Artist depicts dreamy scenes in works at Longboat gallery

Stephen Muldoon, who held a live painting demonstration at Wyland Gallery Sarasota this week, explained how his metal medium lends itself to creating serene scenes.

By Dana Kampa
| 8:30 a.m. May 10, 2025

Artist Stephen Muldoon paints live at Wyland Gallery Sarasota on St. Armands Circle.

Longboat Key
Neighbors

Whether depicting a black-and-white scene of a schooner sailing the high seas, a snow-covered mountain range or a snapshot of a beach at sunset dripping with saturation, artist Stephen Muldoon endeavors to capture a dreamy essence with his paintings on metal.

The self-taught artist offered live demonstrations of his works on Friday and Saturday at Wyland Gallery Sarasota.

"You can do certain things on metal that you can't on canvas," he said. "It gives a whole other HD quality to the piece."

Friday afternoon, he worked on a classic vibrant beach scene, casting the sunset in sharp relief and giving a blurred, glowing look to the sunset's reflection on the water-soaked sand.

Muldoon is based in Naples, and he said the St. Armands gallery has been the exclusive place to see his works in Sarasota for decades. He has worked professionally as an artist for 42 years.

Tony Rives, Wyland Gallery Sarasota's gallery director, said the shop appreciates showcasing vibrant works by local artists like Stephen Muldoon, who painted live works in the gallery this week.

After four decades of painting, Muldoon said he values keeping his work fresh and engaging, which is why he doesn't limit himself to solely Florida scenery. Regardless of the subject, he always aims to capture that certain serene feeling.

"I think everybody has their own secret paradise in their minds, and no matter what it is, I try to imagine it," he said.

Gallery director Tony Rives said the shop focuses on celebrating works created by local artists.

"We have about 15 of the world's top collected artists here," he said. "[Robert] Wyland, the gallery's namesake, is the most collected marine artist in the world, and we feature some of his favorite artists."

He said their featured artists typically come into the gallery a few times a year to connect with collectors and fans of their work.

"It gives an extra depth to the art they collect and stories to share, because art is really about having stories on your wall," he said. "When you get to meet the artist, it adds to that."

Muldoon's live paintings took place from noon to 3 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The next featured artist is Stephen Halan, a hyper-realistic painter who will be demonstrating his talents May 16 to 18.

For information about featured artists and upcoming gallery shows, visit WylandGalleriesOfTheFloridaKeys.com.

author

Dana Kampa

Dana Kampa is the Longboat Key neighbors reporter for the Observer. She first ventured into journalism in her home state of Wisconsin, going on to report community stories everywhere from the snowy mountains of Washington State to the sunny shores of the Caribbean. She has been a writer and photographer for more than a decade, covering what matters most to readers.