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 August, there are 28 shows at these venues.
“Molly Duff-Clarke” [Art Center Sarasota]: In this exhibition, Molly Duff-Clarke presents life-sized ceramic furniture and domestic vignettes that reimagine the home as a space of unrestrained joy, texture and playful reinvention. Through brightly colored ceramics adorned with yarn, velvet, and tactile excess, she explores the complexities of building a home and raising a family in today’s shifting cultural landscape. Duff-Clarke is a ceramic artist based in St. Petersburg. She earned her MFA from the University of South Florida in 2023, where she was honored with the MFA Excellence Award. She also holds an MA from Maharishi University and a BFA in Printmaking and Ceramics from Kendall College of Art and Design. Her work has been exhibited both locally and nationally, including at Heiress Gallery, the Contemporary Art Museum at USF, the Museum of Art – DeLand, and at numerous NCECA conferences. Her teaching and professional experience includes positions at Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists’ Residency, the Morean Center for Clay, Dunedin Fine Arts Center, and St. Petersburg College. Opens Aug. 20. Runs to Sept. 26.
“Shaping Sarasota: A Century of Art” [Art Center Sarasota]: “Shaping Sarasota: A Century of Art” marks the culmination of Art Center Sarasota’s 2025–2026 centennial season. It presents a chronological visual history spanning 100 years of creativity, featuring rich archival images that highlight the artists, influential members, and community leaders who helped shape the center’s evolving identity and legacy. From Marsha Rader’s 1926 gatherings of local art supporters to the official incorporation of the Sarasota Art Association in 1941, the organization’s guiding mission—to “promote the educational and cultural advantages of Sarasota in the field of contemporary art”—has remained at its core. The exhibit was researched and brought to life by ACS archivist and guest curator, Alecia Harper. Harper earned her B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed by a graduate degree in applied art history and a certification in museum management from the University of South Carolina at Columbia. Her professional experience includes work at the Harpeth Gallery in Nashville, Vanderbilt University Creative Services, the Center for the Study of the American South, and Duke University Press. A passionate advocate for arts education and public engagement, Harper is docent emerita at The Ringling Museum of Art and has contributed her expertise to the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art, the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, and the Old Davie School Historical Museum. Harper currently teaches art history and humanities at State College of Florida. She previously served on the board of Sarasota’s community radio station WSLR, where she continues to host a Wednesday morning show as a deejay. Opens Aug. 20. Runs to Sept. 26. For more, read/hear “Art Center Sarasota looks back 100 years to showcase artists, volunteers and visionaries.”
“Antoine Williams” [Art Center Sarasota]: This exhibition contains a new body of work that reimagines Black southern cultural folklore and traditions through a surrealist lens. Antoine Williams received his MFA from UNC Chapel Hill. His residencies include the Joan Mitchell Residency in New Orleans, The Center for Afrofuturist Studies, The McColl Center of Art and Innovation, The Hambidge Center, Loghaven Artist Residency, and Rubenstein Arts Center at Duke University. Williams was also part of the 2021 Drawing Center viewing program. He is a recipient of the 2017 Joan Mitchell Award for Painters and Sculptors, the 2022 National Academy of Design’s Abbey Mural Prize, 2022 South Arts Individual Artist Career Opportunity Grant, and the 2018 Harpo Foundation Grant Award. Williams has exhibited nationally, including at Smack Mellon Brooklyn, the Nasher Museum of Art, The Weatherspoon Museum, 21c Museum, North Carolina Museum of Art, Prizm Art Fair, and the California Museum of Photography among others. His work is in the collection of the Nasher Museum of Art and the North Carolina Museum of Art. Williams is an assistant professor of Drawing in the Expanded Field at the University of Florida. Opens Aug. 20. Runs to Sept. 26.
