The hard thing about this job is also the best thing about this job: Tampa Bay has too many artists for us to cover all of them at one time. It’s too easy for us to go, “Oh, look at Bekky Beukes’ new work — let’s write about that!” because, quite honestly, we love her stuff. No disrespect to Bekky but this issue we’re going deeper, looking for artists you haven’t read about from us before. And so we asked some of our faves — artists whose work you will see here, like Derek Donnelly yes, Bekky Beukes — who they thought needed more love. Then we asked Facebook. One thing led to another and, well, we don’t have space to cover them all in this one page, but I promise you, you’ll read more about new local artists in the coming months. Start here, and then check back every week.
Oil and wood. You can find her work at Five Deuces Galleria but also around town — for example, the bar at Wine Madonna and much of the wood at The Wooden Rooster. Five Deuces Galleria — if you've ever been to 3 Daughters you've probably parked illegally at the Galleria, which has 22 artists creating everything from Moe's wine-themed reclaimed wood furniture to a metal sculptor who uses car parts. Five Deuces Galleria, 222 22nd St. S., St. Pete. Visit during the Second Saturday art walk. moeinkllc.com.
Vince Pompeii makes clocks — but he's not a clockmaker. More to the point, he creates elaborate metal clock art that looks a little Alice in Wonderland, a little Frank Strunk III. Pinellas Park Creative District. 5681 Park Blvd., Pinellas Park. Seven days, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. with extended hours the first Wed., second Thurs., third Fri. and fourth Sat. of each month from 6-9 p.m. pompeistudio.com
Ah, the beauty of a soda can. Noah Deledda sees what others don't and works with these discarded objects to reveal it to the world. You can only see his work locally at his studio in the Ybor City Art Colony or, if you happen to be in Zurich, catch his exhibit at the ARTBOX Gallery. You can request a studio visit through his website, or you can watch our paper for the next open studio event at the Art Colony. 1521 1/2 7th Ave., Ybor. noahdeldda.com.
Eagle Finegan
Her work will leave you breathless — whether it's a close-up of an orchid or a waterscape of Boca Ciega Bay, she manages to capture the ethereal qualities the rest of us can only see with our eyes, yet never capture with our cameras. Finegan captures it all with her brush. See her work up close at the Gulfport Fine Arts Festival, Feb. 17-18 in Veterans Park, Gulfport (next to O'Maddy's at the southern end of 54th Ave. S.) and all March in the Catherine Hickman Theater, 5501 27th Ave. S., Gulfport.
OK, we've sorta written about her, but only to mention she was part of ArtJones, and we definitely didn't tell you about her ceramics. She does vessels, wall hangings and yoga art (you need one of these, yogis) and she's all over the map — literally. She's booked just about every weekend this spring, and while she's travel country-wide you can see her work at the St. Pete Fine Arts Festival and again at Mainsail. Or, catch her walking her dog around Gulfport, although in our experience the dog is disinclined to chat about art and more interested in treats. St. Pete Fine Arts Festival, S. Straub Park, St. Pete. Feb. 24-25, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mainsail, Vinoy Park, St. Pete. Apr. 21-22, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Posner paints the female form in all its glory. Unlike so many female figure painters, though, she infuses personality and mood into each of her women. These are not "studies"; they're fully-fleshed humans caught in media res, and they're beautiful. Vagabond Gita Market, 1001 W. Cass St., Tampa. Monthly, second Mondays, 5 p.m.
Take an old car and make it into art. Hey, I've been there (RIP, VW Rabbit). My car was never art-worthy, but there's always hope that one day my old gearshift will find new life in one of her works. Five Deuces Galleria, 222 22nd St. S., St. Pete. Visit during the Second Saturday art walk. ginacoccaro.com.
Karen Love
Perhaps the newest undiscovered artist on our list, Gulfportian Karen Love started painting this past July — but she's already had one exhibit at the Catherine Hickman Theater and people can't seem to get enough of her work. If you're bone-fucking-weary of the traditional sunset and seascape paintings so prominent in so many so-called "art stores" lining our patch of paradise, check out her primary-hued-plus works of Florida familiars. Keep reading CL to learn of her next show or visit her booth at Gulfport's First Friday Art Walk and Third Saturday Stroll.
