S/ART/Q hosts second annual print party

I have some friends who used to come up with catchy sayings they’d bounce off each other — perfect for a T-shirt, they said.

They weren’t the only ones with ideas. Apparently, a group of artists in Sarasota has been having the same T-shirt fantasies — accept in visual form.

From 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, S/ART/Q — a group of contemporary artists in Sarasota — will print their original designs on demand during the second annual Print Party at the Hub, 1421 Blvd. of the Arts, Sarasota. With prints for $5 each, the event is a unique way to raise money for the growing art organization.

Note that the party is BYOCAA — Bring Your Own Clothes and Accessories — but to accommodate those who like to buy new, plain T-shirts will be on sale for $5.

If you’re not remotely interested in getting a print, Tim Jaeger, president of S/ART/Q invites you to simply hang out, eat a hot dog and engage in the family-friendly fun, which comes complete with sidewalk chalk entertainment. Admission is free.

This year, 12 print designs will be featured. They include a panda on a bicycle by Daniel Miller, Sabrina Small’s monster-like stencil and Nathan Skiles’ manly ship in a bottle — complete with chest muscles — as well as a variety of other fun designs. The great thing about the Print Party is that you don’t have to bring just T-shirts. During last year’s event, people came with place mats, tablecloths, baby clothes, skirts, purses, pet clothes and more.

The strangest of all was an old prom dress. The woman with the prom dress asked for a rooster design, Jaeger said.

Now that’s a fashion statement.

Nearly 1,000 people attended last year’s party, which raised $5,000 for the small group of contemporary artists to launch S/ART/Q.

The community event, which found success through word of mouth and Facebook, is a testament to how hungry area residents are for contemporary art.

For more information on S/ART/Q, call (941) 330-4838 or visit sartq.com.

Check out our blog at heraldbuzzworthy.blogspot.com to see a few of the designs featured at this year’s event.