ART NEWS
Compiled by Nanette Wiser
With the dog days of summer upon us, shouldn’t you cool your brain by expanding your mind? Gulfport 1st Friday & 2nd Saturday Artwalk, the Brocante market downtown, the Palladium’s musical line-up, The Hideaway’s Wednesday Blues Night (best with Bette Fox), the Ale & The Witch’s beguiling acts and Wine Madonna’s wine anda book night (happy 5th Anniversary to our friends there). That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Plan ahead now for Oct. 13-16 Clearwater Jazz Holiday, introducing an Americana day with Greg Allman and featuring Trombone Shorty,
Commodores, Kool & The Gang, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and so much fun Ciao baby, see you there! – 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
Valerie Bogle Photography, Studio B at 912 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. This new downtown boutique studio shows the empowering photography work of Bogle, known for reminding girls of all ages how beautiful they are, and helping business people get noticed and identify their personal brands. 727-497-7427.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Martinis for Moffitt (Aug. 6, 7 – 11:30 pm) Cocktail-style gala including all-you-can-drink Tito’s martinis and specialty cocktails, wine and beer, hors d’oeuvres, live music, entertainment & dancing, raffle, silent and live auction and more. Straz Center, Morsani Hall, 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa • martinisformoffitt.org.
PARC’s Florida Inspired 2016-2017 Art Exhibition (thru Aug. 13) A lovely alliance, with a closing reception Aug. 13 from 5 – 9 pm followed by Spoken Word Under The Oaks at 7 pm. Museum hours noon – 5 p.m. on Tuesday – Friday. Admission to the museum is free, though donations are appreciated. Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum 2240 9th Ave. S. in St. Petersburg.
Gulfport Gecko Mania www.geckofest.com www.visitgulfportflorida.com
– Aug. 5 Second Annual Gecko Artists Show: Seven larger-than-life geckos will be the centerpiece of a live auction to benefit local charities. The geckos will be visualized and created according to each artist’s individual concept. See them at the opening reception 6 – 8 pm.The reception is free and open to the public and will also include complimentary hors d’oeuvre and a cash bar. Catherine Hickman Theater, 5501 27th Ave. S, Gulfport. August Gecko Viewing: See them in venues throughout Gulfport’s Waterfront village.
– Aug. 13 Ninth Annual Gecko Crawl: Sample drinks at Boca Bay Grille, Mangia Gourmet, Neptune Grille, Peninsula Inn, Salty’s and Gulfport’s newest venue, Manatees on the Bay, a poker run, and a festive afterparty in Gulfport’s colorful Waterfront District Aug. 13, 4 – 9 pm with after party at 9 pm. Info: Gulfport Welcome Center at (727) 344-3711.
– Aug. 27 Eighth Annual Gecko Ball: The geckos will then go up for auction during the ball at the historic Gulfport Casino Ballroom. This year’s theme is “20,000 Geckos Under the Sea,” celebrating all things on, under and near the sea, as well as the classic 1954 film and the 1870 Jules Verne adventure novel. Enjoy a silent auction, costumes and costume contests, coronation of the Gecko Queen, catered tapas, cash bar, live music by the Big Night Out, dancing and more. Gulfport Casino Ballroom, 5500 Shore Blvd.
Museum of Fine Arts
Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Dr. NE • 727-896-2667 • www.fine-arts.org
– From the Heart: Folk Art on Paper (Aug. 6 – Nov. 13) The MFA draws on its impressive collection of work by Southern self-taught artists Martha & Jim Sweeny, who have given 34 works in this genre to the MFA, are the exhibition sponsors. From the Heart features exceptional examples by such gifted artists as Bill Traylor, Thornton Dial, Nellie Mae Rowe, Lonnie Holley, Juanita Rogers, Purvis Young, and Dilmus Hall. Curator of Contemporary Art Katherine Pill selected the works and will present a Gallery Talk on Sunday, August 7, 3 pm.
– Marly Music Series @ Museum of Fine Arts 2 pm – Tickets first-come, first-served; purchase them @ www.mfastpete.org/rsvp Admission to the entire Museum is included in the ticket price. Come early and have brunch in the MFA Café.
– Vantage Points: Paintings by Mernet Larsen (thru Oct. 30) Larsen works in an abstract, yet narrative style, and her technical accomplishment and unique sense of perspective have earned her increasing critical attention. The respected critic and poet John Yau has written that “Mernet Larsen’s paintings do not resemble anyone else’s. They are a complete world and, in that regard, belong to the tradition that includes Giorgio de Chirico and René Magritte…They adhere to their own logic and follow their own rules.” Ms. Larsen will discuss her work September 15, 6:30 pm.
