1. What are the Studios on McIntosh?
The Studios is a working artist space where individual artists create in their own studios and engage collaboratively with each other to creatively learn, grow and exhibit. The Studios also provides a creative teaching environment where artists both in the studio and in the community can teach courses sharing art techniques and art history.
2. Why The Studios on McIntosh over someplace else?
The Studios offers and encourages local artists a completely equipped teaching space to reach out to art students in the community and offer classes. The Studios provides this opportunity and only takes a nominal fee. It is also a gallery that gives the opportunity for an artist to exhibit, have an opening and advertise and get exposure. It only charges a minimal percentage.
3. What do you offer?
The Studios on McIntosh offers a friendly, relaxed and creative atmosphere for the community to take art courses both short term and on-going. It specializes in talented and experienced teaching artists in all art techniques including: clay sculpture, pottery, fibers, fabric, photography, jewelry design and construction, painting. All classes are for both children and adults. We offer small, affordable classes at mutually convenient schedules.
4. What are your hopes for The Studios?
Our goal and passion is for the community to experience the arts through classes and exhibits at our facility. One does not have to be an artist to enjoy the arts, learn new skills and techniques and join a community of art lovers that share your same passion. The Studios offers classes from beginner to advanced in small groups or individually. The Studios could be a model for an artist’s environment where local artists have the space to interact with the community in a learning/teaching atmosphere.
5. Do you have any upcoming events or exhibitions?
The community can check our website, www.thestudiosonmcintosh.com for announcements of upcoming exhibits and classes. We are also on Facebook and send e-blasts to our data base announcing special events. In February (date to be announced) we will have a group exhibit of Judy Pirkey, clay sculpture and ceramics, Judy Levine, jewelry artist and Sally Sloan, painter. More info will follow.
6. How can people get involved with the Studios on McIntosh?
Artists and students can contact The Studios to arrange classes,exhibits, schedule teaching space times or view our gallery. Keep up with our happenings on our website or by calling us with questions at 941-925-2227.
7. How did this idea come about?
The idea of The Studios on McIntosh came out of necessity for space. Both Judy Pirkey and Judy Levine live in condos and dreamed of studios with full facilities for clay, firing a large kiln, a fully equipped jewelry studio and extra space for other artist studios as well as a place for visiting artists to work, teach and exhibit their art. They have achieved this goal on McIntosh with ample parking, safe surroundings, audio visual equipment and screen and Wi-Fi.
8. What are your future goals?
The future goals of the Studios on McIntosh are to continue to grow and become self sustaining by using our own studio working space to produce our art as well as promoting the use of our teaching and exhibit area. We hope to focus attention on the South Sarasota venue as an arts destination for taking classes, attending exhibits and special events. We want to provide local artists who do not have a space, to share their creative talents with the community both as an artist and teacher.
