As well as have a strong commitment to the arts, we are also great supporters.  Mr. Sweetman was one of the first presidents of the Manatee County Council for the Arts back in 1981.  His images have helped Arts Organizations sell their visual and performance based products to their targeted audience. He has photographed for the Sarasota Ballet and Sarasota Opera Companies.

Gary's strongest arts background is in theater photography...in fact he holds a degree in that field!  He was production photographer for Asolo, the State Theater from 1973-1989 and for 5 years created the special pre-production Season Images. In the summer of 2006 he photographed the entire Banyan Theater Company's season. He has been creating the imagery from the many theater events at the Crosley Mansion for the past 4 years.

Hopefully you got to see it here...if not, you had a chance see it on Broadway at the Al Hirshfield theater. A national tour is also being planned.

Above, Banyan's Unexpected Man...directed by Dr. Gil Lazier. Performed in the Historic Asolo at the Ringling Museum.

Gary's eerie interpretation of the twisted world of Edgar Allen Poe. This is an annual event at the Powel Crosley Museum on Sarasota Bay. If you are lucky it will be "a dark and stormy night!" It's around Halloween every year. 

King Lear 1975...the late Robert Strane....an epic image.  Asolo Theater Company. Gary's lighting.

"This is Not a Pipedream." Asolo Touring Theatre.

A painterly interpretation for Asolo's 1982 production of  A midsummer's night dream.

An amazing powerful pre-production (in-studio) image from Banyan Theater Company's 2007 Production of "The Faith Healer." To see this year's production click: BANYAN

The opening play of the 2008-2009 FSU Asolo Conservatory was Wilder, Wilder, Wilder.

Other Arts: Gary served on the Executive Committee of the Ringling Fan Club for 6 years and was co-president for 2 years. The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is truly a Florida Treasure. Many of our bridal portraits are photographed there amidst the marble columns. 

Gloria Musicae, The Sarasota Opera, Circus Sarasota, The Sarasota Ballet, and Florida voices have all used Gary's innovative, eye catching images.

This Circus Sarasota image was conceived and fully produced with Gary's digital magic! 

Sometimes a casual look is just the "ticket" for communicating. This recent portrait of Michael Donald Edwards, Producing Artistic Director for Asolo Rep Theatre show that.

Gary shot the catalog and was a sponsor for the 2000/01 the inaugural exhibition of the Sarasota Season of Sculpture. along the Bayfront.  2 years later, we again shot the official catalog.