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The Local Art Scene Is In Full Swing For Fall

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 13, 2007

Updated: 10/11/2007 09:33 pm

Fall is full of arts news across the county. For years, folks have complained about the lack of an art scene in Hillsborough County. Here is news to show creative juices are flowing faster than the Hillsborough River.

Artists are informing, teaching and exhibiting, so get out there and feast your eyes, stimulate your mind and fill your soul with beauty.

The University of Tampa is not only a campus with historical and unique architecture, but also the home of one of the most personally oriented arts programs at any college or university.

Alumnus Carl Cowden is a master printer and an instructor in printing methods at the university. He recently reflected on the UT art program's approach to education, saying, 'This is a place where you can surround yourself with dedicated people who really care about you, your work and your goals. The whole point of doing this work with students is for them to be comfortable with what I'm trying to help them learn, but I'm not going to put or force my ideas on them, just show them the way.'
University professors and instructors live in Brandon and Valrico. Many of the alumni are teachers in area schools, participating in annual high school exhibits at galleries in competition. Professors lend their expertise at local art gatherings and judge art events. Their work is cutting-edge and is proudly exhibited annually at the Scarfone/Hartley Gallery and its Bailey Art Studio.

The Alumni Show will continue at the Bailey Art Studio at Scarfone/Hartley Gallery through Oct. 20 and is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Call (813) 253-6217.

Alumni also will be at an annual art brunch at the studio at 11 a.m. Oct. 20, where guests will have an opportunity to meet the exhibiting artists, view the exhibit and tour the art studios. Cost is $8. Reservations are required. Contact dcowden@ut.edu or (813) 253-6217.

Roxanne Tobaison is the featured artist this month at Bloomingdale Regional Library, 1906 Bloomingdale Ave., Valrico. She also has painted a gigantic Temple Orange for the Temple Terrace Arts Council to be auctioned off at the Temple Terrace Fall Arts Festival in November. Until then, that piece and several other paintings of oranges will be on display at the Temple Terrace Public Library. If you have a September issue of Southern Living magazine, take a look at the second section of Florida Living on Page 38, and you'll see Tobaison's art mentioned.

At 2 p.m. Sunday at Brandon Regional Library, internationally exhibited Brandon sculptor Candace Knapp will talk about some of her latest works and her recent successful exhibit at the Miaoli Wood Sculpture Museum in Taiwan. Knapp was one of only two sculptors invited from the United States. Some of her new work is on exhibit at the library through October.

At 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Center Place Fine Arts and Civic Association, 619 Vonderburg Drive, that 'Graphite Guy' Tim Mandese will give a drawing demonstration and talk about the joys and difficulties of working in graphite. This entertaining and educational discussion will be held after the Brandon League of Fine Arts meeting at Center Place, which begins at 6:30 p.m. Both the meeting and demonstration are free and open to interested artists.

The North Tampa Arts League is billing its new show at the New Tampa Regional Library as 'The Glorious Fine Art Show.'

Center Place watercolor instructor Sue Allen of Lithia will judge the exhibit, which will run through Oct. 31. The show will be judged Oct. 18. An artist's reception will be from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 20.

Congratulations are in order for Allen, who just received an award for work accepted into the Florida Watercolor Society show that runs through November in Daytona Beach. Being juried into that show is a real feat for any artist. Allen is a past president and a signature member of the Florida Watercolor Society.

The Hillsborough County Arts Council, through its outreach program, sponsors the art program at the Hillsborough Correctional Institution for women in Riverview.

Valrico artist Minette Webster teaches art classes at the institution. With Webster's guidance, inmates have created a compilation of work titled 'Beauty Behind Bars.' The program buys supplies with donated money. Anyone wishing to donate may contact A.O.E Supplies in Tampa at (813) 989-0302 or send a check designated for 'prison art supplies' to the supply store at 12908 N. 56th St, Tampa FL 33617.

Faces of Courage Foundation is calling for crafty and/or willing hands to help sort and bag beads from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 23 and 30. The beads are for cancer survivors participating in various parades to promote cancer awareness. They also may be purchased for $3 a bag during sorting sessions. Write to diane .sharpe@usps.gov or sharpdc @hotmail.com if you think you can help.

Cheryl Kuck can be reached at wkuck@tampabay.rr.com.

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