Museums, holiday lights, New Year’s Eve parties! Crank up the Michael Buble Christmas tunes and check out these artsy events. (Compiled by Nanette Wiser)
Holiday Lights: Start with the Florida Botanical Gardens and then check out these neighborhoods who transform everyday lawns into magical Disney-like spectaculars, complete with nodding reindeer and penguin blow-up balls.
- If you can weather the crowds, check out Downtown Disney’s drone light show.
- At Ringling Museum in Sarasota, enjoy the Holiday Nights at Ca’ d’ Zan, Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 from 5-8 pm. Dressed for the holidays, Ca’ d’Zan features festive fireplace mantels, balconies, doors and most especially the 10-foot-tall tree that stands in the Grand Court.
- On Dec. 3, John’s Pass lights up their Christmas Tree with music and Santa’s arrival. The Florida Orchestra hosts its annual tour of homes downtown from 10 am – 4 pm.
- The Lowry Park Zoo opens a special holiday exhibit with reindeer and decorations.
- Iconic to this area, the holiday boat parades in Madeira Beach, Indian Rocks, Redington, St. Pete Beach and downtown make mingling merry and bright.
- Thru Jan. 3 from 6 pm – 10 pm, the Oakdale Neighborhood goes all out with 1/4 million lights, A walking yard tour that includes a small pond, several waterfalls & fountains; an 18-train HO scale railroad, with moving planes & carnival rides; animated & lit up figures and inflatables and houses a-glow. Featured on HGTV’s All Out HGTV’s All Out Christmas Special, NBC Today and PEOPLE Magazine. 2719 Oakdale Street S, St. Pete; www.ChristmasDisplay.org
Like Culture & Cocktails? You’ll find it in downtown St. Pete, frocked with lights and glorious with artist murals. Look for me decked out in a red dress and silver bells at these holiday soirees:
- On Dec. 7, check out the evening rooftop event at The Station House downtown catered by Fresh Kitchen.
- On Dec. 10, it’s the 12 annual downtown Bad Santa Bar Crawl (Spark 5, Inc.), raising money for South Pinellas Autism Project and The Children’s Dream Fund & Blessings in A Backpack – Pinellas County!
- Enjoy wine and appetizer specials at 6 pm during Wine Down Wednesday at Pom Pom’s Teahouse & Sandwicheria.
- Celebrate Punky’s Bar & Grill 1st Anniversary in the artsy Grand Central District for four days Dec. 15-18 with music by Chic; Ella Jet; DJ Bill Kody; Brothers Gabriel; Nora Riki; Halcyon and Mighty Mongo.
Happy Hanukkah, Kwaanza wishes and Merry Christmas to our Paradise friends and family. Hoping for Peace on Earth, goodwill to all. Ciao baby, see you around town! – Nanette Wiser
ONGOING
St. Petersburg Second Saturday Artwalk – 5-9 pm – Five arts districts, one fun day: Ride the Trolley and enjoy 40 galleries, studios, warehouses and yummy brews and chews along the way downtown. www.StPeteArtsAlliance.org
Gulfport 1st Friday & 3rd Saturday www.visitgulfportflorida.com 3101 Beach Blvd. S, Gulfport. Art Walk spans 6 city blocks that includes more than 35 unique and locally owned shops, businesses, boutiques, galleries, bars and restaurants. Over the last few years, several new art venues have popped up around town including Domain Home Accessories & Gallery, Country Harvest Craft Studio, Suzanne Vernon Mosaics, August Vernon Studios, Rejoys, Portspace Art Gallery, ProjectFree Gallery & Studio and Pitzen Studios.
OLLI at Eckerd College www.Eckerd.Edu/Olli/Register -727-864-7600. Take a trip or a class on Music, Film, Television, Florida Studies, Literature, Writing, Performing Arts and Visual Arts… and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
MUSEUMS & GALLERIES
Museum of Fine Arts 255 Beach Dr. NE, 727-896-2667 www.fine-arts.org
- Thru Feb. 19: Jack Barrett People Watching – Mr. Barrett’s explorations of the human figure in paintings, sketches and select sculptures will be on view. Some may know him as a former St. Pete Times illustrator.
