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Tampa Artist Emporium Celebrates 1st Anniversary

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 9, 2008

TAMPA - TAMPA - The Tampa Artist Emporium in Hyde Park Village celebrates its first anniversary during its monthly art mixer at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Artists rent space at the emporium on a three-month basis, and owner Shelby Boggs welcomes each new crop with a reception that's part of the monthly mixer. This time around, world-renowned artist Robert Butler joins the incoming group of artists. Butler, president of the famed Florida Highwaymen, will be at the reception to sign any purchased work.

"We now have 67 artists; we are full," Boggs said. "And that includes the charity wall."

Every three months, Boggs provides free wall space to a local charity to display works by its clients. Through September, the wall spotlights the Literacy Through Photography program. Sponsored by the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, the children's outreach program provides photography classes for at-risk youngsters.

"This is a great opportunity for us," program director Sharon Joller said. "This is the first chance we've had to sell our work. Because of this exhibit, we're going to be able to market our program and provide some funding for it."

The free mixer features painting and sculpture demonstrations, food and drink, prizes donated by local businesses and art giveaways, as well as the chance to have a studio portrait taken by Daniel Goncalves.

When the emporium opened, the policy of renting space on a short-term basis to artists and letting them take the bulk of the profits from sales was a new concept in Tampa. Boggs said she modeled it after the Kress Emporium in Asheville, N.C.

A photographer, Boggs is busy running the Tampa emporium but would like to get back to creating art.

"I'm trying," she said.

These are uncertain times for her - the emporium is in a building slated for demolition.

"Right now, they the village owners are still in the process of figuring what they are doing," Boggs said. "We definitely know we are here until next year."

The emporium is at 1618 Snow Ave. Call (813) 254-3443 for information.

Contemporary Show Fills The Night In Ybor

Three local artists will stage a one-night exhibition of their works from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Friday in a new building at 1503 N. 19th St. in Ybor City.

The mixed bag of contemporary art and the makeshift gallery space will make for a night of avant-garde entertainment that includes refreshments.

Architect William Dobson and Paul Tabio will display their acrylic abstract paintings. Mark Hussey, who teaches metalwork at the Ybor Arts Center in Centennial Park, will show mixed media on wood panel works as well as small sculptures.

They expect to fill the approximately 700-square-foot, ground-floor space in the empty building, partly thanks to three or four large pieces by Dobson.

For information, e-mail Dobson at william.dobson

@rbk-arch.com.
Hyde Park Center Calls For Entrants

The Old Hyde Park Art Center and Tampa Realistic Artists are seeking entrants for a photography exhibit scheduled for Tuesday through

Aug. 1.

All photographic media, including computer-generated works, will be accepted in sizes no larger than 40 by 40 inches.

Ready-to-hang works will be received from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the center, 705 Swann Ave.

Also at the center, the "Dorfmuller Pastel, Drawing, Collage and Print" exhibit continues through Friday. Call (813) 251-3780 for details.

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

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