I got to the skatepark Friday around 8 p.m. and the party was already bumping. Hundreds of people filled the inside and outside of the park, gliding by on decks and slinking about, conversing about the art and skate life in general. In the parking lot, an artist who was not in the show came up to introduce himself and show me his art. It was quality, but he simply didn't get registered in time. Punching a clock does not mesh with the life of an artist, I suppose.
Once in the main area, there are several lounges of art. Walking through the maze of people, I was able to get some photos of the work. The collection of artists, many from the Tampa area, paid homage to the music that drives them, including Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and others that represent the laid-back experience you'd expect at a Skatepark Art Show.
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I was able to briefly meet Cheeta, one of the artists and the innovative mind behind this gathering of talent. His work is at the core of this show, pushing the Artcore movement onto its feet and organizing this gallery exhibition. His clean lines and bright colors are part Brute!, part Shepard Fairey and all reasonably priced should you want to add them to your own gallery.
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The same can be a said for a lot of the art at this show. It's priced so that anyone can own a piece of street culture. For just a few hundred dollars, a piece of local art can speak to you as the artist has spoken to the canvas. I'm going back today to purchase one piece in particular, an ode to 1980s excess.
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The exhibit will stay up for the next few weeks, so stop in to see it next time you are near the Skatepark. Admission is free.
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Denis Baldwin can be seen crashing art parties all over the Tampa area on his own site, My Tampa Life.