“Juried Show: Icons” [Art Center Sarasota]: “Icons” is a visual exploration of figures, symbols, and moments that shape culture, influence society, and transcend time. From historical legends to contemporary trailblazers, this exhibition examines what it means to be iconic—whether through fame, influence, or artistic interpretation. John Pirman juried this show. Pirman graduated in 1979 from Kent State University with a BFA in graphic design and illustration, and studied in Brissago, Switzerland, with Paul Rand. His work is influenced by Swiss design, pop culture, posters of the WPA era, and mid-century modern design. In the fall of 1979, John moved to New York City and began a career as a freelance illustrator. He created editorial art for Fortune, Hemispheres, Vogue, Wallpaper, Glamour, New York Magazine, The New York Times, Forbes, Time, The Wall Street Journal, Travel and Leisure, Advertising Age, and Cosmopolitan Magazine. Since 2013, Pirman has created over 125 monthly illustrations for Sarasota Magazine’s last page, “Only In Sarasota,” featuring iconic places in town. His work has been exhibited at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Art Center Sarasota, Center For Architecture Sarasota, Pansy Bayou, and Bird Key Yacht Club.] Opens Aug. 20. Runs to Sept. 26.
“Keep It Cool” [Venice Art Center]: Closes Aug. 19.
“Beauty of Sumi E Ink” [Venice Art Center Altman-Vogt Solo Exhibit]: Closes Aug. 19.
Carole Dicker [Venice Art Center]: Solo show at the Inn at the Beach, 725 W. Venice Ave, Venice, to September 2026.
Cindy Baumgartner [Venice Art Center]: Solo show in Venice Library, 300 Nokomis Ave, S., Venice to October 2026.
Suzanne Bowe & Carol Anne Bruno [Venice Art Center]: Solo show at Jacaranda Trace, 3600 William Penn Way, Venice to September 2026.
[DeSoto Arts Center]: No exhibitions reported to be opening this month.
“Member’s Showcase” [Visual Arts Center, Punta Gorda]: Closes Aug. 26.
“The Art of Healing: Prescriptions for the Soul” [Grand Atrium, Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center]: “The Art of Healing: Prescriptions for the Soul” is a collaborative group exhibition and immersive wellness event exploring the connection between art, healing, therapy, and transformation. On Aug. 7, artists, musicians, wellness practitioners, and community leaders will fill SBDAC with original artwork and restorative experiences, including sound baths, guided meditation, yoga, live music, wellbeing presentations, and massage therapy. Yoga, meditation, and sound baths are donation-based, with proceeds supporting Providence Family Life Center, a Fort Myers community organization providing trauma-informed behavioral health assessments, crisis navigation, wellness programming, and practical tools that help individuals and families heal, build resilience, and move forward with greater support. Opens Aug. 7. Closes Aug. 27.
“Battle from the Brink” [Capital Gallery, Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center]: This 26-piece collection by Rosamund Merrill explores the beauty, spirit, and fragility of endangered animals — both in the wild and in captivity. Through a blend of whimsy and edge, each piece invites viewers into imagined and real scenarios that speak to the urgent need for awareness and protection. Every work is paired with a title card that includes the animal’s name, its endangered status, a brief story (if applicable), and the conservation group associated with its protection. A portion of each sale will directly benefit that organization. Each piece also carries a call to listen — “Hear Me ______”— filled in with the animal’s voice: Roar, Hiss, Sing, Howl, and more. Together, these voices form a chorus — one that asks us to pay attention, take action, and remember what we stand to lose. Opens Aug. 7. Closes Aug. 27.
“Art Quilters Unlimited and Southwest Florida Fine Arts Craft Guild Exhibition” [Alliance for the Arts]: This exhibit showcases a collection of new works created by members of AQU (Art Quilters United) and SWFFCG (Southwest Florida Fine Craft Guild), highlighting the creativity and craftsmanship found throughout Southwest Florida’s arts organizations. Featuring a diverse range of contemporary fiber art, fine craft, and mixed-media works, the exhibition celebrates technical skill and personal expression across multiple artistic disciplines. Together, these talented artists present fresh perspectives and thoughtfully handcrafted pieces that honor both tradition and experimentation in contemporary art and craft. Opens Aug. 7. Closes Sept. 26.