- Thru March 19: The Far North – Inuit Prints and Sculpture – These 30 works by accomplished Inuit artists spans the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The Inuit people of the Arctic, formerly known as the Eskimo, have combined traditional and contemporary worlds in their work and have developed a distinctive visual language using modern materials and techniques. Through their art, the Inuit have continued a vital storytelling tradition among themselves, while reaching out to the broader public. They are especially known for their prints and sculpture.
- Dec. 8, 6:30 pm: Book Club at MFA – Presented by Keep St. Pete Lit – Melanie McGrath’s The Long Exile: A Tale of Inuit Betrayal and Survival in the High Arctic will add another layer of understanding to The Far North.
- Dec. 11, 5 pm: Free outdoor Christmas double feature, How the Grinch Stole Christmas & Gremlins. Enjoy music, food trucks and trivia at this dog-friendly event. Movie starts at dark.
- Dec. TBD: Christmas Sing Along
- Thru Jan. 22: Our America – The Latino Presence in Latin American Art – Explore how Latino artists shaped the artistic community of their day with 92 original works that delve into the history and imagination of the artists and the world that inspired them.
The Dali Museum http://thedali.org In addition to exhibits, guest can enjoy Sunday yoga at the Dali, programs for children and storytelling for families.
- Dec. 8: Poetry with St. Petersburg Poet Laureate, Helen Wallace occurs on second Thursday of each month through May 2017. Each evening features Wallace joined by selected poets to present poems addressing the theme of Food and Sustenance.
- On Dec. 15: there is a Holiday Arts & Crafts Bazaar beginning at noon. Join the talented, artistic staff and volunteers of The Dali at a holiday bazaar featuring their original art & crafts for sale. Enjoy the seasonal ambiance, holiday music and complimentary sweet treats & beverages. Melting clock and mustache ornaments from the Museum Store and more make unique gifts.
Dec. 17 thru April 17: Frida Kahlo at the Dali An exhibition of Frida Kahlo’s paintings and drawings, together with her personal photograph collection showcase her dreamlike work suggesting that love and suffering create a new sense of beauty. Kahlo’s art and storied life stir immense public interest. Frida Kahlo at The Dali will be Florida’s first solo exhibition showcasing the extraordinary career and life of the acclaimed 20th century artist. The exhibit features a collection of more than 60 Kahlo pieces including 15 paintings, seven drawings and numerous personal photographs from the celebrated female artist and influential icon. The exhibition will extend outdoors where a special collection of flowers and plants representative of those in Kahlo’s own garden at Casa Azul, her home in Mexico, will grace the grounds of the Museum’s Avant Garden.
“With her dreamlike images, Kahlo has stirred huge public interest beyond the traditional art audience. In a way, Kahlo created a persona that serves as a contemporary feminine ideal – both tender and fierce,” said Dali Museum Executive Director, Dr. Hank Hine. “Much like Dali, she constructed an eccentric identity through the iconography in her paintings and then dressed and carried herself as the personality she created in her art. Painting by painting, she becomes a heroic figure of struggle and perseverance.”
- February thru May 2017: Dali/Duchamp: The father of surrealism and the papa of conceptual art, this is the first exhibit dedicated to Dali and Duchamp’s friendship and influence on each’s art, showcasing 60 works and supplemented by correspondence and collaborative projects.
St. Petersburg Museum of History 335 2nd Ave. NE, downtown St. Pete, 727-894-1052 http://spmoh.com Fighting for the Right to Fight – African American Experiences in World War II – This exhibit explores the challenges and triumphs of African Americans during the war era and is the first time the exhibit has been seen outside of its home in New Orleans. Before the Civil Rights marches of the 1950s and 1960s, there was a group of young African American men who fought for equality and the right to defend their country. On loan from the National WWII Museum, the exhibit features artifacts, photographs and oral histories to highlight some of the extraordinary achievements and challenges of African Americans during World War II, both overseas and on the Home Front.