– Shana Moulton: Journeys Out of the Body (thru Oct. 8) Shana Moulton (born in 1976) explores our obsession with self-help fads and wellness therapies, as well as consumer culture as a whole. She primarily uses video, with her alter ego Cynthia, who rarely speaks, as the protagonist. The MFA is featuring all nine installments of her Whispering Pines series, as well as other videos, sculpture, costumes, and an opera/performance piece. Whispering Pines 10, a one-act live-performance video opera will be presented October 6, 7 pm.
People and Place:
The Cultural and Natural History Center at Weedon Island Preserve
This art-inspired, permanent hands-on educational exhibit that reveals the area’s history, ecology and people. Exhibits include Connecting People and Place, Uncovering Past Cultures, Understanding Culture through its Pottery, A Gallery of Memories, Mischief and Movies, Discovery of Hidden Worlds, What a Watershed Is and a virtual tour of the Smithsonian Institution’s collection of Weedon Island artifacts. Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg. Open 9 am to 4 pm, Thursday to Saturday. Closed all Pinellas County holidays. (727) 453-6500, www.weedonislandpreserve.org.
Heritage Village
Objects from the Turner Family Permanent Collection Geraldine “Jere” Turner bequeathed her family home to Pinellas County along with $100,000 in moving costs and the contents of her 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. These included toys and games, glassware and china, personal accessories, pottery, clothing, furniture, artwork and items from the Belleview Biltmore Hotel. Heritage Village, 11909 125th St. N., Largo. 727-582-2123, www.pinellascounty.org/heritage.
Pinellas Passport:
Your Ticket through Time Heritage Village- This exhibit 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. These objects are on display in the Roy Helms Gallery in the Visitor Center.
Morean Arts Center at 719 Central Ave, St. Petersburg. 727-822-7872. MoreanArtsCenter.com
– The Chihuly Collection closed its Beach Drive, location Aug.1 and re-opens Oct. 2016 at a new location adjacent to the Morean Arts Center (720 Central Ave.) featuring both an exhibition space and approximately 4,200 square feet of outdoor space.
– Morean Arts 98th Annual Members Show (thru Aug. 13) Compete in a city-wide search for St. Petersburg’s BEST CUPCAKE CONTEST, hosted at the Morean Center for Clay Aug. 20, noon – 3 pm. (420 22nd Street South). For information or questions, call 727-822-7872 or go online and download the entry form – MoreanArtsCenter.org
Studio@ 620 620 First Ave. S, Downtown St. Petersburg 727-895-6620, http://www.thestudioat620.org/
Annual Artist Showcase UPA Gallery • Aug. 12-13 With the selected photographic artworks, this presentation fulfills UPA Gallery’s core mission of supporting the advancement and representation of emerging artists, through an exclusive gallery of limited edition photographic works. UPAG supports the education, income, and creative progress of emerging artists via an internet-based format as well as on ground seminars and gallery openings.
Artists include: Scott Bolendz, Pierre-Yves Chicoineau, Erik Cocks, Cathy Dutertre, Pierre Dutertre, Lisa Fitch, Joel Geffen, Christine Ghezzo, William Glover, Eric Lawson, Maria Chapin, David Monroe, Frank Novatsky, Muffy Sadler, Trentin Shreeve, Ron Weiss, Lindsey Welch, Gary Beeber, Guillermo De Angelis, Monika Ruiz, Tobias Oggenfuss, Matt Smith, Jose Gomez, Sarah Hadley, Joel Gaffen, Alessandra Ruyten and Earl Scott.
Wordier Than Thou: The open mic focuses on storytelling and fiction, no poetry or music. So come share your finest prose, or if you’re just in the mood for listening, catch some tales from area wordsmiths. Readings will begin around 7 pm. A featured reader will kick off the night, followed by open mic slots. Open mic readers get 10 minutes and will be timed. Check the website for dates.
Clyde Butcher: Cuba, The Natural Beauty (thru Sept. 30) at St. Petersburg Museum of History, 335 2nd Ave NE, Downtown St. Petersburg, (727) 894-1052 http://spmoh.com/. Commissioned by the United Nations to create a portfolio of the mountainous lands of Cuba, Clyde Butcher set out on three week-long expeditions into unfamiliar lands. He explored the island country’s varied geographic regions, from the Sierra Maestra Mountains in Cuba’s eastern Granma province, to the southern coast between Manzanillo and Santiago de Cuba. His travel took him to Baracoa in the northeast, the southern waterfalls of the Sierra de San Juan, and the mogotes of the west in the Piñar del Rio region. While taking photographs for the Conference for the Sustainable Habitat of the Mountains, Clyde thought about being part of an event changing history for the better, and enthusiastically saw an opportunity to make a positive difference.
