Photo by Michael Krasner
From Jan. 27-29, the 51st annual Art Festival Beth-El showcases more than 170 national and international award-winning artists.
On Jan. 27, the show opens with a special patrons cocktail reception offering gourmet food and wine. Patrons have the chance to socialize and to network while viewing high-quality art in the gallery. Non-patrons who would like to attend the reception can purchase a ticket for $50. The rest of the show is free for everyone from Jan. 28-29.
Art Festival Beth-El
Temple Beth-El was established in 1928 within the members’ homes or businesses. It wasn’t until 1961 that the unique domed building was built in its current location at 400 Pasadena Ave. S. in St. Petersburg. Artful from inception, Morris Lapidus designed the dome-shaped building. Lapidus also designed Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau.
In 1973, two industrious temple members, the late Thelma Rothman and Mel Sembler, created a fundraiser featuring pieces from a local gallery for purchase during a cocktail party. A portion of the proceeds benefitted the temple.
“At the time, it wasn’t what it is today. It was just on Sunday afternoon,” said Jan Sher, current co-chair. “Now over 10,000 people attend the three-day juried fine art exhibition and sale.”
Additionally, Sher said the event engages more than 200 volunteers and 170 national artists. Last year, Art Festival Beth-El raised $150,000, which is a major contribution to the temple’s budget.
Photo by Michael Krasner
“We started with one main gallery. Now the main gallery houses fine art for purchase, ranging from $500 to upwards of $15,000. We also have an outdoor sculpture garden and a boutique area with more crafty art and jewelry priced between $200-$700. The ‘Avenue of Shops’, housed in the courtyard, offers less expensive pieces ranging from $10 to $200.”
Sher first volunteered for the Art Festival in 1982 with her late mother, Sonya Miller. After 42 years of being one of eight co-chairs, Sher admitted that this volunteer position is a year-round commitment.
Volunteering
Why has the show continued to be so successful? There is a magic that sustains the art show. That magic is likely the intersection of volunteerism, community, artist expression, and those who love art.
Led by the co-chairs, temple volunteers manage more than 7,000 pieces of art inventory, build the exhibit, prepare food, and sell pieces. The culmination of all of their efforts is a well-curated, highly organized, and buzz-worthy weekend of art symbiosis.
Sher explains how this group of committed volunteers keeps the event fresh with new ideas and solutions throughout the years.
“We had fashion shows, luncheons, and special lectures, but the best move we made was creating the Purchase Award Patron opportunity,” Sher said.
These patrons commit in advance to purchasing $500 to $2,500 worth of art.
“When we tell artists that we have thousands of dollars in committed purchase awards,” Sher explained. “They are excited to participate in a profitable show.”
Arts All Around!
The Gabber Newspaper covers live theater and art across South Pinellas and, when we find something worth the drive, in the Tampa Bay and Sarasota areas.
Juried Fine Art
In 1985, they added a notable art expert to judge the show and award $8,000 of prize money, another incentive that helps draw artists in. This year, Sara Felice judges the show.
“My mom’s baby was the Emerging Artist exhibition. When she started it, high school artists from Pinellas County Center for the Arts were featured,” Sher said. “Now the art is selected from the Scholastic Art Competition, representing 17 local public and private high schools.
“We love our artists and treat them well. We started with local artists from Florida like Duncan McClellan and James Michaels. Duncan was so young when we first invited him in the late 1980s! We watched his work mature over the years and we all bought it. I have a piece from every era.”
James Michaels was also a local favorite who sold many pieces through the festival. In the early 2000s, the show began accepting art via shipping, but only after meeting an artist in person. Once artists could ship their work, the show was able to invite artists from anywhere in the nation.
Art Festival Beth-El’s Artists
Photo by Michael Krasner
Each piece of artwork tells a story about the human experience. One of this year’s artists, Alfred Addo, explains his artistry of “turning trash into artistic treasure.” Sawdust waste and plastics become beautiful mixed media human forms.
Photo by Michael Krasner
Deana Goldsmith is one of the newer artists showing this year. Born and raised on the prairies of Oklahoma, Goldsmith’s general theme is wildlife depicted in still life pastel drawings.
Photo by Michael Krasner
Handcrafted fine jewelry artist, So Young Park, will attend the show. The Korean metalsmith grew up near the ocean in the southern part of Korea. Through her own personal life journey, she found that human and plant life have similar growth and life characteristics.
“From an aesthetic point of view, nature reveals the beauty of the eternal cycles of life,” Park said. “Rebirth transcends the tragedy of death.”
Life cycles and rebirth is exactly the magic that has sustained this event for 51 years.
Temple Beth-El, 400 Pasadena Ave. S., St. Petersburg. Sat., 1-10 p.m.; Sun.-Mon., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 727-347-6136, artfestivalbethel.com.
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