Florida Humanities Speaker Series continues through 2017 with these talks:
- Dec. 15: Florida Cattle Ranching: Five Centuries of Tradition
- Feb. 9, 2017 – The Magnificent Drama – Martin Luther King, Jr. in St. Augustine
- April 13, 2017 – Getting to Know Florida’s Engaging Water World from the Inside Out.
Morean Arts Center 719 Central Ave. 727-822-7872 www.MoreanArtsCenter.org
- Thru Dec. 30: Find hip gifts at “There is No Time Like the Presents” – 2016 Holiday Show & Sale. Members of the Morean display gift-worthy items to purchase for the holidays including locally made paintings, functional pottery, jewelry, glass, ornaments and arty stocking stuffers. With more than 1000 members, the show displays a unique range of style and art to suit most tastes and décor and are one-of-a-kind.
- Dec. 3, 10, 17: Parents Shop, Kids Create – Keep St. Pete Lit $10 keepstpetelit@gmail.com writing classes – beginners / pros.
- 3-D Workshops and Design classes. info@create-3d-biz
Morean’s Glass Studio & Hot Shop 719 Central Ave., downtown St. Pete, 727-822-7872 x 2220 www.moreanartscenter.org/hot-shop/ Discover how beautiful works of glass are created in real time with professional glass blowers educating them on the process. Events include Ladies Night, Friday Hot Date Night, and Live Glass Blowing Demonstrations daily at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.
Chihuly Collection 720 Central Ave. 727-822-7872 x 8 www.MoreanArtsCenter.org Explore the new home featuring 4,200 square feet of dedicated outdoor space, a premier retail store and an expanded temporary exhibition space that will host nationally acclaimed glass artists from around the country.
The Morean Center for Clay 420 22nd Street S., downtown St. Pete – One of the largest working potteries in the Southeast United States. It offers education, studio space, rotating exhibitions and gallery sales in one large, beautifully-renovated train station. It’s here you will find The Morean Center for Clay’s Artist in Residence (AIR) program, which houses six artists on an annual work exchange basis.
Craftsman House Gallery (10 am – 5 pm) 727-323-2787 www.CraftsmanHouseGallery.com
Suntan Arts Center @ The Don Vista 3300 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach 727-367-3818 www.suntanart.org Each month, Suntan Art Center sponsors a Members’ Show, and each month’s show is based on a different theme. Prize ribbons will be awarded by a group of judges and representation of the stated theme is a factor in the judging. Ribbons will be presented each month at the opening reception. Members not wishing to participate in the theme may still submit work for that month. There will be an opening reception on the second Saturday of each month 4 – 6 pm. Check out the 2017 calendar. http://www.suntanart.org/130-2/
ARTS & HOLIDAY EVENTS
Thru Dec. 31 5:30 – 9:30 pm: Holiday Lights In The Garden 12520 Ulmerton Rd., Largo, 727-582-2100 www.flbg.org/annual-events.htm The Florida Botanical Gardens light up nightly with whimsical flora and fauna, music and performances, plus warm cider and other delights including Santa!
Thru Dec. 24: ‘Tis the Season at Sundial – Santa Visits the Courtyard Sundial 153 2nd Ave. N, St. Pete, On Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 1 – 5 pm, visit Santa and the Christmas Tree in the Sundial St. Pete Courtyard and whisper what you want. Dec. 10, 2 pm: Santa Sisters, the fabulous dancing trio, will dazzle as they perform choreography to some of your favorite seasonal tunes.
