity” [Art Center Sarasota]: The Anthropocene Epoch is an unofficial unit of geologic time, used to describe the most recent period in Earth’s history when human activity started to have a significant impact on the planet’s climate and ecosystems enough to constitute a distinct geological change. Possible markers of the Anthropocene include microplastics, heavy metals or radioactive nuclei left by tests from thermonuclear weapons. In this juried exhibition, artists explore the interconnected relationship between humanity and nature while responding to our shifting earth and climate while concurrently positing ethical, political and spiritual questions about the implications of the Anthropocene and the future of our planet. Dr. Lydia Wassink juried this show. On view March 13 to April 19.
“Spring Members Show” [Venice Art Center]: The Venice Art Center’s “Spring Members Show” is on view March 14 through April 3, with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 14.
2025 Annual Art Show [DeSoto Arts Center]: The DeSoto Arts Center promotes and celebrates the arts in DeSoto County. The center’s annual art show includes work by DeSoto Art Center members in the categories of painting and photography.
“Anything Goes (almost) [Visual Arts Center, Punta Gorda]: This is an open call, non-juried show in which artists submitted work in any genre on any theme or subject. On view through April 3.
“The Kaleidoscope of Art – A Vivid Celebration of Creativity and Community” [LaBelle Gallery and Cultural Center]: This exhibition celebrates the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of the visual and performing arts, providing regional artists with a platform to share their work while fostering appreciation for artistic diversity within the community. The exhibition is an integral part of the Arts of the Inland gala on Saturday, March 22, which is dedicated to celebrating local artists and fostering community engagement through the transformative power of creativity. In addition to showcasing artwork, the gala will feature an awards presentation recognizing exceptional pieces selected by renowned artists Clyde and Nikki Butcher. Exhibition is on view in the Arts Inland Gallery through March 30.
“Art Focus 2025" [Cape Coral Art Center]: “Art Focus” is an annual juried exhibition that showcases the work of fine art students at the Cape Coral Art Center. On view through March 27.
“Inspire” [Cape Coral Art Center]: This annual exhibition showcases the artwork of Cape Coral Art Center instructors. On view through March 27.
“Art 4 the Senses: See, Smell, Touch & Sound” [Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center]: “Art 4 The Senses” is an exhibition that invites viewers, including the seeing impaired, to experience the arts through touch, sight, sound and scent, stimulating communication without words. While those with sight will see the vibrant colors of Marvin D. Rouse’s works, those who can’t will see through their fingertips and hands to receive their own one-off interpretation of what they are feeling and what their imagination shows them. View the artist’s bio here. On view through March 27 in the Grand Atrium.
“Possibilitas: An exhibition of emerging talents” [Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center]: “Possibilitas” brings together the pioneering works of three young artists, Gabrielle Garcia, Alayna Calkins and Anna Fischler, each freshly graduated from high school. This exhibition is not just a showcase of their talent but a celebration of the boundless potential that the future holds. In this way, “Possibilitas” serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration. It invites viewers to witness the emergence of three remarkable artists at the beginning of their creative journeys. Through their art, Gabrielle Garcia, Alayna Calkins and Anna Fischler remind us of the limitless potential that lies within each of us. View each artist’s bio and artist statement here. On view through March 27 in the Capital Gallery.
“39th Annual All Florida Exhibition” [Alliance for the Arts]: This annual show is the most anticipated of the year. As the name suggests, this exhibition features pieces created by artists working in a wide variety of media from all over the 65,000 square miles that make up Florida. The juried entries come together for an award-winning and exciting exhibition representing today’s contemporary Florida artists. The names of the 43 artists juried into the exhibition by jurors Barbara Hill and Tim Jaeger can be viewed here. On view through March 29.
“In Memorium” [Alliance for the Arts Theatre Lobby Gallery]: This heartfelt exhibition celebrates the lives and contributions of artists and members who have shaped the Alliance’s history but are no longer alive. The exhibition showcases a curated selection of their most memorable pieces, offering a glimpse into their artistic journeys. Alongside the artwork, stories and reflections from peers and loved ones provide a deeper connection to their legacy. On view through March 29.
“Odd Bird, Art by Stacey Ann Roush” [Alliance for the Arts Member’s Gallery]: Stacey Ann Roush’s artistic journey began in her youth, inspired by her father, an art teacher, and enriched by creative role models, museum visits, and early recognition through local and state art awards. Though her university studies included some drawing classes, her creative pursuits took a hiatus until a transformative return to Bolivia in 2012, where the tropical surroundings and vibrant Latin culture reignited her passion for painting. During her years in South America, Roush developed a unique, flourishing style. Since 2019, she has embraced Florida’s sunlit landscapes, drawing inspiration from the Caloosahatchee River to create bright, tropical-themed canvases. Her current goals focus on expanding her local art connections and establishing a strong online presence. On view through March 29.
