St. Armands Circle: Art, Jewelry & Home Décor
ST. ARMANDS CIRCLE sits across the John Ringling Causeway from downtown Sarasota, a ring of shops and galleries built around a small park at its center. The Giving Tree Gallery has been part of St. Armands Circle for more than 30 years and is one of our two Sarasota locations. Inside, designer jewelry, artisan-made art and distinctive home décor come together in a collection chosen for its craftsmanship, originality and lasting appeal. This guide explores what you’ll find at the gallery and the role we have played in the character of the Circle for more than three decades.
Discover St. Armands Circle in Sarasota: History, Shopping & Art
St. Armands Circle opened to the public in 1926 as part of circus magnate John Ringling’s vision for an elegant residential and shopping destination inspired by the European cities he encountered during his travels. Built around a central park and connected to mainland Sarasota by the John Ringling Causeway, the Circle’s broad boulevards, classical statues and streets named for U.S. presidents were designed to create an experience unlike any other in the region.
A century later, St. Armands Circle remains one of Sarasota’s most distinctive destinations, bringing together shops, galleries and restaurants within a walkable setting near Lido Beach. In 2025, it was recognized as one of the top 10 shopping districts in the country, reflecting its enduring appeal as a destination for shopping, dining and culture. The Giving Tree Gallery has been part of that story for more than 30 years—nearly one-third of the Circle’s history—offering designer jewelry, art and handcrafted décor within the community Ringling first imagined.
A century later, St. Armands Circle remains one of Sarasota’s most distinctive destinations, bringing together shops, galleries and restaurants within a walkable setting near Lido Beach. In 2025, it was recognized as one of the top 10 shopping districts in the country, reflecting its enduring appeal as a destination for shopping, dining and culture. The Giving Tree Gallery has been part of that story for more than 30 years—nearly one-third of the Circle’s history—offering designer jewelry, art and handcrafted décor within the community Ringling first imagined.
What You'll Find at The Giving Tree Gallery
Jewelry is often grouped into three broad categories based on its materials, craftsmanship and how it is designed to be worn. The Giving Tree Gallery brings all three together in one thoughtfully curated collection:
- Fine jewelry is crafted in solid 14kt or 18kt gold and set with genuine gemstones such as diamonds and sapphires. These are enduring pieces chosen for their beauty, craftsmanship and heirloom quality.
- Demi-fine jewelry bridges the space between fine and fashion jewelry. Typically crafted with a precious-metal base such as sterling silver, these pieces may be finished with gold vermeil or platinum plating and accented with genuine or lab-created gemstones. Their elevated materials and approachable wearability make them especially suited for everyday use.
- Fashion jewelry places the emphasis on distinctive design and creative expression. Designers such as UNOde50 and Coeur de Lion combine materials including sculptural metal, leather, crystal, resin and glass to create recognizable, artfully constructed jewelry. Bold silhouettes, unexpected combinations and signature techniques give these pieces lasting appeal beyond any single season.
By presenting all three categories side by side, the gallery makes it possible to find jewelry for every way of wearing it; from an heirloom marking an important occasion to an expressive designer piece that becomes part of your personal style.
Alongside the jewelry collection, the gallery presents artisan-made art, gifts and home décor, including sculpture, wall art and pieces created by independent studios.
- Demi-fine jewelry bridges the space between fine and fashion jewelry. Typically crafted with a precious-metal base such as sterling silver, these pieces may be finished with gold vermeil or platinum plating and accented with genuine or lab-created gemstones. Their elevated materials and approachable wearability make them especially suited for everyday use.
- Fashion jewelry places the emphasis on distinctive design and creative expression. Designers such as UNOde50 and Coeur de Lion combine materials including sculptural metal, leather, crystal, resin and glass to create recognizable, artfully constructed jewelry. Bold silhouettes, unexpected combinations and signature techniques give these pieces lasting appeal beyond any single season.
By presenting all three categories side by side, the gallery makes it possible to find jewelry for every way of wearing it; from an heirloom marking an important occasion to an expressive designer piece that becomes part of your personal style.
Alongside the jewelry collection, the gallery presents artisan-made art, gifts and home décor, including sculpture, wall art and pieces created by independent studios.
Home Décor & Artisan Gifts
The gallery's décor section follows the same standard as its jewelry cases: artisanal, personal, and often done by someone who still does the work themselves. That's been true since the gallery's earliest years, when the shelves held nothing but hand-carved wood, and it's still the standard each new maker gets held to. Three names come up most often here.
Houston Llew Spiritiles: The Gallery's Best-Selling Keepsake Art
Houston Llew creates each Spiritile by layering finely ground glass onto copper and firing it in a kiln at approximately 1,500 degrees. Once cooled, the enameled copper is carefully rolled to produce its signature crackled appearance, known as crazing, before being wrapped around a wooden block. A quote wraps the sides of each tile, paired with an image that follows the golden mean ratio; in such a way that a wall of them, collected one at a time, actually lines up. Customers buy them as keepsakes, often collecting dozens of them as well as gifting them to friends and family to honor milestone moments like a wedding, graduation, birthday or retirement. It's become one of the gallery's steadiest sellers for exactly that reason.
