SEPT 15 • 8PM
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SEPT 30 • 8PM OCT 1 • 7:30PM OCT 3 • 8PM OCT 11 • 7PM OCT 12 • 8PM
OCT 18 • 7:30PM OCT 19 • 2PM
OCT 6 • 7:30PM OCT 24 • 7PM
The Art of Advocacy: Florida's Cultural Crossroads
By Markus Gottschlich, Executive Director, WADA
At its essence, advocacy is the art of speaking for those who cannot. It requires not just a voice but a commitment—unyielding and immediate. There is no luxury of time to ponder when the moment arrives; response is paramount, as any EMT will tell you, for inaction can be fatal.
In Florida, the arts community finds itself at a critical juncture, one that might be likened to an arterial bleed. The Governor’s recent veto of funding for arts nonprofits has sent shockwaves through the cultural landscape. This move, unprecedented in its scope, has ignited a debate that transcends the usual political dichotomies. Historically, governors from both sides of the political spectrum have either supported the arts or, at the very least, refrained from undermining them. The arts have never been the sole preserve of one ideology or another. Moreover, the notion that this veto reflects a flaw in the nonprofit business model is misguided. Nonprofits, particularly in the arts, have always walked a delicate balance between earned income and contributed revenue, a dance involving both public and private funds. The idea that ‘real art’ will naturally flourish under the invisible hand of the free market is, frankly, a fallacy. It is a charming fiction, but a fiction, nonetheless. Similarly, the belief that if we simply “take care of the art, the art will take care of us” portrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the relationship between art and commerce. Art, as history has shown us, has often relied on subsidies—be they from Dukes, the church, or the state. Without such support, the kind of artistic freedom that allows for true innovation is often impossible. When commercial viability becomes the sole arbiter of value, art risks losing its soul, becoming mere entertainment rather than a means of expression and reflection.
It is perhaps not surprising, then, that in an election year—particularly one as fraught as 2024—there would be a tendency to prioritize entertainment over art. Distraction is often more palatable than introspection. This phenomenon, sometimes referred to as the “lipstick effect,” describes the curious uptick in sales of small luxuries during hard times—a balm for the collective psyche. Yet if you think the arts community in Florida would quietly accept this fate, you haven’t been paying much attention. In St. Petersburg, the response has been anything but subdued. Arts organizations have mobilized with a speed and vigor that speaks to the gravity of the situation.
The Warehouse Arts District Association (WADA), in particular, has taken a leading role, not merely reacting but proactively positioning itself as a resource and advocate for artists and arts organizations. After all, it’s not a new stance for WADA; advocacy is built into its mission, the constant care for a sustainable environment for the arts is an ongoing concern.
The Governor’s veto on June 12 marked the beginning of a fight that the arts community did not seek, but one it cannot afford to retreat from. What’s at stake with the potential erosion of diverse arts and culture programming is nothing less than the soul and identity of a community—especially one as rich and kaleidoscopic as St. Petersburg’s. If cultural offerings fail to reflect the varied and diverse communities that comprise a place, that place becomes transient, a stopover rather than a home where roots can grow and a true sense of belonging can flourish. Lastly, it has been starkly reaffirmed that, despite what some might claim, art and its presentation are inherently political. If it wasn’t before in Florida, it certainly became so on June 12.
In the aftermath of this debacle, several truths have come into sharp focus. Art, like air or water, is often perceived as a free commodity. When something is provided for free long enough, convincing the public of its true value, or even asking for increased funding, becomes an uphill battle. It has also become clear that efforts to educate the public must go hand in hand with advocacy. “Free” is only free due to subsidies; there remains, as always, “no free lunch.”
Ultimately, advocacy, like leadership, demands the courage to do what is right when the moment calls for it. It requires a form of activism—a readiness to stand up, to speak out, and to act when the stakes are highest. True advocacy is not opportunism dressed in the guise of altruism; it demands authenticity and an unwavering commitment to the cause. Much of the cultural tapestry of St. Petersburg is woven by nonprofits that tirelessly pursue noble missions and worthy causes. These organizations are the backbone of the ecosystem that justifies St. Pete’s claim to being a “City of the Arts.” Therefore, advocacy means that we must support the supporters. •
BRIDGING THE GAP
Replacing lost funding for the arts in Florida can be challenging! FUNDING OPTIONS FOR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
The Artisan Magazine
Private Donations and Sponsorships:
Launch fundraising campaigns targeting individuals, foundations, and corporations. Develop relationships with philanthropists who have an interest in the arts. Encourage local businesses to sponsor arts events and programs.
Partnerships:
Collaborate with other nonprofits and community organizations to share resources and reduce costs. Partner with educational institutions for joint programs and funding opportunities.
Grants:
Apply for grants from national and international foundations that support the arts. Seek out new grant opportunities from private foundations and government agencies.
Crowdfunding:
Use platforms like Kickstarter, GoFundMe, or Patreon to raise funds for specific projects. Engage the community in funding drives by offering rewards or recognition for contributions.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programs:
Engage with corporations that have CSR programs to fund arts initiatives. Propose arts projects that align with the company’s values and CSR goals.
Ticket Sales and Memberships:
Increase revenue through ticket sales for performances, exhibitions, and events. Develop membership programs that offer exclusive benefits to members in exchange for their financial support.
Merchandising:
Create and sell merchandise related to arts organizations, events, or specific artists. Offer limited edition prints, apparel, or other items that can generate additional revenue.
Fundraising Events:
Organize galas, auctions, and benefit concerts to raise funds. Host community events that encourage donations, such as art fairs or charity runs.
Advocacy:
Advocate for local, state, and federal government support for the arts. Mobilize the community to support arts funding through petitions, letter-writing campaigns, and public hearings.
Earned Income:
Develop income-generating programs such as art classes, workshops, and camps. Rent out spaces for private events or use them for commercial purposes when not in use for arts programming.
Endowments:
Create or grow endowments to provide a steady stream of income for arts organizations. Encourage major donors to contribute to endowment funds.
Volunteer Support:
Utilize volunteers to reduce costs associated with staffing and operations. Engage the community in volunteer opportunities that support arts programs.
By diversifying funding sources and building strong community and corporate partnerships, Florida can create a more resilient financial foundation for its arts organizations and programs. •
Zhanna Thomas
6634 Central Ave St Pete
www.ZhannaThomas.com
www.ZTGallery.com 727-610-7221
Welcome Zhanna Thomas and ZT Gallery - St Pete
Zhanna Thomas is a contemporary Abstract & Expressionist artist best known for her use of vibrant colors and creative process. Her richly layered art embodies her natural curiosity, while her experimentation with textures and materials provide interesting expressions of her passion.
The vision at ZT Gallery Contemporary Art gallery is to become a leading art institution, recognized for their commitment to promoting creativity, artistic expression, and cultural exchange. They strive to inspire and engage audiences through thought-provoking exhibitions, educational programs, and community outreach.
Seeds of Inspiration Blossom at Brenda McMahon Gallery this October
Ceramic
artist and gallery owner Brenda McMahon's transformative five-week residency in Vallauris, France this summer offered her the opportunity to dive into work she says has been simmering inside for more than a decade. On Friday, October 4th, McMahon will unveil the first fruits of her residency at Inspirations from France: The Seeds of Vallauris Take Form, a breathtaking exhibition that marks her first solo show in her acclaimed namesake gallery. The event lasts from 6-9 pm at Brenda McMahon Gallery and will serve as the centerpiece of a monthlong fundraiser in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Says McMahon: “My new work is exploring 3 directions, sculptural vessels as well as figurative expressions. I understand this is the beginning, an opening which I have given myself permission to nurture.”
2901 Beach Boulevard S, #104 Gulfport, FL
ST. PETERSBURG’S SHINE MURAL FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 10th ANNIVERSARY
The SHINE Mural
Festival will celebrate its 10th Anniversary from October 11-20, 2024. Located in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, the annual event is free and open to the public and presented by Reflection St. Pete. The opening reception will take place on Friday, October 11th from 5-8 pm at 719 Central Avenue.
Located in the heart of downtown, Reflection is St. Pete’s newest luxury condominium tower and overlooks Mirror Lake with 88 “homes in the sky.” Located at 777 3rd Avenue North Street, a unique mural will be created on the building by an internationally acclaimed artist. The mural will not only highlight
Imagine Museum Extends Louis Markoya Show through 2024
Due to overwhelming popularity, the Louis Markoya show at the IMAGINE Museum has been extended through the end of the this year. Stop by anytime to see the most advanced 3D anywhere
1901 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg, FL
October 11-20, 2024 FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
the unique architectural detail of angled walls along the west side of the building but salutes the overall arts culture that makes St. Petersburg so special.
