When he's not spinning beats at Orlando's most happening dance clubs or working on projects for his Orlando-based interior design company, Andrew Spear is creating. Art, that is. The Boston native — who's featured in a self-titled show beginning this Friday at Salt Creek Artworks — first came to Florida after transferring from the Art Institute of Boston to the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota. The professors frowned upon his chosen medium — colored pencil — and even told him it wasn't a serious art form. Rather than abiding by this not-very-helpful guidance, Spear followed the path of innumerable artists before him: He dropped out of art school and began working on becoming a master at his craft, increasing the size of his pieces to prove that colored pencil should be considered as important as any other medium. His vibrant, large-scale colored pencil works are evidence that he made the right decision. An opening reception occurs from 6 to 9 p.m. Fri., Dec. 8; the works are on display through Jan. 14, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Sat., 1600 Fourth St. S., St. Petersburg, 727-894-2653.
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2006.
