Florida is a vast and unique melting pot for all types of people, places and things. Strike up a conversation with someone at Whole Foods or a local gallery and you will be amazed by the stories told. Yet, somehow, we all find ourselves here, even if only for vacation, and continually take inspiration from Florida’s landscape and sunny vibes. We have found three artists who now call Florida home with three different styles of their own. Their work and more by other Florida artists can be found at 530 Burns Gallery in Sarasota’s Historic Burns Court neighborhood.

1. Gary Borse

Gary Borse is known as the “cowboy artist.” He lives on a  farm in Fairfield, Florida, riding horses around the rich terrain where he is able to see landscapes in their purest form. He says, “What I have seen is so stunning it forces you to think about Florida's past and future while you are in its midst.”

Borse pulls out the essence of the landscape and, using richly pigmented paints, he captures the “Old Florida” feel. Bright reds, oranges, blues and greens are applied in dynamic, visible brushstrokes. His pieces have a lively feel which stems back to his years as a jazz musician in Chicago. Since moving to Florida, his work has captured the hearts of many who call this place home. Additionally, he has several works included in the State of Florida Permanent Art Collection and the University of Florida Collection. Looking at Borse's paintings, we always feel a little more connected to nature.

2. LAURA VARICH

Laura Varich’s abstract floral landscapes capture the eye with her use of color and bold, gestural style. She takes inspiration first from her early childhood, living among the natural and beautiful open spaces of the California landscape. Upon moving to Florida in 2009, her inspiration and dedication to capturing nature’s depth and artistic eye skyrocketed.

She uses the most beautiful range of verdant garden greens and pops of warm orange, pink and midnight blue. Laura says, “The beginning of a painting starts with the creation of an interesting color palette.  I work with hundreds of color swatches mixing and comparing them to find striking color combinations. ” Letting her intuition then be her guide, Laura's paintings explore boundless fields of flowers and brilliant imagination.

Save the Date: Friday, April 10 from 6-9 p.m. for the opening of her Solo Exhibition at 530 Burns Gallery.

3. Bettina Sego 

Bettina Sego loves to use color, and through layers of ink, acrylic paint, collage, silver or gold leaf, and resin, she creates vibrancy and depth in her paintings.  Her pieces are lively abstract explorations deep waters and nature’s purest delight. 

She was born in Germany, studied at Heidelberg University as well as at the Sorbonne in Paris, and received her master of arts degree in San Francisco. In 2000, she moved to Florida and since then has pulled an incredible amount of inspiration from the world around her. Sego says, “I’m influenced by my surroundings in Florida; the bright light, the brilliant blues and greens of the Gulf of Mexico, the interesting shapes and color combinations of the tropical plants I see when I look out of my studio window.”

Each piece is a time-intensive labor and testament to her work.  She says, “Experimentation is an integral part of my artwork. I like to combine different techniques such as collage, inks, acrylics, silver leaf and resin.” In this exploration, she creates mesmerizing paintings and continues to one of 530 Burns Gallery’s beloved local artists.

530 Burns Gallery
530 Burns Lane,  Sarasota, FL 34236
(941) 951.0620
530burnsgallery.com
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