Seeking nirvana
Discover the multi-cultural representations of Buddhism in "Paths to Paradise: The World of Buddhism" exhibition at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art’s Ulla R. and Arthur F. Searing Wing, through Nov. 8.
The exhibition has been designed to educate visitors about the various iconographic characteristics and religious functions of Buddhist deities, as well as artistic styles of Buddhist images from multiple Asian cultures.
"This exhibition continues our presence of Asian Art at the Museum," said Dr. Qing Chang, the Dr. Helga Wall-Apelt Curator of Asian Art at the Ringling Museum. "It also adds another international cultural element to the Ringling International Arts Festival that will be held on the grounds in October. Guests will experience special activities centered around the exhibition that will further expose them to Asian art."
Buddhism, one of the great religious and philosophical traditions of the world, inspires its adherents to seek nirvana, or enlightenment, in a number of different ways.
Works of Buddhist art have been created over the centuries, and throughout the cultures of Asia, to assist Buddhists in their spiritual quest. This exhibition showcases important Buddhist principles that found artistic expressions in objects associated with the ideas and ritual practices of Buddhism. Though stylistic variations occur, central commonalities and cultural borrowing and melding can be seen. "Paths to Paradise" consists of works primarily from the Ringling Museum’s collection, along with some pieces from various private collections in Sarasota. The exhibition is organized into seven themes revealing various aspects of the Buddhist religion.
General admission includes the Ringling Museum of Art, special exhibitions, Cà d’Zan Mansion, Circus Museum, Mable’s historic Rose Garden and Florida’s only rose test gardens, all on 66 acres of lushly landscaped grounds. Adults: $25; senior citizens (65 and over),$20; children ages 6-17, $10. Admission is free for children 5 and under accompanied by an adult, and for museum members. Advance tickets are available by calling 358-3180. Visit www.ringling.org for more information.
Figure of Lohan, 11th or 12th century, stone; artist unknown. Gift of Ira and Nancy Koger.
Fragment of relief depicting Buddha, 3rd or 4th century, gray schist; artist unknown. Gift of Eleanor B. Lehner.
MUSIC
SARASOTA ORCHESTRA - Sept. 12, "Portraits in Passion, 8 p.m., Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Program features the stories of five of the orchestra’s musicians. Evening opens with Berlioz’s "Roman Carnival Overture" and closes with Rimsky-Korsakov’s "Russian Easter Overture." Sept. 17, 5:30 p.m., "From the Start," chamber music presentation featuring selections by Handel, Dzubay, Sforzini, Tsontakis and Verdi. Located at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail. Call 953-3434; visit www.sarasotaorchestra.org.
FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH - Sept. 20, 3 p.m., a performance by I Solisti de Oneco Woodwinds, one of the state’s premiere woodwind quintets. Admission free; goodwill offering to be taken. Located at 7750 Beneva Rd.; www.faithsarasota.com.
FRIDAYFEST ON THE BAY - Sept. 18, 5-9 p.m., featuring Big Night Out, a 7-piece tropical-style band performing nostalgic music with a Latin twist. Located at 777 N. Tamiami Trail. Admission free. Bring lawn chairs, blankets; 953-3368.
JAZZ AT TWO - Fridays, 2 p.m., in the Bayfront Community Center, 803 N. Tamiami Trail. Sept. 18, Tom Barrett’s Dixieland Group. Admission: $10; $5 for Jazz Club of Sarasota members. Call 366-1552 or visit www.jazzclubsarasota.org.
LULLABY CONCERT SERIES - Sept. 19, 11 a.m., Selby Public Library, concert for children and parents. Free. Located at 1331 First St. Sept. 26, 11 a.m., Jacaranda Public Library, 4143 Woodmere Park Blvd., Venice. For details, call 861-5000.
MOTHER’S MUSICAL BAKERY - Open mic on the first Thursday of the month, 7-10 p.m. Because of noise restrictions, acoustic music only; original compositions welcome. Next: Oct. 1. Located at 6517 Superior Ave., Gulf Gate; www.mothersmusicalbakery.com; 342-6419.
NEW COLLEGE NEW MUSIC - Sept. 26, 8 p.m., NOW Ensemble, performing contemporary music. Tickets: $12. Sainer Pavilion, 5313 Bay Shore Road. Call 487-4155.
PLAYERS THEATRE - Sept. 12, 8 p.m., the Players Concert Series kicks off with the band Storytellers, featuring rock ‘n’ roll and anecdotes about famous musicians and groups. Tickets: $15. At 838 N. Tamiami Trail; 365-2494; www.theplayers.org.