Studio @ 620 620 First Ave. S, Downtown St. Pete 727-895-6620 www.thestudioat620.org
Wordier Than Thou: Open mic for storytelling, share prose or just catch tales from area wordsmiths. (Check website for dates; starts 7 pm.)
- Dec. 17 Holizaar 2016: Shop for unique artisan gifts, food gifts and funky treasures including Carnage Leathers (journals, belts, wallets, cuffs, bags, keychains); Crow and Lion (functional art lamps made of reclaimed wood and found objects); Louise’s Healing Calendula Salve (organic healing salves and tinctures made from Florida gardens); Calamity Kim (hand dyed fabric clothing and bags) and Our Lady of Perpetual Pickles (pickles, jams, plus baby burp clothes and pillows).
www.thestudioat620.org/events/holizaar-2016
Dec. 2: 6:30 – 8:30 pm: & Dec. 3: 10 am – 3 pm: The Florida Orchestra Guild’s Fifth Annual Holiday Tour of Homes and Cocktail Party – See fabulous decorations and enjoy a holiday boutique and tasty treats at this fundraiser and tour of homes in the Snell Isle and Brightwaters Blvd. area of Northeast St. Petersburg. FYI: Charlene Miller, 727-254-1176.
Dec. 8, noon: – Coffee and Conversation with Nathan Beard Dunedin Fine Art Center, 1143 Michigan Blvd. 727-298-DFAC
Hanging out, drinking delicious coffee, talking about art… ahhhh, that’s the life! Well, that IS the life at least for an hour or so each month at the Dunedin Fine Art Center’s Coffee and Conversation series. Enjoy coffee (Presented by the Sterling Society of DFAC) and insights as each month’s invited guest holds forth on their own area of expertise. Admission to these relaxed talks is $5 and is FREE to current DFAC members. From formative memories of his time in Egypt to advances in quantum physics, Nathan Beard’s work explores the patterns and processes at the confluence of human experience and natural forces. For his contribution to this year’s Coffee & Conversation Series, he will lead us through the inspirations and experiences behind the creation of his abstract paintings. He is also eager to share his thoughts for the future of his work and the inclusion of “communion” into his personal search for universal meaning.
Dec. 10, 10 am – 6 pm: 8th Gulfport’s Annual Holiday Hoopla! 3101 Beach Blvd. S, Gulfport, This celebration of arts, crafts, foods, holiday music, dance performances, roving street performers and holiday characters gives you a chance to shop early and stay late to see the Boca Ciega Club’s Lighted Boat Parade. Registration for the boat parade is available online at www.sailbcyc.org/Christmas
- Boat Parade and at the club, 4600 Tifton Drive South, Gulfport. A portion of event proceeds benefits Operation Santa and Gulfport families in need. FYI: Facebook Holiday Hoopla Gulfport; 727-322-5217.
Dec. 11: St Pete Beach Corey Avenue Christmas Market
(10 am – 2 pm) & Holiday Parade (4 pm): Shop for crafty gifts, nibble holiday delights and bring the kids to see Santa and the festivities. www.coreyave.com
Dec. 15: Gingerbread House Benefit @ Loew’s Don Cesar Hotel, 2400 Gulf Blvd. St. Pete Beach. Decorate a gingerbread house with icing, candy and decorations in this competition that benefits the American Red Cross. 727-385-5786; www.redcrossgb.org
Dec. 17 – 18, 10 am – 5 pm 3rd Annual St. Petersburg Holiday of the Arts South Straub Park, 198 Bayshore Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. Enjoy this outdoor gallery of original and handmade art created by artisans from across Florida and throughout America featuring painting, sculpture, jewelry, glass, ceramics, fiber and wearable art, photography, digital art, mixed-media, metalwork, woodworking and more. http://www.paragonartevents.com/S-30St%2E+Petersburg+Holiday+of+the+Arts.html
St. Petersburg Opera 727-823-2040 http://www.stpeteopera.org
- Dec. 18: 2 pm, Dec. 19: 7:30 pm: Seasonal Sparkle celebrates all four seasons in this eclectic program of orchestral, choral, and solo vocal music.
