Join us for a diverse and innovative exhibition of work showcasing the dynamic creations of our 2024 Emerging Artist grant recipients. This eighth annual exhibition features original work by ten exceptional artists: Kaitlin Crockett, Vanessa Cunto, Thomas Sayers Ellis, Fran Failla, Tyler Gillespie, Antonia Lewandowski, David McCauley, Harriet Monzon-Aguirre, Gaby Rosa and Luci Westphal.
Don’t miss your chance to support and acquire stunning pieces from these up-and-coming artists!
The Gallery is open Wednesdays through Sundays, from 10am –5pm.
Shop the CollectionStep into the world of creativity at the opening reception of the 2024 Emerging Artist Exhibition at the Gallery at Creative Pinellas happening Thursday, May 9 from 6–8pm…. Read More
From visual art to poetry to fire dancing, Artist Talks invite you to get to know the 2024 Emerging Artists through performances, readings, lectures, and intimate conversations at The Gallery at Creative Pinellas…. Read More
By David McCauley
David McCauley is an interdisciplinary artist based in St Petersburg, FL. Since 2012, he has founded multiple 501c3 organizations such as the Rise Up Gallery, Laundromat Art Space, Artillery Residency and The Wynwood Tour Guide App. Each of these entities have been awarded numerous accolades for their programs which encompass art therapy workshops in the community, studio/exhibition space for artists, a live/work artist in residency, and a smartphone based walking tour of the Wynwood Arts District in Miami. McCauley’s artwork…… Read More
By Fran Failla
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Fran’s personal artistic journey began at a very early age. Given the opportunity in elementary school to take up painting, she quickly showed a special aptitude for the medium. Her teacher recognized this and encouraged her mother to nurture her talent. Her mother wasted no time purchasing oil paints, canvas and easel for her to use. With this, she later went on to win several local and national art competitions for her work. In high…… Read More
By Thomas Sayers Ellis
Poet, photographer, and bandleader Thomas Sayers Ellis is the author of The Maverick Room and Skin, Inc,: Identity Repair Poems, He co-founded The Dark Room Collective and The Dark Room Reading Series in 1989 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His poems and photographs have appeared in numerous journals, including The Paris Review, Poetry, The Nation, and Best American Poetry (1997, 2001, 2010, 2015). In 2015, he co-founded Heroes Are Gang Leaders, a literary Free Jazz band of artists who were awarded the…… Read More
By Antonia Lewandowski
Growing up in the multi-lingual Yorkville section of New York City during the Fifties, Antonia Lewandowski had an easy walk to museums and libraries, concerts in Central Park, and East River events. She credits this rich environment for her love of reading and the development of her imagination. Antonia holds a doctorate in education from Columbia University, and graduate degrees in literature and the arts from Wesleyan University and Marquette University, as well as an undergraduate degree in education from…… Read More
By Tyler Gillespie
Tyler Gillespie is an award-winning writer and educator. He’s written for Rolling Stone, GQ, The Washington Post, The Nation, Salon, and Playboy. His poetry appears in anthologies such as In Absentia: Reflections on the Pandemic and Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology while his humor writing can be found in the New Yorker, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, and LGBTQ Comedic Monologues That Are Actually Funny. He’s the author of a nonfiction collection The Thing about Florida: Exploring a…… Read More
By Gabriela Rosa
For the past five years, Gaby Rosa has blazed a trail as a full-time, professional fire and circus performer. Her journey commenced with fire dancing, a mesmerizing art form that kindled her creative spirit and ignited her passion for the liberating beauty of performance art. From that moment, she delved into the captivating world of circus, ultimately discovering her love for the Cyr wheel. Gaby’s performances are a captivating blend of fire arts and circus spectacle, showcasing her profound connection…… Read More
By Kaitlin Crockett
Kaitlin Crockett is a printmaker, writer, book artist, educator, librarian, and owner of Print St. Pete. Primarily using analog methods like Letterpress and Risograph printmaking, she creates zines, publications, broadsides, and other printed ephemera. Since 2013 Kaitlin has provided hands-on education and affordable access at Print St. Pete Community Letterpress, founded with Bridget Elmer. She has taught letterpress and book arts at Penland School of Craft, and Ringling College. Her work has been exhibited at Ringling College, Dunedin Fine Arts…… Read More
By Vanessa Cunto
Vanessa is a Florida native and local artist here in the city of St. Petersburg. She has always placed creativity at the core of her life, from her formative years through her education and into her personal and professional endeavors. Vanessa holds a Fine Arts degree from the University of Florida, with a specialized focus on painting; and in her professional career, she has worked as an Art Director. Her current body of work consists of intricate graphite drawings inspired…… Read More
By Luci Westphal
Luci Westphal is an award-winning filmmaker, photographer, writer, and social artist with a focus on biophilic art to enhance people’s well-being by connecting with the outdoors through art, especially in unexpected places. Luci grew up in the big sky landscape of the Haseldorfer Marsch near Hamburg, Germany, where she got her first camera at age 8. After moving to America and graduating from film school in Tallahassee, Florida, she also lived and worked in Brooklyn, Berlin, and Colorado, and since…… Read More
By Harriet Monzon-Aguirre
Harriet Monzon-Aguirre is an oil painter and aspiring surface pattern designer creating out of Bahia Studios in Safety Harbor. She spent her early childhood and formative years on the Caribbean island of Barbados. Harriet earned scholarships to study an International Baccalaureate at the United World College (UWC-USA) in New Mexico and then a Bachelor’s degree at Earlham College, Indiana, before completing her Master of Fine Art from University of Newcastle upon Tyne in the UK in 2011. Her international background…… Read More
The Emerging Artist Grant aims to support and build meaningful relationships among the outstanding creative artists in Pinellas County and their audiences. It provides a solid foundation to nurture the creative community and elevate Pinellas as an art and cultural destination that draws tourists worldwide. With this focus in mind, Creative Pinellas provides up to ten grants for artists who are emerging in their artistic practice. Grantees will be assigned an artist mentor to help develop new artwork for the…… Read More