SECOND SUNDAYS AT SELBY - Free monthly concert series, 2:30 p.m., sponsored by the Sarasota Music Archive, at Selby Library. Sept. 13, baritone James Bernard with pianist Robert Reeves, performing a program of English language songs. Doors open at 1:45 p.m. Call 861-1168. Located at 1331 First St.
STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA - Sept. 24, 8 p.m., performance by Martha Lopez, SCF Manatee-Sarasota adjunct voice instructor, in a classical recital. Located in the Neel Performing Arts Center, 5840 26th St. W. General admission: $8; tickets for students and SCF staff, $4. Call 752-5351 or 752-5252. Maps and directions online at scf.edu/maps.
VENICE JAZZ FESTIVAL - Third annual event, Sept. 25-26, Centennial Park, downtown Venice, featuring Don Riddell and his Hep Cats, the Patricia Dean Trio, the Jim Wellen Quartet and the Johnny Varro Quintet. Free. Public encouraged to bring blankets and chairs, but no coolers. Food and water vendors available. Visit www.jazzclubsarasota.org; 366-1552.
VENICE THEATRE - Through Sept. 13, "My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra," kicking off the 2009-2010 Cabaret Season. Tickets: $24; $12, students. Located at 140 W. Tampa Ave., Venice; 488-1115 or www.venicestage.com.
ART
RINGLING MUSEUM OF ART - Through Oct. 11, "Dangerous Women," featuring 16th- and 17th-century art depicting Judith and Salome of the Bible. Sept. 17, 6-9 p.m. "Cocktails at the Cà d’Zan." Cover charge: $5. Through Nov. 8, "Paths to Paradise: The World of Buddhism," featuring works primarily from the permanent collection. Tickets for the museum are $25, or $20 for seniors 65 and up; children ages 6-17, $10; children 5 and under, admitted free. Art museum free to all on Mondays. Located at 5401 Bay Shore Rd., 351-1660. Admission includes the Ringling Museum of Art, Cà d’Zan mansion, Circus Museum, Mable’s Rose Garden and grounds.
RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN - Through Sept. 19, "Wendell Minor: In the American Tradition." Through Sept. 28, one-man show by Craig Rubadoux, in the Patricia Thompson Gallery at the Keating Center. Sept. 25-Oct. 31, Gallery I – "Robert Andrew Parker: Artist/Illustrator/Artist"; Gallery II – "Yoon Cho: Cultural Adjustments." Opening reception, Sept. 25, 5-7 p.m. Galleries located one-half block east of 2700 N. Tamiami Trail on Dr. MLK Jr. Way. Call 359-7563; www.ringling.edu/selbygallery.
ALLYN GALLUP CONTEMPORARY ART - Through Sept. 26, "Mark Making – Color and Line; Some Abstract Pictures," featuring works of Michael Kessler, Joan Moment, Tanya Softic, Carla Poindexter and others. Located at 1419 Fifth St.; 366-2093; www.allyngallup.com.
ART CENTER SARASOTA - Through Sept. 12, "Green: The Primary Color." Located at 707 N. Tamiami Trail; 365-2032; www.artsarasota.org
ART UPTOWN - Through Sept. 11, acrylics and different media by Michael Dowd and sculpture by Dana Clark. Sept. 12-18, mixed media by Eleanor Merritt and stained glass designs by Sam Murray. Sept. 26-Oct. 30, "Young at Heart," featuring paintings by Jim Tschirgi. Located at 1367 Main St.; www.artuptown.com; 955-5409.
CAMBRIDGE CHRISTNER FINE ART - One-man retrospective of the art of David Rodgers, a veteran Hollywood producer and founder of the East Village Art Movement in New York City in 1977. Located at 415 S. Pineapple Ave.; 724-8889.
DABBERT GALLERY - Through Sept. 30, "Summer Showcase" featuring Yuqi Wang, Ben Stahl, Robert Baxter, Eric Boyer, Jinzhou Bai, Bill Jerdon, Barbara Krupp, Candace Krupp and Beatrice del Perugia. Located at 76 S. Palm Ave.; 955-1315; www.dabbertgallery.com
ELIZABETH STEVENS GALLERY - Through September, "Summer Show," featuring gallery artists Marge Bennett and Debbie Dannheiser. Gallery located at 1945 Morrill St. in Towles Court; 365-4222.