- January 27: 7:30 pm, Jan. 29: 2 pm, Jan. 31: 7:30 pm: The Elixir of Love
ARTpool Gallery
2030 Central Ave. Downtown St. Pete
- Dec. 17-18: 11 am – 5 pm Crafty Fest Market:
Buy local, handmade & vintage fabulous at this monthly event. Sellers can apply for a booth at http://www.artpoolrules.com/crafty-fest.html
- January 21: 8 pm – midnight ARTpool Gala – 11th annual celebration of St. Pete’s creative culture through art/music/fashion
CHARITY EVENTS
Dec. 9, 11 am: 51st Annual SILVER BELLS Gala Luncheon “Elixir of Elegance” – St. Petersburg Yacht Club, 11 Central Ave., downtown St. Pete. The event ushers in the holiday season in a festive setting, with entertainment by Maestro Mark Sforzini and members of the St. Petersburg Opera Company w/instrumental accompaniment. The co-chairs Francesca Brusini and Linda Pugliese promise an ELEGANT afternoon with a delicious luncheon, a silent auction and fine entertainment. Contact Ursula Carroll 727-366-2476; ursulacarroll7882@yahoo.com
St. Petersburg Arts Alliance
100 Second Ave. N, Ste. 150 Downtown St. Pete,
FYI: John Collins 727-518 5142 john@stpeteartsalliance.org
Jan. 27, 2017: Muse Award
Benefit The Muse Awards will celebrate artistic inspiration at the Museum of Fine Arts, 7 PM. St. Petersburg’s fourth annual fundraising benefit for the arts will recognize the breadth and beauty of art and culture in our City of the Arts, and pay tribute to those that continue to inspire and guide St. Petersburg to its standing as an international arts destination. Sculptor & painter Kyu Yamamoto will be honored as the Muse Award’s visual artist for the fourth annual Muse Awards benefit. Kyu joins 2016 winner, Steven Kenney, and 2015 winner, Carrie Jadus as the visual artist honoree. His artwork will be featured on the 2017 commemorative poster.
CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS
People and Place:
The Cultural and Natural History Center at Weedon Island Preserve
1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg. Thurs – Sat: 9 am – 4 pm. This art-inspired, permanent hands-on educational exhibit reveals the area’s history, ecology and people. For classes / events: http://www.weedonislandpreserve.org/programs-classes.htm
- Dec. 10, 8:30 am: Great Weedon Bird Quest
Heritage Village 11909 125th St. N, Largo. 727-582-2123; www.pinellascounty.org/heritage
Jan. 7, 10 am – 4 pm: Roc Day Tampa Bay – Join the spinners of Pinellas Weavers Guild to celebrate Roc Day as part of your New Year’s celebrations. The annual Roc Day event will be held at Heritage Village’s McMullen House (also known as the Fiber Arts House) where Guild members plan to demonstrate fiber crafts including weaving, spinning and other portable fiber projects, answer questions about fiber crafts, share holiday stories, recruit potential new weavers and spinners, and generally have an old fashioned good time.
ONGOING EXHIBITS
Turner House Artifacts:
Geraldine “Jere” Turner bequeathed her family home to Pinellas County, along with $100,000 in moving costs and the contents of the 1915 bungalow. When it was moved to Heritage Village in January 2014, thousands of objects and archival materials spanning 100 years of family history were discovered in the house, most in excellent condition. These included toys and games, glassware and china, personal accessories, pottery, clothing, furniture, artwork and items from the Belleview Biltmore Hotel.
Pinellas Passport: Illustrates major areas of development in Pinellas County, including coastal living with a focus on the sponge industry; agriculture featuring citrus industry artifacts; community life through newspapers and a printing press; and tourism, showcasing souvenirs and once-popular roadside attraction icons. Living History Demonstrations: Some of the living history demonstrations and hands-on activities you might encounter during your stroll through the Village include pine needle and palm frond weaving, laundry day, working in the heritage garden, rope making, net mending, blacksmithing, traditional fiber arts and pioneer cooking.
