Spring is a rebirth, even in temperate Florida. Though Sarasota's March isn't likely to come in like a lion, signs of growth and regeneration abound. If the Fine Arts Society of Sarasota's 37th Creators & Collectors Tour is any indication, our sunny coast can look forward to a season of renaissance.

A high holiday on Sarasota's arts calendar, this perennial event falls on March 14-15, 2008. This year, six distinguished artists are participating, opening their homes and studios to aficionados and casual

"When One Has Lived A Long Time Alone" by Jeff Schwartz

admirers alike. The self-guided tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, and artwork is available for viewing and purchase.

The creative process is on dazzling display in work that is as broad in appeal as it is in medium, including painting, watercolors and pottery. But the real joy here is in viewing the pieces where they were planted and discussing their unfolding with the artist. The creators are discoveries unto themselves, giving insight into their process and inspiration and often surrounded by works in various stages of completion.

Because the tour is self-guided, the visits are relaxed and intimate. And it's a fruitful cycle: The artists donate 25 percent of their sales during the tour to

Teapot by potter Judy Pirkey

the Fine Arts Society. In 2007, the society awarded $42,500 in scholarships to 16 students. A unique varietal, the tour is anything but garden variety, connecting creators, collectors and the larger community.

The six artists whose studios are on the tour are potter Judy Pirkey; painters Betty Carmell Savenor, Jeffrey Schwartz and Florence Putterman; and watercolorists Sherren Baughman and Douglas Teller. This year, for the first time, Arts & Culture Magazine will hold a gallery party for the artists.

Returning this year is the Galleria, a show that presents the works of nine local artists who have been on the Creators & Collectors Tour in years past. The exhibit, which is held in the Crossley Gallery at the Ringling College of Art and Design, features paintings by Micole Bredean, Jamie Barron, David Utz, Marlene Lawrence, Jamie Kirkell and Beth Arthur; constructions by Gwen Fryer; jewelry designed by Robert Farrell; and sculpture by Marci Weisgold.

If you go:

For more information about the tour, call 941-330-0680 or visit www.fineartssarasota.com.

Tickets to the two-day tour, which cost $20, can be purchased at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, from any Fine Arts Society member or at the artists' homes during the tour.