KATHARINE BUTLER GALLERY - Sept. 18, 6-9 p.m., Summer Celebration, featuring highlights of the 2009 season with artwork by all 17 gallery artists. Located at 1943 Morrill St. in Towles Court. Call 955-4546 or log onto www.kbutlergallery.com.
LOCAL COFFEE & TEA - Through Oct. 17, drawings, paintings, 3-D art and photography by Glenn MacKinnon of Sarasota on display. Located at 5138 Ocean Blvd. in Davidson’s Plaza on Siesta Key; 685-6574 or 726-1660; www.localcoffee.com
SARASOTA SEASON OF SCULPTURE GALLERY - Through September, Jack Dowd’s sculpture of a New York bar scene, "Last Call. Admission: $5, adults; $3, seniors; children under 12, admitted free. Located at 20 Lemon Ave.; 366-7767; www.seasonofsculpture.com
SELBY PUBLIC LIBRARY - Through Sept. 30, ‘Similar Contradictions," an exhibit of works by Ali Light and Steve Capri that were created through the use of nontraditional materials. Located at 1331 First St. Call 861-5000.
SELBY GARDENS - Through Sept. 27, the 4th Annual Selby Instructors’ Showcase, in the Museum of Botany and the Arts. Located at 811 S. Palm Ave.; 366-5731 or www.selby.org.
SIMON’S RESTAURANT - Sept. 14-Nov. 2, exhibit of works by Jamie Kirkell. Restaurant located at 5900 S. Tamiami Trail; 926-7151.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH - Through Oct. 4, "Unleash Your Creativity: An Instructors’ Exhibit." Opening reception, Oct. 4, after church services in the south wing. Located at 3975 Fruitville Rd.; 373-0530 or judihennard@comcast.net.
VENICE ART CENTER - Sept. 18, 5-7 p.m., "Anything Goes," the center’s first fall reception, featuring a variety of media, including an exhibit by Fillippo Quaretti in the Solo Gallery. Refreshments to be served. Located at 390 Nokomis Ave., Venice; 485-7136.
WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTER GALLERY - Through Sept. 30, "Signs of Time," photographs by Agnieszka "Agnes" Arlukiewicz. Located at 340 S. Tuttle Ave. Call the center at 586-1649.
ARTWALKS
FIRST FRIDAY WALKS - Downtown galleries of Burns Square, Pineapple Avenue, Palm Avenue and Main Street, from 6-9 p.m. featuring live music, refreshments and general merriment. Next: Oct. 2.
TOWLES COURT GALLERY WALK - Art walks every third Friday of the month, from 6 p.m. Many galleries and restaurants are open for evening strolls and dining. Live music; 365-8683 for details. Parking on Adams Lane. Next: Sept. 18.
THEATRE
PLAYERS THEATRE - Sept. 24-Oct. 4, "Anything Goes," the opening of the 80th Broadway Series season. Tickets: $23; season subscriptions from $80-$126. At 838 N. Tamiami Trail; 365-2494; www.theplayers.org.
SARASOTA SENIOR THEATER - Sept. 25-27, three, one-act comedies to be performed: "Prisoner of 2nd Ave.," "Anybody for Tea" and "The Odd Couple." Tickets: $15. Open seating. Located at Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave. For tickets, call 955-9563 or buy them at the door.
VENICE THEATRE - Sept. 24-Oct. 11, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Sept. 29-Oct. 18, "The Apple Tree," three, one-act musicals about love and temptation. Located at 140 W. Tampa Ave., Venice; www.venicestage.com; 488-1115.
COMEDY
TEMPLE EMANU-EL - Sept. 14, 7:30 p.m., "The Laugh in Peace Tour," featuring comedians Mo Amer, a Muslim, and Rabbi Bob Alper. Sponsorship: $36 in advance; covers pre-show dessert reception with the comedians. General admission: $20 in advance; $25, at the door. Recommended for ages 11 and up; free baby-sitting with advance registration. Located at 151 S. McIntosh Rd. Contact Rabbi Elaine Glickman at 379-1997 or at Elaine-glickman@comcast.net. For reservations, mail checks made out to Temple Emanu-El, 151 S. McIntosh Rd., Sarasota, FL 34232.
DANCE
THRILLER DANCE PARTY - A tribute to Michael Jackson, Oct. 2. Rehearsal: 6 p.m.; performance: 7 p.m. Located at Whole Foods Market, 1451 First St. Tickets: $10, covering instruction, performance and entrance to the Last Call Gallery, along with refreshments. Purchase tickets at www.seasonofsculpture.com or by calling 366-7767.