Visitors are invited to watch live as 15 new murals come to life from a curated group of local, national, and international muralists. Create your own self-guided route, participate in one of the daily trolley tours offered through Star Trolley or experience the art up close with a walking or biking tour with Florida CraftArt.
Launch into SHINE week with a special group art exhibition at the Morean Arts Center, featuring over 100 SHINE artists dating back to
2015. A festival retrospective of sorts, see the impressive collection of work from the artists that have transformed the streets of St. Petersburg into a globally recognized destination for mural art.
As the final brush strokes dry on walls across the city, experience an epic street art party at FloridaRAMA (formerly Fairgrounds/ Factory St. Pete) featuring a solo show and book release by 2023 artist Chris Dyer, custom installations from 2021 artists Ricky Watts and Nicole Salgar, DJ and special performance by Woes Martin and puppeteers of The Mighty Giants, Giano Currie’s interactive photography experience
After Hours Photoshoot and more. A limited number of VIP tickets will be available for purchase. Closing event is Saturday, October 19 from 7-10PM, 2606 Fairfield Ave South.
For full event details visit www.shinemuralfest. com, follow on IG & FB at @shineonstpete & @ stpeteartsalliance #shineonstpete
Learn more about Title Sponsor Reflection St. Pete at www.reflectionstpete.com and @ reflectionstpete on Instagram. Additional support for SHINE 10 is provided by City of St. Petersburg and other generous sponsors. Sponsorship opportunities are still available.
Arts Alive!
Free Museum Day
The St. Petersburg Arts Alliance is delighted to share that the City of Museums will have FREE admission on Saturday, September 21st.
The Dali Museum
The Museum of Fine Arts St. Pete
The James Museum
Imagine Museum
Museum of Motherhood
The Woodson African American
Museum of Florida
St. Petersburg Museum of History
To learn more about the museums:
DRV
Gallery
Hosts a Journey into Art to Open its Third Season of Creative Excellence
In just two years DRV Gallery has become a destination for art lovers throughout the state. Through monthly artist showcases and live musical performances, emerging and professional artists have been introduced to the local arts scene, and the gallery’s monthly artist-led workshops have opened the possibilities of art to all comers.
“My vision for the gallery in our third season is to enrich the experiences of our current customers and to gain the affection of art lovers who have not visited us yet,” says gallery owner and award-winning painter Deserie Valloreo.
On Friday, October 4th, from 5:30 – 8:30 PM, DRV Gallery will launch its third season with Journey into Art, a solo exhibition of works by painter David Hosler, alongside live music by multi-instrumentalist Jim Gilmour and drummer Joey Interrante. The event is free and open to the public.
5401 Gulfport Blvd., Gulfport, FL
DREW MARC GALLERY & STUDIOS
Drew Marc Gallery is moving to Tampa, while opening artist studios in Saint Petersburg.
COMING SOON FALL 2024
Drew Marc Gallery EXPANDS to Tampa! New gallery, located on South MacDill Ave. will open its doors in FALL 2024.
Drew Marc Studios will provide luxury Artist Studios for the city's best artists to create, develop, and polish their skills.
PLAYBILL PREVIEWS
MAHAFFEY THEATER
(ST. PETERSBURG)
DON QUIXOTE
October 6
STAGEWORKS THEATER (TAMPA)
WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME
CARROLLWOOD PLAYERS (TAMPA)
ANNIE
September 6-28
What
International Ballet of Florida presents an original production of Don Quixote. Set to Ludwig Minkus's virtuoso score, this performance features incredible guest artists, including Prima Ballerina Olesia Shaytanova and Principal Dancer Jonas Laucius of the Lithuanian National Ballet as Kitri and Basilio. Denys Nedak, Principal Dancer of Atlanta Ballet and People's Artist of Ukraine, stars as Espada, alongside many other international talents. In Don Quixote, Kitri, the innkeeper's fiery daughter, and the penniless barber Basilio defy her father's wishes, flee together, encounter adventures and colorful characters, and ultimately reunite for a celebratory wedding.
URBANITE THEATRE (SARASOTA)
2024 MODERN WORKS FESTIVAL
September 4-8
Returning for its fifth year, the Modern Works Festival is a five-day celebration of women in theatre, featuring a playwriting contest and reading festival. Three finalists, chosen by a panel of play readers, will showcase their work in staged readings, culminating in an audience roundtable discussion where Festival Passholders can vote for their favorite, awarding the winner a $3,200 prize. Beyond the finalists' readings, Passholders can enjoy access to the Festival's opening and closing events, insightful panel discussions with women in theatre, guest playwright talks, and much more.
September 27 – October 13
Thethe Constitution Means to Me is a powerful play by Heidi Schreck that blends personal history with a deep dive into the U.S. Constitution. At fifteen, Schreck earned her college tuition by winning nationwide debate competitions. Now, she revisits these debates to tell the story of four generations of women in her family, whose lives were profoundly shaped by the Constitution. Set in an American Legion Hall, Schreck alternates between her teenage self and her present-day perspective, exploring themes like women's rights, immigration, and domestic abuse while critically examining the Constitution's limitations and its impact on all Americans.
OnAMERICAN STAGE (ST.
PETERSBURG)
RING OF FIRE
September 25 – October 20
a sultry summer night in the American South, the air buzzes with anticipation as the stage lights dim and the first chords of a familiar tune resonate. This is the setting for Ring of Fire. This jukebox musical takes audiences on a thrilling journey through the music of Johnny Cash, one of America's most legendary singer-songwriters. Through a series of evocative vignettes, the show captures the essence of 20th-century rural America, portraying its struggles, triumphs, and the loves lost and found. Without ever impersonating Cash, his extraordinary life story unfolds through his music, culminating in a concert that promises to both move and exhilarate.
irrepressible comic strip heroine Annie takes center stage in one of the world's most beloved musicals, winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. With a blend of pluck and positivity, Little Orphan Annie captures hearts despite her humble beginnings in 1930s New York City.
Determined to find the parents who abandoned her at a cruel orphanage run by Miss Hannigan, Annie escapes with the help of her fellow orphans to the wondrous world of NYC. Through a series of fun-filled adventures, she thwarts Miss Hannigan's schemes, befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and finds a new family with billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his secretary Grace Farrell, and a lovable dog named Sandy.
VAN WEZEL (SARASOTA)
THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF GEORGE MICHAEL
October 20
TheLife and Music of George Michael takes fans on a captivating journey through his incredible legacy, featuring beloved hits like "Wake Me Up Before You GoGo," "Freedom," "Faith," "Careless Whisper," and "Father Figure." Celebrating one of the biggest international stars, this show highlights Michael's rise to fame with Wham! in the early '80s and his successful solo career, marked by the iconic album "Faith," which produced four number-one hits and contributed to his over 115 million albums sold.
OWNER
Zhanna Thomas
Georgy Kurasov
Zhanna Thomas
ONE-ON-ONE WITH STAN ZIMMERMAN
AN INTERVIEW WITH A QUINTUPLE THREAT: PLAYWRIGHT, AUTHOR, DIRECTOR, PRODUCER, ACTOR
CELEBRATION OF THE POWER OF THE ARTS AT POWERSTORIES THEATRE
September 20-21, 2024 www.powerstories.com/arts-celebration-2024
You may recognize the name from television and film connected to Gilmore Girls, Golden Girls, Roseanne, or Brady Bunch movies, or his book, The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore, but Hollywood's Stan Zimmerman has a special place in his heart for live theatre.
Zimmerman reflects on his extensive television and film career, shares insights with The Artisan Magazine about his poignant play right before i go, inspired by a friend's tragic suicide, and discusses his latest book.
The Golden Girls tackled many social issues with humor and sensitivity. How did you balance these elements in your writing?
As staff writers on Season 1 of Golden Girls, we were told they didn't want the episodes to feel like Facts of Life issue of the week. They wanted us to tell important but truthful stories that would feel organic for the four female characters and their age bracket.
How did your experience on Golden Girls influence your later work on Gilmore Girls?
Golden Girls was kind of a Writing 101 class for us. We learned from the experienced writers we spent every day with, but I credit Rue McClanahan for teaching us about honestly exploring sitcom characters in all their complexities. She walked over to us on one of our first days on set and asked us to really challenge the character of Blanche. That's how we came up with the "Adult Education" episode when Blanche had to deal with sexual harassment from her college professor. We took that lesson onto all the shows we worked on for the rest of our careers.
How did you approach writing for the fast-paced, witty dialogue Gilmore Girls is known for?
I found consuming large amounts of coffee, much like the residents of
Stars Hollow, helped in writing so many words for Gilmore Girls. Hour shows usually work out to one minute per page. Gilmore Girls scripts would sometimes reach more than 90 pages.
