Lexow Wing Art Gallery
UUSRQ 2025 Annual Fall Members Exhibit
The exhibit will be up until January 16, 2026
Dave Coppock
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Cheri Coulter
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All members of our congregation were invited to submit their artwork for the annual fall members exhibit to be installed in the Lexow Wing Gallery. What we got was an amazing variety of fabric art, paintings, jewelry, photo-based prints, and much more! Please, come see what our members shared. Here are just a few examples!
Peg Green
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Keith Goodman
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Joan Boyce
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All purchases are made between the artist and the buyer. The Unitarian Universalist office is not involved in the sale of any art. If interested in purchasing artwork, contact the artist directly using their contact information posted in the gallery. Artists then donate a percentage of every sale back to our UU community.
Gallery Hours:
Sunday 10 AM to 1 PM
Tuesday through Friday 10 AM to 1 PM
Gallery is free to all
Gallery Hours:
Sunday 10 AM to 1 PM
Tuesday through Friday 10 AM to 1 PM
Gallery is free to all
Learn More About the
UUSRQ Arts Council
Our congregation and its members have a rich history of support and involvement in the arts. The mission of the Arts Council is to provide Members and Friends of Unitarian Universalists of Sarasota avenues for artistic expression and appreciation. The Lexow Wing of our facilities was designed as a gallery to help fulfill this mission. We are proud of the artistic endeavors of our members and others in the community who exhibit their work in the Gallery.
Membership in the UUCS Arts Council is open to all Unitarian Universalist Members and Friends with an interest in the arts and a desire to share that interest with others. We meet the first Saturday of every month at 1:00 pm in the Lexow Gallery. Come share cultural information and art events happening in the local community, help research artists, set up and promote exhibits, help preserve our aesthetic heritage, and have some fun in the process.
Above all, enjoy the wonderful art exhibits in the Lexow Wing Gallery brought to us through the efforts of the Arts Council!
Current Arts Council members include: Joan Boyce, Mary Brand, Carol Buck, Laura Campbell, Sally Coler, Kathy Cook, Gail Coppock, Linda Cordisco (Chair), Judy Croce, Bet Cummings, Cathy Cyrus, Donald Diddams, Marvin Fields, Peg Green, Judi Hennard, Marjorie Henry, Sue Kennedy, Arlene Leven, Holly Wynne O'Brien, Rick Randall, Enid Romanek, Cyndy Rosso, Rhoda Taylor, and Penny Soldatos. See some of us in the picture below.
Membership in the UUCS Arts Council is open to all Unitarian Universalist Members and Friends with an interest in the arts and a desire to share that interest with others. We meet the first Saturday of every month at 1:00 pm in the Lexow Gallery. Come share cultural information and art events happening in the local community, help research artists, set up and promote exhibits, help preserve our aesthetic heritage, and have some fun in the process.
Above all, enjoy the wonderful art exhibits in the Lexow Wing Gallery brought to us through the efforts of the Arts Council!
Current Arts Council members include: Joan Boyce, Mary Brand, Carol Buck, Laura Campbell, Sally Coler, Kathy Cook, Gail Coppock, Linda Cordisco (Chair), Judy Croce, Bet Cummings, Cathy Cyrus, Donald Diddams, Marvin Fields, Peg Green, Judi Hennard, Marjorie Henry, Sue Kennedy, Arlene Leven, Holly Wynne O'Brien, Rick Randall, Enid Romanek, Cyndy Rosso, Rhoda Taylor, and Penny Soldatos. See some of us in the picture below.
