ARTpool’s 7th Anniversary is Sat., April 18, 8 p.m.-midnight; runway show is at 10 p.m.
Dress code: "Dress to impress." Tickets online at artpoolgallery.com. VIP Runway seat & show is $40; general admission show is $20. All ages welcome. ARTpool’s Monthly Crafty Fest Indie Art Markets are May 2-3, June 6-7.
St Petersburg native Marina Williams and her family have established an eclectic art destination like no other, and they are set to celebrate their seventh birthday Saturday night.
ARTpool Gallery was founded in April of 2008, planned as a “pool of talent” that everyone could jump into. What makes their monthly events so special is the collaborative nature of the shows. Even though they started in a depressed economy, the Williams family put their hearts into their business and they have survived and thrived. CL caught up with Marina and Evan to chat with them about the upcoming anniversary event.
CL: What is most remarkable about this seven-year ARTpool anniversary?
Williams: What makes it so special is it is bringing together so many people that have been integral to our journey throughout the years. People who have worked together on our events before are coming from all over to be a part of this. We are so excited to celebrate this milestone with so many talented acts!
So you have quite a cast of characters?
It will be an action-packed evening. It’s featuring the best of the best. It’s really going to be fun. We have a Living Canvas Body Art Show, and live music by The Vultures. There’s a burlesque show featuring Allison Devine, and a video art show by David Meek. We have invited local artists to show a work of art for free and get a complimentary ticket to the show. It's our way of saying ‘Thank You’ for being an amazing collaborative community.
Please share with readers who are less familiar with the venue what makes ARTpool different.
Marina: We’ve always loved the community participation. ARTpool is like a living organism. It’s very symbiotic with us and the artists. We are beyond thrilled to see all of our favorite faces soon, our models and designers, and our artists.
When I first came to an ARTpool event years ago, I was surprised that the audience members were dressed up so you could hardly tell the audience from the show performers. What should people wear to an ARTpool event?
Marina: We invite everyone to be creative! We have seven options for our seventh anniversary event dress code, taken from past monthly event themes. Dress up in these themes: 1920s, Pin Up & Soldiers, Day of The Dead, Trashion Fashion, The Wicked Winter Wonderland, The Mad Hatters Masquerade Ball, or as an artistic Muse.
With so much going on here, how do you balance it all? Are some areas more profitable than others?
Marina: Each area plays a part in our success. We have our Boutique, Crafty Fest and monthly ART pARTy events, and our Cafe and Record Store. The boutique is a very fun, creative space. It gives local artists a showcase for their talent. The art parties are another format to showcase local talent. People come and spend hours here now. They can shop, enjoy the mini-festival flair of the Crafty Fest booths, have a nice lunch or a drink with a friend. There is something for everybody.
It’s peaceful and relaxing to sit in the courtyard, or in the garden. I enjoyed one of the delicious vegetarian dishes for lunch. Quite a different vibe than the rockin’ monthly night events.
Evan: That’s why we do a lot of things, because when one part of our business lags, the other picks up. Marina’s shows bring in more people. The events are what get our name out. It’s important that we maintain doing them once a month. That’s how we continue to build a customer base. It’s also tough to keep your personal momentum going and sometimes things fail. So we try something new if something doesn’t work.
Marina: We are so interested and passionate in what we are doing, that we just go and explore that. Like if I get interested in hats, I might just make, buy or arrange a bunch of them. There are no limits!
Evan: I think the records are the most fun for me. I’ve been collecting them for 10 years now. My parents encouraged my interest in it. I would go to stores and search for bargains and barter, and get a great album for 75 cents. It was an inexpensive way to get into the spirit of collecting. There’s a mix of people who had listened to records in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, and now the people in the younger generation are getting into it. There’s a lot of growth potential.
Marina: We are welcoming to everyone by design. I remember when I was starting out, that it was very difficult to get a foot in the door at established museums. There was no place like the one we have created. We offer a way for new talents to get that experience, get involved. Learn how to hang your work for show. Get your feet wet and get confidence. We have the whole spectrum. We get very seasoned and established professionals and they show the newbies how it’s done. That makes it less scary, more achievable. People are good at giving feedback and encouragement. We want the arts to be accessible in our community.
You and Evan are both so young to have achieved all this, at age 31 and 32.
Marina: It really seems like yesterday that we started this. I had these big dreams and I am so excited that I took the chance to go for it. In life, no matter what’s going on around you, you have to be fearless and motivated. So I want my journey to be the one that I was destined to create. There are so many different artists and creative people here it blows my mind! Everybody has their own take on things and they all have their own adventure. Having friends and artists around you inspires you to success. Life should be fun. Everything doesn’t have to be so serious all the time. It’s a smorgasbord of celebration.
Evan: When Marina started ARTpool I was working for a large corporation for five years. I started helping on weekends and with the events. I got tired of working in the corporate world, and I had the goal of leaving that company by the time I turned 30. When we moved here and had more space, as we grew, we created the cafe and record store on this side of the building. I created the job I wanted for myself. I did accomplish my goal, as I am working here full time now.
You clearly enjoy working with your family.
Marina: It all comes down to teamwork. My family has been the greatest in helping with this. St. Petersburg wanted this business. We started out at another location on First Avenue North. We were there for 3 1/2 years, and then we moved into this space. We purchased these buildings. The business is continuing to grow and we have an employee now, as well as my mother, Becky, working with us. Our block is incredible. We have local artists, and Haslam’s Book Store across the street. Next to us we have Bay Area Art Supply and the Davidson Fine Art Gallery.This block is like a beacon of awesomeness!
This article appears in Apr 16-22, 2015.