What do you think is the legacy of Gilmore Girls in the landscape of television today?
I believe the legacy of Gilmore Girls is that audiences are not scared of complex, multi-layered storylines. And that the world is starved for shows that mothers and daughters can sit down together and watch. A true shared experience.
Roseanne had such early proLGBTQ representation, including a same-sex kiss and a gay wedding. How did you approach writing these groundbreaking episodes, and what was the reaction from the network and the audience when Roseanne aired these episodes?
How do you think the representation in Roseanne influenced other T.V. shows and the broader media landscape?
I don't believe we would have had the Ellen sitcom or Will & Grace without Roseanne. And we wouldn't have had Roseanne without Soap, All in the Family, or Love, Sidney. We all stand on the shoulders of strong artists before us.
How did you transition from writing for television to playwriting?
I first started directing theatre right after our stint on Gilmore Girls. I loved directing published plays because no re-writing was involved. I just had to interpret the finished script. That is until Broadway producer Larry Hirschhorn, urged me to start writing for theatre. Now I can't stop!
By Deborah Bostock-Kelley
Jim and I wrote the infamous lesbian kiss episode for Roseanne. Using what Rue McClanahan taught us, we were challenging the "Roseanne Conner" character, who thought she was so cool until she was kissed by a woman. I also must give credit to Roseanne and her (then) husband, Tom Arnold. They fought the network, who did not want us to write or film that episode. Tom and Roseanne threatened to buy the episode back and pay for time on HBO. Luckily, ABC agreed to air it. Shockingly, the next day, we had huge ratings, and the world didn't explode.
What inspired your poignant play right before i go first performed in 2015, with talkbacks following each performance?
With the death of my very close friend Kevin Gill by suicide, I saw there was so much shame around the topic. But I first thought I'm a comedy writer; how can I tackle a subject as serious as this? And then I thought, no, my perspective is an important one, and I also started searching online for real suicide notes because I wanted to know why he did what he did. I couldn't get ahold of the note he had sent to his ex-boyfriend, and I was mentioned in the note, so I thought maybe these other notes would give
me the answers to why. I just googled, and suddenly, I got Kurt Cobain, war veterans, and Virginia Woolf, and I would copy and paste them and put them in a folder. Then all of a sudden, I thought this was a play like Vagina Monologues or Love Letters with four actors on stools with music stands…. I found out more people our age have a problem talking about suicide. Young people are used to dealing with stuff like this because they're out there communicating, reading, seeing everything, going to school, and not knowing if they'll come home alive. They would keep me out on the street talking about the play for an hour. They just wanted to talk about it, and that's when I knew that I had something.
Lastly, what inspired you to write your new book, The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore, and what do you hope they will take away from reading it?
I wanted to answer the question I keep getting about how, as a man, I can write for women. I also wanted to celebrate all of the wonderful women I've worked with during my long career. And the wonderful women in my life outside of show business. Especially my mom, who was my biggest fan.
I hope people come away from my book, seeing how, through perseverance and hard work, you can get past the tough times of constant "no's" and rejection. I also want the readers to know how important it is to celebrate your uniqueness, no matter what field of work you go into. Really, just in life. •
Deborah is a Tampa native and University of Tampa alumna, is a new columnist for The Artisan Magazine, a Watermark Online, a Florida Women Magazine reporter, and a Broadway World – Tampa theatre reviewer.
Stan Zimmerman
Katharine Hepburn once said of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, “He gives her class, and she gives him sex”— meaning, of course, sexual appeal. In the case of Nate Najar and Daniela Soledade, each, individually, has plenty of both. Together, however, they are a magnetic musical duo with a mellow bossa nova vibe. A match made in musical heaven, the two found each other in 2018, and their paths have been intertwined ever since, both on stage and off.
Daniela Soledade was born into a well-known, musical family in Brazil. Her grandfather was a respected composer and impresario. Her father, continuing in his father’s footsteps, added performing and recording to his musical talents. Also, being a producer at Globo, Brazils major TV network, that meant little Daniela, as early as age ten, was being called in to the studio whenever a child’s voice was needed. At thirteen, she was enrolled in the Villa-Lobos Conservatory where she learned music theory and studied flute, necessary in her family. In Rio, at social gatherings, everyone contributed by playing an instrument.
At sixteen, a move to the U.S. with her mother, then divorced, meant a break from the conservatory. Trying to find her way in her new home of Tampa, and not yet fluent in English, at social gatherings Daniela did what was familiar. She pulled out her guitar. One day, she passed by the High School band room. Finally, she was truly home. Soon she was marching in a traditional band uniform, happily playing her flute. A lover of the outdoors, a degree in environmental science seemed the practical choice for college, but music was always pulling at her. A few years in the field, not in nature, but in offices, designing water treatment plants, made her re-examine the life she had chosen. By now, she had two children. She bided her time until nursing her youngest had ended. When her daughter reached thirteen months that moment came. It was time to make music her career. But how? A serendipitous introduction by a close friend came as if the universe had decided to help put her dreams in place. She was introduced to Nate Najar, already an experienced guitarist and producer. He knew the ropes of the business. Nate Najar claims he has always lived on Fifth Avenue. Not the posh, New York, Easter route for parading one’s fashions, but the Fifth Ave in downtown St. Pete. He was born on one block of it and in later life moved to another. A vivid local memory from childhood were the trips with his grandmother to Maas Brothers depart-
ment store, strolling through the men’s department to reach the first floor, corner, donut shop. Another, more impactful memory was when his music teacher, Mr. Van Landingham, took an interest in young Nate, and upon departing St Pete high school, left behind a box of vinyl LPs for his student. The box held a treasure trove of jazz musicians from Duke Ellington to Art Blakey. Nate, the rock and roller, was hooked. Something in those jazz rhythms and sounds reached him.
Already knowing that the guitar was for him, he set off early on a musical journey, having the insight to know that experience, not college, was the way to his musical dream. Arbors Records, a significant jazz label in Clearwater, was the equivalent of college for Nate. He was always there hanging out, to listen, to learn from the famous artists who came in to record. With requests from Nate, Bucky Pizzarelli gave him a lesson when in town. At sixteen, in his 1986 Lincoln Town car, he rode around St Pete and environs looking and listening for music venues, asking if he could “sit in.” He still marvels at how many professionals allowed a green teen to take on a few tunes, and with their own instruments! One generous musician was Tommy Patten, who glibly handed sixteen-year-old Nate his Gibson Johnny Smith guitar for a sit-in with Tampa Bay’s legendary Shawn Brown. Early on, Nate was learning from the best. Great jazz pianist, Jerry Libby, hired Nate for a three-year, five night a week gig at St Pete’s Tycoon’s Jazz club, sadly, a lost venue. Nate’s range of ability was stretching from jazz to classical guitar, and to Luther Van Dross, when Shawn Brown grabbed him for a regular gig some years after their first encounter. One teacher in later years, making indelible imprints on Nate in their ten-year relationship, as mentor and then as colleagues, is the renowned bassist and pianist, John Lamb. Apart from his influencing many local musicians in his role as educator, legendary Lamb’s impressive resume includes a few years with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, live and on recordings, which led to other gigs with other jazz greats.
Nate, seemingly born with an entrepreneurial spirt, decided he wanted to record. Confident and ready, he sent his recordings to jazz radio stations, more plentiful at the time. He spread his wings, getting gigs across the states in places like New York and Washington. Nate has been the artistic advisor for the Suncoast Jazz Festival for many years, drawing well known musicians to Sand Key, an indication of his respected
By Donna Sorbello
Nate Najar & Daniela Soledade
MANETIC DUO WITH MELLOW BOSSA NOVA VIBE
Bossa Nova
Listen
talent and musical wisdom.
Nate always returned home to St Pete where, in 2018, the providential meeting between musically experienced Nate Najar, met beautiful, Brazilian, aspiring songstress, Daniela Soledade. Daniela was looking for a guitarist familiar with Brazilian music. A respected friend assured her Nate was the real deal. Nate, in talking of that time, said that A Moment of You, that first record he produced for Daniela, is the recording he is most proud of. There is nothing on that recording he says that he wishes he had done differently. A rare statement for most high achievers, especially when considering the years of producing he has done since. It also says something about the connection these two artists had from the start.