The Dali Museum at One Dali Blvd, St. Petersburg http://thedali.org.
– “Horst: Photographs – Fashion & Surrealism” (thru Sept. 6) From pre-war Parisian haute couture to post-war American ready-to-wear, experience surrealism and its influence on haute couture from one of the last century’s leading photographers, Horst P. Horst. This alluring exhibition features the work of Horst P. Horst (1906-1999), who ranked alongside Irving Penn and Richard Avedon as one of the last century’s leading photographers. In an extraordinary sixty-year career, Horst’s photographs graced the pages of Vogue and House and Garden and he became renowned as a master of expressive lighting and atmospheric illusion.
– Dali Revealed: Candid Moments from the Artist’s Life (thru Fall 2016) This special exhibition includes 48 archival photographs taken by French photographer Robert Descharnes, a close friend and confidant of Dali’s from 1950 through the end of his life in 1989 (Mr. Descharnes passed away in 2014).
– Yoga + Dali (Sat. 10:30 am): Join Inspire Yoga every Sunday at The Dali – a remarkable environment where Dali’s energy infuses the physical, mental and spiritual inspiration of yoga
The Shine St. Petersburg
Mural Festival (Sept. 1 – 10) Bringing more than a dozen new murals and vibrant special events, The Shine returns for its second year, showcasing colorful and inspiring public murals by a diverse group of artists from around the world.The festival, which received widespread media accolades in its first year, is a non-profit public art project built in partnership between local artists and community members.
SHINE illuminates the power of art in public spaces by revitalizing areas, inspiring dialogue, and uniting the St. Petersburg community. The 2015 festival brought more than 15 new murals to downtown St. Petersburg, created by renowned visiting artists such as Hoxxoh (Miami, FL), 123Klan (Montreal, Canada), and Erik Jones (Brooklyn, NY), as well as local talents including Ya La’Ford, Carrie Jadus, and Chad Mize.Contact: John Collins, St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, 727.518.5142, john@stpeteartsalliance.org
Downtown St. Pete – SPF16 (Sept. 11, 18, 24)
Presented by the Suncoasters of St. Petersburg, produced by the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance with support from the City of St. Petersburg Office of Cultural Affairs, SPF16 will again kick off with the Shine Mural Festival, followed by weekly spotlights on all the arts, including fine arts, performing arts, and a family arts festival. SPF16 will conclude with the grand opening of the Chihuly Exhibit at its new location. Contact john@stpeteartsalliance.org
– Week ending Sept. 11: SHINE Mural Festival, Fine Arts, ArtWalk, Craft Arts
– Week ending Sept.18: Performing Arts (dance, theatre, music performances in traditional & nontraditional places)
– Week ending Sept. 24: Family Arts Festival (Arts Alive, TBBCA Chalk Walk, Central Ave. Solstice Festival
Sept. 24: Central Avenue Solstice Enjoy this popular event as part of the St. Petersburg Festival, SPF16. Festivities begin on the east end at 7:20 am with Sunrise Yoga at South Straub Park, and finish on the west end with St. Petersburg Preservation´s Movies in the Park at Sunset Park on Boca Ciega Bay. Enjoy a Follow the Sun Walk, a Bay to Gulf Bike Ride, Sunny Side Up Breakfast specials, full schedule of live performances at each of the event´s five Main Stages, and a host of Illuminating Art Demonstrations along the route. All outdoor activities free & trolley rides throughout the day. www.centralavenuesolstice.com
St. Petersburg Arts Alliance • 100 Second Ave N, St 150 St. Downtown St. Petersburg
OPEN CALL & CASTING NOTES
Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach FL is accepting applications for the Master Artists-in-Residency Program with Heather McHugh, poet; Joan Snyder, visual artist and Derek Bermel, composer/performer. Deadline Sept. 18. https://stpeteartsalliance.org
ARTS NEWS
St. Petersburg City Theater Needs help.
Make donations to www.spcitytheatre.org by clicking “Donate Now!” in top right hand corner of website. Individual & Corporate Sponsorships being offered for our summer camp productions.
Email: ExecDir@spcitytheatre.org to obtain more information about how you can become a sponsor.