Daily Loaf

Need a portrait of yourself, your family, your pet dachsund? Want a photo for your holiday cards that’ll dazzle the

ornaments off the tree? Photographer and trend-setter Marina Williams invites you to ARTpool, her St. Pete gallery/boutique at 919 First Ave. N, for a professional, studio-lit photo session. If you like, you can wear items from the boutique’s vintage clothing and accessories collection during the shoot, and you’ll also get 50% off any one clothing item in the shop. After the shoot you’ll be presented with a final, high-resolution digital image on CD, and you’ll also receive two VIP tickets to the gallery’s ABC123 graphic design show in December.

Estimated value: $350.

Current Bid Amount: $50.

Place your bid below:

It’s hard enough to wrangle a hip group of artists/musicians/designers/models together at the same place and time, but it’s even harder to convince anyone to come see the spectacle. The visionaries at Square One do just that with scenester-crowded, can’t-miss-‘em shindigs — like Saturday’s eco-themed Magnum Opus — that draw party people in droves. More than 75 visual artists display their work (among them CL faves like Bluelucy, Kat Wilson, KLAAREN and Robert Wegmann), Jeremy Gloff hosts his album release party, and dance and fashion shows by Bella Danza, Enigma Dance Kru, Kinetic Dance Group and Wear To The Tear Fashion mean that there’s always something shiny and new to look at onstage. The cherry on top is that this nightlong shindig is completely gratis. Sat., Nov. 14, 7-10 p.m. , The Ritz Ybor, 1503 E. Seventh Ave., Ybor City, free, squareoneflorida.com. – Franki Weddington

What goes together better than wine and blues? The holy union (which drew more than 30,000 folks downtown last year) gets its due this weekend at Dunedin Wines the Blues, when the Suncoast Blues Society heats things up at Dunedin’s Second Friday Art and Wine Walk and a blues jam takes the stage to accompany the arts and crafts, food and wine vendors. The real party gets started on Saturday, with an all-day jazz and blues jam-session that welcomes Grammy-nom John Lee Hooker, Jr., The Steve Arvey Horn Band, Kathy Jo and The Bluzification Band to the stage. Visit dunedinwinestheblues.info for more info. Nov. 13-14, 5:30-10:30 p.m. Fri., 5-11 p.m. Sat., Downtown Dunedin, free. Read the rest of this entry »

The air is getting cool and crisp, and let’s hope it stays that way, because it is time to chill – in every sense of the word. Chillounge Night – sponsored by Cointreau and created by a Sarasota gallery owner – transforms a four-block area in downtown Tampa into a swanky lounge and nightclub. The outdoor lounge, decked out with lights, a banging sound system and hundreds of stylish daybeds – for those who want to kick back and enjoy a tasty beverage – is a great way for people to mingle in an unusual, elegant environment. If you don’t feel like chillin’ then take your pick of entertainment: festivities include tango dancers, opera singers, jazz musicians, a fashion show, a cigar lounge and a grand finale Brazilian Samba Parade. This ingenious party is bound to be kick-ass and, as if you need another reason to attend, the event benefits Friends of the Festival. Sat., Oct. 10, 6 p.m.-11 p.m., $15 per person in advance, $20 per person at the door, $75 VIP, attendees must be 21+, downtown Tampa along Franklin St., 941-448-0995, chilloungenight.com. – Lily Reisman

A traveling exhibition organized by Chattanooga’s Hunter Museum of American Art, I Heard A Voice: The Art of Lesley Dill brings nearly 30 of the acclaimed contemporary artist’s works — with an emphasis on sculptural installations — to St. Petersburg. Poetic and psychologically charged, Dill’s constructions often combine fabric and figures (or dress forms) with text to spellbinding effect; works featured in I Heard A Voice respond to poetry by Emily Dickinson, Salvador Espriu and Franz Kafka. Expect to be moved by the artist’s ideas and awed by her craft. (Pictured: “Rise,” Laminated fabric, hand-dyed cotton, paper, metal, silk organza with cotton. Courtesy of the Artist and George Adams Gallery, NY) Oct. 10-Dec. 27, Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg, 727-896-2667, fine-arts.org. – Megan Voeller Read the rest of this entry »

The city closes down two blocks of Central Avenue for the third edition of Creative Clay’s now-annual fundraiser, FolkFest St. Pete. The free two-day street party celebrates all things folk with food and drink, art booths spotlighting the works of a range of local artisans, and a solid lineup of music throughout. Florida’s finest singer-songwriters,  folk and blues artists join national talents on the outdoor stage. South Carolina kicks off the music on Saturday, with sets by Dave Hardin, Green Grass Boys and TC Carr, Sarasota Slim and Nitro, Rebekah Pulley and the Reluctant Prophets, Ben Prestage, and The New Familiars of Charlotte, S.C. to follow (and in that order). The Sunday bill features Veronica Jackson, Ella Jet, a “Tribute to Woodstock,” Have Gun Will Travel and the main headliners and a big score for the fest – NY’s Donna the Buffalo (pictured), their folky, rootsy jams marked by elements of zydeco, old time fiddle music and three-part harmonies. Sept. 26-27, beginning at 10 a.m. both days, Central Avenue, between 11th and 13 streets N., St. Petersburg, free admission. –Leilani Polk