Somewhere along the way, doing gigs, recording, Nate on gui-
Redd, a percussionist, starting a weekly jazz cafe at the Smithsonian, brought that idea to the Palladium. What is now The Side Door, was, at that time, a large, open room. With no lights, no stage, no chairs, nor tables, a jazz series was born. Chairs were rented. Eventually lights came. Local greats like saxophonist Jeremy Carter, drummer and pianist, John Jenkins, and aforementioned, John Lamb, all got to be heard and appreciated. Touring jazz musicians like Chuck Redd, saxophonist Harry Allen, and pianist Ray Kennedy, helped establish the Side Door as a venue “on the circuit.” I know, firsthand, the Side Door can feel wild and joyous. Nate gratefully delights in that for eighteen years; folks have kept coming to the Palladium to hear Nate Najars Jazz Holiday. The Palladium has helped develop, and continues to bring, world-class talent both local and from afar, to its
...she likes to rehearse, ”alot” piped in Nate, and Nate, with his jazz roots, is content being more improvisational.
tar, Soledade on guitar and vocals, Daniela started feeling a sensation in her chest. She googled it.
Google told her she was in love. Nate, at just about the same time, remarked to Daniela that he was feeling something a little odd. She, now knowledgeable, said, “It’s that you’re in love. I googled it.” They have been together ever since, recording, making videos, traveling across the states, and last year, on a European tour. They will return to a few of those previously sold-out venues in Paris and London, next year, adding the Isle of Wight Jazz Weekend to the mix.
Nate, remaining in the area despite intermittent touring, is very cognizant of how the jazz scene has wavered and developed in his hometown, and how that has had an effect on jazz throughout Tampa Bay. Studio 620 and the Palladium, he feels, have been major factors in that development. The significance of Jazz at the Palladium grew at varying times under the efforts of Rick Gee, Bill Hough, Mark Spano, Dar Webb and of late, Paul Wilborn, a skilled pianist and singer himself, who is a bit of a local impresario wunderkind. Nate, early on, inspired by fellow musician Chuck
LISTEN
two stages. September seventh the ticket at the Palladium will be Daniela Soledade ‘Brazilian Dream’ with the Nate Najar Quintet, featuring Patrick Bettison on keyboard and harmonica, Joe Porter on bass, Carl Amundson on electric guitar, and, respected Brazilian drummer, Claudio Infante. A good time to catch Nate and Daniela since they fly to Paris for a return gig the next a.m. They’ll be back in St. Pete at Seven C Music on November 1st, with their Love and Bossa Nova Duet, and at the Suncoast Jazz Festival in Sand Key on November 22nd. Studio 620, developed under the astute guidance of local Icon, Bob Devin Jones has proved a different kind of opportunity for many musicians. Nate and John Lamb have performed there for years, developing musical pieces and testing styles in its small, relaxed space. Musician-composer Simon Lansky, and others, have been able to test out new material in front of an audience before recording. Fans at 620 have the opportunity to see respected musicians and discover those they’ve never heard of, in an intimate setting where they can reach out and touch the sound.
Both Daniela’s and Nate's past
journeys have informed their musical collaborations. One difference between them is that she likes to rehearse, ”alot” piped in Nate, and Nate, with his jazz roots, is content being more improvisational. Daniela says she sings with intention. She feels music is healing. She wants her audience to relinquish differences. I frequent jazz clubs and concerts for the sound, the thrill that goes through me. When I’m feeling the music, I’m in love, though not the same “in love” that Daniela googled. Whether it makes me feel joyous or melancholy, I agree with Soledade that music’s power is to bring us together. Done well, everyone is feeling at least a bit of the same thing. Nate, in agreement, picks up his guitar and plays four individual strings of a single chord, oddly heartbreaking, and we three immediately melt.
So, as for class and sexiness; Longhaired Daniela is sexy in her leanness, and clear, mesmerizing vocal tones. The colorful Brazilian-inspired clothes she
wears now against her tawny skin are a far cry from the boxy traditional suit, complete with epaulettes, of her band years. Nate, long and lanky, surely influenced by those strolls through Maas Brothers men’s department, is sometimes in jeans, but looking dapper with a hat cocked on his head. Often, he performs in beautifully tailored suits. When he plays, he hugs his guitar, revealing the tenderness of a lover. The variations in his style, and the nuanced skill of his diverse and intricate fingering and chords, can hold you, suspend you. Daniela says that their touring to Portugal, Italy, and other places, is like being on a continuous honeymoon. They are in love, doing something they love. They love the music they are making together. As for the class half of the equation, with their blended Virgo sensibilities, their thoughtful approach to the music they share, and the respect they have for each other, there is no doubt but that they are a class act. •
The Impact of Giving to the Arts: Going Beyond the Check Can You Put a Price on Inspiring Youth in Art Education?
By Terri Hall
With the recent budget cuts for arts funding in the state of Florida, it's crucial to ask: how can we keep the arts thriving in our community? This question came to mind when one of the organizations we work with recently was awarded a generous donation earmarked for youth education in the performing arts. This prompted me to reflect on the true impact of such contributions. Do people stop and think about the profound effects that these funds have on others? We attend these events, and witness the checks being handed over, but do we truly grasp who benefits and how?
In June, the St. Pete Women's Chamber of Commerce presented their donation to the Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts. This act of generosity is commendable, but I often wonder if those who made this donation fully understand the positive ripple effect it creates. It's easy to see it as a noble gesture, and indeed, every dollar counts. However, it's crucial for those involved to recognize the tangible gains for the recipients – the students, the teachers, parents, families and those behind the scenes making it all happen, from scheduling to organizing and paying for school buses and performances.
Since Bill Edwards took over Class Acts program in 2011, more than 250,000 school children have experienced a wide variety of arts at the Mahaffey Theater, all free of charge. The primary goal of the Class Acts Program is to provide access to student groups facing economic challenges by offering complimentary admission to live performances and arts festivals along with transportation scholarships.
“One of the things that struck me immediately about Bill Edwards is his unwavering commitment to making arts and entertainment a vital part of our community,” said Amy Miller,
President of Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts. “Bill doesn’t just talk. He founded this organization with a profound conviction to provide arts access and make a positive impact through these programs. This is why I believe it’s so important to support his legacy and the foundation’s efforts.”
Are the real impacts of these donations getting lost in the process?
Consider this: the funds provided don't just contribute to an abstract idea of 'arts education.' They enable students to access transformative experiences, foster creativity, and build confidence. Teachers receive resources, guides, and support, which enhance their ability to inspire and educate. The logistical team ensures that each performance is a seamless and enriching cultural experience for both the audience and the young performers.
But a recent research project done in 42 elementary and middle schools in Houston, which was co-directed by Dr. Kisida and Daniel H. Bowen, a professor who teaches education policy at Texas A&M, is the first of its kind to do just that. Their research found that students who had increased arts education experiences saw improve-
ments in writing achievement, emotional and cognitive empathy, school engagement, and higher education aspirations, while they had a lower incidence of disciplinary infractions.
What are the challenges in assessing inspiration?
The positive outcomes extend far beyond the immediate beneficiaries.
Communities are enriched as a whole when their youth are engaged in the arts. These programs cultivate future leaders, innovators, and artists who will continue to contribute to society in meaningful ways.
For kids in low-income neighborhoods, where residents may have less access to art and cultural resources that can improve their quality of life, school arts programs are especially important. An analysis from the National Endowment for the Arts, drawing on data from four longitudinal studies, found that students with high levels of arts involvement had more positive outcomes in a variety of areas, from high school graduation rates to civic participation.
“With arts funding being on the front lines of budget cuts, it’s more important than ever for our community donors, sponsors, and leaders to understand the full impact these bud-
get cuts have on our school children,” said Bill Edwards, Founder & CEO of the foundation that bears his name.
“They want us to be inclusive, diverse, and accessible - but how are we supposed to accomplish that since these programs, performances as well as staff have a cost associated with accomplishing this?”
In short, it's not just about the check. It's about understanding and appreciating the cascade of benefits that follow. It's about seeing the faces of the students who light up with new opportunities, the teachers who feel supported, and the behind-the-scenes staff who work tirelessly to make each event a success.
Bill Edwards laid a generous cornerstone by seeding the foundation with an initial $1 million donation. "In today's evolving cultural landscape, relying on community support has become more crucial than ever to sustain and grow these vital artistic initiatives," said Edwards.
So next time you witness a donation being made, take a moment to think about its journey. Imagine the classrooms filled with eager learners, the stages graced by young talent, and the community blossoming. The impact is profound and far-reaching, deserving of more than just a passing glance. •
Scan Here to find out more:
https://youtu.be/RQP3VYaE_VI?si=1T9OFA48ULRERW_F
Special thanks to the St. Pete Women’s Chamber of Commerce and all the generous donors and volunteers. Your contributions have an immeasurable impact on our future generations!
2901 Beach Blvd. South, Gulfport, FL
BrendaMcMahonGallery.com
727.454.0453
Open 6 days a week @brendamcmahongallery E Q
d-gallerie contemporary art
We are a third generation contemporary art gallery located in St. Petersburg’s Uptown Art District.
