MORE OF CHIHULY IN ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, CITY OF THE ARTS

 THE BOAT IS FILLED WITH COLORFUL BRIGHTLY COLORED BRIGHT SPHERES.  

It is set on a smooth highly reflective black glass that makes the colors almost florescent.

A visual delight beyond compare, eye candy for certain.  Treat yourself to a treat, a treasure, a master talent with creative genius.

 Video of installation of fishing floats

One of the nicest things about the St.Pete Chihuly collection is they don't discourage photos, they encourage them!  It is hard to take a bad photo, each shot is so beautiful and almost any camera or camera will pick up the light, color and contrast.

The Eyes Have It!

"Eyes are the Windows to Our Souls"

This famous quote has a mysterious origin, but one person that has been thought to have coined it is Leonardo Da Vinci. Many artists use they eye as a symbol, as do various cultures. The evil eye in the middle east protects you. The eyes on the temples of Katmandu are God watching over you. The hand in the middle of the palm can be found in the earliest of art going back to ancient Egyptian times as a symbol of protection against perceived evil.

I like to use eyes as a symbol in my work. I feel comfortable in the world of Surrealism and the use of symbology. I like the idea of concept, visual poetry and hidden subtle images triggering meaning. The photo below is a detail from my latest work for the Dali Museum Event, Liquid Desires. The name of the art work is "Wet Dreams". The work is now in the collection of an Orlando Physician and shares its space with a Chihuly! It is partly a reflection of what the eye sees, as Dali portrayed in several of his pieces.

In the detail of Alternate Universe you can see how I used eyes again as a symbol in my work. On the far left are the eyes of Galileo, in the center are the eyes of the Mona Lisa, and on the far right are the eyes of Einstein. The rusted metal strip with multiple transfers, glass and mirrors is as a sentence to a paragraph. The paragraph being the larger section of the art work.

Some eyes are so identifiable that they are iconic. When using popular icons one can not help but think of Andy Warhol and his Pop Art portraiture. Elvis peers out at you in the top photo while a young Leonardo looks out at us in the last photo.

Dali Museum/St. Petersburg, Florida/A Must See!

Salvador Dali Museum/St. Petersburg, Florida

There are two museums dedicated to Dali's work, one is in Figures, Spain and the other is in St. Petersburg, Florida. Both are excellent and contain a large collection of his work. Having been to both, I can highly recommend each for different reasons. The museum in Figures, Dali designed himself, so walking through the museum is like walking through a piece of Dali's work. It is unpredictable, dramatic, and highly creative. The new Dali Museum in Florida is stunning. The architecture is creative, dynamic, and awe inspiring. The architects also designed the glass triangular structure that is part of the Louvre.

The new Dali is designed by internationally acclaimed architect Yann Weymouth of Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, Inc. (HOK). He worked alongside architect I.M. Pei on the renovation of the Louvre in Paris.

The helix designed stairs are a favorite part of the new architecture for me. Originally they wanted a double helix, as in Dali's art work, but structurally it was best to have one.
Dali's work shines in this museum, all of his collection can be shown at once.

In the old museum, only sections of his work could be seen at one time, and the whole collection had to be rotated. There is only one disappointment for me in the new museum, and that is where the large master works hang. In the old museum they had a large venue and viewing area on two levels, outside light poured in from the ceiling making view with natural light possible. Now each is boxed in separate sections and one can not have the distance to view them nor sit and contemplate them for longer periods of time. No matter how many times I see the master works I still see new things in them every time.
I would suggest making it a priority to visit St. Petersburg, Florida and seeing this Dali Museum.

You will not be disappointed and you can also view the only Dale Chihuly Museum besides the original in Seattle, Washington. Not to mention St. Petersburg is a beautiful tropical beach area for a vacation.
Photos by Ann Suggs

Creativity influences Good Design

I think the quote is "Form Follows Function". I appreciate good design where ever I see it. It is alway a win win situation when artist work with engineers or planners to come up with a stronger design. This is a bike rack in downtown St. Petersburg Florida, a city that is making a commitment to the arts. With the Salvador Dali Museum, Dale Chihuly Museum, Morean Art Center, St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Art, and wonderful galleries and public art, St. Petersburg has highlighted the importance of art in a community. The arts bring in more money to a community that sports do. I know some of you are shaking you head and thinking that can't be, but the statistics are overwhelming. Working in art advocacy it is a fact I know well. So help your community invest in the arts, build a strong community and a stronger financial future at the same time!