Florida Holocaust Museum
55 5th Street S, downtown St. Pete. Celebrating their 25th anniversary year, USA TODAY recently named them as the #1 museum to visit in St. Petersburg – Clearwater out of a top 10 list of museums! For the past 25 years, The Museum’s focus has been to tell the story of millions who suffered or died during the Holocaust through the personal testimonies, official documentation, photographs and artifacts of individual narratives.
NOTEWORTHY: TAMPA & BEYOND
University of South Florida Contemporary Art Museum, 4202 E. Fowler Ave. Tampa Jan. 13 thru March 4: Duke Riley Flights of Fancy
Ringling College of Art & Design 2700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.
Thru Jan. 27, 2017: Jenny Medved’s – exhibition “INDIGENOUS PEOPLE” will be on display in this glorious Sarasota cultural mecca. Jenny Medved (Class of 2004) is a figurative artist & illustrator based in Sarasota, Florida. Medved’s meticulously crafted watercolors of Hawaiian and Polynesian dancers and Native Americans are part of an ongoing visual exploration of indigenous cultures prompted by the discovery of her own Native American roots. In December of 2015, Medved was featured as one of ten artists to watch in Watercolor Artist Magazine.
OPEN CALL, CASTING NOTES, VOLUNTEERS
Tampa’s Gasparilla International Film Festival, March 2 – 9, 2017. Currently accepting submissions (no deadline listed for short films, U.S. narrative feature and College Student Feature Film, International Features, Made in Florida and U.S. Documentary features plus other categories. Details and the online application:
www.withoutabox.com/login/5440
The Docent Program at the Chihuly Collection Docents are trained to serve the needs and interests of our diverse visitors, from elementary school children to adults. No prior art history background or work experience is required.
FYI: Andy Schlauch, Chihuly Collection Ex. Dir. 727.896.4527 Andy.Schlauch@MoreanArtsCenter.org
KUDOS & ART NEWS
A New Muse & Leader for MFA:
Kristen Shepherd, an innovative leader in the art world who has expanded community engagement at museums in Los Angeles and New York, has been named the new Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg. She was unanimously approved by the Museum’s Board of Trustees after a national search. She will join the Museum December 15, succeeding former Director Dr. Kent Lydecker, who retired in March. She is the sixth director in the MFA’s history and its first female director. Ms. Shepherd brings to her new role the perspective of an art historian combined with strong business acumen. She has served as Associate Vice President, Audience Strategy & Services, for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art since 2013. She led her staff and volunteers to create engagement opportunities for the diverse local audience, increasing revenue from visitor attendance and membership by 19 percent during her tenure.
2017 Prestigious Preservation Awards Nominations (due by Dec. 16)
The awards recognize the people, associations and businesses that are actively working to preserve, restore, and complement the city’s historic buildings and places. Nominations can be made by building owners, neighbors, neighborhood associations or other groups. Nominations are an excellent way to recognize those individuals who Preserve the ‘Burg! The awards recognize exemplary efforts in historic preservation in five categories: Residential and Commercial Restoration; Residential and Commercial Rehabilitation; Compatible Use; Adaptive Reuse; and Residential and Commercial Stewardship. There will also be an award for Preservationist of the Year. http://www.stpetepreservation.org/page-1806144
The 2017 Preservation Awards Celebration will take place on Wednesday, February 8th at the historic St. Petersburg Woman’s Club on Snell Island, in conjunction with an exhibit and sale of watercolor paintings of area landmarks by local artist Robert Holmes. Contact: Allison Stribling, Executive Director, St. Petersburg Preservation, 727-824.7802 director@stpetepreservation.org www.stpetepreservation.org