“Life is Alchemy” [BIG ARTS Mezzanine Gallery]: There is an almost imperceptible impact in contemplating how rare and unique our environments can be; hence, the information to which we are exposed shapes how we may perceive life and transform it. “Life is Alchemy” is an exhibition that explores the seemingly magical process of transformation that the artist has created from her experiences with love. With this exhibition, Maria Paula Suarez presents a series of works of embroidery on paper, portraying a landscape composed of flowers and words to invite the viewer to reflect upon emotions elicited by our contact with nature. On view through April 21.
“Impediments and Byways to Love on the Road to Eternity” [BIG ARTS, Sanibel]: In this collaborative installation, Monika Larsen Dennis and Frida Oliv invite viewers to wonder and think about obstacles that may be keeping us from loving ourselves and each other more fully, and consider how to bypass those obstacles to expand our capacity for love. This is an experience that fosters self-transformation. This open-ended journey may lead to new beginnings and create an imaginative space where anything can happen.
“Cypress Lake High School Student Mural: A Shell of a Time” [BIG ARTS West Gallery]: The National Honors Society Art Class of Cypress Lake High School has created a mural for the West Gallery under the title “A Shell in Time.” The class incorporated this project into its fall 2024 curriculum. On view in the Performing Arts Center Hinman Gallery-in-the-Round through June 30.
“Beyond the Garden Gates” [Arts Bonita]: There is a simple sort of magic that exists in a garden; it is a sacred space where one can be immersed in nature and beauty, that draws not only people but all sorts of creatures. In this exhibition, artists present work featuring the things people might associate with such a place – a botanical landscape, flower studies, birds, insects, fish ponds, fountains, family picnics, and more. Artists also explore the use of color and light to bring these subjects to life in any style or media, including 3D artworks. On view through April 10.
“Arts Bonita Atelier Exhibition” [Arts Bonita]: This is a student exhibition of figurative work produced in the atelier and sculpture studios that illustrates the nature of the studio process from beginning to end in the form of preliminary drawings, value studies, master copies, and finished paintings and sculptures inspired by the study of human form. Work from varying degrees of incompletion to completion will be displayed as an insight into the methods of modern atelier practice, which is a form of private art education that began in the Middle Ages as way for artists to pass on the knowledge of their craft to future generations of artists. The word ‘atelier’ translates in French to “workshop” and usually consists of a professional painter or sculptor and a small number of students that act as apprentices. In the tradition of the École de Beaux-Arts Salon of Paris in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Arts Bonita Atelier and Sculpture Studio Exhibition is formed under the premise of a student show to educate the public about the process and aesthetic of atelier training. On view in the main gallery of the Visual Arts Center through April 24.
“Florals and Figures: The Art of Susan Anderson [Arts Bonita]: Susan Anderson began her career as a freelance graphic designer. During this period, Anderson spent four years as the lettering artist for the famed Dick Tracy comic strip. Living in the western suburbs of Chicago allowed her to study at The Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts which further enhanced her oil painting skills. However, it was her trip to Provence, France that ignited a passion for plein air. Drawn to subjects that have patterns of light and shadow, she gravitates toward landscapes, still life and figures. Anderson currently resides with her husband in Fort Myers and they spend their summers in northern Wisconsin. These contrasting environments provide her with an incredible variety of ever-changing subject matter and inspiration. She paints with several plein air groups and participates in exhibits and competitions. On view in the Tranovich Gallery at the Visual Arts Center through April 24.
“Skyview” at the Naples Airport [United Arts Collier]: This exhibition is the result and organization of a UAC call to member artists which requested two-dimensional artwork examining that which is upwards. UAC sought ethereal sky-themed works for the latest iteration in a series of exhibitions at the general terminal of Naples Airport. UAC Member artist Dario Campanile answered that call.
“Members Show” [Marco Island Center for the Arts]: This exhibition celebrates the creativity of the center’s members. On view in the main gallery through April 1.
“JoAnn Sanborn: The Way I See It” [Marco Island Center for the Arts]: JoAnn Sanborn has joyfully painted the threatened Everglades landscape since falling in love at first sight in the mid 1990s. The focus of her work is to bring attention to the fragile landscape with strong, expressionistic compositions rich with uncommon color. She invites to the viewer to take a breath and become engaged in the natural world and hopes that enjoyment of her work will encourage attention to Everglades preservation. Her work is enjoyed by international collectors across the United States, Canada, several Europe countries, Scandinavia and Africa. She has been honored with solo shows and numerous awards and is a member of several professional organizations including the National Association of Women Artists. On view in the La Petite Gallery through April 1.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.