SARASOTA, Fla. (April 22, 2019) – Since 2004, Bogati Urn Company owner Andrea Bogard LeBlanc has built a global company, sourcing cremation products and accessories from manufacturers worldwide for funeral homes and crematories nationwide. With this expansive reach, opportunities with a local focus are rare. But with the company’s recent move to its third Sarasota location, she knew she wanted to celebrate the city in one of the key ways in which it is renowned: art.
After the move to the new office at 2229 Whitfield Park Drive was complete in January, new creative director, Jim Knake, posted a request for submissions on the Ringling College of Art & Design job boards from students, alumni, and local artists to create a mural for the building’s facade. Chalk artist, Matt McAllister, submitted an old Florida design that caught Bogard LeBlanc and Knake’s attention and secured him the gig.
“Matt’s style is just what we were looking for: bright, fun, and celebratory of some of the iconic treasures we all know and love,” said Bogard LeBlanc. “That’s not something we often get to embrace in the funeral industry, so working with Matt was a welcome change from our norm.”
McCallister is a Palmetto-based mural and chalk artist who’s won multiple awards at chalk art festivals and been featured on radio and TV shows both in the United States and internationally. He has also taught chalk art in over two dozen schools in the States and abroad. A notable highlight for McCallister was having the opportunity to do custom artwork for author Stephen King in 2016.
Once a custom Bogati Urns design was agreed upon, McCallister completed the Florida-postcard mural on the Bogati Urns facade in just one week. The result achieves just what Bogard LeBlanc envisioned.
“We aren’t open to the public, so that’s why this had to be something outside for anyone to see,” she said. “I hope locals will navigate a little out of their way sometime to see this gorgeous piece of art and know we are proud members of the Sarasota community.”
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Founded in 2004 by Andrea Bogard LeBlanc, Bogati Urn Company offers funeral homes and crematories unparalleled service and wholesale pricing on an equally unparalleled variety of urns, scattering tubes and related products. Its original lead crystal line has expanded to feature a diverse and hand-selected product line from trusted manufacturers and skilled artisans worldwide. Its inventory now includes hundreds of memorial urns for adults, children and pets in varying materials, including glass, marble, wood, porcelain, brass and metal. Custom options are also available.
Bogati Urns is headquartered in Sarasota, Fla. and is a proud member of several industry organizations, including the Association of Independent Funeral Directors of Florida; Florida Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association; Cremation Association of North America; and Pet Loss Professionals Alliance.
For more information on Bogati Urn Company, please visit www.bogatiurns.com.
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