The nearby Arts Center is housed in an
impressive building and is a magnificent anchor to the St. Pete arts community. Founded
back in 1917 as the Arts Club of St. Petersburg, it
has grown in to a large business dedicated to advancing the arts, raising awareness and
educating artists and art lovers. They offer workshops, changing exhibits, a gift shop and
much more. It's worth dropping in even if you don't know their current exhibit
title. I stopped by between exhibits as they were changing them out, and it was still
enthralling.
|
A display in the gift shop at The Arts Center |
The Arts Center is also working to
establish a Dale Chihuly permanent display of his incredible glass sculptures in the new
Beth Morean Arts Center they are setting up. It will be interesting to see how that
develops and an incredible coup for St. Petes.
It's definitely worth the short
drive to round the day off with a delicious meal in Peg's, a cantina located in a
renovated cottage in Gulfport, Florida. They display and sell local artists work on their
walls and are the staff are friendly.
I had the shrimp burrito and everything
was scrumptious. The garden is a perfect place to while away some time as you enjoy your
meal. It's on the main street down to the water and is a good people watching spot.
Gulfport is a relaxed, laidback little town, reasonably alternative and independent. I
just loved it.
|
A view of Peg's garden in Gulfport |
Gulfport advertises itself as an arts
town but I thought it has quite a way to go before that's a reality. It is, however,
utterly charming and a step back in time. It's just the sort of place that will
develop in to a creative and interesting art-town - as long as they maintain their own
individual character.
Life can be very good indeed
sitting
in the Peg's garden, sipping a cool glass of wine and watching the world go by - I
can think of no better way to end a day of glorious art and creative energy.
RELATED BUSINESS WEBSITES & PHONE #
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.historickenwood.org
www.grandcentraldistrict.org
www.theartscenter.org
Tel:
(727) 822-7872
www.craftsmanhousefgallery.com
Tel: (727) 323-arts
www.centralavenueantiques.com
Tel: (727) 321-1576
www.interiormotivesstpete.com
Tel (727) 898-6061
www.artspaceartists.com
www.pegscantina.com
(727) 328-2720
Anne Jenkins
Anne, a British citizen born
and raised in South Africa, also lived in six European countries for 25 years and traveled
the world extensively before settling in the United States. New Orleans was
Anne's beloved adopted city for a few glorious years until Hurricane Katrina.
Anne now operates The Point of
Art gallery & studio at 604 Sibley Ave., Union Point, Georgia 30669,
situated half-way between Atlanta and Augusta. Here she can be found painting in her large
new studio doing anything from soft watercolor house portraits, funky folk art on 1895 tin
roof tiles or painting acrylics on big canvas full of vibrant color and movement.
A self-taught artist, her
acrylics and watercolors can be found in many private collections in Europe, Canada, all
over the United States and among her corporate clients are Universal Studios, Hollywood,
California; Datacert Inc., Houston, Texas; and Entergy Power Company, New Orleans,
Louisiana.
Among many other things Anne
has been a reporter, photographer, banker, English teacher, housecleaner and a truck
driver. Her travel writing has been published in a variety of publications, including the
Los Angeles Times and Opera Now.
She and her husband, Lee, also
spent five years on a sailboat in the Mediterranean; many months in a VW van in Central
America, Canada and Alaska; months touring Asia on a shoestring budget, plus a couple of
crazy years driving a big rig around the Lower 48 and Canada.
Anne's main interests are
art, writing, music, travel and good food enjoyed with wine and friends.
Her mission statement simply
put is: To have fun and beat the starving artist rap.
www.ThePointofArt.net
www.artistsingeorgia.com/annejenkins
Click
to learn about Anne Jenkins