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Show Will Be 'Glorious'

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By SARAH ROTHWELL, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 6, 2007

NEW TAMPA - North Tampa Arts League members pride themselves on selling hand-painted, original artwork.

Beginning Sunday, league members will have their creations on display at 'Glorious,' the latest art show at the New Tampa Regional Library.

The show will include realistic, impressionistic, surrealistic and abstract paintings priced at $300 or more. The art is all one-of-a-kind.

'These are our very best pieces,' said league member Armida Nagy Stickney.

Since it's formation in 2005, the North Tampa Arts League has brought 50 local artists together, including professional painters, new artists and students. They work together, exhibit their paintings together and rely on one another for support. Each brings something different to the group.

The league works to enhance cultural awareness in New Tampa and nearby communities.

'We want to bring more original art to the area,' said co-founder Mary Bitner. 'Some of the children and people here have never been to a museum.'
League members consider the New Tampa Regional Library their home base. They use the library's meeting room as a gallery space. For 'Glorious,' each artist selected one piece to show.
Stickney chose her surrealistic painting 'Man With a Blue Guitar.' A poem of the same name inspired the work. She is looking forward to receiving feedback from library-goers.

'It should be fabulous,' she said.
Bitner will display her expressionistic painting 'A Garden for Florence.' The colorful acrylic includes daffodils, geraniums and purple flowers. Bitner, who began painting 20 years ago, was inspired by her childhood.

'The painting is named for my mother,' she said. 'My mother was a master gardener. I grew up with big gardens all around. That's why I paint flowers.'

For her painting 'La Boca,' the league's October Artist of the Month, Maritza Kalantar, reflected on her experiences in the Dominican Republic.

'In the Dominican Republic, there are so many beautiful beaches and wildflowers,' she said. 'You can walk for miles without a soul in sight. That inspires me. 'La Boca,' it's what my hometown there looked like 20 years ago.'

Kalantar, a Realtor by day, said an artist can find inspiration anywhere.

'When an artist looks at a tree, it's different than when someone else looks at a tree,' she said. 'I look at a tree, a house or a person walking by and it's beautiful. I think, 'I can use that as a subject for my next painting.' '
Bitner agreed.

'Sometimes, I wake up in the middle of the night thinking of an idea for a picture,' she said.

League co-founder Genie Shannon writes a note to herself whenever something gets her creative energy flowing.

'An artist's eyes never stop moving,' she said. 'We dream in color.'

Shannon, a painting instructor at the Old Hyde Park Art Center in South Tampa, experiments with a variety of painting styles. She enjoys everything from abstract to fantasy. She selected her impressionistic painting 'Bamboo' to appear in the 'Glorious' show. It is one of her favorites.

'It's part of a Costa Rica series I did,' she said. 'I travel there every couple years.'

Shannon hopes someone will purchase the painting. Selling original art is the hardest part, she said. Paintings are priced to reflect the time invested by the artist.

'Large paintings can take up to 40 hours,' Shannon said.

To avoid becoming starving artists, most league members work day jobs or side jobs. Still, they value art above the daily grind. Few can go a day without picking up a paintbrush.

'It's amazing to create something out of nothing,' Bitner said. 'You get a blank canvas and just fill it up.'

The league recently started a scholarship fund to help aspiring student artists.

From 6:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 20, the league will host a reception for 'Glorious.' The event will include an art sale to benefit the scholarship fund. Postcard-size interpretations of masterworks will sell for less than $100. In addition to the fundraiser, the event will include refreshments, live music and a chance to meet local artists.

'Glorious' will run through Jan. 20.

'You have to see original art before you can appreciate it and you have to appreciate it before you can buy it,' Bitner said.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: 'Glorious' art exhibit

WHERE: New Tampa Regional Library, 10001 Cross Creek Blvd.

WHEN: From 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday

INFORMATION: Call (813) 273-3652.

Sarah Rothwell can be reached at srothwell@tampatrib.com or (813) 865-4845.

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