Stained glass windows will be displayed at A Grand Mingling on Sunday, October 21 event. This is the first year of the event and it will feature 12 artists’ works as well as champagne and deserts. Photo courtesy of Laura McGrath. For the first year, the Historic Kenwood Public Art Committee will be ending its month-long series of events, Dining for Art with champagne and pastries at A Grand Mingling.
“It’ll really bring all the artists together,” said co-chair of Dining for Art, Laura McGrath. “And it will be in a newly renovated bed and breakfast.”
A Grand Mingling will be on Sunday, October 21, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Kenwood Gables Boutique Bed and Breakfast, located at 2801 7th Ave. N. in St. Petersburg.
This is the first time the bed and breakfast will be open to the public since owners Jayson and Reymond Lazaro moved to Historic Kenwood two years ago from New York City. The two will be opening their 1934 home as a fully functioning bed and breakfast sometime this December.
“I was a fashion designer in New York, so I’m very moved by art,” said Jayson. “I can’t wait to see everything.”
The couple decided to donate their home for the night rather than rent it after experiencing so much community support following their move into Kenwood.
“It took me five minutes to talk to Reymond and say, ‘We should really just donate [the space],’” said Jayson. “We were so accepted, and our business was accepted so quickly.”
The event will showcase the paintings, photography, stained glass and sculptures of 12 local Kenwood artists while providing champagne, fruit and artisanal cheese. Artwork-inspired pastries and breads will be prepared by a pastry chef and served throughout the night.
“There will be a five-star chef on site,” said McGrath. “Creme Brûlées will be torched right in front of your eyes.”
Doug Wilkins, a resident of Kenwood as well as a Gulfport musician, will be preforming classical music and jazz during the event.
“Everything is an experience: the art with your eyes, the food is art inspired and the music you experience with your ears,” said Yael Kelley, Historic Kenwood Enclave Artist and co-chair of the event. “This is a great coming together of the entire community.”
This sculpture by Michael Baker is just one of the pieces that will be showcased in Kenwood’s bed and breakfast at A Grand Mingling this Sunday, October 21. Photo courtesy of Laura McGrath.Because Kenwood is home to about 80 artists, the Historic Kenwood Public Neighborhood Association is throwing this event to raise money for the Historic Kenwood Public Art Initiative.
For nearly two years, the Public Arts Committee has been working to raise money for easily available outdoor art.
After last year’s Dining for Art event, the committee pulled together enough funds to paint and decorate the community benches in Seminole Park.
“We really transformed those drab park benches into works of art,” said McGrath.
This year, the Public Art Initiative hopes to raise about $8,000 at the end of the entire Dining for Art fundraiser. The end goal is to decorate at least 120 street signs in Kenwood with stained glass, paints and ceramics.
“This is really where art happens,” said Kelley.
Tickets for A Grand Mingling are $50 a person and are only available in advance. Purchase them at historickenwood.org/event/grand-mingling