Click on the artwork below to view members' online displays of art:
Carol Buck
Catherine Cyrus
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Donald Diddams
Laura Campbell
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Peg Green
Kathleen Konicek-Moran
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Bet Cummings
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Recent Exhibits
The Re-enchantment of Nature,
Photo-based art by Steve White
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Ceramics by Osa Atoe
The Exhibit will be up until November 14th
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The Re-enchantment of Nature by Steve White This show explores the intricate and often overlooked beauty of the natural world through a contemporary lens. Using innovative digital techniques, Steve White invites viewers to rediscover the wonder and mystery inherent in landscapes, flora, and fauna, challenging the conventional perceptions of nature in an increasingly technological age. Steve White is an award-winning photographer and digital artist dedicated to the re-enchantment of nature. As a Master Naturalist, Steve is as comfortable in the Florida swamp as in the studio, bringing a profound understanding of flora and fauna to his creative process. He merges environmental insight with artistic innovation, infusing his work with a deep sense of reverence. This perspective is shaped by his extensive study of nature religions and animism, which see nature not as a resource but as a living, intelligent system. Through his art and his platform “Lazy Naturalist” Steve invites us to reconnect with the natural world and rediscover its inherent meaning and beauty. His work ultimately serves as a bridge, reminding us that the tangible world is a gateway to the transcendent. See more of his work at https://steve-white.com/ |
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Ceramics by Osa Atoe
Osa Atoe (Ah-toy) is a Nigerian-American ceramic artist living in Sarasota, FL. Her studio grew out of her kitchen in New Orleans in 2015 and has since expanded to a full-sized workshop adjacent to her home. Through her work, Osa Atoe returns to midcentury Nigeria to build upon the concept of an African studio pottery movement. Atoe's studio practice echoes this historical moment, employing Indigenous African pottery techniques, such as coil building and the use of foraged materials, within a contemporary studio setting. Her work represents her belief that applying combinations of Indigenous wisdom and global technologies can create futuristic solutions, restoring balance and healing our social and environmental ills. Atoe's pottery manifests as symbols of idealism, and provides a visual and tactile respite from violence, division, cynicism and injustice. See more of her work at https://potterybyosa.com/ . |
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The Joy of Creating
Arts Council Exhibit
The exhibit will be up through September 18th
Gail Coppock
Sally Coler
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You won't want to miss this amazing exhibit of art by our Arts Council members. You will enjoy their outstanding talents, the range of styles and media they use, and the variety of their focus and vision. These are just some of the artists among us. And if you too are an artist or interested in the visual arts, please join us!! The Exhibit will be up until September 18th 
Donald Diddams
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Peg Green
"Stories Worn Still"
Selected works by Creative Liberties Artists:
Elizabeth Goodwill, Barbara Gerderman,
Alliene Bouchard and Debra Lambert.
On Exhibit May 18 through July 17
This exhibition brings together the distinct yet resonant voices of Barbara Gerdeman, Alliene Bouchard, Debra Lambert, and Elizabeth Goodwill – four artists whose works delve into themes of memory, nature, transformation, and human impulse to create meaning through connection and craft.
Together, these artists invite us into a conversation about the traces we leave behind, the worlds we build through material and imagination, and the sacred interplay between human hands and the natural world.
Together, these artists invite us into a conversation about the traces we leave behind, the worlds we build through material and imagination, and the sacred interplay between human hands and the natural world.
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All purchases are made between the artist and the buyer. The Unitarian Universalists office is not involved in the sale of any art. If interested in purchasing artwork, contact the artist directly using their contact information posted in the gallery. Artists then donate a percentage of every sale back to our UU community.
Gallery Hours: Sunday 10 AM to 1 PM Tuesday through Friday 10 AM to 1 PM Gallery is free to all |
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"Focus on Flowers"
Paintings by Cathy Cyrus
On Exhibit March 28th through May 15th
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About the Exhibit Artist Cathy Cyrus is a UUSRQ member who exhibits locally and has won numerous awards in local juried shows. As something new for her, this exhibit is entirely of floral paintings, ranging in style from Impressionistic to Zen-like, from very large to miniatures, and evoking emotions from pure joy to pensiveness. Stop in to see it and enjoy! |
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"MAX and ME"
"Finding the father I never knew through art"
by Jana Millstone
Exhibit will be up through March 13th
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“Max and Me” is a group of works that incorporates the artwork of my biological father to create a visual dialog between us. My intension has been to apply my mature vantage point to his art (art works that I have lived with my entire life) by creating collaborative imagery that integrates our artwork. Most important is my objective to form a link between me, and the artist who gave me life, but who did not live to share mine. Many of the works include my poetry and text. The project has also generated a number of essays that chronicled my thoughts during the process, as I imagined the context of art-making in his world, just a generation ago. -- Jana Millstone
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THE STORY
A gifted young artist. Red hair, stocky build, shy, and sensitive. He is newly home after years away from the freckled, curly-haired bride who has pined for him. He has been part of the Army Engineering Map Corps serving in India and the South Pacific during World War II.
We will start the story here. It’s as good a place as any, as there are so many pieces missing. He has arrived home with sheaths of watercolor studies. In them are costumed dancers, minarets, gardens with palm trees, floating saris, a woman with a cluster of terra-cotta jugs on her head. Some are quick, others more detailed. All are deftly done, exuding the confidence of a much older artist. Soon he illustrates books; he illustrates greeting cards. He makes clever cards for his beloved, freckled wife. He plans an advertising agency with his friend, also named Max. There is a baby girl with curly red hair. There is a snowstorm. The doctor can’t come. Then he is dead. He was 31 and I had not had my first birthday.