D-Gallerie serves both seasoned and aspiring collectors by showcasing original contemporary artworks of over 50 international, national, and local established and up-and-coming artists.
At D-Gallerie we strive to always provide personalized customer service, honesty, and commitment to quality art. D-Gallerie is a place that helps collectors curate their own spaces so they feel good wherever they are, invest confidently, and buy what they love.
Upcoming Exhibitions:
September - Beyond Black & White by Kelly Aldridge October - Vivid Voyages: The Art of Ruth Mulvie
contact: info@d-gallerie.com shop: www.d-gallerie.com visit us: 1234 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N. St. Petersburg, FL. 33705
Flute & Dram, St. Petersburg Credit: Patricia Kluwe Derderian
Ceramics • Painting • Jewelry • Glass BMG
Enn Ye Collection /Gallery
EnnYe Collection was founded in 2016 by Zimbabwean sisters Matipa Mutsemi and Mercy Nyamangwanda, as a clothing brand. Named after their mother, Enny, EnnYe creates contemporary clothing, accessories and home accents using vibrant African print fabric sourced from Zimbabwe. EnnYe’s clothing, which represents wearable art, has been featured in Milan Fashion Week, Forbes, the New York Observer, and various Tampa Bay and St Petersburg publications. EnnYe has recently been invited to the New York Fashion Week in September 2024.
In 2023, EnnYe expanded its brand to include Shona stone sculptures unique to the Shona tribe of Zimbabwe. At the heart of EnnYe is a Shona Stone Sculpture Gallery which features unique stone sculptures made by both emerging and world renowned Zimbabwean sculptors of the Shona tribe. “Zimbabwe”, which means “House of Stone”,
to make ends meet in a typical third world nation. Vini travels yearly to find emerging artists and foster solid relationships with legendary ones too. Showcasing the artists’ work to the world, and publicizing amazing pieces of art, opens opportunities for the stories of these artists to be told. EnnYe also works hard to bring a different artist every year who gets an opportunity to demonstrate the skill of creating various pieces of art from a block of stone, using only hand tools. Different thought-provoking subject matters are communicated and unveiled from a block of stone. From abstract to animal pieces, this endeavor opens an opportunity for an artist to provide for their family. These exhibits are also educational for the audience, particularly art lovers. Topics of animal conservation, preservation and cultural or socio-economic issues bring us together as we realize how we are all interdependent as people. 300
is home to various precious and semi-precious stones such as Opalstone, Serpentine Stone, Leopard Rock, Lepidolite, Butter Jade, Rose Quartz, Springstone, Dolomite, among others. Shona sculptures are a pride of the Shona people and EnnYe has established close and personal relationships with each sculptor represented in the EnnYe gallery. The goal is to bring awareness to the Shona culture and celebrate the talent of these Zimbabwean artists.
THE GALLERY
The Stone Sculpture Gallery is managed by Vini Mutsemi, who is the Exhibition Director and Matipa’s husband and business partner. Being of the Shona tribe, and also having a genuine interest in stone sculptures, Vini is well versed in the art of sculpting as it relates to Zimbabwe. The Shona Stone Sculpture gallery has also become personal for our brand. In an altruistic way, EnnYe feels obligated to give back to these many artists, who are struggling
VINI AND MATIPA’S STORY
Vini and Matipa met in high school in Mutare, Zimbabwe where they became very good friends. Matipa then transferred to another high school, and the two lost contact with each other for eight years. During those eight years, Vini moved back to the United States (he was born in Atlanta, GA while his parents attended graduate school, but was raised in Zimbabwe) and earned his BA at the University of West Florida then an MBA at the University of Texas, Dallas. As fate would have it, Matipa was in Dallas TX attending Southern Methodist University where she earned a BBA in Finance. It was only a matter of time before the two met and rekindled their friendship. Vini and Matipa married in 2007, moved briefly to Miami where Matipa attended law school, then to Washington DC, and eventually settled in Saint
Petersburg, Florida. They are parents to a five-year old daughter, Madai, who will typically greet you at the gallery and remind you to call her if you need any help. They recently celebrated their 17 year anniversary this past August.
MERCY’S STORY
Mercy, the brand’s co-founding sister resides in San Francisco. She is often seen in the EnnYe store every few months on some of her visits but her super power is branding and fabric sourcing. She is the business behind the business. Most of the fabric seen within the store was carefully selected by Mercy, who travels to Zimbabwe to source vibrant prints for the brand. Outside of being a business woman, she is a nurse practitioner, who also attended the University of Texas for her BSN and MSN NP degrees. Most important job by far is being a doting aunt to Madai. •
Two Scoops For Bette, 30” x 40” currently on display in City of Dunedin - City Hall
Kirk Ke Wang
More and more often these days the Tampa Bay region can claim artists who are internationally esteemed. Kirk Ke Wang has established himself not only locally, but significantly throughout the world. His paintings have been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Museum of Art in Beijing, and the Dr. Sun YetSen National Gallery of Taiwan in Taipei, among many others.
Born in Shanghai, China, Wang’s early life has played a crucial role in shaping his artistic sensibilities. His work is characterized by an intricate use of color, patterns, and symbolism. His unique multiculturalism is reflected in the blend of Eastern and Western sensibilities witnessed in everything he applies himself to. He is a successful painter, sculptor, photographer, mixed media artist, and educator.
Wang lived briefly in a labor camp with his parents during the cultural revolution in China. At age 16 he attended the Nanjing Normal University acquiring a MFA and became an assistant professor of art all by the age of 20 years old. After winning a Bronze medal from the Cultural Ministry of China in a national art competition
he was given a scholarship to study abroad. A brief stint at the Art Institute of Chicago, was followed by the achievement of a second MFA from the University of South Florida. He has now called the Tampa Bay region his home for 38 years.
The most striking features of Wang’s paintings are his masterful use of color and his layering of sometimes hidden motifs with modern expressions. Often dealing with political issues and personal commentary, his boldly patterned paintings and collages reflect his intellectual and critical manner of thinking.
A series called “Human Skins” reflects on the experience of environmental degradation and the human suffering that accompanies it. He collected clothes from immigrants and incorporates them into the paintings to represent the social skins everyone is forced to carry with them and present to the world. The layers and colors differ greatly from collage to collage, just as the colors of flesh are innumerable.
His “Snow in September” series is based on images from the September 11th, 2001 World Trade Center attacks. Painting over images from
By Robin O'Dell
9/11 and adding bits of white fabric, the works present as deceptively optimistic images. The title of the series refers to an ancient Chinese play about injustice and wrongful death and the clothes represents the innocent lives lost. The contrast of image and idea forces one to contemplate the deeper meaning and how snow can be a metaphor for heaven but also for loss.
Kirk Ke Wang is currently a Professor of Art at Eckerd College and serves on the board at the Ringling Museum of Art as well as the Public Art Committee for the City of Tampa. His work is now featured in the “Skyway Contemporary Art Exhibition” at the Sarasota Art Museum exhibiting July 28 through October 27th.
His advice for emerging artists? “Stay focused. Always ask yourself what’s the difference between your work and many other talented artists’. If you can identify and stick with the difference, the opportunity will come.” This is good advice from an artist who presents work that is both beautiful and poignant. Traditional and modern, Wang’s carefully constructed canvases are truly unique and reflective of his lifetime of concentrated focus on presenting ideas in layered and truly unexpected ways. •
Human Skins
Kirk Ke Wang
Snow in September
Duncan McClellan’s Bold New Chapter:
A story of vision, legacy,
and renewal prepares for a new phase.
By Antonio Permuy
Duncan McClellan has established one of the most beloved arts hubs in Tampa Bay. The glass art pioneer is now marking the 15th anniversary of Duncan McClellan Gallery with the announcement of a new chapter in their story by the end of the year.
Since its inception, Duncan McClellan Gallery has been a story of constant evolution with often dramatic results. McClellan first learned of the property — a former tomato packing plant — from artists Mark Aeling and Catherine Woods in 2009 when it was still off the market. At the time, the space bordering the Pinellas Trail and 24th street south was a barren, distressed lot within an undesirable area. Even in that setting, McClellan envisioned a sprawling tropical oasis that merged living vegetation with outdoor glass art. That
Duncan McClellan Gallery
2342 Emerson Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL, 33712 1-855-436-4527
sense of vision has been a perpetual source of renewal and growth in the ensuing 15 years, leading to achievements that would have been unthinkable to anyone else in his position that day in 2009.
Just as glassblowing almost alchemically transmutes common sand into translucent glass, McClellan took the gravel and weed-filled
have been born on the property. Around 2009 or 2010, former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker had first expressed the idea while speaking with McClellan on the back porch of the property. While the renovation of the building was not yet complete, it was already evident that it offered the possibility for a broader and more ambitious transformation of the sur-
contest to create the Warehouse Arts District logo. It is a story not unlike Miami’s famed Wynwood, although with a more organic, community-driven effort that was less dominated by monolithic investors like New York developer Tony Goldman’s role in Wynwood.
