Flocas 2008 opens tonight in Tampa, and I’ll tell you—my reaction to this project (the consortium of Florida university masters degree programs) is like, why didn’t someone think of this sooner? Best. Idea. Ever.
We have some really talented graduate students in the state, and it breaks my heart when they leave after graduation. We need [...]

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Jamey Grimes. Merge IV, 2007. Mylar, acetate, transparency film, thread. Courtesy DFAC.
This week in Creative Loafing:
These days, it’s hardly an exaggeration to call the evening news the stuff of nightmares. Between the implosion of Wall Street and the prospect of the other guy winning the election, the current state of national affairs might be enough [...]

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Donna Box of Valrico taking part in a class at the Big Draw Studio.
Did you know that Ruskin, Fla., was founded by people inspired by the social theories of art critic and Victorian intellectual John Ruskin? And here I’ve been thinking “tomato” every time I hear Ruskin for the last twenty years…
In honor of [...]

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USF grad student Ariel Baron-Robbins teaches a class at the Big Draw Studio in Ruskin last week.
Have you heard about the Big Draw?
Out in Ruskin, a group of artists is working to stage a month-long celebration of drawing (that most intimidating of artistic exercises) that will culminate with a party and mural unveiling on [...]

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Neil Bender. Borders. Mixed media on paper, 2007, 30 x 22 in. Courtesy Bleu Acier.
Neil Bender is Randy.
Check out his opening tomorrow night at Tampa gallery Bleu Acier.
Click here to read the feature in Creative Loafing.

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Janae Easton
Golden Locks that Moss Grew, 2008
Floral foam, dried plant material, wrapping paper, Mylar, found paper, pen, colored pencil and polymer clay
Courtesy of the artist
If you haven’t been to see the exhibit Drawing Beyond the Plane at the Tampa Museum of Art, I urge you to drop everything and head over today (Saturday) to catch [...]

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Louise Nevelson. North Floral. 1976.
Wood painted black, 1061⁄4 x 168 x 171⁄4 inches
The Ovitz Family Collection, Los Angeles
Photo Courtesy PaceWildenstein, New York
©2007 Estate of Louise Nevelson/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
I haven’t been good about blogging recently– and I’ll admit it’s because I haven’t seen anything lately that really made me feel great about the [...]

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Bi-polar bunnies by Coralette Damme, a.k.a. the Crafty Hag, at Saturday Morning Art Market.
In addition to the largely food-based Saturday Morning Market (where you can buy assorted herbs, plants, soap, batiked garments, etc., as well as fruits, veggies, prepared foods, baked goods, and so on), downtown St. Petersburg now hosts the Saturday Morning Art [...]

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A detail of the installation of Rediviva by Tampa artists’ collective Experimental Skeleton last year at Miami’s Locust Projects. On Friday, the same project opens at Flight 19. Sculptures, clockwise from bottom right, by: Bob Dorsey, April Childers, Gregory Greene, Jeremichael Bonds, Brian Taylor, Joe Griffith and Paul Pisoni. Image courtesy Experimental Skeleton. [...]

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Dominique Labauvie. Arcas et Callisto. Pastel, charcoal and pigment, 2008, 29.5 x 42 in. Image courtesy Bleu Acier.
Since Dominique Labauvie moved back to Tampa from France a year or two ago, I’ve become a big fan of his drawings, prints and forged steel sculptures. Click here to read a piece I wrote for NY [...]

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Organizer Brandon Dunlap says this show’s a good one. With a line-up of more than 30 artists (!) and a chance to see what Pale Horse owner Chris Parks has done with his St. Petersburg space now that the business no longer includes tattooing– well, I’m thinking there are multiple reasons to check this show [...]

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Rebecca Sexton Larson
Ybor City Casitas -Study
Mixed Media on Black and White Pinhole Photograph
Image Size 5″ x 5″
Congrats to Rebecca Sexton Larson, who has been awarded a Florida Arts Council 2008 Individual Artist Fellowship! (As have Elisabeth Condon and Steven S. Gregory.)
If you haven’t checked out Becky’s blog, Boxfotos, she’s at the forefront of—dare I call [...]

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