Maro Lorimer grew up in Bellport, on the south shore of eastern Long Island. Her father, a physicist at Brookhaven National Laboratory, studied painting with Gertrude Quastler and sold many of his watercolors of local scenes. Influenced by her father's enthusiasm for Quastler's approach to art, Maro started painting at a young age.

After graduating from Brown University with a degree in experimental psychology, Maro moved to Vail, Colorado. The remoteness of the rapidly growing ski area brought many creative opportunities her way. For almost thirty years, her freelance work in Vail involved many media, including radio, television, magazines, advertising and greeting card design. In this sense, "mixed media" became her way of life long before she applied it to her painting. While in Colorado, she studied watercolor painting, with rita derjue, and, as a result of acceptance into juried shows in Denver, became a member of the Colorado Watercolor Society.

Moving to Florida in 1999, Maro studied mixed media collage with Judith Nadler and other collage artists at Art Center Sarasota. Now working in both collage and acrylics, she paints in her Holmes Beach studio and in the Sarasota studio of Douglas H. Teller. Her paintings have won awards in Colorado, Sarasota and at the Anna Maria Island Art League, including a "Best of Show" in 2007. They are in private collections in Alaska, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Florida. - go to Meet the Artists

Born and raised on Galveston Island, Texas, gene Aubry has been a permanent resident of Anna Maria Island since 1986. During a career in architecture spanning fifty years, he designed more than 1,000 projects including residences, libraries, performing arts centers, and museums. Among his best known Florida projects are Sarasota's Selby Library and the Naples Philharmonic.

An avid collector and patron of the arts, Gene served on the Board of Directors of the Houston Contemporary Arts Museum. He designed the Glassell Art School and the Rothko Chapel, two of the best known contemporary buildings in Houston. His early mentors and patrons, John and Dominique DeMenil, and architect Philip Johnson, provided him an invaluable education in art through his professional and personal affiliation with them and the many extraordinary artists who collaborated with him on various projects.

Two years ago, Gene's appreciation for and involvement in the arts took him to another level. For the first time, he picked up a paint brush and brought together all the elements of this life and craft to painting. Gene is both pleased and grateful to be able to share these early examples of his artistic endeavors with the public. - go to Meet the Artists

Richard Thomas is a local artist whose work has been appreciated by collectors across the country. He has participated in numerous shows, ranging from the Leon Litton Collection at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and the Selby Gallery at the Ringling School, to the Ringling Museum of Art. Collectors of his work include corporations, universities, and individuals including the Kemper family of Kansas City, Missouri; considered a top 200 world collector by Art News magazine.

Richard's current works start out as two to five minute line drawings. Later, long after the model is gone, he adds and subtracts color intuitively until he feels the formal problems have been resolved. He says "I like the work to progress as I paint and not have a designed piece ahead of time." "Most end up in the trash bin; however, I feel I learn from my failures as well as successes." - go to Meet the Artists

Gifts from the Sea II 12 x 12

Sea Grape Jungle III 22 x 28

ARTIST STATEMENT:
My paintings are intimate portraits of nature. Whether I am painting plants or animals I am intrigued by looking close up and painting intimate views - larger than life. The purpose of this approach is to say "slow down, look closely, there is a world of wonder under your nose." I strive for flowing transitions of color and strong elements of design to create dramatic compositions. I am always looking for that "Alice in Wonderland" affect. I love working with acrylics and acrylic inks because the diversity acrylics allow.

BIOGRAPHY:
Carolyn Ritter is an award winning artist living in Bradenton Florida. She received her degree from Auburn University and began teaching in schools and workshops in Florida, Georgia, and Washington while continuing to study with nationally known artists.

Her work has appeared in national publications including the cover of the Journal of the Veterinary Medical Association, and her paintings of animals and botanicals hang in universities, corporations, and private collections internationally.

The State Botanical Gardens of Georgia and Callaway Gardens in Georgia have had solo shows of her work. Her paintings can be found in juried shows in southwest Florida and ongoing at Art Uptown in Sarasota, and Studio at Gulf and Pine , Anna Maria Island.

Carolyn teaches acrylics and creative painting at Art Center Manatee in Bradenton. - go to Meet the Artists

A self-taught artist, Robert has developed his own unique style, and he paints a variety of subjects, largely those found in nature. An avid traveler and reader, many of his works are inspired by scenes he has personally observed and photographed on various excursions around the world. He has studied and especially enjoys those pre 1900 landscapes scenes painted by the Hudson River School of artists, Thomas Moran, Albert Bierstadt and Martin Johnson Heade.

As a businessman, painting became a wonderful diversion from the stress of the business world. Robert paints for his own enjoyment, different charitable causes, and his paintings can be found in private collections, places of business and in various art galleries throughout Florida. In 2005, it was a special honor to have one of his paintings, "Wetland Sanctuary," chosen for placement in the National Association of Home Builders Housing Center in Washington DC, representing the State of Florida. - go to Meet the Artists