We covered a lot of fun art and nature events in our fall arts issue features this year, but here’s a list of things to do — many outside, some air-conditioned — through the rest of 2019.
AUGUST
Stanton Storer’s Masterful Collection It’s always fun when an avid art collector decides to momentarily share their collection with the public. It’s even more fun when that collector is local, like Stanton Storer. This fall the University of Tampa’s Scarfone/Hartley Gallery will show work from his world-class stash, which includes pieces from both local and international artists, including Robert Mapplethorpe, Robert Rauschenberg, and Kara Walker (if Storer is there, ask him to tell you about how someone else’s divorce led him to buy his first Theo Wujcik. Prepare to be impressed. Aug. 30-Nov. 8. UT Scarfone/Hartley Gallery, 310 N. Blvd., Tampa. Aug. 30-Nov. 8. ut.edu/scarfonehartleygallery.
Patricia Blauvelt’s Affections of Nature Lina Teixeira’s downtown Clearwater wine bar hosts Patricia Blauvelt’s first solo photography show. Eighteen of Blauvelt’s nature-inspired photographs will be on display for your viewing pleasure. Photography and wine? Yes, please. Sat. Aug. 31, 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Pour Yours, 522 Cleveland St., Clearwater. INFO.
SEPTEMBER
Turn Disney on its Ear Swing by Cider Press Café this September to check out artist-curator John Gascot’s latest show. The theme: Florida’s sometimes-ridiculous Disney culture. In a call to artists, Gascot states that “the work may be celebratory, satirical or commentary in nature.” This is going to be fun. Sept. 2019 (with a possible extension through October). Cider Press Café, 601 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. gascot.blogspot.com.
Cultivating Resilience: Hope Ginsburg Hope Ginsburg is the Kennedy Family Artist in Residence at USF this fall. Ginsburg often addresses natural and environmental subjects in her work, as in "Swirling," her recent video installation inspired by coral reef restoration in St. Croix. While in town, Ginsburg will be exploring Tarpon Springs’ local sponge culture and displaying related work in Sponge Exchange at USF-CAM come January 2020. Thurs., Sept. 5, 7-9 p.m. Free to attend. USF School of Art & Art History, FAH 110, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa. usf.edu/arts.
Whiskey and War Stories Tampa Bay is about to get its own 9/11 memorial. The memorial sculpture, designed by Mark Aeling of MGA Sculpture Studios, will be located in St. Pete’s Warehouse Arts District. To honor those affected by 9/11, ArtsXchange is hosting an evening of whiskey and war stories this fall. The whiskey comes courtesy of Scott Neil’s American Freedom Distilleries. Neil was part of a small team of Green Berets that went into Afghanistan following 9/11. Hear his story, try his whiskey, and find out more about St. Pete’s upcoming 9/11 memorial at this special event. Thurs., Sept. 5, 6-8 p.m. ArtsXchange, 515 22nd Street South, St. Petersburg. risestpete.org.
Nathan Beard: Drawing Water As anyone who’s ever picked up a pencil or a paintbrush can tell you, drawing and painting water is a challenge. Without the proper amount of reflection and waves or ripples, water just doesn’t look like water. Though depicting water’s movement in a still picture isn’t easy, Nathan Beard has mastered it. Twenty of Beard’s Pond’s Edge series will be on display in Brooker Creek Preserve’s Education Center this fall; six of these were inspired by the preserve itself. Sept. 15-Nov. 17. Environmental Education Center Auditorium Gallery at Brooker Creek Preserve, 3940 Keystone Rd., Tarpon Springs. friendsofbrookercreekpreserve.org.
One Day Tampa Bay This community photography project directed by the Morean’s Beth Reynolds welcomes any photographer in the Tampa Bay area — amateur or professional — to document a single day in Tampa Bay. The main event is on September 21, but there’s a prep class a few days beforehand. Sign up through the Morean Arts Center’s website. Sat. Sept. 21 (prep class on Wed. Sept. 12). Morean Arts Center, 719 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. $25. moreanartscenter.org.
Pretty Vacant: New Works by Todd Bates and Selina Roman Vintage neon signs and old motel rooms? We can’t wait to see roadside America through the eyes and lenses of Todd Bates and Selina Roman. Opening reception on Fri. Sept. 13, 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Artist talk Sun. Sept. 22, 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Show runs through Sept. 29. MIZE Gallery, 689 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. St. N., St. Petersburg. INFO.
ARTofficial Intelligence: The St. Pete Robot Exchange Mark Stevens, aka Aurelius Artist, reached out to tell us about the St. Pete Robot Exchange, a robot-themed art show now in its eighth year. In 2019, the show will start at the Morean Arts Center and then migrate, or parade, a block away to Bar@548. Parade night will also feature an Emerald Bar art show, Put A Bob On It, which is centered about St. Pete-famous Bob the Robot. So to recap, the night starts with a robot show, continues with a robot parade and then ends with two robot shows at venues right next to each other. Sat. Sept. 14, 5 p.m. Morean Arts Center, 719 Central Ave.; Bar@548, 548 Central Ave.; Emerald Bar, 550 Central Ave. St. Petersburg. INFO.
Davis Islands Photography Workshop Interested in landscape or cityscape photography? Take a field trip out to Davis Islands with Tampa photographer Amy Pezzicara. If you know how to use your camera (even if it’s just a cell phone camera), Pezzicara can teach you how to how to capture the essence of a place. Sun. Sept 15, 8 p.m.-10 a.m. $50-60. FMoPA, 400 N Ashley Drive, Tampa. eventbrite.com.
