PALMETTO -- A vintage black and white Palmetto photo -- brick roadway, crooked palm tree, lush green grass, reflective water, and the old Green Bridge (circa 1950s) -- has been brought to life in Highwaymen artist Robert L. Lewis’ newest painting, “Green Bridge.”
This 16-inch by 20-inch painting can be seen during the Highwaymen artists meet and greet art show and sale 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Limited edition prints of the painting will be available for purchase. The show will be at the Palmetto Historical Park and Manatee County Agricultural Museum, 515 10th Ave. W., Palmetto.
Ten of the original Highwaymen artists, black landscape artists who began painting in the late 1950s, will have artwork for sale. Lewis will present a live painting demonstrationfrom 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
In addition, the park and museum have an exhibit of 31 Highwaymen paintings on loan from collectors Don and Janey Ball of Clearwater. The exhibit runs through Aug. 12.
Highwaymen collector Don Ball also will be on site Saturday to provide current market value for Highwaymen paintings completed before 2000. There will be a $10 cash fee per assessment for one or two paintings, $25 for three paintings. All funds collected will benefit the park and museum. Appointments are needed for this service and can be arranged by calling Diane at 721-2034.
Public invited to open house on flood insurance maps
MANATEE -- The Southwest Florida Water Management District is gathering input needed to improve identification of flooding risks in the Gamble Creek watershed.
The district is serving as a cooperating technical partner for the Federal Emergency Management Agency on its national effort to update and modernize the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Most of the maps are 10 to 30 years old and are outdated because of natural and physical changes caused by land use, development and erosion.
The district is holding an open house in Manatee County to present preliminary floodplain information and explain the basis behind the findings. This information will be used to identify areas of flood risk, which are based on watershed boundaries.
An open house for residents living in the Gamble Creek watershed will be held at 4 p.m. July 19 at Gene Witt Elementary School, 200 Rye Road in East Manatee. District representatives will be available to meet with residents anytime between 4 and 6:30 p.m.
Residents affected by changes have received letters advising them of the need to contact the district and attend the open house. Future open houses will be scheduled for additional watersheds as preliminary models are completed.
For more information or to find out what watershed you live in, visit WaterMatters.org/FloodRisk. You can also call the district at (352) 796-7211, ext. 4297.
91st anniversary of women’s right to vote slated
SARASOTA -- The 91st anniversary of women’s right to vote will be celebrated at the annual Women’s Equity Luncheon on Aug. 20 at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota, 1000 Boulevard of the Arts.
The event is hosted by the Sarasota and Manatee Commissions on the Status of Women, and the Sarasota and Manatee Leagues of Women Voters.
Registration and exhibits are set for 11 a.m.-noon.
Guest speaker will be Anna Rodriguez, founder of Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking.
Lunch will be served at noon.
Ticket price is $30. Reservations are required by Aug. 12. No tickets will be sold at the door.
Make checks payable to SCSW (Sarasota Commission on the Status of Women).
For more information, contact Carol Newnam at (941) 488-5082 or carolnew@verizon.net.
For exhibit table information, contact Valerie Fisher at (941) 758-2529 or valeriefisherlmhc@gmail.com.
-- Herald staff reports