Duncan McClellan has established one of the most beloved arts hubs in Tampa Bay.
The glass art pioneer is now marking the 15th anniversary of Duncan McClellan Gallery with the announcement of a new chapter in their story by the end of the year.
lot and transformed it into a fine art gallery, glassblowing hot shop, and event space surrounded by more than 70 varieties of lush vegetation. From the seed of that vision grew a mesmerizing series of ripple effects that continue to extend far beyond the grounds of the property. In fact, the very idea for the now iconic St. Petersburg Warehouse Arts District may
rounding neighborhood. “We need to call this the Warehouse Arts District” McClellan recalls Baker saying as their conversation flowed, undoubtedly due to the prevalence of large, industrial structures there. As the idea of a broader district continued to take shape and emerge with more support, Duncan McClellan Gallery took the additional step of funding the
Fellow St. Petersburg arts pioneer Bob Devin Jones, who recently retired from his own nationally acclaimed St. Pete arts institution, The Studio@620, was another early supporter of McClellan’s burgeoning glass art scene in what was then the outskirts of the city. With Jones’ background in theater, this showed that from its inception McClellan was already attracting and engaging with communities from across different backgrounds and disciplines in the arts. Jones later recognized McClellan by awarding him a Studio Award in 2015.
Antonio Permuy Art critic and curator
Alongside the development of the Warehouse Arts District, a second defined community identity was also beginning to take shape around by 2011: the Glass Coast. The term, likely originally coined by gallerist Mary Childs, identifies the impressive coalescence of a thriving glass art scene on the West Coast of Florida that has St. Petersburg as its epicenter. This community has grown to include The Chihuly Collection, the Morean Glass Studio, the Imagine Museum, Zen Glass Studio, and Sigma Glass Studio, among others. McClellan was not only on the forefront of this new community, but has been its effective diplomat, traveling far and wide bringing glass artists and collectors back to St. Petersburg to see this glass art haven with their own eyes, and thereby connecting it to wider audiences beyond Florida. As the unofficial, yet undisputed, Glass Coast ambassador, McClellan also helped with the opening of The Chihuly Collection site, associating the local scene with the highest levels of the international glass art market. This status would later be formally recognized when the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance named McClellan a Muse Arts Ambassador.
Another major development came in 2011 with the opening of the hot shop. This allowed not only for the display of glass art, but also the creation of it. The hot shop has been utilized by visiting glass artists, as well as to teach glass blowing students, and for educational demonstrations for the public. In fact, it became the first hot glass studio with regular free demonstrations in the city of St. Petersburg that was open to the public.
Rather than insulating the glass arts field as a specialty market, McClellan has helped the broader community within St. Petersburg become more interconnected. As the Second Saturday Artwalk became more established, McClellan helped push for the establishment and expansion of the Artwalk’s looper trolley, first launched in 2012, to make it easier for all the participating Artwalk venues to receive more foot traffic, even those that were away from the main hub of Central Avenue.
In 2012, another new outgrowth bubbled up from the ever-flowing fountain of ideas. This time it was for a more coordinated approach to their programming and outreach that also formalized McClellan’s deeper mission. The DMG School Project, a 501c3 nonprofit, emerged as an innovative new vehicle to launch community-engaging initiatives that expose more people to glass art. It has spanned to include
the Gallery Lecture Series, a residency program, and even a Mobile Glass Lab to bring glassblowing offsite to areas that would not otherwise have access to demonstrations. As it developed, the DMG School Project has also partnered with other leading regional institutions including the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg and Eckerd College, and also received the $50,000 Lighting Community Hero Award grant from Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik.
Cementing its reach far beyond its deep local roots, DMG now represents well over 100 artists, many of whom are also international. Impressively, most of the artists have also attended the gallery in person and given lectures and demonstrations in the studio.
A major coup for the gallery as an still-fledgling institution came in June 2010 after successfully securing the representation of the late Stephen Rolfe Powell, an artist and professor who was one of the leading pillars of the contemporary glass movement. Though Powell, a friend of McClellan’s, was very interested in joining the gallery, his assistant had strong reservations due to the history of the surrounding area. They were decisively won over after making a personal visit to the gallery and studio. And it has proved fruitful: McClellan recalls once selling a group of nine Powell sculptures as a single package to Miami-based art collectors. The gallery now has a collector base across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Australia.
In addition to this year’s 15th anniversary, the DMG team is also gearing up to mark another major milestone next year: 40 years of Duncan McClellan’s own journey with glass art. To finally follow his passion and launch his storied career as a leading Florida glassblowing artist, McClellan worked three jobs and sold over $150,000 of perfume and cosmetics from a cart to afford to study and blow glass professionally.
After years of interest and pursuit, McClellan began his formal studies in Tampa’s Ybor City in the 1980s before traveling to New York City where he was mentored by leading glass artist John Brekke. He eventually became only the second American invited to study in the ARS Studio in Murano, Italy where he would also work and deepen his craft considerably. These experiences led him on the path of learning not only the process for creating glass art, but also the unique challenges that glass blowing brings, including cost prohibitive equipment and specialized
Duncan McClellan has brought glass art education to many communities through his DMG School Project’s lecture series and demonstrations.
Before the Dream: The future site of Duncan McClellan Gallery, as it was in 2009.
A transformational impact: Duncan McClellan Gallery helped revitalize the surrounding area and spark the St. Petersburg Warehouse Arts District.
As he didn’t have his own studio at the time, McClellan decided to create a venue that would not only serve as a base for his own career, but help other established and aspiring glassblowing artists to succeed as well. This journey has since grown into the still-flourishing nexus we see manifested today, with a legacy that has helped change the arts landscape of Tampa Bay, and successfully placed Florida on the international glass art map.
A crystalized legacy: after 15 years, Duncan McClellan Gallery is now a leading arts hub with a still-flourishing impact.
Inevitably, McClellan’s own personal art career has also blossomed alongside the communities he has helped build. Since launching his career, McClellan has exhibited his work throughout the U.S. and as far as Dubai, Japan, and in the United Nations. He has also gone on to win numerous awards and recognitions and is included in the permanent collection of several major institutions, including the Tampa Museum of Art, the New Orleans Museum of Art, Polk Museum of Art, the Museum of Art - DeLand, the Mobile Museum of Art, and the Walt Disney Company.
His is undoubtedly a story of
constant transformation. Not one to rest on his laurels, his wife Irene recalls that when discussing the progress made on any one project, McClellan frequently responds “It’s getting there, it’s getting there…” For McClellan, everything is a work in progress, and the work is never done. As one phase stabilizes, he expands his vision into unexpected new directions.
Behind these continuous evolutions is a high-spirited ambitious itch for growth — and, surprisingly, growth does reliably and organically follow each project. While not every idea makes its way into execution — like his infamous but not-entirely-joking “art zipline” idea that featured on the Tampa Bay Times April Fools edition of 2017 — those that do manifest tend to last.
Underneath it all, there is a restlessness and sometimes quirkiness mixed into McClellan’s approach and his unique way of thinking that shows a willingness to try things that others may not. It has an endearing sense of playfulness — a desire to experiment, to try new things, and reach new communities. There is also a keen instinct to innovate that keeps generating and attracting growth around their activities: the crowds keep getting bigger. The shows keep attracting new artists and collectors. And the ideas never stop… Nor does the impact.
That remains true as the DMG team prepares for their latest transformation: a new management structure. After 15 years, Duncan McClellan will be reshaping his role and his schedule. This will mean that his wife Irene will be taking over in an official capacity as the new General Manager.
To the rest of us, the joy is still palpable.• settings.
In typical Duncan McClellan fashion, rather than stepping back or slowing down, this transition is tied to further growth. It will free his day-to-day schedule and allow him to pursue more events, more travel, and explore
more arts projects beyond St. Petersburg. McClellan will still be directing all aspects of their gallery and studio operations in a general way rather than the daily execution of it. This will also allow him to bring more people from out of town and better develop and expand the Glass Coast concept, another ongoing priority of his.
Among those ambitious new projects, McClellan is looking to find a creative partner to collaborate with in possibly adding a new restaurant to the site. Tentatively titled Dinner at Duncan’s, the project would allow McClellan to draw from his previous restaurant experience and create a unique and immersive fine art dining concept that will also enhance their on-site event hosting capabilities.
It is clear that McClellan has a very capable partner in Irene to not only keep things running at the gallery, but also to maintain their values, such as the way they engage with artists and the public, which will also help realize their vision to expand. She has developed long lasting relationships with all the regulars of the gallery’s scene and also has the knowledge and structure to carry out both new and existing projects.
