Florida’s state arts veto came first in June. Then Hurricane Helene arrived in September, followed by Milton in October, Creative Pinellas, which relies on tourist taxes to support Pinellas County artists, lost $70,500 in state funding due to the veto. While responding to this loss, the arts agency sought solutions for nearly 50 other Pinellas County arts organizations affected by the veto. The total county-wide loss added up to more than $1 million.
Then Helene hit, flooding artist studios, homes, and storage units.
St. Pete Beach artist Merritt Horan lost about $3,000-$4,000 in business goods. Her father, aunt and uncle lost their homes. The St. Pete Beach venue where she’d established a 12-month curatorial gig, The Bellwether Beach Resort, temporarily closed to address significant storm damage.
As Tampa Bay area artists struggled to deal with a one-two punch to their homes, studios, and livelihoods, Creative Pinellas announced that Arts Annual would be a hurricane fundraiser.
Two weeks later in Largo, Hurricane Milton sent water from a rising Walsingham Lake and McKay Creek into the Gallery at Creative Pinellas—the same gallery that hosts Arts Annual—forcing Creative Pinellas CEO Margaret Murray to pivot once again.
Murray initiated gallery repairs and moved the Arts Annual Hurricane Relief Fundraiser to Dec. 7.
Meanwhile, another fundraiser was happening at In Between Days in downtown St. Pete. The Tokyo-style listening bar and craft sake house hosted rotating fundraisers throughout October to support local families affected by Hurricane Helene; Horan applied on behalf of her family, not thinking they would get it. “And as I was evacuated for Milton, they called to say that we got it,” she told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
At the fundraiser that night were Chad Mize and Margaret Murray.
“I hadn’t had the wherewithal to even invite anyone,” Horan recounts, “so I was going to go just by myself, pathetically. And I show up, and there’s Chad sitting there with a friend.”
Horan thought it was a coincidence, but Mize told her he’d come for her fundraiser. He then introduced her to Murray.
“I get a sake, and I sit down, and I’m just chit-chatting away,” Horan recounts. “And then about 15 minutes in, he’s like, ‘So Margaret’s the CEO of Creative Pinellas.’”
She and Murray ended up on the phone the next day.
“She was like, ‘Look, I really enjoyed talking to you, and I have this opportunity for curation,” Horan added. “I know that you lost all your curation opportunities for Bellwether, so do you want to do this?’”
The curation opportunity was for a one-night-only art exhibition celebrating the Tampa Bay area’s resilience in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Horan, who doesn’t like to turn down opportunities when the universe presents them, did what she’s been doing most of her artistic career. “I really like to take the universe’s nod and say, ‘Yep,’” Horan said.
The year-long Bellwether gig was a gift from the ether, too. As Horan tells it, she was researching a logo design on the beach when a guy wheeled up in a beach wheelchair and asked what she was doing. When Horan told him she was an artist, the man said he was staying at the Bellwether.
“Their elevator is hideous,” he told Horan. “I think they need a mural. I went to the front desk, and they said they’d be interested, so you should call them.”
The experience was too out of the ordinary for Horan to ignore. She looked up the hotel and realized it was the same place her grandparents had their 50th wedding anniversary.
“I got chills,” Horan recounts. “So I called, pressed five for events, and got a guy on the phone.”
That cold call became a conversation with the Bellwether’s events coordinator, Christian Salazar, who heard Horan ‘s vision: a monthly art night where artists come out and paint live by the pool in the open air. Salazar agreed, helped stage the events, then asked, “What’s next?”
Next came monthly zodiac-themed solo shows at The Bellwether’s Level 11 Rooftop Bar & Lounge. Horan booked a different artist each month, starting with Wayward Walls in August, then Derek Donnelly in September. Mize painted a Scorpio for October just before the hurricanes put the shows on hold.
Horan is talking about the same universe that stole an opportunity from her less than a month before. Now, her new, post-hurricane opportunity translated into a chance for 25 Pinellas County artists to respond to Hurricanes Helene and Milton with art. Most of the artists Horan approached were happy to contribute.
“It’s all about community and trying to uplift people, and the best channel we have for that is the artwork that we make,” says participating artist James Hartzell. Hartzell was still tweaking his composition when I interviewed him—artists have only one month to create a 12×12 inch piece for the show—but he’s planning to paint a tribute to St. Pete’s Sandman Motel.
Rhys Meatyard, whose work is often informed by mythology, plans to make something based on The Winged Victory of Samothrace.
“We want to show the resiliency of our town through the storms,” said Horan. “So whatever they do, it just needs to have a positive resonance with the viewer. We want people to leave in a happy, uplifted sort of mood…”
Still Shining, sponsored by Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, features artwork by these Pinellas County artists:
- Alexandra Wuyke Art
- Amber Sparkle Art
- Amy Ilic Volpe
- Ashley Gierke
- Aurailieus
- Bailey Gumienny
- Chronic Lemon
- James Hartzell
- Jenipher Chandley
- Kenji Takabayashi
- Kg Photography
- Kostar Kustoms
- Mark Williams Art
- Matthew Boyle Art
- Meatyard
- Melissa Borland
- Meridian 727, Monica Fay
- Perry Devick,
- Saint Paint
- Stephanie Manchester
- Sue Solitaire
- Summer Elaine Hue
- Ysanne Taylor
Creative Pinellas will distribute 80% of the net proceeds to Pinellas County artists and arts organizations affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton via a grant application and distribution process.
UPDATED 11/20/24 11:40 a.m. Updated headline and subhed to make clear that Horan is one of two curators at Creative Pinellas’ hurricane fundraiser. Updated the main photo, too.
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This article appears in Nov 14-20, 2024.