“Selected Works by N.C. Hagood” [Foulds Theater Gallery at the Alliance for the Arts]: This exhibition presents a collection of intimate, atmospheric works that capture moments imagined and remembered. Figures suspend like clouds, faces live between forms. Each piece begins with raw, instinctive marks that serve as the foundation for an evolving visual language built through layers of paint and mixed media. Ecuador-born and New York-raised artist Nancy Hagood is guided by intuition to allow each composition to transform organically, revealing traces of its original form while embracing textures and imperfections. The resulting works invite viewers into a dreamlike space where fragments of life and subconscious thought emerge with energy and soul. Nancy’s work is shaped by a lifelong passion for creative exploration and storytelling through abstraction. Working primarily in acrylic and mixed media, she draws from personal memories, dreams, and lived experiences to create layered compositions that speak to the shared human experience. Her work reflects a fascination with the quiet connections between people, places, and emotions — those universal, often unspoken moments that bind humanity together. She is a recipient of numerous awards, and her work has been exhibited in venues across the United States while she remains actively engaged with artistic organizations internationally and throughout Florida. Opens Aug. 7. Closes Sept. 26.
“Snap2” [Member Gallery at the Alliance for the Arts]: The Member Gallery features a curated exhibition that highlights the range of possibilities for Southwest Florida photographers from wildlife to conceptual photography. Opens Aug. 7. Closes Sept. 26.
“Emphasis: A Mural Project” [Alliance for the Arts 10-acre campus]: This round of the Alliance’s outdoor mural project features artworks by 13 artists from all over the country. Featured artists include David Neeld, Lawrence Phillips, Bruce MacKenchie, Andrea Facusse, Denise Chasin, Gwendalin Aranya, Jenny Pearl, Julio Julio, Alisa Sozonyk, Peter Harrington, Carolyn Steele, Sandi Ludescher, and Nancy Cunningham. For more, visit “Alliance’s latest zig zag mural project places ‘Emphasis’ on 13 area artists.”
“New Perspectives II [Tribby Arts Center]: Shell Point is defined not only by the residents who call it home, but also by the dedicated employees whose talents and hard work shape the spirit of the community. This second staff exhibition at the Tribby Arts Center showcases the creativity of Shell Point employees. Displayed on the first-floor Shell Point Gallery, the exhibition features original works by full-time, part-time, and on-call team members. Opened Aug. 1. Runs to Oct. 16.
“Poster Power” [The Legacy and Overlook Galleries at Tribby Arts Center]: Since Tribby Arts Center opened in 2021, the galleries have presented more than 70 exhibitions, and each one was accompanied by a poster designed by the design team of the Shell Point Marketing Department. This exhibition presents nearly 60 of those posters, along with a few iconic objects from the exhibitions. This is a “can’t miss” exhibition for anyone interested in the power of graphic design. Opened Aug. 1. Runs to Oct. 16.
“Retrospective: Larger Than Life Watercolors” [Cape Coral Art Center Main Gallery]: In this solo exhibition, Zan Lombardo showcases the evolution of her signature watercolor style, featuring both iconic pieces and previously unseen works that blend vivid color, intricate detail, and heartfelt poetry. Opens Aug. 7. Runs to Sept. 24. Artist Talks Friday, Aug. 7 and Saturday, Aug. 15, both at 10 a.m.
“The Symphony of Sound and Shape” [Cape Coral Art Center Side Gallery]: In this multimedia juried open call exhibition, artists explore the relationship between music and visual art by responding to musical compositions using different art forms. Opens Aug. 7. Closes Sept. 24.
Art League of Cape Coral: Closed for the summer.