Off the Beaten Path Hike: In Search of Catesby’s Lily at Brooker Creek Preserve Let SPC biologist Craig Huegel take you on a walk through Brooker Creek Preserve in search of the threatened Catesby’s Lily. The native Florida wildflower lives in Florida’s wet flatlands and prairies, and it blooms from summer to late fall. Huegel will be taking hikers through parts of the preserve that are normally closed to the public, so this hike is probably your best bet for seeing one of the rare flowers. It’s a 3-4 hour long hike, so bring water and lunch. Sign up in advance online. Sun., Sept. 22, 9 a.m. $25. Brooker Creek Preserve, 3940 Keystone Rd., Tarpon Springs. eventbrite.com.
Guided photography hikes at Brooker Creek Preserve Volunteer photographer duo, Karl and Kathleen Nichter, are hosting two photography hikes through Brooker Creek Preserve this fall — one in September and one in October. Sept. 28 and Oct. 26, 8:30 a.m. Brooker Creek Preserve, 3940 Keystone Rd., Tarpon Springs. friendsofbrookercreekpreserve.org.
OCTOBER
Fall Wildflower Festival and Plant Sale Brooker Creek Preserve Gallery director Lynn Whitelaw told us that the Fall Wildflower Festival is one of the preserve’s most popular events. Bring a camera. Sat. Oct. 5., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Brooker Creek Preserve, 3940 Keystone Rd., Tarpon Springs. INFO.
Creep We love horror-themed art shows in October. Don’t you? CL faves like Frank Strunk III, Bekky Beukes, Jon Stine, Bryan Nichols and Mize himself will show. Opening reception Fri. Oct. 11, 6-10 p.m. MIZE Gallery, 689 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. St. N., St. Petersburg. INFO.
“The Grasshopper and the Ant and Other Stories” Canadian artist Jennifer Angus very literally incorporates nature into her artwork by using dried insects as her medium. Rather than brushing paint over canvas, Angus arranges dead bugs into site-specific installations inspired by Victorian wallpaper and 19th-century book illustration. The MFA tells me that Angus is creating the largest installation of her career for the exhibit, which is on display until January 5. Process talk on Sat. Oct. 12, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. mfastpete.org.
Florida Birding and Nature Festival Nature and birding geeks unite! Hillsborough Community College’s Brandon campus is hosting this four-day event sponsored by some of the most visible birding and nature organizations in Tampa Bay, from Audubon Florida and Tampa Audubon to Tampa Bay Watch and the Florida Aquarium. Paddles down the Hillsborough River and Frog Creek are on tap this year along with hordes of field trips (Fort DeSoto, Se7en Wetlands, Fred and Idah Schultz Preserve, Cross Bar Ranch, Hammock Park, Honeymoon Island, Perico Preserve, Terra Ceia Preserve, Celery Fields, Boyd Hill Preserve or Circle B Bar Reserve), boat trips (Outback Key, Shell Key Preserve, Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary or Egmont Key) and expert talks about everything from Florida’s turtles to owls, bird photography and bird migration. Sat.-Tues. Oct. 17-20. Hillsborough Community College (Brandon Campus), 10451 Nancy Watkins Dr., Brandon. floridabirdingandnaturefestival.org.
Porch Party: Gary Monroe The Gulfport Historical Society is hosting author and photographer Gary Monroe —who’s written about some of Florida’s best landscape artists and photographers from the Florida Highwaymen to E G. Barnhill — at its October porch party. Find out more about Florida’s many self-taught artists at Monroe’s presentation. Fri. Oct. 18, 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Gulfport Historical Society, 5301 28th Avenue S., Gulfport. gulfporthistoricalsociety.org.
The Heights Art Studio and Gallery Tour Beyond the art and photography museums in downtown Tampa, there’s an enclave of artists working out of homes, garages, and other designated art spaces in Seminole Heights. Once a year, the art studios and galleries in this neighborhood have sort of an open house. It’s a great way to get to know the neighborhood and the artists who work there. Sat., Oct. 19, 12-6 p.m. Meet at Tempus Projects, 4636 N. Florida Ave., Tampa. tempus-projects.com.
SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival SHINE has become a staple arts event for Tampa Bay, and on October 18 it kicks off a week of transformation for many St. Petersburg walls, which’ll get special attention from an artist lineup that’s tapped muralists from all over the world, country and Tampa Bay to partake. The rest of us are invited to get outside and watch the works of art come to life. Oct. 18-Oct. 26. Various locations in St. Petersburg. shinemuralfest.com.
BURN: Morean Street Party This year, SHINE comes with a street party at the Morean Arts Center. And it’s going to be hot, literally. We’re talking glassblowing hot. There’ll be craft cocktails, gourmet food, live music, street art in the galleries and glassblowing in the studio. Sat. Oct. 19, 7-10 p.m. $35-$100. Morean Arts Center, 719 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. moreanartscenter.org.
NOVEMBER
The Making of a Museum: 100 Years, 100 Works The Tampa Museum of Art is turning 100 in 2020, and its caretakers are celebrating with art because, you know, it’s an art museum. A hundred works of art from their collection — one for each year they’ve been in business — will be chosen to honor the museum’s collection history and mission. The celebration goes all the way until March 15. Opens Fri. Nov. 8. Tampa Museum of Art, 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa. tampamuseum.org.
DECEMBER
X: Celebrating a Decade of Tempus Projects Celebrate a place that brought art to Seminole Heights. Tempus Projects is turning 10, and it’s throwing a party to celebrate. Tempus is still mum on details, but we can’t wait to find out what additional anniversary year programming organizers are planning. Sat. Dec. 14. Tempus Projects, 4636 N. Florida Ave., Tampa. tempus-projects.com.
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This article appears in Aug 29 – Sep 5, 2019.