The Collection club hosts a free tour every second Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. to engage students in the local art scene. Martha Rhine | The Crow’s Nest
By Bryce Lawson
It’s hard to drive through downtown St. Petersburg without coming across a mural, but the area is known for more than its colorful walls. The Collection is here to help expose students more fully to the art scene.
On the second Saturday of every month, the USF St. Petersburg club meets at the Student Life Center and provides free tours from 5 to 9 p.m. through the program City Rambles, which showcases the local art galleries around downtown St. Petersburg.
“The goal of the tours are to share all the great local art St. Pete has to offer with the students,” said Antonio Permuy, president of The Collection at USF St. Petersburg.
The guided tours around the loop will be a great opportunity for students to gain a new appreciation and for art without feeling overwhelmed by it.
The art walks will take students from the Waterfront Art District all the way through the Warehouse Art District and back with stops along the way.
Some of the galleries highlighted in the tour are the Duncan McClellan Gallery and Clay Center of St. Petersburg.
Often, locals only think of the Dali Museum or the Chihuly Collection when it comes to the art scene around the area. For those looking for art that differs from just paintings, many of the stops on the tour focus on outstanding glass and clay sculpture work from some of the area’s best artists.
The Collection aims to build an art community for the university. Ann Wykell, the campus’ public art consultant, has spearheaded many of the club’s projects, including the the new murals located in the Student Life Center atrium and ONE St. Petersburg, 100 First Avenue N, along with other work that students have contributed to give the university a more artistic feel.
For more information, visit The Collection’s Facebook page at “The Collection USFSP.”
