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Feature Artist
Virginia Hoffman-Mcketon

Virginia Hoffman-Mcketon is an advocate for the visual arts and for artists. Virginia has lived in Sarasota for forty-two years and considers it her hometown. She still has fond memories of life on the family farm in Montague, NJ that was so rural that Sarasota felt like moving to the “big city” when she arrived in 1967.

A gradate of Sarasota public schools, Virginia’s love of art and music was nurtured by the special arts programs offered her as a student. It must have made a great impression, because Virginia made art and design her career after attending USF, Tampa, and completing a three-year program at the then Ringling School of Art and Design.

A successful business person now for nearly thirty years, Virginia embraces the collaborative process at work and play. She says that the best results come when people listen to each other, are open to advice and take ownership in the end project as a team.

In recent years, Virginia has been politically active and worked on the campaigns of local candidates. She has walked many miles and every corner of District 70 speaking with citizens about the future of our community. In 2008 Virginia became a candidate herself and ran for the Sarasota County Charter Review Board. Though she did not win, she is proud of her results and looks forward to furthering the many relationships built and putting the information gathered on the campaign trail to use. She is also proud of a special souvenir of the race: a ballot containing both her name and Barack Obama’s.

Virginia serves on the City of Sarasota Public Art Advisory Board and has recently been working with Dr. Clifford Smith, senior planner in charge of public art, to update the city’s “call to artists” process by making it an on-line system. The changes are expected to save staff time and cut expenses. Virginia is also very vocal about the lack of opportunity for local and Florida artists and remains a public voice on their behalf. As part of this mission, Virginia proposed and is working with the PAC on a project called “Intersections.” The project would place twelve sculptures, by Florida artists, in the five downtown shopping districts. Each selected artist would receive a $2,500 “rental” for placing their work and one piece would be purchased by the city after the year-long show. The proposal has passed PAC and is awaiting action by the City Commission.
Additionally, Virginia has diligently lobbied for the placement of public art in neighborhood parks, particularly Fredd Adkins Park. The project has been funded with a $75,000 budget and a call to artists is expected to go out soon.

Her most recent efforts include questioning the permanent placement of the “Unconditional Surrender” statue on the bayfront. She cites that the statue has no limits on reproduction and that there are concerns over the artist’s right to have replicated the copyrighted photograph on which it is based. Some have even questioned her patriotism for voicing her opinion and she is quick to point out that her father was a WWII U.S. Navy veteran, having served in the Philippines. Virginia is sympathetic to the desire for a WWII monument, but suggests that it can be done with a much more fitting and tasteful rendition of the V-J Day pose than what we currently see looming over our bayfront.

Virginia lives in Arlington Park with her husband, Dr. Jerry Meketon and two “rescued” companions; Moses the Maine Coon Cat and Chango, a Goffins Cockatoo.

Contact Virginia at: virginiahoffman@mac.com

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