ST. PETERSBURG — As spring gives way to summer, the Tampa Bay Surface Design Guild will heat things up with the exhibition “Living in Color,” running May 8-31 at the Werk Gallery, 2210 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg.
An opening reception will take place on Friday, May 8, from 5 to 9 p.m.
The Tampa Bay Surface Design Guild is one of the most vibrant groups of textile and fiber artists in the region. This exhibition is not only a celebration of the impressive array of techniques and media the artists employ, but also of the type of sustainable community that can be built through mutual respect for each other’s creativity and humanity.
The guild’s website states that “surface design is the coloring, patterning, structuring and transformation of fabric, fiber, and other materials.
“The purpose of the guild is to increase community awareness of surface design and its value in our lives,” the website explains. “As a group, we exchange information on such creative processes as dyeing, painting, printing, stitching, embellishing, quilting, weaving, knitting, felting, beading, basket making, polymer clay, crochet, and papermaking. We also offer educational and experimental venues, thus supporting individual artistic creativity, while promoting an attitude of mutual respect and exchange in all areas surface design.”
The guild was founded in the early 1990s by a group of four women who wanted to share their knowledge and learn from each other. That small group has grown into an organization with a membership of well over 100 members. Many of the members have had their art recognized both nationally and internationally, yet as a group they are still committed to their original values of supporting each other’s artistic goals and sharing knowledge with each other and the community. For information, visit surfacedesignguild.com.
The Werk Gallery and Object Lab was born from the passion and overflowing collection of Fritz and Matthew Faulhaber. It is a locally focused art venue with an international scope. The gallery displays a variety of art experiences; from its series of community-oriented, large group shows to solo shows by internationally established contemporary artists. The gallery is open Wednesday, noon to 5 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, noon to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Visit thewerk.gallery.