Notably, the gallery will still remain open seven days a week with no other changes to existing services will take place beyond expanding into their new projects. And perhaps most importantly, Duncan will still be a constant presence there.
The official transition is planned to occur in October with the arrival of the new fall season, with an event in the works to mark the anniversary and this new era.
Reflecting on what keeps them both going after 15 years, Irene simply says “It’s a joy to be doing this.”
A crystalized legacy: after 15 years, Duncan McClellan Gallery is now a leading arts hub with a still-flourishing impact.
Duncan McClellan, center, receiving a Lightning Foundation grant check from Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, right, in 2018.
Works by John Taormina Opening Reception Friday, September 13th 5 to 8 pm Exhibition thru October 31st
When it comes to creation nature is always the first and last inspiration.
While titles, names, monikers, etc. are used by humans to attain an understanding; a comfort, a grasping of a person, place, or thing, they are not necessary. While there will always be those who categorize and pigeonhole, doing this tends to auto-generate feelings and preconceptions. I was going to do a traditional interview here but felt it "less-than" what happens to be "just is" with Jabari. Included here are his art & thoughts. Poetic and not. -Keith Matter
For those who need categorization:
Jabari is:
Young
An artist
Growing in popularity
Black
How's that? :)
...stopping and taking a picture in front of the lights was all inspiring but I didn’t realize that the lights were guiding me to my next step in life down the road.
it was a no-brainer that studio 620 should be the grounds for the ghetto gods showcase.
...knowing this feeling of letting go completely was nothing short of frightening ecstasy.
...ways you as the artist can show many different forms of power and movement with just a simple line.
Dragon Ball Z was my first love when it came to anime
...anime has been a major influence. crazy power ups,character design,storyline or dynamic poses anime is a very influential source material.
The second anime on this list that I draw inspiration from is the seven deadly sins.
Yeshua has a database of those who worship him. Ogun has his own database and so does the Buddha. I believe that humans have the bandwidth to create pocket dimensions with our praise. In turn being able to tap into realms respectfully if you know what you’re doing. This is not always the safest thing to do. Just because people worship these deities and energies does not mean that the people tapping into these spaces are inherently good and you could come out with something that you don’t want. But in some cases moving righteously you are granted the most beneficial wisdom one could ever imagine.
Sun of Mama Earth & Baba Time
Imagine Nation
“in the midst of rain in the midst of lies in the midst of dishonor emotional regulation is ultimate my soul full of the Leos rising sun my hands and feet dipped in the easing grace of the libra moon”
Trustpassing
Often times my peers will Mistake my silence for me not caring but that could not be further from the truth. For my silence is me showing how much I do care by allowing time to bring me understanding.
...listening,watching, and observing all of the people that I encounter.
Silence is not the end all be all sometimes it may be the reason for a fall out.
The power of silence
A truth is only realized when you devote yourself to something greater. With every creation you have the opportunity to speak and guide youth not yet born into this world. Drawing pictures on how to navigate obstacles, While simultaneously helping those who you know will face the same struggles as you did.
I came across a hibiscus bush at the corner of 15th Ave that had bright yellow orange and red flowers blooming on it.
Remember that you owe no one an explanation and never forget that no one owns a response.
“I died in a field yet I kept living.
I inhaled hell and continued breathing.
I passed through the veil with acceptance of the highest degree.
The Lord ignited my body as I fell to my knees.
I closed my eyes to sleep yet my mind continued walking.
March to the lake it called.
In these waters bathing it’s not only free but freeing.”
Learning to take full enjoyment out of creating through every emotion is a way to ensure a compositionally sound piece.
...finding myself in debates with my elders on things that just didn’t make sense. As I grew, this disconnection with the church allowed me to see other cultures explanation for life and humanity.
In the nighttime mother moon holds the earth and in the daytime father sun holds it.
Trails of Sean
When I listen to music it takes me into the realm of Emotion using the sounds to get the desired effect on the painting is one of the easiest ways of conveying feelings in a work of art.
Traumatic events are more than whirlpools that pull us down into the depths, they’re also waves waiting to be surfed. Falling is an inevitable but practice on falling forward not back.
Coming back to your center as a more developed seed is the best thing Artist and creators alike can do for the community. The magnetic fields we are building around these bodies with every decision good or bad is how we can determine our own trajectories.
“From the crown flower tears fall to fill my teapot.
Teachings of how to survive rain true.
Nature be the first and last inspiration”
Due to my agnostic view of the metaphysical my ability to critically think and creatively solve problems has been all but chain down.
What I found through trials and tribulations is that practicing abstinence even if just for 30 days can give you insight and somewhat of a clear vision of your full potential. Recognizing that you are the strength that you need as an isolated creative.
Only you know where you would be hiding within yourself and it is up to you to go inside and make peace with who you’ve become, who you were, and who you will be.
Reedr of Hearts Bearer of Watts
6 Guitars: Chase Padgett
An Impressionistic Ode to TOMBOLO BOOKS
2153 1st Ave. S. Saint Petersburg, FL 33712
By Thomas Sayers Ellis
Geographically, a tombolo is the sand bar and gravel that connects an island to the mainland or connects two islands. If it were punctuation, it would be a hyphenated dash as hybrid as a bird, the lyric between sentenced bodies, a landline matchmaker that links the head to the spine, book spines. Tombolo, open daily, vowel powered. Made of identity repair kits, made of caught feelings, made of pronouns. If we place it in the local community and conjugate it, it becomes a verb, a vein of literary activism, the new merger between genre and gender, an ampersand as fluid as Florida. Continuous flow, a flipbook thumbing the illusion of zine mileage. A tom-tom, Tombolo. Rudiments defying definitions, rhythm-meaning, mood. Lo and behold, Tom-tombolo, double carrier of the sacred om. Tote bags of lit chat to nourish the temperament, micro and flash. As one of the ways to prepare a face to meet the faces, they say gay, the entire universe in an author’s photo. Tombolo, Tombolo, Tombolo, the dream-drumming begins.
water for Kelsey. Bluesy as August, Ryan’s crowd behaves. Rachel, chorus in throat, opens to the lives of church ladies. A Sagittarian on the cusp of nothing but can-do, Tombolo will celebrate its five-year anniversary in December.
I found the sculpture of the perfect reader, face in a book, sitting on a bench. Without announcing its author, the book cover attracted the camera. A serif font posed with a dingbat. Freedom cloaked in form; the spell is cast in rows. From a manuscript, a book is born. An ageless page-turner, pitch perfect as the playlist of staff picks. Mutual as co-worker affection, Sula be with Mama Z but only in the remix. Snapshot, shutter. Alsace is a wandering star. Serena, love knotted. Nicole has more divine rivals than lessons for survival. The heaven and earth grocery story is the reason Candace protects Inkslingers. There, there, Amanda, all ministries emancipate time. Fangs for Mekhala, the Soul Sista of sloth. From flowers, fresh
O Tombolo, thou art a gypsy in an alley between caffeinated bell ringers, Esmeralda’s kicked tambourine, her ballet of reading groups, her new and noteworthy variation on the romance of self-blame. No boiled moto just Tombolo, the first tomboy to survive Amazon’s barcode of tombs. Marquee of bell jars, blackboard of Book Clubs, all the thrills and chills of magical thinking, the horror and fantasy twins. No need to run the voodoo down again, just Google the origin story. Mom and Pop swallowed whole by the Zeitgeist Petting Zoo, way above bright Bethlehem, another Moravian descendent making its mythological debut. Every cartographer without a library card makes mistakes, but a good bookstore is reconfigured by community. Tombolo is a nurturing nest––nerd hip but not overly academic, the vibe of the village not the university. A bookstore within a place
for storytelling within several bold tomorrows. A smart playground for kids assigned the role models of Mother Wit. All the otherworldly mic drops are here, the ones with picture books destined for bio pics: Barbie, Princess Diana, Barack Obama, Wonder Woman, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Barbara Streisand, Kamala Harris, Taylor Swift, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Dolly Parton, Beyoncé, Questlove, Frida Kahlo, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Super Mario, and Brittney Griner. Long before the red pill, blue pill and black pill, there was the pharmacy of the printing press. After that, bookworms burrowing into aspirin cotton. Somewhere the fat condo known as the contemporary bestseller is serenading a lonely shoreline, Indie now and next. In the horn section of a band with chakras like chapters, Tombolo, is the big horn, the trombone. In Sanskrit, Bolo, to sing out!
