By Caron Schwartz
Arts Annual Festival Fundraiser Weekend
Creative Pinellas invites you to an engaging annual fundraiser: indulge in music, dance, live painting, theater, and poetry. Discover over 100 pieces of art created by award-winning artists. Experience a gallery exhibition and enjoy an arts celebration in a beautiful park setting in the courtyard at Creative Pinellas.
When: Nov. 13 1:00pm – Nov. 14 4:00pm
Where: The Gallery at Creative Pinellas, 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo, Cost: $10-$25
Tickets: via Eventbrite at www.eventbrite.com, search for Arts Annual 2021 Weekend.
First Night St. Pete is ringing in its 29th Anniversary Celebration of the Arts live and in unexpected places throughout downtown St. Petersburg. The Interactive Art Park returns to South Straub Park and will be filled with hands-on exhibits and fun for all ages. Join the celebration in downtown St. Pete on Dec. 31 for another art-filled New Year’s Eve. Tickets available at www.firstnightstpete.com
Advance tickets through Dec. 30: adult $12, child $5
At the door: adult $15, child $10. Children under 5: FREE
PETER MAX: The Retrospective 1960-2021
A retrospective collection, with a significant nod to music, the arts and the legacy of the Pop Art genre from the studio of artist legend Peter Max, will be on exhibit and available for acquisition at Michael Murphy Gallery in Tampa Nov. 12-21. Four in-gallery receptions are planned: Friday, Nov. 12, 6-8pm, Saturday, Nov. 20, 12-3pm and 6-8pm, and Sunday, Nov. 21, 1-3pm. All events are complimentary and open to the public. For additional information contact 866-900-6699 or gallery@mmgart.com.
Snazzing up the Straz
The Tampa City Council, in its capacity as the Community Redevelopment Agency of the city of Tampa, approved $25 million in funding for the Straz Center’s Master Plan. The funding will be matched by the Straz Center’s private campaign, Boundless, and will be allocated over five years beginning in 2022. The entire Boundless campaign is $100 million: $80 million for the capital project; $20 million for an endowment to support the project. The Straz opened in 1987, and this is its first major redesign.
Woodson African American Museum of Florida (The Woodson) and Pinellas Community Foundation (PCF) have joined forces to raise $27 million for a new, expanded museum. The Woodson − formerly The Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum – will be the first newly constructed landmark museum in Florida dedicated to celebrating African American history, art, and culture. Due to Woodson’s growth and popularity, the museum has exceeded the use of its current single-story 4,000 square foot facility. The new 30,000 square foot edifice, designed by Black-owned Huff + Gooden Architects in partnership with Wannemacher Jensen, will be built on 5.5 acres of city-donated land along 22nd St. S in The Deuces, just blocks from The Woodson’s current location.
Will robots put street artists out of work?
Over in Berlin, artist and technologist Niklas Roy has mildly intrigued the graffiti world with his Graffomat, a DIY setup that automates the process of tagging, promising “interesting and inspiring aesthetic outcomes.” Now, instead of working that spray can yourself, you can just put your design into a computer, then stand back and watch a machine do the work while you vape and watch YouTube videos on your phone. Roy’s Graffomat joins other attempts to cut robots in on the street art heat including Estonian inventor Mihkel Joala’s SprayPrinter, a wall-crawling robot.
Opera is back, baby!
St. Petersburg Opera Company’s 2021-2022 season is already underway, so if you love opera get thee to www.stpeteopera.org and choose one or more of this season’s performances. Depending on the show and venue, tickets typically range from $15 to $95, with youth tickets going for $5. The season lineup includes: Pinocchio, Holiday Sparkle, Broadway Cabaret, Semele, POPera: Love & Madness,
La Fille du Régiment. Check the website for shows, prices and times.
Printing Black America: W.E.B. Du Bois’s Data Portraits in the 21st Century
In 1903, W.E.B. Du Bois famously proclaimed, “the problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color-line.” Just a few years before those words were published, Du Bois created a series of data visualizations on the progress of Black peoples after Emancipation, showing the dynamic participation of Black peoples in American social and economic life and their global participation in science, literature, and art. To learn more, check out artist William Villalongo and urbanist Shraddha Ramani’s Zoom talk about the enduring importance of Du Bois’s archive of 63 data visualizations on Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 6pm. Register at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_alc7X72CTLegZl7-xZbm0w. Presented by the USF Contemporary Art Museum and Graphicstudio.
Holiday greetings from SPBC!
It’s Nutcracker time again! Come see the timeless classic performed only how the St. Petersburg Ballet Conservatory can this December! Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for students, seniors, active military, and first responders. Dec. 10, 11, 17, 18 at 7pm; Dec. 12 & 19 at 3pm.
