Bruce Rodgers
Executive Director
E director@hermitageartistretreat.org
P 941.475.2098
Executive Director
E director@hermitageartistretreat.org
P 941.475.2098
Bruce Rodgers began his artistic life as a musician studying at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY; receiving his bachelor's degree in music education from SUNY Potsdam — Crane School of Music; and performing with the world famous USMA Band at West Point for three years. After receiving his Master's Degree in English / Creative Writing from Indiana University, he began his theatrical career in 1977 at the GeVa Theatre in Rochester, NY and has also affiliated with the Tony-award winning McCarter Theatre in Princeton, NJ as resident playwright, and the Asolo Theatre Company in Sarasota, FL. As a playwright, his drama Lost Electra won the prestigious Lois and Richard Rosenthal New Play Prize in Cincinnati, and a Dramalogue Award in Los Angeles. It has been produced at numerous regional theatres throughout the United States. In 1992, he was commissioned to write the very successful Centerburg Tales for the Asolo Theatre. His play The Gravity of Honey has seen numerous American productions as well as a production at the Dublin International Theatre Festival in 1996. Mr. Rodgers has performed readings of The Gravity of Honey throughout Florida, and as part of the American Library's "Evenings With Authors" program in Paris, France.
In the 1980s Mr. Rodgers worked extensively throughout the United States consulting in the fields of Creativity and Creative Problem Solving. In this capacity he worked with such Fortune 500 companies as Scott Paper Company; Bell Communications Research; Johnson and Johnson; Darcy, Macius, Benton, and Bowles; Clarion Communications; BBD&O Advertising; and many others. He co-authored the popular book on corporate creativity, Innovation Inc. — A Guide To Creativity in the Workplace with his consulting partner, Steve Grossman.
Mr. Rodgers is a MacDowell Colony Fellow, a Seaside "Escape to Create" Fellow, was named a Distinguished Artist by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and won a Playwriting Fellowship from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. He has consulted for the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and twice for the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, DC. He sits on the national board of trustees for the Alliance of Artist Communities, the state-wide board of the Florida Alliance for Arts Education, and the governing board of the Sarasota County Arts Council. Mr. Rodgers was a member of the founding board of the Hermitage Artist Retreat and is its first Executive Director, a position he has held since 2005.
In the 1980s Mr. Rodgers worked extensively throughout the United States consulting in the fields of Creativity and Creative Problem Solving. In this capacity he worked with such Fortune 500 companies as Scott Paper Company; Bell Communications Research; Johnson and Johnson; Darcy, Macius, Benton, and Bowles; Clarion Communications; BBD&O Advertising; and many others. He co-authored the popular book on corporate creativity, Innovation Inc. — A Guide To Creativity in the Workplace with his consulting partner, Steve Grossman.
Mr. Rodgers is a MacDowell Colony Fellow, a Seaside "Escape to Create" Fellow, was named a Distinguished Artist by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and won a Playwriting Fellowship from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. He has consulted for the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and twice for the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, DC. He sits on the national board of trustees for the Alliance of Artist Communities, the state-wide board of the Florida Alliance for Arts Education, and the governing board of the Sarasota County Arts Council. Mr. Rodgers was a member of the founding board of the Hermitage Artist Retreat and is its first Executive Director, a position he has held since 2005.
Patricia Caswell
Program Director/
Greenfield Prize Coordinator
E programs@hermitageartistretreat.org
P 941.475.2098
Program Director/
Greenfield Prize Coordinator
E programs@hermitageartistretreat.org
P 941.475.2098
Patricia may be found working virtually from her home office or in the Hermitage beach cottage. Prior to being the Hermitage Program Director, she was Executive Director of the Sarasota County Arts Council for 17 years where she led: A grant program awarding $15 million cumulatively, to artists and organizations; Management of a $1.4 million agency budget; Government and press relations; Fundraising; Governance; Community cultural planning and agency strategic planning; Programming such as festivals and education outreach. One of her last accomplishments was the initiation and co-founding of the Hermitage Artist Retreat.
She received the 2005 Sarasota County Tourism Leader of the Year Award and the Woman of Power award of the Sarasota Chapter of the National Council of Jewish Woman. She was host of Comcast Sarasota Arts Today for seven years. She was named as one of Sarasota’s 50 most influential people by Sarasota Magazine, and is a member of Leadership Florida.
Service on Boards of Directors includes: The Florida Arts Council; Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County; President of the Florida Association of Local Arts Agencies; Florida Cultural Alliance; Sarasota County League of Women Voters; SRQ Airport Community Advisory Board; Community Leaders Council of the University of So. Florida; Non-Profit Resource Center Advisory Board; The Hermitage Artist Retreat Board of Trustees, founding member.
With a degree in Music Education from Edinboro College, PA she has been a choral and band director in private and public schools as well as a performer. She is a graduate of the Center for Authentic Leadership, and is a certified coach from the University of South Florida.
She received the 2005 Sarasota County Tourism Leader of the Year Award and the Woman of Power award of the Sarasota Chapter of the National Council of Jewish Woman. She was host of Comcast Sarasota Arts Today for seven years. She was named as one of Sarasota’s 50 most influential people by Sarasota Magazine, and is a member of Leadership Florida.
Service on Boards of Directors includes: The Florida Arts Council; Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County; President of the Florida Association of Local Arts Agencies; Florida Cultural Alliance; Sarasota County League of Women Voters; SRQ Airport Community Advisory Board; Community Leaders Council of the University of So. Florida; Non-Profit Resource Center Advisory Board; The Hermitage Artist Retreat Board of Trustees, founding member.
With a degree in Music Education from Edinboro College, PA she has been a choral and band director in private and public schools as well as a performer. She is a graduate of the Center for Authentic Leadership, and is a certified coach from the University of South Florida.
Sharyn Lonsdale
Executive Assistant
E admin@hermitageartistretreat.org
P 941.475.2098
Executive Assistant
E admin@hermitageartistretreat.org
P 941.475.2098
Sharyn Lonsdale joined the Hermitage as Executive Assistant in October 2008. She has lived in Englewood with her husband and two daughters for 15 years and comes to us after a successful career as a journalist at the Englewood bureau of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and as a freelance writer and editor. In her role at the paper Sharyn has been a supporter of the Hermitage, covering events and writing profiles of resident artists. Sharyn also has an extensive background in office administration and she is thrilled to have found her "dream job" here, assisting Bruce, managing the office and working in the office where she can see the Gulf through the window.
Ms. Lonsdale is the former Editor for Child Connections Magazine and contributor to many regional magazines. She is a contributor to the Englewood Review, an emcee, award-winning member of Toastmasters International, a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast.
Ms. Lonsdale is the former Editor for Child Connections Magazine and contributor to many regional magazines. She is a contributor to the Englewood Review, an emcee, award-winning member of Toastmasters International, a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast.
