Venice to receive new artwork for downtown and beach area - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

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Mural is planned for downtown, and sculpture for beach

Earle Kimel   | Sarasota Herald-Tribune

VENICE – The island of Venice may receive some additional artistic showpieces, including a proposed mural at the U.S. Post Office, a plaque honoring Bob Vedder and his efforts with VABI at Centennial Park and an interactive sea turtle sculpture near Venice Beach.

The Venice City Council will be asked to approve all three items as part of the consent agenda when it meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

The Post Office mural, which was proposed by Venice Area Beautification Inc., is being created by artist Colleen Henry and will cover an area of the lower wall that faces Venice Avenue by the walk-up area that is roughly 8 feet tall and 30 feet wide.

Once completed, it will join several other murals in the city, including “Venice Remembered” by Henry, which is located on the Venice Gondolier building and easily seen by westbound motorists on Venice Avenue; “Healing in the Enchanted Garden,” by Joseph Barron in Founder’s Way; and most recently a mural by David Lee, commissioned by Venice MainStreet, on the southwest corner of Nassau Street and Venice Avenue.

The Post Office Southern District approved the mural in October. The garden themed mural depicts a variety of flower arrangements, as well as two white herons.

The plaque honoring Bob Vedder would be placed in Centennial Park near Venice Avenue, by an information kiosk east of the Gazebo near mid-block crosswalk.

The retired Gondolier publisher has been a driving force behind the VABI Bloom Team but his community leadership spanned several areas, including the creation of the Venice High School Rotary Futures scholarship advancement program.

The turtle sculpture is being donated to Venice by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation as part of its 25th anniversary celebration.

It’s actually the second artistic gift given to the city by the foundation as part of the celebration. In March, the city received 10 bronze shark statues that have been strategically placed around the downtown core as part of an interactive scavenger hunt.

The sea turtle sculpture, created in collaboration with the Asolo Repertory Theatre scenery shop, has a mate that will be installed at Siesta Beach.

The sea turtles are designed to raise awareness of the problems faced by sea life because of marine debris.

Each sea turtle has been designed to hold plastic and aluminum recyclables and is designed to provide educational opportunities about how plastic never completely breaks down in marine environments. Birds and sea life can eat or become entangled in some plastic refuse, while microplastics can stay in the environment.

All three items are listed on the consent agenda – which is typically handled after public comment, though any of the council members can pull an item for a more thorough discussion.

The council meets at 9 a.m. at 401 W. Venice Ave., in a hybrid fashion, though a quorum of at least four members will be in chambers.

At 8:30 a.m., new Seat 2 council member Brian Kelly will be sworn in for his first three-year term, while Mitzie Fiedler will be sworn in for a second term in Seat 1.

Masks should be worn by those attending in person, and public seating has been marked off to accommodate social distancing.

To listen to the meeting via phone, dial 1-929-205-6099 and when the meeting ID is requested, enter 871 0858 0605 and then press the # key.  

To watch the council meeting via the city website, visit venice.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. Click on “In Progress” to the far right of the City Council meeting on this date.

To provide public comment prior to the meeting, email ecomment@venicegov.com or send comments to City Clerk Lori Stelzer, 401 W. Venice Ave., Venice, FL 34285. Provide your full name and home address and if you are a city business owner, list the business name and address.

All comments received by the deadline will be distributed to the mayor, City Council members, and the appropriate staff prior to the start of the meeting.

To request to speak during the virtual meeting, complete a form prior to the start of audience participation or the agenda topic to be placed on a list.

That form can be found at venicefl.formstack.com/forms/request_to_speak. You must fill out all required information or the form cannot be submitted.

To watch via Zoom, use the meeting link us02web.zoom.us/j/87108580605 using a computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Individuals who have pre-registered to speak will be called upon at the appropriate time.

Comments are limited to five minutes for city residents and property owners and two minutes for nonresidents.

If joining from a computer, your computer will automatically download and install (if needed) the Zoom program. The meeting ID is 871 0858 0605.

The 8:30 a.m. swearing-in ceremony will have different Zoom credentials. The link is us02web.zoom.us/j/82234490638. Those already using the Zoom program or app may join the meeting by entering the meeting ID 822 3449 0638.

For public comment questions: Lori Stelzer, City Clerk, lstelzer@venicegov.com or 1-941-882-7390.

For questions on connecting to the meeting: Christophe St. Luce, Director of Information Technology, cstluce@venicegov.com or 1-941-882-7425.

The Link Lonk


November 16, 2020 at 05:11AM
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Venice to receive new artwork for downtown and beach area - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

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