Learn more and buy tickets at www.stpeteballetconservatory.com.
MORE THAN RETRO: Art Photography of the 1970s
Through April 3, 2022, at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Pete: The 1970s witnessed a dramatic shift from photojournalism to art photography in the United States. More Than Retro: Art Photography of the 1970s celebrates and explores that change, revealing 1970s artistic trends including the snapshot aesthetic, the rebellion against purism, image manipulation, and social landscapes. This exhibition features both famous and lesser-known artists, including Andy Warhol, Garry Winogrand, Dianora Niccolini, Stephen Shore, and Jerry Uelsmann.
SHINE Mural Honors Health Care Heroes
The 7th annual SHINE Mural Festival is over, but its murals shine on. The Festival partnered with Bayfront Health St. Petersburg to honor healthcare heroes on the frontlines of COVID-19. The “Bright Spot” community mural project, designed by local artist Leo Gomez, was created to acknowledge and celebrate the ongoing sacrifices endured by frontline workers. Located on the east side of the Human Resources building at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, the mural serves as a vibrant reminder of the hospital’s dedicated staff and symbolizes the community’s appreciation for those who’ve lost their lives to COVID-19 and those who’ve risked their lives to save them.
Creative Pinellas Lealman Mural Project
A neighborhood that runs from 38th Ave. N. to 62nd Ave between I-275 and 58th St. N., Lealman is a St. Petersburg hidden gem full of potential. Creative Pinellas is working with the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area to infuse art into the landscape, bring attention to this area, and attract people to this community. Asian American muralist Cheryl Weber, known as Jujmo, created the first of five planned murals at 4633 28th St. N in Lealman.
A tale of two sisters
Creative Clay’s exhibit that honors the Sister City relationship between St. Petersburg and Takamatsu, Japan, is now on display at the St. Petersburg Museum of History. The exhibit features 30 pelican paintings that are part of an arts exchange with Heart Artlink artists from Takamatsu and Creative Clay member artists. The exhibit is part of the celebration of the 60-year Sister City relationship between St. Petersburg and Takamatsu. Learn more about Creative Clay, its vision of equality through art, and its programs at www.creativeclay.org. Like Creative Clay on Facebook, follow on Instagram @creativeclaystpete; follow on Twitter @creativeclay and LinkedIn.
Machu Picchu without the climb
The Boca Raton Museum of Art hosts the magic of Machu Picchu now through March 6, 2022, with a showcase of golden treasures paired with a Peruvian virtual reality experience. Boca Raton is the first stop in an international tour organized by World Heritage Exhibitions, which has previously staged shows on such topics as King Tut, Pompeii, and the Titanic. A portion of the proceeds will go to Inkaterra Asociación, a nonprofit dedicated to the conservation and biodiversity of the Amazon, and the Ministry of Culture of Peru. For more information see www.bocamuseum.org.
Art Splash 2021
Plans are in place to hold Art Splash on Saturday, Nov. 13, in a large tent at the Suntan Art Center beginning at 6:30pm. The night will include great food, a band, a silent auction, and lots of art showcasing local artists. If you purchased tickets for the Art Splash postponed from March 2020 your ticket is still valid for this event. It is important to RSVP either way for an accurate headcount. If you have not previously purchased tickets, a limited supply of tickets is available for $55 at the Art Center Gallery. Questions? Contact Carolyn James at carolynljames@hotmail.com.
Art is cheaper than therapy
De-stress and recharge with a class at the Morean Arts Center. Enrollment for the fall and winter sessions is going on now for both old favorites and new offerings. Learn a new skill (Artsy Improv anyone?) or hone an old one like drawing, painting, glassblowing, and more. Learn more and register at www.moreanartscenter.org.
Just one more thing, MAACM
Third Thursdays mean the Museum of the American Arts & Crafts Movement (MAACM) is open late and it’s great! Drop in for an evening of fun including engaging activities, cash bar, and much more. With a different theme each month, Third Thursdays at MAACM start the weekend off right.
When: 6-9pm
Cost: Free with admission
Visit online at www.museumaacm.org.
Nov. 18 Scavenger Hunt: Calling all super sleuths and snoops! Join us for a special museum-wide photo scavenger hunt. A quirky photo frame craft greets you upon successful completion of your mission. Dec. 16 Jingle Mingle: Don your ugliest sweater and get ready to jingle and mingle at the museum! Sip on seasonally themed libations at the Arts Café and block print your own craftsman-inspired holiday greetings. Make one to send and one to donate to brighten the day of patients at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.