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New Gallery Offers Easy-On-The-Eye Original Works

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 12, 2007

DOWNTOWN - There's a new gallery in a section of North Franklin Street where a cautious rebirth is taking place.

Housed in the historic Arlington building, 1215 N. Franklin St., near The Fly Bar and Restaurant, Orange Park Gallery International aims to offer easy-on-the-eye original works by artists worldwide.

Owner Greg Phillips moved here from Atlanta, where he had a gallery of the same name. His new cavernous and well-lit space comfortably accommodates the large-scale art he favors. It opened in October with an exhibit of paintings and sculptures by several internationally acclaimed artists, including Russian-born Larissa Makeeva.

An exhibit of Makeeva's paintings, called "Evocatively Abstract," runs through Jan. 5 at the gallery. The title describes the thrust of her work: fluid brush strokes and dramatic bursts of color capture and translate mood.

Also featured at the gallery will be Fauzie As'Ad, an Indonesian artist whose work has been displayed in Europe and Africa.

Makeeva will attend the free opening reception for her show at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Call the gallery at (813) 333-6299 for information.

Art After Dark Goes 'Inside/Out'

The Tampa Museum of Art will host "Art After Dark: Inside/Out," featuring works by more than 20 local artists, from 8 to 11 p.m. Friday.

"There's a lot of color and a lot of surrealistic and abstract imagery," said show curator Mitzi Gordon, an artist and writer.

The show started with invitations to artists who create two- and three-dimensional works. Then University of South Florida graduate student Daniel Moore was invited, and he invited 37 more students for performance art and live painting.

"Some of the projects by the university students really made me feel that there's going to be a circus atmosphere," said Gordon, a former employee of Media General, parent company of The Tampa Tribune. "They have a fire dancer, a face painter, and one of the performance artists is making a miniature float that someone's going to be riding in. I think it's going to surprise and entertain."

Among the other artists are David Bailey, Shelby Boggs, Caesar Carbajal, Chad Cardoza, former Tribune photographer Carol Cleere, Dustin Koncinsky, Greg Latch, P$YNNER, Terry Pipitone, Ryan Prado, Maria Saraceno, Steve Sperry, Doug Taylor, Bradley Paul Valentine and Kate Whatley.

Admission is $10; free for museum members. There will be appetizers and a cash bar.

Call the museum at (813) 274-8130 for details.

Nonprofit Artists' Group Hosts Inaugural Exhibit

A new nonprofit, grass-roots organization of artists, TampaArtist.com, is ready for its first exhibit and sale.

About 30 artists from the group will showcase their works Saturday at Romeo's Gallery, 1515 Seventh Ave. Doors open at 6 p.m.; a donation is suggested.

Everything is priced at $300 or less, and the pieces are 30 square inches or smaller.

"With galleries, the formula is usually a 60-40 split and that usually puts the price out of the range of most people," executive director Rich L. Frederick said. "With us, the artist pays an entry fee, but then they get to set their prices and they keep 100 percent of the sale price. We wanted to make this very accessible and get people out."

For information, go to www.tampaartist.com.

Center For The Arts Hosting 2 Exhibits

The West Tampa Center for the Arts, housed in the former Santaella Cigar Factory, 1906 N. Armenia Ave., will host two concurrent exhibits.

"Reduced," an exhibition of black, white and gray Aworks, is curated by Kurt Piazza. Works are priced at less than $200.

In Gallery 209 on the center's second floor, Tracey Midulla Reller will show new works in an exhibit called "Connectivity & Austerity."

The exhibits will run for three weeks, with the opening reception for both from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday.

Call (813) 453-4381 for information.

UT Showcases Seniors' Artwork

The University of Tampa honors graduating seniors with an exhibit that ends with a free reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Scarfone/Hartley Gallery, at the RK Bailey Studios, 310 N. Boulevard.

Call the gallery at (813) 253-6217 for information.

Nuance Galleries Hops Into Holiday

Nuance Galleries, 804 S. Dale Mabry Highway, hopes to beckon your buying bug with the exhibit "Art is the Perfect Gift."

Original paintings, limited-edition prints, photographs, ceramic sculptures, raku pottery and more will be featured; cider and cookies will be served Saturday and Dec. 22.

Call the gallery at (813) 875-0511 for information.

Correspondent Esther Hammer can be reached at (813) 835-2108 or ehammer@tampatrib.com.

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