Published: June 10, 2009
Tampa artist Frank Bolock has amassed an impressive body of work since he began painting seriously in the 1970s.
He'll share a small part of that prolific portfolio in an exhibit through June at the Kotler Art Gallery of the John F. Germany Library downtown.
Although the show has no official title, it consists entirely of familiar Tampa landmarks.
"If you love Tampa, you'll love this art show, so I call it 'Love Tampa Art Show,'" the artist said in a telephone interview.
A Pittsburgh native, Bolock hasn't looked back since moving to Tampa in 2001.
"I've enjoyed this area so much, and this is my way of giving back a little to it," Bolock said.
The 23 paintings in the show depict Tampa people and places with a whimsical touch: a painting of the Old Hyde Park Art Center on Swann Avenue features famous artists attending an exhibit there; the John F. Germany Library is depicted with Aristotle and Plato walking out of it; and Kennedy Boulevard is shown with angels hovering above it.
It's a combination of reality and fantasy that works well on the eye and the subliminal mind. Previous reviewers have made reference to Bolock's "quirkiness."
"When most people look at my paintings, they smile," Bolock noted. "It's like an inside joke. I like that."
Although he works in several media, his favorites are acrylics and watercolors.
"I have a knack for watercolors," he said. "And it's not an easy medium to master. With watercolors, you have to be quick; you don't have the luxury of painting over. When I want to do something in more detail, I go to acrylics."
A 1956 graduate of the Pittsburgh Art Institute, Bolock always has made art the center of his livelihood.
"I was in advertising art at first," he said. "Then I had six kids so I got more into the advertising end of the business. But I always kept my hand in art. When I retired, I had a pretty decent body of work to exhibit."
Bolock is an active member of the Tampa Realistic Artists and teaches art at the Life Enrichment Center in North Tampa.
The public is invited to meet the artist at a free reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the gallery in the library, 900 N. Ashley St., Tampa.
For information on this exhibit, call the library at (813) 273-3652. To see more works by Bolock, go to www.artoverture.com and select "browse portfolios." Then click on "painting-acrylics" or "painting-watercolor" and select Bolock's name from the list that appears.
2 friends do live demo
Nuance Galleries in South Tampa offers a different kind of experience to savor with your morning coffee. Local artists Taylor Ikin and Laura Waller will exhibit their painting skills in a live demonstration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
"We are doing this to give the viewer more of an opportunity to see where our creative juices come from," Ikin said. "Laura and I have been painting together for a while and the experience demonstrates that you don't have to paint alike to be good friends. I like a large format, she likes small; I like to throw the paint around and she has a more controlled approach."
The event is free and coffee and doughnuts will be served.
Nuance is at 804 S. Dale Mabry Highway. Call the gallery at (813) 875-0511 for information.
Fundraisers exhibit their art
The member artists of Las Damas de Arte will exhibit through June at the TECO Public Art Gallery.
For the past 38 years, the accomplished and multitalented group of women has raised more than $200,000 in scholarship and support monies for area college students, schools and art organizations. This exhibit recognizes their contribution to the art community.
The TECO Public Art Gallery at 702 N. Franklin Street in downtown Tampa is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call Debra Radke at (813) 767-1600 for information. To learn more about Las Damas, go to www.lasdamasdearte.org.
Art mixer returns
The Tampa Artist Emporium will hold its monthly art mixer from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday. This is an opportunity to see a variety of original art in a relatively small space, and to meet some of the 70 artists who rent space at the Emporium.
The free event includes a complimentary wine bar and an opportunity to have your picture taken for $5 by award-winning photographer Dave Pritchard.
Tampa Artist Emporium is at 3415 Bay to Bay Blvd. Call (813) 835-0212 for information.
Hot summer means cool shows
Clayton Galleries opens the first of its three "Hot Summer" shows Thursday.
The second show will open July 15 and the third Aug. 15.
The content changes with each show, but the participants are always the Florida artists represented by Clayton.
The gallery is at 4105 S. MacDill Ave. Call (813) 831-3753 for information.
Esther Hammer can be reached at (813) 259-7662 or ehammer@tampatrib.com.
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