By Caron Schwartz
I recently bought one of Gulfport ceramist Brenda McMahon’s marvelous tile murals. Now in a secret recess in my home, it is so lovely I gasp every time I see it.
Nearly everything on my walls and shelves was purchased from the artist. As a “creative” myself (recovering potter), I believe knowing the creator infuses the piece with context and meaning. The art has to speak to me.
The first “serious” painting I bought still does. It’s a very large, very purple, very flowery still-life by Colorado artist Dvora Kanegis. We met during Open Studios, a yearly Boulder event not unlike Gulfport’s ArtJones (artjonesstudiotour.com) or Historic Kenwood’s Artist at Work Tour (kenwoodartistenclave.org/studio-tours), where artists open their homes and studios to let the public see where the magic happens. I agonized over spending more on a painting than a major household appliance, but when Dvora offered to let me enjoy it for a week before making a decision, the decision was made. That painting graced my dining room in Boulder, and now lights up my living room in Gulfport. I went back year after year, buying two others by Dvora and a couple by her protege, Lael Har.
You don’t have to wait for those annual events to get to know local artists, however. Art walks have proliferated to the point that not a weekend goes by without the opportunity to enjoy and purchase original art from its creator.
First Friday of the month: Stroll around downtown Gulfport during its Art & Gallery Walk (facebook.com/GulfportArtGalleryWalk). (Be sure to drop in on Brenda at her new gallery on Beach Blvd.)
Second Friday: Sip and stroll through delightful Dunedin (facebook.com/2ndfridaydunedin).
Second Saturday: Mingle with artists in the Waterfront Arts District, Central Arts District, EDGE District, Grand Central District, and Warehouse Arts District during the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance’s ArtWalk (stpeteartsalliance.org/artwalk).
Third Saturday: Back to Gulfport to check out what you missed two weeks ago.
Fourth Friday: Enjoy some “big city” allure at Fourth Friday Tampa, which features free admission, discounts or special offers at participating arts and cultural partners including Henry Plant Museum, Florida Museum of Photographic Arts (FMoPA), Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa Bay History Museum, The Straz Center, Tampa Theatre, Jobsite Theater & Stageworks Theatre, the Italian Club, Wandering Eye Art Gallery, Dysfunctional Grace, Tampa Theatre, and more. www.fourthfridaytpa.com
Fourth Saturday: Discover the Art Walk along Park Boulevard in Pinellas Park’s Pinellas Arts Village (pinellas-park.com/DocumentCenter/View/2435/ArtWalk-Event-Map).