I have had a lifetime (more than twice his now) to collect details and still the story of my father is so thin. But the art - the art has been there to talk to me. I have been aching to find a way to reply.
Thus began the journey of this last year. (Click here to see more of Jana Millstone's work.)
A gifted young artist. Red hair, stocky build, shy, and sensitive. He is newly home after years away from the freckled, curly-haired bride who has pined for him. He has been part of the Army Engineering Map Corps serving in India and the South Pacific during World War II.
We will start the story here. It’s as good a place as any, as there are so many pieces missing. He has arrived home with sheaths of watercolor studies. In them are costumed dancers, minarets, gardens with palm trees, floating saris, a woman with a cluster of terra-cotta jugs on her head. Some are quick, others more detailed. All are deftly done, exuding the confidence of a much older artist. Soon he illustrates books; he illustrates greeting cards. He makes clever cards for his beloved, freckled wife. He plans an advertising agency with his friend, also named Max. There is a baby girl with curly red hair. There is a snowstorm. The doctor can’t come. Then he is dead. He was 31 and I had not had my first birthday.
I have had a lifetime (more than twice his now) to collect details and still the story of my father is so thin. But the art - the art has been there to talk to me. I have been aching to find a way to reply.
Thus began the journey of this last year. (Click here to see more of Jana Millstone's work.)
Nanda Devi
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Floating Toward Joy
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"Culture. People. Places."
by Clifford McDonald
Paintings that reflect the connections between people, culture, and the spaces we inhabit.
Clifford McDonald presents Culture. People. Places., an art exhibition featuring bold and dynamic paintings that reflect the connections between people, culture, and the spaces we inhabit. Many of the pieces draw from his Sarasota roots, offering a window into the Sarasota that McDonald knows and loves, with its vibrant arts and theater scene and strong sense of community. The collection blends local inspiration with broader themes that capture universal experiences and connections. Culture. People. Places. examines how our environments and relationships shape the way we live. McDonald’s work highlights the energy and diversity of humanity, celebrating the shared experiences and connections that bring people together.
Inspired by his students at Visible Men Academy in Bradenton and the transformative power of creativity, McDonald embraced art as a means to make a meaningful impact on the world. He founded Art 4 Change, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating positive social change through art, advocacy, education, and service. McDonald’s work is deeply rooted in storytelling, celebrating culture while addressing social issues and spreading messages of love and hope. His paintings often serve as visual narratives that foster dialogue and connection, challenging viewers to think and inspiring action.
For more information about Clifford McDonald and his work, visit his official website: cliffordmcdonald.com
Inspired by his students at Visible Men Academy in Bradenton and the transformative power of creativity, McDonald embraced art as a means to make a meaningful impact on the world. He founded Art 4 Change, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating positive social change through art, advocacy, education, and service. McDonald’s work is deeply rooted in storytelling, celebrating culture while addressing social issues and spreading messages of love and hope. His paintings often serve as visual narratives that foster dialogue and connection, challenging viewers to think and inspiring action.
For more information about Clifford McDonald and his work, visit his official website: cliffordmcdonald.com
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Also on exhibit beginning January 19th
“Beaded Dreams — Magic, Memory and Ritual”
Jewelry by Judith Levine
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Judy says, "I have always loved to study, visit, and photograph diverse cultures. During a lifetime of travels worldwide, I have collected beads and amulets. I love to combine these elements into a unique art necklace that tells a story. That is my passion!"
Judy Levine is President of the Association of Florida Teaching Artists and has coordinated The Artists in Schools program for the Arts and Cultural Alliance in Sarasota, Florida training artists to integrate their art into the curriculum. She teaches arts courses at OLLI at Ringling College, Sarasota and owns Phoenix Art Workshops, a business providing art talks and workshops. She runs The Studios on McIntosh, a teaching and working art studio.
Judy was the recipient of several grants to travel, study, and photograph the art of Tibet, West Africa, Egypt and Indonesia. She designs and creates limited edition jewelry.
Judy Levine is President of the Association of Florida Teaching Artists and has coordinated The Artists in Schools program for the Arts and Cultural Alliance in Sarasota, Florida training artists to integrate their art into the curriculum. She teaches arts courses at OLLI at Ringling College, Sarasota and owns Phoenix Art Workshops, a business providing art talks and workshops. She runs The Studios on McIntosh, a teaching and working art studio.
Judy was the recipient of several grants to travel, study, and photograph the art of Tibet, West Africa, Egypt and Indonesia. She designs and creates limited edition jewelry.
