An Artistic Treasure Hunt

Keepers of Heritage ­– Custodios de La Herencia is an extended collaborative effort whose purpose is to document, present and promote the contributions of Puerto Rican artists in the Caribbean archipelago and abroad.

Currently on display at The Gallery at Creative Pinellas is the Keepers of Heritage exhibition Hidden Tales/Cuentos Ocultos.

If you’re looking for a family outing, I highly encourage you to visit The Gallery at Creative Pinellas to complete the scavenger hunt activity designed to encourage children to walk the exhibition spaces and study the different artworks on display.

Powerful paintings, mind-provoking mixed media and scintillating sculptures – there are artworks for everyone to enjoy.

My eldest son William (age 8) was very drawn to the sculpture Fallen Angel by Jose Feliciano.

Thomas (now 3) made an impression on me as he gazed up at Luis Soto’s painting titled Nube #2 of a little girl looking perplexed in a desolate landscape with an ominous cloud in the background.

Meanwhile Madeline (age 6) liked to show her younger brother relatable images in more abstract paintings.

Once we explored the galleries, Thomas and Madeline eagerly sat down to draw in the art space while William and I went on the BINGO scavenger hunt.

Even though we had walked the space and observed the work, the scavenger hunt encouraged us to look deeper, to count the hands intertwined in Crown of Hands by Rigoberto Torres, and see the map within the work America-Yo-Europa by Brenda Cruz.

As the name implies, Hidden Tales/Cuentos Ocultos brings to light stories and beliefs that have been overshadowed or disregarded by mainstream narratives. Although we did not discuss this subject matter in great depth, the children enjoyed the exhibition immensely and celebrated the bilingual nature of the titles and descriptive labels.

A new addition to the space is the Arts & Culture Visitor’s Center – filled with information about the artistic and cultural venues and opportunities in Pinellas County. The kids really enjoyed spending time in this room, playing on the plastic animal sculptures and reading books.

This is definitely a great addition to The Gallery of Creative Pinellas. After we viewed the art, we took the opportunity to see the Florida Botanical Gardens next door. Art and nature – a winning combination anywhere.
. . .

Keepers of Heritage: Hidden Tales
Custodios de la Herencia: Cuentos Ocultos
is a free bilingual show on display at
The Gallery at Creative Pinellas
12211 Walsingham Rd. in Largo
Wednesdays–Sundays from 10 am – 5 pm
now through October 15

. . .
Go on a family outing, do a scavenger hunt together, and enrichen your lives.
. . .

facebook.com/puertoricoartkh

Originally published in the Bahia Studios blog