"The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls." ~ Pablo Picasso

Bradenton, where we have been this winter, seems to sit in between two very artsy cities - St. Petersburg and Sarasota. Bradenton is in the process of a bit of an art renaissance itself, with new shops and galleries popping up regularly.  There is a section of town known as The Village of the Arts. 

"The Village of the Arts is a vibrant community of artists living and working together in Bradenton, Florida. The Village is Florida’s largest art community and over 30 businesses call the Village home. Galleries, studios, cafes, healing arts, jewelry, fashion and books can all be found as you wander the streets of this charming area of restored 1920's and 30's cottages. Located just south of downtown, the Village is one of Bradenton's most exciting areas. Carving out a creative community where people can live and create, going strong after more than 11 years." 

Open primarily on weekends, this series of colorful and vibrant homes are a delight to wander through. The owners are friendly and excited about the work that they do, and if the crowd permits, they are happy to chat and share their craft.  We ended our day there with a charming puppet parade, which I will share in my next post. Enjoy!

Model (above) and portrait (below)

Delightful!

"Drums just always sounded like the most fun part of that good music for me." ~ Levon Helm

Several years ago, while on a school break, Bruce and I tried to attend the drum circle on Siesta Key. Actually, we DID attend the drum circle, but it was pouring out, so it was held under a pavilion, rather than on the beach at sunset. Not exactly the same atmosphere or attendance.  We finally made it to a fair-weather gathering - what fun!  Festive, flamboyant, loud, raucous, multi-generational - packed! I'm no good at estimating crowds - but Bruce figures about 4 to 5 hundred people, in various stages of dress, and with all kinds of instruments - including drums!  It was - fantastic - that's the best word for it. I'm so glad that we did it, but I think that once was enough.  It took us about 45 minutes just to leave the parking lot when it was done. But - it was a great experience!

My favorite dancer!