Photo by Maggie Duffy
A major silver lining has emerged for the Suntan Art Center after its home was flooded after Hurricane Helene: a new space to hold its classes and exhibit members’ artwork.
The art center resided in the Don Vista Building on St. Pete Beach across from the Don CeSar Hotel since 1981, except between 2003-2005 when the building was renovated.
Damage from Helene left the historic building uninhabitable. Because it’s a municipal building, the art center cannot return until the City makes the repairs, said Sara Harned, vice president of the art center’s board. She suspects the center won’t be able to occupy that space for at least a year.
Suntan didn’t have insurance, Harned said, making the loss of some of the artwork and appliances especially detrimental.
Suntan Art Center: Off the Beach, Into the Warehouse Arts District
Luckily, or serendipitously, Harned recently bought a building in St. Petersburg’s Warehouse Arts District for her own studio with a plan to rent the extra space to artists.
But when Suntan lost its home, she said, it was obvious that the center should move in with her. She paints with two other women under the moniker Dragonflyz Studios.
“The vision of having Suntan moving in with me is so compatible with my vision of being of service to the arts community,” said Harned.
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Suntan’s team made haste in moving operations to Harned’s warehouse. Harned estimates the space has 9,000-10,000 square feet. They moved in Nov. 7.
A workshop was already planned for Nov. 16-17. Regular classes will resume on Dec. 1. They have plans to include a physical presence for the center’s boutique, available online soon.
It was also important to get the center back up and running so that members have something to look forward to in a place that will serve as a nice diversion, Harned said.
The art center traces its roots to 1963 and currently has more than 200 members.
Harned’s warehouse has a unique local history, too. It was formerly a fur storage and cleaning facility. The space has two vaults, Harned said, but she’s not sure how they will be used.
It also has a space that could serve as an apartment for visiting instructors, which means they can bring in artists from across the country.
While meant as a temporary space for Suntan, Harned said perhaps the center would have two locations once the Don Vista Building gets repaired.
“The plan is, once everything gets squared away, Suntan will be like the phoenix rising from the ashes,” she said.
Suntan Art Center, 411 19th St. N., St. Petersburg. 727-367-3818. They need monetary support; donate at suntanart.org.
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