‘Meet and greet’ reception showcases art students’ imaginations
By Mike Hamson
Special Correspondent Published: March 2, 2016
TBO.com
Artists don’t need to wear black or always feel melancholic or somber, according to art teacher Tim Gibbons of Seminole Heights.
He said students in his adult drawing and painting class at the Hyde Park Art Studio, 702 S. Albany Ave., Tampa, discover the fun and humorous side of art.
“I make everything fun,” Gibbons said. “I make learning an experience that is fun and enjoyable. Most people think you have to suffer for your art. In my point of view of the world, get fun out of life. The most fun you could ever have is being creative. If you find your creative juice, to me that’s all the joy you can ever have.”
Gibbons will host the studio’s fourth annual exhibit, “Blazing Brushes, Pencils and Charcoal Pastels” at The Bunker, 1907 N. 19th St., Ybor City, through March 27. A “meet and greet” reception is planned for 7 p.m. Thursday.
He said his 18 adult students have been together for three years.
“The students learn from each other through interaction and observation of one another’s work through color, form and a wide variety of media and interpretations,” Gibbons said. “This year there will also be teen’s and kid’s art interspersed with the adults in this show. Most of the teens have been with me four to five years plus and are very creative and talented in their own right. The kids’ art is mostly kids between the ages of 10 and 12. Their work is more indicative of cartoon and fantasy images.”
He said one of his students is doing a series of Cuban images.
“There is much more abstract art being created, which pushes the boundaries of art form, which I love,” he said. “Another student has humorous pieces in the show with her robots and whacky animals in her paintings of her creatures doing all sorts of mischievous things. My kids’ art has lots of funny and humorous multi-colored unicorns and dream catchers, all playful and whimsically entertaining.”
Gibbons has been teaching at Hyde Park Art Studio for 25 years as an independent instructor. He is looking forward to their new move to the Armory, which will be the new Jewish Community Center with 10,000 square feet of classroom space.
“The shows are a way to draw attention to local talent as well as bringing in the public to see the show,” Gibbons said. “Hopefully, this will encourage others in appreciating art and perhaps taking classes themselves and becoming an artist. We’re always trying to support new talent. A number of my students from past kid’s classes have gone on to Blake Magnet Art School and are doing well in the art programs there.”
Most of the students live in the Hyde Park area of Tampa.
Student Judy Daniels, who will be participating in the show, said she tapped into her creative side after taking the art classes.
“I started art in an ‘Art with a Twist Workshop,’ ” Daniels said. “They were nice social events, but I wanted to go further. In Tim’s painting class we learned that drawing and painting can be a fun, fulfilling, imaginative and happy experience.”
Jayne Lisbeth, who is married to Gibbons, said bringing out the fun side of art is what her husband does best.
“Tim always says art is 90 percent imagination and 10 percent skill,” Lisbeth said.
The “meet and greet” reception coincides with The Bunker’s music night, which is free and open to the public. The Bunker is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Special Correspondent Published: March 2, 2016
TBO.com
Artists don’t need to wear black or always feel melancholic or somber, according to art teacher Tim Gibbons of Seminole Heights.
He said students in his adult drawing and painting class at the Hyde Park Art Studio, 702 S. Albany Ave., Tampa, discover the fun and humorous side of art.
“I make everything fun,” Gibbons said. “I make learning an experience that is fun and enjoyable. Most people think you have to suffer for your art. In my point of view of the world, get fun out of life. The most fun you could ever have is being creative. If you find your creative juice, to me that’s all the joy you can ever have.”
Gibbons will host the studio’s fourth annual exhibit, “Blazing Brushes, Pencils and Charcoal Pastels” at The Bunker, 1907 N. 19th St., Ybor City, through March 27. A “meet and greet” reception is planned for 7 p.m. Thursday.
He said his 18 adult students have been together for three years.
“The students learn from each other through interaction and observation of one another’s work through color, form and a wide variety of media and interpretations,” Gibbons said. “This year there will also be teen’s and kid’s art interspersed with the adults in this show. Most of the teens have been with me four to five years plus and are very creative and talented in their own right. The kids’ art is mostly kids between the ages of 10 and 12. Their work is more indicative of cartoon and fantasy images.”
He said one of his students is doing a series of Cuban images.
“There is much more abstract art being created, which pushes the boundaries of art form, which I love,” he said. “Another student has humorous pieces in the show with her robots and whacky animals in her paintings of her creatures doing all sorts of mischievous things. My kids’ art has lots of funny and humorous multi-colored unicorns and dream catchers, all playful and whimsically entertaining.”
Gibbons has been teaching at Hyde Park Art Studio for 25 years as an independent instructor. He is looking forward to their new move to the Armory, which will be the new Jewish Community Center with 10,000 square feet of classroom space.
“The shows are a way to draw attention to local talent as well as bringing in the public to see the show,” Gibbons said. “Hopefully, this will encourage others in appreciating art and perhaps taking classes themselves and becoming an artist. We’re always trying to support new talent. A number of my students from past kid’s classes have gone on to Blake Magnet Art School and are doing well in the art programs there.”
Most of the students live in the Hyde Park area of Tampa.
Student Judy Daniels, who will be participating in the show, said she tapped into her creative side after taking the art classes.
“I started art in an ‘Art with a Twist Workshop,’ ” Daniels said. “They were nice social events, but I wanted to go further. In Tim’s painting class we learned that drawing and painting can be a fun, fulfilling, imaginative and happy experience.”
Jayne Lisbeth, who is married to Gibbons, said bringing out the fun side of art is what her husband does best.
“Tim always says art is 90 percent imagination and 10 percent skill,” Lisbeth said.
The “meet and greet” reception coincides with The Bunker’s music night, which is free and open to the public. The Bunker is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Comments