Before historic Ybor City morphed into a magnet for bars and nightclubs, it was a haven for local artists. Now some say the winds of change are reversing — and that the area's recent influx of gay-owned businesses and a nascent resurgence in art exhibitions and studio spaces confirm that trend. Gallery Live, a new addition to the scene, taps into both demographics; queer and queer-friendly artists occupy its ten studio workspaces while two galleries with monthly rotating shows feature a mix of resident and guest artists. On Friday, check out GalleryLive's latest offerings and step into the studios of Guillermo Perez, Anna Kuiber, Chouchou Guilder, Peter Botti and several others. This month, Tanja Harmon scores a solo show in the front gallery. Dubbed Deconstruction, the exhibit features paintings that the artist has cut up and sewn back together to create new forms. An opening reception is held from 8 to 11 p.m. Fri., Oct. 10, with the works on display through Oct. 31, Gallery Live, 1901 N. 15th St., Tampa, myspace.com/gallerylive.
This article appears in Oct 8-14, 2008.