DRV Gallery
The DRV Gallery is an open space gallery and studio showcasing fine art of Tampa Bay artists. This gallery works to be a part of the community by hosting many incredible events and most recently held its Art for a Cause exhibit.
“I created this event as a way to give back to the community,” Gallery owner Deserie Valloreo said. “And as an opportunity to introduce DRV Gallery to a broad audience of visual artists and their supporters.”
From Jan. 19-Feb. 2, the gallery hosted art from 19 different artists and each piece sold supported a cause of the artist’s choosing. Many of the organizations chosen operate in the Tampa Bay area, such as Friends of the Pelicans, Gulfport Food Forest, St. Pete Pride, Owl’s Nest Sanctuary, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, the Trevor Project, and other nonprofits.
“I couldn’t pick one cause, so I thought I’ll just let the artist pick,” Valloreo told The Gabber.
The gallery collects a 35% commission from every sale made from this exhibit. With each sale, 10% of that commission goes to the artist’s chosen cause.
The DRV Gallery curated this exhibit; Florida CraftArt’s Executive Director Katie Deits hand-picked every single art piece displayed out of a pool of those who applied.
Artist Judith Villavisanis’ piece, “Flora with Her Fauna,” sold prior to the event’s opening reception. This piece had a shadowbox effect and pictured a tree woman housing animals including a fox, an opossum, an owl, and other small creatures. Villavisanis chose Owl’s Nest Sanctuary as her nonprofit.
On the night of the opening reception for Art for a Cause, the Owl’s Nest Sanctuary came in with an owl and an opossum.
Later in the evening, the gallery held a few awards for the top three pieces in the exhibit. Deits awarded three artists for their creative doings.
On top with first place was artist Ava Ghayoumi’s piece entitled Peace is a Choice? which presents a ballerina on red canvas holding a red rose above her head with blood dripping down the middle. The chosen cause helps with equality and human rights for women in Iran.
“It’s very symbolic because she’s supporting women’s rights in Iran especially since she’s Iranian,” Valloreo explained.
DRV Gallery
Many of the pieces in this exhibit remain available for purchase. The DRV Gallery holds the closing reception for this exhibit on Feb. 2.
DRV Gallery 5401 Gulfport Blvd. S., Gulfport, Thurs.-Sat. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
