By Caron Schwartz
Spicy!
Pinellas Pepper Fest is back and it’s spicier than ever!
What: A spicy food show that features local and regional hot & spicy food vendors
When: 10am-6pm Saturday, April 9 and 10am-4pm Sunday, April 10
Where: England Brothers Park, 5010 81st Ave N, Pinellas Park
Cost: Free! Info: www.facebook.com/PinellasPepperFest
The artist in action at Key Vista Nature Park in Tarpon Springs (Courtesy of Christopher Still, Instagram)
Still painting after all these years
When Christopher Still paints, Florida flows from his brush. The PInellas County native has been capturing the natural beauty and signature surroundings of his home state for over 40 years. Around Tampa Bay you can see his work in Ocala’s Appleton Museum of Art, Tarpon Springs Public Library, St. Pete city hall, and many others. Often, Still can be spotted on location – he recently posted an Instagram photo of himself working on a study for a new painting for AdventHealth North Pinellas Hospital in Tarpon Springs. To learn more visit www.christopherstill.com.
ICONIC: Portrait Edition
You are cordially invited to elevate yourself to Icon status with the Morean Arts Center. Show off your ICONIC look during Morean’s annual fundraising event. Walk the red carpet in your most ICONIC look and view artists in action as they paint portraits of three unique individuals, vying for judges and people’s choice awards at the end of the evening. Want to be an Icon? Bid for it! Bidding starts at $2,000 and includes two tickets (you & a guest) Submit your bid here: www.bit.ly/3qjdDgP.
When: Saturday, May 7, 7-10pm
Where: Morean Arts Center; 719 Central Ave, St. Pete
Tickets: $150 (Members $100): www.bit.ly/3CXwSlc
Mrowr!
Lindy Hop can save the world because of the connections that partner dancing creates, and because of the legacy of jazz that continues to inspire joy and community. The dance form is bigger than physical movement; including history, music, and inspiration from other art forms. Learn how with the Cat’s Meow (www.theofficialcatsmeow.com), a small group of teachers passionate about teaching classes of different sizes, ages, and abilities.
When: Thursdays, 7-8pm, April 7-28
How much: $15 per class
Where: Warehouse Arts District Pruitt Arts Education Center, 515 22nd St. S, St. Petersburg
Register: www.warehouseartsdistrictstpete.org/event-4748472
Florida CraftArt’s Art of the Garden winners include:
- Best of Show: Michelle Rosamond of Tampa – “Zestful Zinnia”
- First Place: Candace Knapp of Brandon – “Garden of Musical Delight”
- Second Place: Kathryn Adele Schumacher of University Park – “Ikebana”
- Third Place: Jill Lindsey of Port Charlotte – “Rorschach Butterfly”
- Honorable Mentions: Eric Folsom of Gulfport – “Garden Gate”; Sandra Giannantonio of Gulfport – “Rocking Snow Bird II”; Alice Pickett Lewis of Gulfport – “Garden Path into the Woods”; Nick Reale of St. Petersburg – “Respite”; Nadine Saitlin of Boca Raton – “Garden Mosaic”.
- Executive Director’s Choice: Karen Brown of Tampa – “Kaleidoscopic Garden”
The show runs through April 19 when the People’s Choice Award will be presented.
Where: Florida CraftArt, 501 Central Ave., St. PeteWhen: Monday through Saturday 10am to 5:30pm, Sunday noon to 5pm.
More info: www.FloridaCraftArt.org or call 727-821-7391
SPAA Days
The St. Petersburg Arts Alliance (SPAA) is delighted to share the creation of the first “Arts Advocate of the Year Award.” The inaugural award will be presented to Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president, at SPAA’s garden party, “Hats Off to Performing Arts,” on April 24 at the Rutland-Farley Mansion, 5030 Sunrise Dr. S, at 11am. Seixas spearheaded creating a Comprehensive Arts Strategy (CAS) for the city of St. Petersburg. For more information on sponsorship opportunities and tickets visit: www.stpeteartsalliance.org/gardenparty.
Additionally, SPAA, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, is accepting applications for its Individual Artist Grant Program. Now in its sixth year, the 20 grants will provide financial assistance to city of St. Petersburg resident artists for specific projects. The program supports projects in the visual arts, craft arts, dance, music, theater, or literature. Applicants may request funding up to $1,000 for the grant period, May 1 through September 30, 2022. For information and to apply www.bit.ly/3ujr6Gs.
