Gasparilla Festival of the Arts 2017: Less pirates, more art.

It’s a rare occasion when you’ll see me in Ikea, but I needed a quick frame for a local artist’s photograph. As I was checking out, I noticed a young couple buying a cart full of framed art prints — a romantic nighttime scenic view of Paris and a close-up view of glowing dew drops on a leaf among others. I couldn’t help but think, “Why?” With the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts just around the corner, you could be conquering a triple task of supporting local and international artists, finding some unique pieces that Ikea can’t even touch, and possibly even saving some cash to buy more art. It’s a win-win-win kinda deal in my book.

There’s everything from the conventionally beautiful work to the quirky or just plain weird, but there is something for everyone to enjoy perusing the aisles. Looking for a serene landscape painting? You can go the more traditional route with Stephen Bach’s luminous oils that conjure the feel of the Hudson River School, or a more abstracted scenery with Suro Kim’s Seussical trees and simplified environments. Last year I scored a sweet woodcut print from NY-based artist Jenny Pope (who will be back again this year) featuring a bat about to snatch up some Luna moths. Writing that out doesn’t sound as cool as it actually is, but it truly is a gorgeous piece despite my eclectic taste.

Maybe you need a nice conversation piece to put on your coffee table to liven up the room? Out of the dozens of woodworkers, glass blowers, and mixed-media sculpture artists attending, you’ll be able to find that special piece that calls your name, all while jamming to the soulful tunes of Paula Stevens Watkins or the Acme Jazz Garage, some of the few live musical acts during the weekend.

Who doesn’t like sparkly things? While diamonds are great and all, you know what’s way more exciting? Watermelon tourmaline. Or even turquoise. Buy a one-of-a-kind gift for a special someone (or you know, yourself) that says you put effort into finding something handmade by artisans and doesn’t call you out on just stopping in a big-name jewelry box store.

The main event is at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park as usual, and trickles over into Kiley Garden, where you can find one of my favorite parts: the Emerging Artists Program. I look forward to this every year because of the unique, sometimes experimental work being produced by the 15 juried artists. If you needed any reassurance that this program is a great stepping-stone for upcoming talents, take Emerging Artist alumni (and featured Femme Visuale interviewee) Sharon Norwood. When at the same time last year she was setting up her booth for the festival weekend, she is now preparing work to be included in the 2017 Jamaica Biennial. Bottom line: This is your chance to start collecting their work at a reasonable price before it takes off.

Artists also bring their studios on wheels to make art on the spot during the CARMADA Art Car Extravaganza. For those who have secretly wished to tag someone’s car for parking over the line at the grocery store, now is the time to get that out of your system since NOMADstudio Art Bus is inviting festivalgoers to add to their giant mobile mural.

As the heat of the day kicks in, stop by the GFA & TBBCA’s Chalk Walk under the Tampa Museum of Art’s porch and take a break from the sunshine. It takes a certain skill to accomplish fine detail without grinding your fingers down to stumps on the concrete, so I always admire watching these artists put so much effort into temporary masterpieces. If you still haven’t gotten enough art for the weekend, the Tampa Museum of Art is just a barrel roll away at this point and has two new exhibits currently on view: Who Shot Sports: A Photographic History, 1843 to the Present and Alex Katz: Black and White, both high on my exhibitions-to-see priority list.

Despite all of the fun, let’s face it: Finding parking in the downtown area is always a pain in the tush, especially during big events like this that draw crowds up to 100,000. To alleviate the situation, this year they will be offering “Two Wheel Valet” for those who take their bicycles instead of cars. Carpool in and ride over in style.

Out of the many arts and craft festivals that come and go through the year, the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts is one that has always been worth saving the weekend for. Besides, your tax refund should be coming in soon, so what are you waiting for? With over 90 Florida artists in the Festival — at least a dozen of whom are local — it’s easy to make supporting local artists and businesses a year-round mission.

This article appears in Mar 2-9, 2017.