By Pat Copeland
sun staff writer

A new art gallery opened Feb. 15 in an unlikely place — the sales center for SevenShores, St. Joe’s high rise development on Perico Island.

"St. Joe partnered with ArtCenter Manatee to bring the first art gallery to the west Bradenton area," Scott Carpenter, of Carpenter Public Relations, said. "Local artists will be showcased in the gallery, which will be called Artful Waters.

"There was a lot of open space in the sales center and St. Joe wanted to do something for the community and with the community. It was a perfect fit."

Laurie Hagberg, development director for ArtCenter Manatee, said that St. Joe is a corporate partner with the center.

"We try to tailor our business partnership to a mutual business focus," she said. "The only art galleries on this side of town are on the Island and Longboat Key. We wanted to bring the arts to the people who live here and the people who will be living at SevenShores."
The gallery will feature a new artist every eight weeks. The first featured artist is Shirley Rush Dean from now until the end of April. Watercolorist Joanna Coke will be the next featured artist from May 1 to July 1.

Dean, an award-winning artist who works in watercolor and acrylic, captures the colors and shapes of the surrounding environment.

"What’s nice about Shirley being the first artist is that she paints the scenes that people will see from SevenShores," Hagberg noted.

Artful Waters is located at 12320 Manatee Avenue and is adjacent to the Perico Harbor Marina. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.