If ever you needed proof that buying local art can make a difference in your community, Seminole Heights' QUAID has it in spades.
They're opening a new exhibit, General Assembly, From the collection of Artist George Anderton. It's comprised entirely of local artists (so of course we think it's the best thing since government cheese, because #welovelocal, in case you hadn't noticed) collected by a local artist (is that meta? it kinda feels meta) who's now exhibiting them. George Anderton, who's had a Tampa studio for well on 20 years, will trust more than 75 works to QUAID. Artists include Neil Bender, Becky Flanders, Vincent Kral, Bud Lee, Tracy Midulla, Justin Nelson, Charles Parkhill, Edgar Sanchez Cumbas, Anthony Record, Josette Urso, Chasity Williams, Ruby C. Williams and Theo Wujcik (so you can kinda see why we're excited, right?), and it's the first time the public can get so much as a peek at this massive collection of local art, much less spend as much time as they'd like with in a gallery (well, within reason — everyone needs to sleep).
The exhibit will include art in a variety of media.
Anderton procured the art either from the artists themselves or, as QUAID explains in its press release, "from exhibitions organized by alternative art spaces such as Tempus Projects, QUAID, and Workspace in Seminole Heights, and exhibitions organized by regional institutions such as HCC’s Gallery 221, or events supporting nonprofit organizations such as the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts."
This is why local galleries matter so much to an art community, you guys.
Kathy Gibson and Jose Gelats curated the exhibit, which will also include some of Anderton's work.
QUAID, in case you weren't hip to who and what they are, is your friendly Tampa artist collective. It used to live in Tempus Projects' project space, but it's all grown up now and has its own Seminole Heights space. The artists who are part of QUAID belong to the Tampa Drawers Sketch Gang. Sounds bad-ass, right? They meet weekly in Tampa Bay — and have for over five years — to draw. Drawing is a vital part of a studio practice for any artist, but don't think all you'll ever see at QUAID is drawing (we said part of a studio practice, not all of it).
General Assembly, From the collection of Artist George Anderton | QUAID Gallery, 5142 N. Florida Ave., Tampa | July 14-Aug. 18; hours by appointment | Opening reception July 14: 7-10 p.m. | Learn more on their website, Facebook page or Instagram.