Kinzig Design: Handcrafted Lamps
Kinzig Design lamps combine Susan Kinzig’s blown-glass bases with shades handcrafted by Caryn Kinzig in Philadelphia using embroidered silk and other distinctive fabrics. Each lamp brings together two artisan processes, with the colors and patterns of the shade taking on a different appearance when illuminated. Each piece is a work of art, bringing together sculptural glass, intricate textiles and light in a one-of-a-kind design.
Houston Llew creates each Spiritile by layering finely ground glass onto copper and firing it in a kiln at approximately 1,500 degrees. Once cooled, the enameled copper is carefully rolled to produce its signature crackled appearance, known as crazing, before being wrapped around a wooden block. A quote wraps the sides of each tile, paired with an image that follows the golden mean ratio; in such a way that a wall of them, collected one at a time, actually lines up. Customers buy them as keepsakes, often collecting dozens of them as well as gifting them to friends and family to honor milestone moments like a wedding, graduation, birthday or retirement. It's become one of the gallery's steadiest sellers for exactly that reason.
Kinzig Design: Handcrafted Lamps
Kinzig Design lamps combine Susan Kinzig’s blown-glass bases with shades handcrafted by Caryn Kinzig in Philadelphia using embroidered silk and other distinctive fabrics. Each lamp brings together two artisan processes, with the colors and patterns of the shade taking on a different appearance when illuminated. Each piece is a work of art, bringing together sculptural glass, intricate textiles and light in a one-of-a-kind design.
Greg Creason: Dimensional Mixed-Media Art
Greg Creason creates dimensional mixed-media art by combining painting with hand-blown glass, resin, precious metals and found objects. Best known for his expressive portraits of women, Creason uses elements such as sculptural hats, colorful sunglasses and glass accents to give each composition its recognizable character. His work falls between painting and sculpture, with layered surfaces that respond to changes in light and viewing angle. Visit the gallery to see the depth, texture and reflective details that photographs cannot fully capture, and to explore available original and limited-edition works.
Spend a Day on St. Armands Circle
The Giving Tree Gallery is a destination within one of Sarasota’s most memorable destinations. Find us at 5 N Boulevard of the Presidents, just across the street from the famous Columbia Restaurant. Make a day of your visit: explore our designer jewelry and art, stroll the Circle’s shops and galleries, enjoy lunch or dinner nearby, and finish with a walk along Lido Beach. It is an experience that brings together art, shopping, dining and the Gulf Coast; all within a few walkable blocks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top shopping destinations on St. Armands Circle?
St. Armands Circle itself is the destination, a walkable ring of more than 130 shops, galleries, and restaurants around a central park. Most visitors treat the whole Circle as one stop, moving between jewelry counters, art galleries, boutiques, and restaurants rather than picking a single storefront.
What types of art galleries can I explore at St. Armands Circle?
The Circle carries a mix of galleries, some focused on painting and sculpture, others, like The Giving Tree Gallery, built around designer jewelry and handmade home décor alongside fine art and gift pieces.
How do I get to St. Armands Circle from downtown Sarasota?
Drive west on John Ringling Boulevard and cross the John Ringling Causeway. St. Armands Circle is approximately two miles from downtown Sarasota and typically a five- to seven-minute drive, depending on traffic. For a free, car-free option, take Breeze Transit’s Bay Runner trolley, which operates daily between downtown Sarasota, St. Armands Circle and Lido Beach.
What dining options are available around St. Armands Circle?
St. Armands Circle offers a wide range of dining options, including Greek and Italian cuisine, fresh seafood, steaks, Spanish and Cuban specialties, casual American fare, cafés and traditional pubs. Visitors can stop for breakfast or a quick lunch, enjoy a full dinner, or choose from ice cream, chocolates and other treats while strolling the Circle. Many restaurants also offer outdoor seating.
St. Armands Circle itself is the destination, a walkable ring of more than 130 shops, galleries, and restaurants around a central park. Most visitors treat the whole Circle as one stop, moving between jewelry counters, art galleries, boutiques, and restaurants rather than picking a single storefront.
What types of art galleries can I explore at St. Armands Circle?
The Circle carries a mix of galleries, some focused on painting and sculpture, others, like The Giving Tree Gallery, built around designer jewelry and handmade home décor alongside fine art and gift pieces.
How do I get to St. Armands Circle from downtown Sarasota?
Drive west on John Ringling Boulevard and cross the John Ringling Causeway. St. Armands Circle is approximately two miles from downtown Sarasota and typically a five- to seven-minute drive, depending on traffic. For a free, car-free option, take Breeze Transit’s Bay Runner trolley, which operates daily between downtown Sarasota, St. Armands Circle and Lido Beach.
What dining options are available around St. Armands Circle?
St. Armands Circle offers a wide range of dining options, including Greek and Italian cuisine, fresh seafood, steaks, Spanish and Cuban specialties, casual American fare, cafés and traditional pubs. Visitors can stop for breakfast or a quick lunch, enjoy a full dinner, or choose from ice cream, chocolates and other treats while strolling the Circle. Many restaurants also offer outdoor seating.