2022 Emerging Artist Conversation

2022 Emerging Artist Growing up in Florida before a widespread understanding of neurodiversity, Dorian found in the arts a refuge from traditional schooling, a lens through which to understand the world, and an avenue for self-expression. He began his formal arts education at USF, then completed a Master’s degree in Graphic Design at the prestigious Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. At Pratt, Dorian’s work incorporated the principles of Swiss design, articulated by Armin Hofmann and Wolfgang Weingart, and the graphical interpretations…… Read More

Adam and Kayte are a husband-and-wife team, dedicated to making an impact, not only in the artistic world but striving to bring today’s important issues to the next generation; those who will have to face them. Their current project, Dimple’s Days is inspired by their children’s unique journeys and their own passion for humanism, environmentalism, inclusion and compassion. Long before they ever met, Adam had graduated with a degree in graphic design and Kayte studied multiple disciplines, ultimately deciding on…… Read More

2022 Emerging Artist Jon Didier, better known by his stage name, Jon Ditty, is a Rapper, Songwriter, and Artist based in Dunedin, FL. He is a graduate of the University of Central Florida, earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts in December of 2010. While completing his Arts Degree, Jon found himself more and more preoccupied by hip-hop songwriting, which has incrementally become his primary creative focus. Since 2012, Jon has released three full-length albums, countless song features, and performed live…… Read More

2022 Emerging Artist Alex Kaufman is an artist and designer based out of St. Petersburg, Florida. Kaufman has been the lead designer at MGA Sculpture Studio since 2016, working  on  large-scale  public art for Mark Aeling’s studio in the Warehouse Arts District. The most notable CAD designs completed in that time include 2020’s First Flight Monument, located at the St. Pete Pier, and the 2019 sculpture Gladiolus Blossom at the St. Pete Police Station. Before designing at MGA, Kaufman was an accomplished jewelry…… Read More

2022 Emerging Artist Teresa Mandala is an artist whose work embraces the divine feminine through a dance of color, visual movement, and unique textures. She enjoys exploring new mediums and often works in ceramic, wood, metal, glass, watercolor, acrylic, and oil paints to find unconventional ways to express complex concepts. Her concepts and themes are inspired by nature and personal experiences, in which struggles, triumphs and failures are translated into universal truths. Mandala grew up in Rockford, Illinois and migrated…… Read More

2022 Emerging Artist Rachel Ratcliff is an award winning visual artist currently residing in Clearwater, Florida. Rachel was born into a family of artists, gardeners, and naturalists and was immersed in a world of nature and art at a young age. Working primarily with acrylics, her early art emerged from the colorful botanical universe of forests, gardens, and fields. Morning glories, sunflowers, and insects that daily encompassed her day-to-day life instilled a great respect and love for the wild world…… Read More

2022 Emerging Artist Heather Rippert, fine artist, living in Clearwater, Florida, has been painting and drawing from the time she could hold a pencil. Growing up an only child, she discovered a magical world to disappear into every time she picked up art supplies. Her high school art teacher and mentor, Michael Mulhern, was instrumental in her artistic development and love of watercolor. She received a BFA from Maryland, Institute, College of Art. While there, she was hand picked to…… Read More

Ashley Rivers | The Nature of Fire | is a Contemporary Multidisciplinary Artist living in Gulfport, Florida. She is primarily focused on creating unique works of art through inspiration from the earth, our identities, and our bodies. With a background in sculpture and painting, her contemporary style explores themes of nature, wellness, and strength. Ashley received her BFA with a concentration in Sculpture, from the University of South Florida. Since then, she has been creating art utilizing multiple mediums and…… Read More

Ketsy Ruiz’s experience in the nonprofit field is extensive. As a Marketing Associate at Creative Pinellas, she utilizes her marketing expertise to support the organization’s initiatives. She is a multifaceted creative professional whose skills span a wide range of media and communications. Specializing in branding, content creation, copywriting, short form video editing, and graphic design, Ketsy has honed her ability to conceptualize campaigns and communications for Creative Pinellas with a focus on storytelling. She has built an impressive portfolio, demonstrating…… Read More

2022 Emerging Artist Margherita Tibaldo is an Italian Fine Artist based in Dunedin, FL. At the young age of 19, Margherita and her family moved to Florida, all the way from Italy, where she has been able to focus on her art career. For the past few years, she has been honoring her skills in oil and acrylic painting, and wood and metal sculpture. Attending the College of the Arts at the University of South Florida has been fundamental for…… Read More