The Matriarchs of Sarasota

Created exclusively for The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort, The Matriarchs celebrates seven visionary women whose legacies helped shape Sarasota through hospitality, philanthropy, art, science, community, and innovation.

Each woman is honored with a namesake suite at the resort, and together, their stories inspired this one-of-a-kind painting by Lauren Marshall.

The original painting is now part of the permanent art collection at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort.

Katherine Klauber

Katherine Klauber returned to her family-owned Colony Beach & Tennis Resort, located on the site where The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort stands today, and helped transform it into an internationally recognized destination.

She expanded its pioneering tennis programs, welcomed champions from around the world, and carried forward a family tradition of hospitality while continually finding ways to innovate.

Her legacy of elegance, hospitality, and sport remains deeply connected to this special stretch of Longboat Key.

Eugenie Clark

Known affectionately as “The Shark Lady,” Eugenie “Genie” Clark transformed the way people understood marine life.

Her groundbreaking shark research helped establish what would become Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Sarasota in 1955.

With 26 world diving records and more than 170 publications, Clark turned fear into fascination through curiosity, exploration, and scientific discovery, inspiring future generations to better understand and protect the ocean.

Lora Whitney

Artist Lora Whitney settled on North Longboat Key during the Great Depression and became an important part of the island’s creative and community history.

Shown painting while wearing a WWII Red Cross armband, Whitney transformed her resort into a healing retreat for soldiers during the war.

Her life intertwined art and generosity, demonstrating the incredible power creativity can have to bring people together, heal, and inspire.

Marie Selby

Founder of what would become Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Marie Selby was also known for her adventurous spirit and love of the outdoors.

In the painting, she is depicted with a fishing pole and orchids, nodding to both sides of her remarkable life.

An accomplished sportswoman, she raced powerboats and became the first woman to drive across the United States in 1928. Her adventurous spirit reflects a life deeply connected to the wild beauty of the land and sea.

Mable Ringling

Mable Ringling poured her passion into helping establish Sarasota as an arts destination.

The extraordinary collections she helped curate became part of the foundation of The Ringling Museum of Art, while her influence can still be felt throughout its gardens and galleries.

Her legacy continues to invite generations of visitors to experience Sarasota’s creative spirit and colorful circus history.

Irene Colson

A pioneering midwife and community leader in early 20th-century Sarasota, Irene Colson delivered countless babies while working to strengthen and uplift her community.

She championed equality and helped establish Sarasota’s first church and hotel for African Americans, fostering connection and resilience within the community.

Caroline Astor

As the woman behind the legacy of opulent hospitality that would come to define the St. Regis name, Caroline Astor became synonymous with exquisite taste and Gilded Age elegance.

Known for hosting legendary gatherings and maintaining her famed “black book” of New York society, which she holds in the painting, her influence continues today. Every St. Regis resort honors her legacy with a namesake suite.

Sarasota has long been shaped by women who dreamed boldly, created beauty, built community, challenged convention, and left an impact that continues to be felt today.

Commissioned exclusively for The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort, The Matriarchs brings seven of these women together in one vibrant scene.

From Caroline Astor’s influence on the St. Regis legacy to Eugenie Clark’s groundbreaking marine research, each figure represents a different piece of Sarasota’s story.

The women appear together surrounded by my signature color, movement, and expressive brushwork, creating a celebration not only of where Sarasota has been, but of the women whose vision continues to shape its cultural heart.

Shop The Matriarchs