“Currents” [Dunham Family Gallery at BIG ARTS]: Following the success of “BIRDS, No Words” in 2025, BIG ARTS once again invites visitors to experience art as it unfolds. "Currents" transforms the Dunham Family Gallery into a collaborative underwater mural created by six artists over the course of almost three months. Working together on a continuous 6-foot-tall by 125-foot-long expanse of paper throughout the gallery, Shah Hadjebi, Dahye Kim, Marti Koehler, Mariapia Malerba, Wilson McCray and Macy Noll will each contribute their own perspective while building upon one another’s work, allowing the mural to gradually evolve into an immersive underwater environment. Throughout the process, BIG ARTS will share artist schedules and photos on its social media so visitors can plan to stop in while artists are working or follow the mural’s progress. For more, read/hear “Four artists will turn BIG ARTS’ Dunham Family Gallery into a giant mural over six-week span beginning in August.” Work begins Aug. 10. Closing reception Oct. 30.
“Happy 250th … Let’s Celebrate” [Main Gallery, Arts Bonita Center for Visual Arts]: Semiquincentennial. Quarter-Millennial. Bicentennial-and-a-Half. Whatever you call it, Arts Bonita celebrates 250 years of American history through art in all media, including 2D and 3D work, jewelry, photography, abstract and representational art, pastels, oils, acrylics, mixed media, textiles, clay, stone, wood, metal, and more. The artworks span the spectrum from pride, patriotism, loyalty, a vision of America to dissent, contradiction, betrayal, injustice, and the ongoing pursuit of freedom. After all, every family celebration includes a few spirited debates. Runs to Aug. 29.
“The Elements: Earth, Wind, Water, Fire" [Hinman Gallery-in-the-Round, Arts Bonita Center for Performing Arts]: This exhibit brings together a dynamic collection of artwork inspired by the primal forces that shape our world. From the grounded strength of earth to the ever-shifting currents of wind, the transformative power of fire, and the fluid depth of water, each piece reflects an artist’s response to nature’s raw energy and timeless rhythm. This exhibition celebrates the beauty, power, and symbolism of the four classical elements. Through painting, sculpture, mixed media, and installation, artists explore the physical and emotional connections we share with these forces — revealing both their nurturing presence and their destructive potential. “Elements: Earth, Wind, Fire, Water" exhibit invites viewers to reconnect with the natural world, consider our place within its powerful balance, and highlights the natural forces all around us. Opens Aug. 6 with 6 p.m. reception. Runs to Sept. 10.
“CTA Summertime” [Marco Island Center for the Arts]: The "Summertime" exhibition features the work of 29 artists and 68 original works of art, showcasing a diverse collection of paintings, textiles, and other media inspired by the warmth, beauty, and memories of the season. From tranquil coastal landscapes and dramatic weather to vibrant wildlife and nostalgic moments, the exhibition offers visitors an engaging look at summertime through the eyes of regional artists. Opened Aug. 3. Runs to Sept. 29.
“Framing the Shape” [La Petite Gallery, Marco Island Center for the Arts]: "Framing the Shape," a solo exhibition by Luis Manzanares, is presented as part of ¡Arte Viva! The exhibition celebrates the rich artistic contributions of Hispanic artists throughout Collier County. A painter of Honduran descent, Manzanares has been creating art for as long as he can remember. Inspired by watching his mother embroider intricate figures onto muslin fabric, he developed a distinctive artistic style he calls "Framing the Shape." Through bold outlines, vivid color palettes, and expressive compositions, he transforms familiar subjects into imaginative works that celebrate movement, emotion, and the beauty found in everyday life. For Manzanares, "Framing the Shape" is more than the title of the exhibition—it is the philosophy behind his creative practice. His paintings invite viewers to look beyond the obvious, discovering beauty within ordinary forms while encouraging curiosity, creativity, and personal connection. Influenced by nature, daily experiences, and childhood memories, his colorful works reinterpret familiar subjects through a unique visual language that is both joyful and thought-provoking. Opened Aug. 3. Runs to Aug. 25.
Rae Ann Ross Lynch [La Petite Gallery, Marco Island Center for the Arts]: Opens Aug. 31. Runs to Sept. 29.
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.
Sponsored in part by the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture.
