Arts Advocates Receive Gift of George Pappas Paintings

Arts Advocates is pleased to announce the receipt of a gift of two paintings by George Pappas: “Greek Time,” oil on canvas, 84 x 60 inches; and “Beauty and the Beast,” oil on canvas, 60 x 72 inches. Dr. Sarah Pappas, wife of the late George Pappas (1929-2021), made this generous gift to the organization. These pieces are now on display in the Arts Advocates Gallery, located in the Crossings at Siesta Mall, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, in Sarasota.

Pappas was a highly regarded artist and educator who retired in 1993 from a 40-year career as professor and chair emeritus of art at the University of South Florida. Bold, colorful, large-scale abstract paintings, many inspired by his Greek heritage and love of English literature, were his signature style, and Pappas continued creating and exhibiting art into his ninth decade.

His paintings have been exhibited throughout the country in over 100 juried exhibitions including the Corcoran Biennial, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art; and in over 30 one-person exhibitions in museums and galleries. The National Gallery of Art, John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, and Tampa Museum of Art are among the numerous collections in the United States and Canada where Pappas’ work is represented.

These Pappas paintings are an important addition to the Arts Advocates collection of works by Florida-based artists, which includes Highwaymen paintings and “the largest collection of Sarasota Art Colony works on public display anywhere,” according to curator Mark Ormond.

The Arts Advocates Gallery is open every Saturday from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Docent-guided gallery tours are offered at 11:00 a.m. the first Wednesday of every month. Reservations for tours are required.

To register for gallery tours and learn more about or become a member of Arts Advocates, visit Arts Advocates. 

Arts Advocates was founded in 1969 as The Fine Arts Society of Sarasota, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to inspire creativity, advance education, and connect the community to the arts. Arts Advocates has the foremost collection of works by Sarasota Art Colony artists on public exhibition anywhere. The organization awards scholarships to local students pursuing careers in the arts, and offers arts-related luncheons, workshops, educational tours, and visits to private collections. To learn more, visit Arts Advocates.

Photos from ArtAdvocates