Creative Pinellas and St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE) are excited to announce the two awarded artists for the PIE Gate 12 Mural Project! St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE) will be adding to their Florida collection of art featured at the airport with two airside murals created through the mural project with Creative Pinellas that will feature local artists Laura “Miss Crit” Spencer and Leo Gomez.
“This marks the first collaboration with St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE) where this mural project will create a welcoming first impression for all those traveling to and from the Tampa Bay area.” said Creative Pinellas CEO Barbara St. Clair. “This mural project will elevate Pinellas County as the Arts Coast destination.”
The two Pinellas County artists were selected through an open application process with the goal of creating a welcoming art experience for visitors and resident travelers as they arrive on the ramp outside the Gate 12 area at the airport. These murals will welcome travelers to their Florida destination and highlight the award-winning beaches, nature, culture, and arts in the Tampa Bay area.
Leo Gomez will create his design “Go Easy” featuring bright, welcoming colors, bold text and silhouettes that evoke travel and iconic Florida nature elements. “The project at PIE is one of those projects that make things feel surreal and will probably feel that way until the very last brush stroke. Tampa Bay is an arts destination and there is no better way to show our culture than with what we do best. PIE has already done a beautiful job at incorporating different types of local art pieces all around the airport for the public to enjoy, but these new murals are just going to take things to another level. It’s great to be collaborating with Creative Pinellas and Laura Spencer on this project and I can’t wait to start transforming the blank walls into a much more colorful and inspiring space,” said Leo Gomez.
Laura “Miss Crit” Spencer was inspired by Florida native flowers that will be festooned and inhabited by a variety of bees, butterflies, and pollinators in her design “La Pascua Florida,” that will feature orange blossoms, azaleas, milkweed, passion flowers and more alongside the Gulf Fritillary butterfly and the Zebra Longwing butterfly. “I am over the moon with excitement to collaborate with Creative Pinellas again on a large-scale mural project – and also to work alongside one of St. Pete’s best and brightest – Leo Gomez! As a Pinellas County native, it’s an honor to celebrate the vibrant culture and ecosystem of our community. My goal is to merge elements of the Arts Coast and Nature Coast – creating a ‘welcome home’ message that matches the elegant and effortless vibe that PIE Airport provides,” said Laura “Miss Crit” Spencer.
The design mockups have been approved and the artists will start working on the projects this October 2022 through December 2022 at St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE). “Leo Gomez has a talent for bringing a message to life and we are thrilled to have him create a mural as a first impression to our visitors or a welcome home to locals! We look forward to his creation greeting passengers as they walk off their plane. Laura “Miss Crit” Spencer is a homegrown talent that is passionate about her community and is reflected in her work. Her enthusiasm and creativity will shine in her mural, just like St. Pete-Clearwater! Their excitement about collaborating to bring PIE’s first two murals to life is the same excitement we want visitors to feel when they arrive,” said Michele Routh, St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) Public Relations Director.
ABOUT THE MURALIST
Leo Gomez of Leo Gomez Studios – A hand lettering artist, muralist, sign painter, designer, and all-around lover of hand-crafted art. He creates beautiful hand lettering designs and murals. Every project is meant to communicate a positive message and make a difference. He is extremely passionate about creating authentic work, transforming boring walls into inspiring spaces and boosting community engagement with bright and colorful designs. https://leogomezstudio.com/
Laura “Miss Crit” Spencer- Miss Crit [Laura Spencer] is an Illustrator born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida. With a style that is a little bit spooky and a little bit psychedelic, Miss Crit designs with her third-eye wide open. As a native Floridian, Miss Crit loves to celebrate the vibrant, natural environment of her home state. She brings together traditional fine art techniques, narrative storytelling devices, and digital design technology to craft quaint and quirky illustrations. https://www.themisscrit.com/
To learn more about the two projects visit:
For additional information on the mural program, contact Lea Umberger and Carol Matlock, Arts Project Managers at Creative Pinellas at muralarts@creativepinellas.org.