Menaul Fine Art — doing it all for Clearwater

My Favorite Art Place
1750 N. Hercules Ave., Clearwater
844 Art Place, Clearwater (studio) 
Online gallery: MyFavoriteArtPlace.com
Venue info: menaul-art.com

Entering the studio from the humble front entrance, it would not be immediately evident that this is an art powerhouse. It’s apparent, though, when touring through Jerri and Scott Menaul’s business, viewing room after room of gallery art, custom picture framing, photography, giclee printing, and posters. This is how art professionals get it done in Clearwater.

This multi-layered business is like artist Scott Menaul’s latest gallery showing of digital art. The art images, and the business that the husband and wife team has built together, are complex, juxtaposed and overlapping.

“People like it that we are a one-stop shopping place for art,” said Jerri. “We do design, printing and framing, all under one roof.”

“Since we do so many different things and have many different company names, Jerri came up with the name, ‘My Favorite Art Place’ as the umbrella identity,” said Scott Menaul. “We made some new street signs and just finished hanging them. Our businesses include: Menaul Fine Art, Canvas Zoo, Menaul Art Printing, Image Creations of Florida, Menaul Photography, Motivational Expressions, Posters Plus and Photo-U.”

“We serve both the wholesale and retail markets,” Jerri said. “We get a lot of interior designers in here.”

“I have a new body of fine art photography being shown in our gallery, plus the art of Milton Rochman and Bruce Silton,” said Scott. “My images, with the title, My Favorite Things is a new body of work that is not on the web site yet.”

"We all have our favorite things: music, food, a place or even a drink,” Scott said. “Sometimes these become a passion. It is a reflection of our personality and experience. We form a bond with others who share the same predilections. My Favorite Things is a celebration of these things that make life special."

“There are 12 pieces in the series now, and I’m going to be doing a lot more. An artist should have a body of work that has a theme,” said Scott. “It can be confusing and hard to market your art if you are scattered all over the place. My abstracts fall into three styles: geometric, shattered and gossamer, which is used to refer to something very light, thin, and delicate. In all the styles there is a juxtaposition of elements.”

Scott says he is primarily a digital artist. “I use 3D rendering, painting and illustration,” he said. “A computer is just a different tool in the hands of an artist. I consider myself an abstract surrealist.”

“What keeps me going is the sense that I have a higher purpose,” said Scott. “I feel that doing my artwork makes people happy. I think of my work as being very spiritual. Human beings are spiritual and my art communicates on that level.”

The Menauls moved here from Boston 11 years ago. “We worked out of the house for the first three years,” said Scott. Their businesses gradually grew as they added on new services. “It’s constantly moving,” said Jerri. “A lot of it is where you put your time and attention.”

Two years ago, they purchased ICF, Image Creations of Florida, an art company located in St. Petersburg, that specialized in creating three dimensional paper art and custom picture framing. The two loyal ICF employees, skilled artists and framers, stayed with ICF when it was moved to the Menaul’s Clearwater location.

“Adding ICF was a good fit for our business. It was the right decision,” said Jerri. “Our clients are happy. It has helped our business grow.”

“We didn’t want to change the name of the company, as it was already established and doing well, with accounts from as far away as Australia for the cast paper art,” said Jerri. “We’ve added accounts like the Lowry Park Zoo and the Clearwater Aquarium.”

Jerri showed some special pieces which are made custom for the Clearwater Aquarium, honoring Winter and Hope, the two famous dolphins.

Such a deal! Jerri inherited hundreds to thousands of fine art prints and posters when she purchased ICF, so she has a special offer for her customers. “If you purchase the custom framing from us, you can have the art print for free. Absolutely free,” said Jerri. “We have a wide range of images, from decorative works to motivational posters. These are great for jobs like assisted living facilities.”

Each month, the Menauls hold a seminar in their monthly series, Visual Artists’ Business Success Workshop, to disseminate useful information on art business-related subjects. Scott Menaul has done several talks, on licensing and other topics. There are also guest lecturers that come in to give seminars. They have had two lawyers come in to talk about copyright laws for artists.

The next free seminar in the series at Menaul Art is on Wednesday, May 20, from 7 to 9 p.m. Keith Winn will discuss “Socially responsible marketing ideas to grow a small creative business.” You can learn how to do well in your business while also doing good things for the community.

The Menauls have found their way to work together as a married couple and as business partners. They divide up the responsibilities. Scott loves the creative end. “We each have our strengths, and we work to them,” said Scott.

Jerri is a people person. “I love the marketing the most,” she said. “I love to surround people with art that makes them happy. Sometimes they cry happy tears, or they smile. They can feel overwhelmed (by our work). That is very gratifying.”

A happy resident of Clearwater, Jerri wanted to see art play an important part in celebrating the city’s 100-year anniversary. Her businesses partnered with the city of Clearwater, and Jerri worked to organize multiple art shows to celebrate Clearwater’s Centennial.

“We’ve been so involved, we created a 3D Time Line of the City of Clearwater. It can be seen in the Clearwater Main Library,” said Jerri.

She organized an event that was held on April 18th, All Art, All Day, All Clearwater. A free Jolly Trolley route was established for the day so that visitors could drop by venues where arts events were held. These included the Clearwater Main Library, Community Learning Center, Menaul Art, Canvas Zoo, Vista Galleries, Art Tryst Gallery, Dance and Circus Arts of Tampa Bay, Studio 1212, Barbaro-Gould Foundation Art Center, Gallery 1356, and Clearwater Center for the Arts.

These free shows from 100 Plus Artists for 100 Plus Years in Clearwater can still be viewed until the end of May.

At Morton Plant Hospital, a juried show from the general public includes amateur and professional artists, from teens up to seniors. There are works from Clearwater High School in addition to the general public. The majority of art is for sale and there have been steady sales of the work.

The art exhibits are on display at several locations, including the Cheek Powell Heart & Vascular Pavilion on the Morton Plant Hospital campus. The display is on the first floor opposite the Nature’s Table Cafe.

“We’re happy to be a part of City of Clearwater’s centennial celebrations as we look forward to Morton Plant Hospital’s 100-year anniversary in 2016,” said Kris Hoce, Morton Plant Hospital president.

Viewing hours for this display are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Visitors should park in the Heart & Vascular parking garage — directly across from the building — located at 455 Pinellas St., Clearwater. 

At Westfield Countryside Mall — (lower level, near the ice rink, across from Zales, near Macy’s.) View works of art from students in grades K -12 from these Clearwater public schools: Clearwater Fundamental School, Clearwater High School, Eisenhower Elementary School, Frontier Elementary, Leila G. Davis Elementary, McMullen Booth Elementary School, Paul B Stephens Exceptional Student Education Center and  Ponce de Leon Elementary. 

This article appears in Apr 23-29, 2015.