Time to start mapping a route that hits every major museum and attraction this side of the Bay: ArtsAlive 2009: Free Museum Day includes the Salvador Dali Museum, the Dr. Carter G. Woodson Museum, the Florida Holocaust Museum, Florida International Museum, Great Explorations, the Fine Arts Museum, the St. Pete Museum of History, the Morean Arts Center, the Pier Aquarium, the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, the Florida Craftsmen Gallery and more. Visit stpete.org/artsalive for museum hours and more info. Sat., Sept. 26.

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Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This weekend brings us two nifty art events. Before you fret about which one to attend and start flipping coins, hold your horses — you won’t have to forsake any of our rad local art, because you can spin at Record Remix in St. Pete on Friday night before heading to a SLAMmin’ art party in Ybor on Saturday to benefit Support Local Arts and Music magazine.

Artist/owner Marina Williams is at it again for ARTpool’s twice-monthly opening Record Remix Art Party, this time with art installations created from and on vinyl (pictured), an LP fashion show by Cindy Linville, and a record sell-off to that’ll put the vinyl purists out there in a frenzy. The $10 cover gets you in with the indie crowd along with a drink and hors d’oeuvres. Fri., Sept. 25, 6 p.m.-12 a.m. ARTPool, 919 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg, $10, 727-324-3878, artpoolrules.com. – Franki Weddington

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Paula Abdul and regret. Ellen DeGeneres and opportunity. Kanye West and unwarranted opinion. Beyonce and PR. Peanut butter and jelly. Jelly and John Goodman.

Spider-Man: art lover.

Some things just go together – like vintage clothing and artwork. Don’t believe me? Just ask those in attendance at St. Pete’s ARTpool’s monthly gallery opening, Heroes & Heroines — or any of the locals who frequent the shop for a must-have creation in fabric or frame.

ARTpool opened in April of 2008 and has been making waves ever since.

Its mission statement is to “partner with the community to form an organic, evolving cooperative of artists that will work together to build a sustainable and a mutually beneficial artistic environment that promotes creativity, originality, and forward thought.” It’s done just that, holding events ranging from fashion shows to children’s installation events.

The latest opening was last Saturday, and, inspired by decades of comic book art, owner Marina Williams and local artists banded together to celebrate the finest fashions and fantasies. Live entertainment and artistry complemented the creation-lined walls as superhero and civilian alike answered the bat signal to enjoy St. Pete’s finest fusion. Read the rest of this entry »

Art lovers, comic fans and those in-between: time to throw on your tights, tie on your cape and iron your underwear! St. Pete’s co-op gallery and boutique ARTpool is having a Heroes and Heroines art party for its monthly show opening. The all-ages opening is expected to garner 100-300 attendees (including you) and showcases comic-inspired 2D, 3D and video art from local talent — commissioned and otherwise. $10 gets you in the door with hors d’oeuvres, a complimentary drink and face-time with super-heroine owner Marina Williams and other local superguys and gals to celebrate the graphic novel as an art form. If you’re worried about your secret identity, visitors are encouraged to dress as their favorite comic character, though Clark Kent and other civilians are welcome. (Pictured: “Harley and Ivy”  by Nick Yakimovich) Sat., Sept. 12, 6 p.m.-12 a.m., ArtPool, 919 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg, $10; includes hors d’oeuvres and drink, artpoolrules.com. –Ryan Jent Read the rest of this entry »

Kreative Key sits down with photographer and gallery owner Marina Williams to discuss TRA’shion Fashion, coming to ARTPool Gallery July 11th…

KK – So Marina, ARTPool gallery is gearing up for another TRA’shion Fashion Show.  If you’ve never been to TRA’shion Fashion, what is it and what’s it like?

MW – TRA’shion Fashion is one of the Tampa Bay’s best creative couture fashion shows. It combines ingenuity with recycling and challenges designers to think outside of the box.  Highlighting high-fashion runway attire and the top models in Florida, TRA’shion Fashion took St. Pete by storm last year and is going to top itself with an even more extreme show on July 11th.  A definite event to pencil in and experience if you love fashion, wearable art & support local art, as this show features designers from ages 18 to 80.

KK – That sounds amazing!  I’m sure anyone into Project Runway would really enjoy this event.  If you came last year and saw TRA’shion Fashion, do you have any new surprises for those party people? Read the rest of this entry »