Get creative with it
Creative Clay’s Creative Care multidisciplinary arts in wellness program is launching art therapy workshops for female military personnel and veterans. The workshops will focus on exploring creative expression in a safe environment, increasing self-awareness, enhancing well-being, and connecting with oneself and others. No prior art experience is necessary. The workshops are free, every Friday 3:30-6:30pm from April 22 through June 10, but registration is required. Email Marcy Miller marcy@creativeclay.org. Creative Clay is located at 1846 1st Ave. S in St. Pete.
Creative Pinellas has named the 2022 Professional Artist Grant recipients: Courtney Elvira, Sarah Emery, Roxanne Fay, Jason Hackenwerth, Shannon Halvorsen, Tamia Iman Kennedy, Eileen Marquez, Rachel Stewart, Frederick Woods, and Artist Laureate Jake-Ann Jones. Each year, Creative Pinellas recognizes up to 10 Pinellas County artists who have excelled in their artistic practice through their professional artist grant program, and each artist receives $5,000. For more information about Creative Pinellas, its programs and activities, please visit www.creativepinellas.org.
Students, teachers, and parents of Sutherland Elementary School are collaborating with Creative Pinellas on a mural project near the entrance of the Palm Harbor school. The project is part of the ArtWorks partnership between Creative Pinellas and Pinellas County Public Works, with a focus on graffiti abatement. Artists interested in applying for this project can go to www.bit.ly/36yqxAs for the application, call details, budget, and timeline.
Creative Pinellas is asking the community to lend items for their upcoming exhibition, “THE THINGS THEY LEFT BEHIND: Grief, Discovery, and Remembrance.” Help memorialize and honor those who have died over the last two years from Covid and other causes by lending work created by your loved ones, ranging from artwork to recipes to journals. Please bring your objects to the Gallery at Creative Pinellas, 12211 Walsingham Blvd., Wednesday through Sunday now through Sunday, April 17, or make an appointment at 727-582-3600. The exhibition opens with a reception May 12 from 6-8pm and runs through June 26.
François Bonvin, French, 1817–1887, Darning, 1858
MFA matters
The Museum of Fine Arts’ fourth iteration of Explore the Vaults features pieces from the museum’s permanent collection of “cabinet pictures” and small works on paper. Named for the little rooms or cabinets in which such works traditionally were displayed, these diminutive paintings were meant to be viewed at close range and often reveal the artist’s creative process.
Where: Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
When: Now through Feb. 19, 2023Can we count on you as a volunteer? The St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts is now recruiting volunteers for Painting in the Park, Saturday, April 23, 9am-3pm. If you enjoy being outside and want to help children of all ages engage with the MFA’s collection through crafts and games, then Painting in the Park is for you. For more information and to sign up visit www.bit.ly/3NabDRQ.
Comparing hand measurement from a contemporary child and an ancient hand painting from a Spanish cave. Photo courtesy of Verónica Fernández-Navarro.
Kids’ handprint art is nothing new
Research from Cambridge University and Spain’s University of Cantabria indicates that children may have been behind some Paleolithic art. In fact, rock painting may have been a family activity, not a lone male pursuit. Children are also believed to be responsible for what could be even older art: a kid-size set of hand and footprints found in Tibet last year were made between 169,000 and 226,000 years ago.
Kick off your Sunday shoes!
High-energy pop musical FOOTLOOSE dances into Demens Landing for American Stage in the Park’s 2022 production. The show runs April 6 through May 8. Park opens at 6, show starts at 8. Tickets are general lawn seating only – blankets and stadium seats to the front, chairs to the rear. Advance tickets are $21 plus a $2 per ticket handling fee; at the gate it’s “PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN.” For more information and tickets go to www.americanstage.org
Special dates: Pay What You Can Previews: April 6-7 Opening Night Gala: April 8
- Pets in the Park Night: April 17
- Pride Plus Night: April 24
American Stage has named Erica Sutherlin its new director of community engagement. Sutherlin will work closely with every department at American Stage to engage and unite different organizations, people, and students as the theatre heads into its 45th year. Sutherlin comes from an extensive background in arts and education and is currently the artist in residence at Studio@620 in St. Petersburg. American Stage Theatre has operated as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) providing live theatrical productions as a professional regional equity theatre since 1977.