Newsletter 65

CHAGALL AT SELBY GARDENS: When Russian-French painter Marc Chagall finished a canvas, he would hold “some God-made object” like a flower or even a rock up next to it. If the painting could stand up beside a natural creation, then the painting was sufficient. The “Marc Chagall, Flowers, and the French Riviera: The Color Of Dreams” exhibit is the first that paired paintings in a botanical garden setting to explore the significant role of flowers and nature in Chagall’s works. The highlight is the 1937 masterworks painting “The Lovers”, on loan from the Israel Museum. That painting helped create the plan for the entire exhibition. Throughout the gardens, signs with Chagall’s quotes and poems are displayed. The grounds are enhanced with orchids, bougainvillea and citrus trees that evoke the south of France, where Chagall spent much of his life. Please click here for photos and more on this story, courtesy of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Chagall’s flowers in the garden

THE SHOW MUST GO ON: The circus community has deep roots in Sarasota. The references to Ringling are everywhere throughout the city. Last week, we were shocked to learn of a horrific accident that sent five performers to area hospitals. A planned eight-person pyramid at an extreme height went very wrong. It has been reduced to three people, including famed daredevil Nik Wallenda. We’ve seen the troupe perform many time without incident and may have taken for granted the danger involved in working without a net. Days after the accident during rehearsal, aerialists still awe the audience at “Synergy”. Please click here to read more on this story: Thrilling Wallenda act keeps show going

KEEPING DEVELOPMENT UNDER CONTROL: The Vue Sarasota Bay condominium is an enormous target, both literally and figuratively, for the growing Sarasota group pushing for changes to the city’s development approval process. The group, which calls itself STOP!, is an ad hoc collection of neighborhood leaders advocating for stricter controls and checks on city development, especially downtown. Although STOP! will also advocate for requirements for bigger pedestrian rights of way and improvements to local traffic studies, the emphasis in a recent meeting was on the city’s approval administrative approval process downtown. Follow the jump for more on this: STOP!

PRICES JUMP 12% IN 2016: Home sellers in Southwest Florida saw prices rebound by an average 12% in 2016. The housing market hit several important milestones in 2016, with distressed sales at a nine-year low and home prices at a 10-year high. The median sale price of single-family homes and condominiums in the Sarasota-Manatee region hit $244,000 last year, up by $24,000 over the year. Home and condo prices throughout Florida rose 10.8% in 2016, better than the 6.8% U.S. average. Please click here for more: Home prices jump

FLAT START TO SEASON: International turbulence is causing its own trouble in Sarasota county. European and Canadian tourist numbers are down and the industry as a whole was flat for the month of December. After a solid five years of smashing records, tourism growth has, at least temporarily, tapered off. Canadian travelers, Sarasota County’s largest international feeder, took a 6.8% hit in December, or 1,480 fewer Canadians, when compared with 2015. Central Europe saw a 25.8% drop, which translates to 1,620 fewer visitors. Domestic markets are holding their own, but the international pullback is taking a toll. There’s more here: Tourism