If you have yet to hear about Fairgrounds, let us give you a quick summary. The immersive arts experience spans throughout a 15,000-square-foot space with Florida-inspired installations. Last April, Fairgrounds founders Liz Dimmitt and Mikhail Mansion issued a call for artists to submit ideas for featured installations. This month, Fairgrounds finally shared the more than 60 participating artists who'll flex their weird and wacky ideas within the grounds.
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Get a sneak peek at St. Pete’s new immersive 'Fairgrounds' project this weekend
One of those artists is former Creative Loafing Tampa cover girl, Macy Higgins and her partner Emiliano Settecasi. The duo is part of Fairgrounds' inaugural immersive experience called "Strawberry Room." The mixed-media installation celebrates Florida strawberries and pays homage to the culture that surrounds strawberry production in the greater Tampa Bay region. According to the website, "The Strawberry Room, located in the Mermaid Star Motel, presents a celestial theory for the origins of the beloved fruit, while acknowledging how the berries are grown and harvested today, and showcasing the folksy decadence that defines strawberry culture and cuisine."
Zulu Painter is on the roster and tasked with creating a mural that "echoes the energy of Fairgrounds Projects" Zulu Painter's design is "meant to bring the viewer further into the environment of the Mermaid Star Motel, with a goal to help make the experience as unforgettable as possible."
Nashville video game engineer Shay Willard, whose worked for Disney's Imagineering department, is also included in the lineup.
Another participating artist is Chad Mize. Known for his colorful murals and his very own gallery, Mize (stylized "MIZE"), the artist will be creating his signature doodle walls for the entrance and exit of Fairgrounds. According to a recent post by Mize, the doodle will take inspiration from the narrative and installations inside the experience, foreshadowing and summarizing the mysteries that lie inside Fairgrounds.
To keep up with the progress of the forthcoming immersive art experience, follow along on Fairgrounds social media platforms (@fairgroundsstpete) prior to its debut this spring.
See a full list of announced artists below.
- Adam Hutz aka “Overgrown”
- Adela Salas aka “A D E L A”
- Aleisha Nicole Prather
- Alex Kaufman
- Amanda LaForest aka “The Peach Moon”
- Ari Robinson
- Ashley Cantero
- Babs Reingold
- Barrak Darweesh aka “Overgrown”
- Bec Conrad
- Brandy Stark aka “B. Stark Art”
- Calan Ree
- Carlton Ward Jr
- Cecilia Lueza
- Chad Jacobs
- Chad Mize
- Chris Parks aka “Palehorse”
- Dana Kleinman aka “KX2”
- Danielle DeGuglimo
- Eddie Lohmeyer
- Eileen Goldenberg
- Elizabeth Barenis
- Emiliano Settecasi
- Eric Folsom
- Fernando Diaz
- Finn Schult
- Francesco Lo Castro
- George Retkes
- Hiromi Moneyhun
- Jabari Reed-Diop aka “iBOMS”
- Jane Bunker
- Jaurice Moore aka “INDIE REECE”
- Jeff Whipple
- John Gascot
- Jonathan Schork
- Jordie Poncy
- Joshua Hall aka “Baghead”
- Judy Vienneau
- Justin Tyler Tate
- Kayla Boronell aka “Kayla Moon”
- KJ Wu aka “Overgrown”
- Laura Spencer aka “Miss Crit”
- Liz Schulze
- Lynn Doyal
- Macy Higgins aka “Macy Eats Paint”
- Mark Mitchell
- Matthew Campbell
- Maxwell Parker
- Mike Hicks
- Nathan Beard
- Nick Davis aka “NDArtLife”
- Ruth Avra aka “KX2”
- Sabrina Verhage
- Sam Ehrnman
- Samantha Burns
- Saumitra Chandratreya
- Savannah Magnolia Bonnette aka “Savannah Magnolia”
- Shane Carey
- Shay Willard
- Tess Oldfield
- Thaddeus Erdahl aka “TJ”
- Tina Piracci aka “Overgrown”
- Tya Lewis aka “Iona Parris”
- Zulu Painter
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