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With Room To Breathe, Artists' Group Showcases Diversity

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ESTHER HAMMER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 6, 2008

TAMPA - The collective known as Tampa Realistic Artists is showcasing its works at TECO Plaza Art Gallery in downtown Tampa through September.

The exhibit, which opened Tuesday, features a mix of styles and media by 30 artists.

"The theme is 'TRA at TECO,' which translates to mean that it is showcasing the diversity of Tampa Realistic Artists members," said Kathy Durdin, the group's president. "So we're going to have some very diverse artwork - different styles, different media and different genres - to show the diversity of TRA."

She and other members are excited to have more space than they usually enjoy at their home gallery in the Old Hyde Park Art Center, 705 Swann Ave.

"We've been running close to 50 items in an exhibit there, so we get kind of crammed," Durdin said. "We're hoping that people see our work at this exhibit and then come by to see some of our shows at Swann Avenue."

The collective hosts exhibits and competitions throughout the year at the Hyde Park gallery. The exhibit "Hellzapoppin'" will be up through Aug. 29.

"It's everything," Durdin said. "It's abstract, surrealism, fantasy, anything but straight realism. And it's all media, including both two- and three-dimensional pieces. We had a tremendous amount of entries to that exhibit last year. We expect about 35 artists or more this year."

Meet some of the artists and see their works at the free reception for "TRA at TECO" from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Sept. 16 at the TECO gallery, 702 N. Franklin St.

For information, call (813) 251-3780 or go to www.tampa

realisticartists.com.

Exhibit Mixes Well With Membership Drive

The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts will host its eighth annual Members Show from Sunday through Sept. 9.

Bring an original photograph taken within the past year to the museum from 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday or 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and become a museum member at that time.

First-, second- and third-place prizes total $750. The judges are David Norr of the University of South Florida's Contemporary Art Museum and Graphicstudio and M.K. Foltz of the Ringling College of Art and Design. Show participants will select the winner of the $150 Members Choice award.

The free opening reception, including prize presentations, will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the museum, 200 N. Tampa St.

For information, including membership fees and an entry form, go to www.fmopa.org or call (813) 221-2222.

Artist Emporium Hosts Monthly Mixer

Tampa Artist Emporium, at 1618 Snow Ave. in Hyde Park Village, will hold its monthly mixer from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Guests can view works by more than 60 local artists, many of them new to the gallery, and socialize with several of them.

Photographer Dave Pritchard will take studio portraits for $5.

For information, call the gallery at (813) 254-3443 or go to www.tampaartist

emporium.com.

Correspondent Esther Hammer can be reached at (813) 259-7662 or ehammer@tampatrib.com.

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