State of the Arts Gallery is bringing a unique exhibition to Sarasota featuring the exotic works of David Leaser, one of the world’s leading botanical photographers, on display until April 1, 2015.

Noted for his highly detailed large-scale images, David Leaser’s iconic flower portraits, from his earliest collections to the present, will be showcased on large canvases and polished aluminum in a special exhibit devoted to his work. Using innovative space-age technology he pioneered, Leaser presents rare and unusual flowers in a way they’ve never been seen before. His enormously enlarged images pop with color and bold patterns and show “bee’s eye” close-ups so detailed you can see a flower’s tiniest hairs and the dew on its petals. His work shows details traditional photography has been unable to capture until now.

“These images show details in nature you would not have been able to capture with photography even a few years ago. Once you see this work, I am convinced you will have an appreciation for nature you never had before,” Leaser said.

State of the Arts Gallery co-owner Tre Michel said, “All of our stars aligned, and there was a space just waiting for David’s flowers to flourish and bloom. Sarasota will appreciate the energy they will bring to the core of downtown.”

As a bonus, a percentage of proceeds will be donated to Sarasota’s Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, a world leader in plant conservation.

This show reinforces Leaser’s status as a powerhouse in the world of botanical photography.

His artwork has been praised by the art and photographic communities and has been featured on ABC News, Fox News and in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Architectural Digest, Sunset Magazine and Nikon World. Architectural Digest says Leaser’s images “glow with eye-popping color and pattern,” and Ann Landi, contributing editor for ARTNews, says, “Leaser’s work seduces us as only an unforgettable work of art can, to look and look again.”

Leaser’s “Art in Nature” series recently took the Grand Champion of Nature award and First Place in the Flowers category at the Moscow International Foto Awards ’14 competition, a division of the prestigious Lucie Awards. Leaser had been awarded a Silver Medal in the International Photography Awards, and his “Tiger’s Eye” image was the only photograph juried for the prestigious London Art Biennale. The Huntington Library in Los Angeles houses 11 of his works for its permanent collection.

David Leaser’s One-Man Show will take place at State of the Arts’ “popup” gallery at 1549 State Street in Sarasota and run through April 1. Hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 11 am – 5 pm, Friday, 11 am – 7 pm and Saturdays, 9 am – 2 pm. See http://www.sarasotafineart.com/ for more details or call 941-955-2787.

State of the Arts Gallery has become the foremost source for collectors focusing on The State of the Arts Gallery showcases contemporary fine art from locally established and internationally recognized artists. Based in Sarasota, a premier art destination, The State of the Arts Gallery collections include several large-scale paintings as well as diverse mixed media artwork, such as collages, metal, wood and stone sculptures.

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, an urban oasis overlooking Sarasota Bay, features rare and beautiful tropical plants. The Gardens are also a respected center for the study and conservation of plants, particularly epiphytes, which are plants adapted to live in tree canopies, such as orchids, bromeliads, gesneriads and ferns.

David Leaser has written four botanical books, including two acclaimed photographic essays. He is a featured lecturer at botanical gardens and museums on fine art photography. For more information, visit http://davidleaser.com.