Home of the pointed pencil lens, populated by perspective, trade paperback or cloth, the imagination can become anything at Tombolo: podcast troubadour, over-the-counter influencer, voice. We are what we eat but reading feeds what we think. If
a non-reader wanders in, quick glance through the window, something stirs the sensibility, some whirl of worlds, patiently percussive, the incantation of Tombolo’s magnetic inventory, another book recommendation, adhesive as hearsay, the soft chant that bends a customer’s ear. Depth of feeling. For those who love bookstores of any kind, and those beginning to dive into the complex wholeness of our changing humanity (as well as the simple joys of just reading for pleasure), Tombolo is a Wonderland Oz, a Fahrenheit antidote, a ban lift of reading rainbows and fierce umbrella chandeliers. Thought note to ode, ode to praise song, praise song to coda, every prideful purchase a paper blank tree planted in paradise. Books, Books, Books. Like Moby Dick in the Metaverse, call me Lot Bot M the Messenger. Tombolo deserves a word tantrum, a gigantic anthem. And they. And them. Stop by, stay a while, anagram the Sci-Fi fabulous grammar. Tool bomb the mob loot, surrender! •
Thomas Sayers Ellis
The author of Skin, Inc.: Identity Repair Poems, Crank Shaped Notes and Paradise | Paradise Layered, a book of photographs. Ellis is a photographer, writer, bandleader and the recipient of a Guggenheim fellowship for poetry. In 2023, he was named the first Photo Laureate of St. Petersburg.
The Five Book Bolos / St. Petersburg, Florida / TSE / 2024
Outside Lula, Georgia
By Gianna Russo
POETRY
A famous white poet said, White people don’t write about race.
We need to write about race. I was driving past the tiny town of Lula— first name of my mother. That got me thinking about our birthplace , the South, then cotton, whips, the flag and blackface. And that led to us white folks on my mother’s side. A big hallelujah. Is that why I don’t write about race?
For Black people who live there, Lula must seem a null space. They’re just 9% to the white 90 and the history of us is a fistula weeping from middle passage to lynching place.
The ghost of our housemaid could be a test case: Our polished silver, her chapped hands. I birth the memories like a doula. The gleam leaves me struggling to write about race.
How to reckon the value of my family’s white face? It all comes down to legacy, a lopsided ruler that measures the crooked truth about our place.
Our history’s impossible to erase. My mother was christened Lula Belle. She dropped the “Lula” like I’ve dropped the rule that White people shouldn’t write about race. This poem, my passage to a map-less place.
Kite Flying with Red Tide
Fourth of July, Indian Rocks Beach, Florida
The breeze heaves toxins. But since our eyes aren’t tearing up, since we’re not coughing, we set up beach chairs and you unroll the kite you bought just for this sugar sand, the fireworks and flag.
We knew before we arrived that karenia brevis, red tide, was debasing the Gulf. We watched reports, kept track of predictions and still thought yes, we should go. This morning sand cleaners raked the shore, scooped up putrefied pinfish, mullet, bluefish and drum, the dying and dead. Gotta keep the tourists coming—
You hoist and lift the gray, plastic eagle, its wings wider that a dolphin’s fin. The kite weaves and shudders, urging you to loosen and tighten the string like you’re pulling saltwater taffy, like I’m doing any kind of good here, my dark glasses aimed at the cirrus-streaked sky wide as a blue prairie.
I’ve
set my heart on a glimpse of you: Florida Golden Aster (Chrysopsis floridana) listed as endangered in 1986
You are so rare I can’t find you. It’s spring and your woozy stem has yet to arise from the Florida scrub and blunt sun. Once it shoots up, your whiskery leaves will climb it all summer.
Then, in the fall that’s cooling later and later these days, your yellow-petaled face will unmask itself beneath a plushy crown: a bloom the size of my thumb-knuckle. You’ll stand tall as my grandson, lanky as licorice.
You’re native to this place, like me, so somehow we’re cousins, though your kind thrive less and less as my kind crowd more and more. You might have all but disappeared.
Come Autumn, I’ll turn myself into a sleuth and wander the hammocks seeking you in the sunny sand-patches that still remain, somewhere beyond the suburbs of Pasco, the high rises of Hillsborough, the golf courses and strip malls, eternity pools and interstate, somewhere beneath a dazzling sky.
Besides the vanished carcasses of blow fish, jelly fish, sting ray, horseshoe crab, the brown pelicans are absent; sandpipers, too. They were my favorites: their skirring chatter chasing the waves.
When the breeze dies, you let the kite nosedive to the sand. In the distance the cumulus huddle like pound animals. Black skimmers and gulls stumble into sunset where July’s bunched up like a heap of lit briquettes.
Gianna Russo / Photo Credits: Lori Ballard
Gianna Russo is the inaugural Wordsmith of The City of Tampa. She is the author of All I See is Your Glinting: 90 Days in the Pandemic, with photographer Jenny Carey; One House Down and Moonflower, winner of a Florida Book Award. She is the founding editor of YellowJacket Press. A lifelong educator who co-created the Creative Writing Program at Blake School of the Arts, Gianna is Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing at Saint Leo University where she teaches in both the undergraduate and graduate programs. In 2017, she was named Creative Loafing’s Best of the Bay Local Poet.
Walt Blenner and Greg Morris
Christine Renc-Carter
The Jazz Legends Who Play On
“Jazz is freedom. You think about that.” - Thelonious Monk
By Mary Khosh and John Curtis
You can hear them nearly every Monday evening at the Hanger in St. Pete with the Al Downing Jazz Band. Three senior jazz musicians, for whom, as John Lamb succinctly says “There is only music. It’s all air.” And that’s how they sound, as easy as breathing, time standing still as the Hanger fills with the magic of the greats they often played with in the past.
If you want to get a seat, best arrive early, maybe at 6pm October to April when the Snowbirds are back, the price of admission being your purchase of some of the best food on the beach, airplanes in the distance taking off and landing thrown in for free.
They play with the band from 7-9. Anyone can ‘sign up’ and get a spot with the band, the composition of which changes as the night goes on.
Make sure you are early, if you are like us and want a front row table where you can physically almost be part of the music, absorbing it into your pores. And you get a closer look, seeing their instruments, hinting at the stories of where they have been, worn and etched like themselves: catching the subtilis as they communicate through nods, glances and memories.
John Lamb (90) plays the standing bass, and like his instrument is the heartbeat of the group, his fingers dancing across the strings, coaxing out the deep resonant notes that anchor the band. He provides the walking basslines that outline the harmony and provide the foundation for the tunes, while giving it the rhythmic drive we all sense as the swing and the groove.
Born in Vero Beach John started playing the tuba as a child. Like the other musicians we are highlighting, his career started in the forces in a military band. When the band's usual bass player did not show up he filled in, the tuba giving him the “feel” to pick up the string bass quickly, a perfect match. He went on to tour with Duke Ellington in 1964 for three years, appearing on sixteen discs, one of them with Ella Fitzgerald.
Andy Foertach (80) leans into his trombone, the slide going effortlessly
as it has for seventy years, providing harmonic depth to the band, often playing chords and counter melodies that compliment the main theme. Like the others, it’s much more than solos. He travels to his native Chicago yearly and is active in the music scene there.
Rick Yearick
“Music makes me come alive - that feeling - you know.” he says “Lots of new young players have a lot of chops, but no soul. You must play with feeling - deep into your soul.” He still practices hours every day, working continually to improve.
Charlie Robinson (82) joins the group with his vintage guitar, fingers gliding over the fretboard picking out the melody. He too provides the chordal accompaniment, known as “comping” His musical life has been what most of us imagine a musician to be, on the road constantly, going gig to gig. “Jazz, once you get into it it’s addictive. Follows you through life.” And what a life it’s been crossing America with jazz and R&B groups, playing the Apollo in New York City, Regal in Chicago and Howard Theatre in Washington, DC, and with a major influence, Winton Marsallis in Atlanta.
The Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association sponsors the Monday Night Jazz Jam, hosted by Dwayne White. It is involved in bringing jazz to young people through playing in schools and bursaries. There is a place on their website where you can sign up to play, and another which tells you about “Jazz in Our Area.” If you go to a Monday night Jam be sure to talk to Downing’s daughter, Alvinette Downing McCleave, who attends every week, especially if you would like to help out.
Al Downing (1916-2000) was very influential in our community. He was a Tuskegee airman, the first African-American Commissioner of the St. Petersburg Housing Authority, taught music at Gibbs High School and the St. Petersburg College Clearwater campus, and was the first African-American to play in the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra. •
John Curtis and Mary Khosh are supporting the St. Petersburg Art’s Alliance and promoting the benefits of arts for seniors in the community. They are working to encourage St. Pete’s artistic seniors to join the St. Pete Arts Alliance.
John Lamb (90)
Charlie Robinson (82)
Andy Foertach (80)
