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• Opening night at Roundhouse Gallery's inaugural exhibit, TYPE RIOT

Andrew and Brooke Lee opened Roundhouse Creative Studios in St. Petersburg because they knew they were tapping into a wellspring of creative energy.

“It's our feeling that what makes St. Pete special is its artistic and cultural diversity,” says Andrew, noting that cities like Tampa are mostly known for their pro sports teams and condo developments. “With our studio, we see an opportunity to support local artists and provide a space for patrons to enjoy and experience, while contributing to the reason we love the Burg.”

Roundhouse Studios opened in 2006 as a multimedia arts studio, supporting other creative businesses with graphic design and branding services, website design and development, and video production. For three years they used their corner space on Dr. MLK Street and Seventh Avenue for creative design services, shooting video in the front and editing/designing in the back -- but they always knew they had the potential to do more.

“We immediately noticed the space would work perfect for an art gallery and knew we wanted to find a way to help support and be involved in the art community,” Lee says, explaining the pair’s recent decision to convert the front portion of their studios into a gallery space with bimonthly art exhibitions.

Roundhouse Gallery opened on Nov. 20 with its inaugural show, TYPE RIOT, a “type”-themed show focusing on the function of lettering and type, font design and graffiti in contemporary art. Sarah Gail Hutcherson curated it after collaborating with the Lees to open the gallery. Hutcherson is a local painter most well-known for the piece “There Once Was an Octopus from Nantucket,” a collaboration with Ales “Bask” Hostomsky, a self-proclaimed street artist who also exhibited in TYPE RIOT. “Octopus” now hangs in the gallery of the Raymond James building in downtown St. Petersburg. Hutcherson has exhibited in a number of group shows in the Tampa Bay area as well as in Miami’s Art Basel.

Of their future plans, Lee predicts a collaboration with other galleries on Dr. MLK Street to promote the arts community in St. Pete and provide, “a more well-rounded experience.” Indeed, they share a wall with the popular Banyan Coffee & Tea café, and are a block away from the long-standing Nova 535 Art Lounge. Down the street, Sake Bomb recently started the rice wine flowing, and a hop, skip and a jump away, on MLK and Central, sits Pale Horse Graphic Design and Illustration, the brainchild of Chris Parks, who also showed in TYPE RIOT under the name Pale Horse. Caddy corner from Roundhouse is the lately reorganized Soulful Arts Dance Academy, which in the last two months underwent an administrative change, but has gotten back on its feet in recent weeks.

“We're hoping that future shows may involve our neighbors and somehow help make the MLK strip a destination for art, food, drinks, and a good time in the Burg,” says Lee.

The next Roundhouse show, For Corners, scheduled for January, will feature four artists’ installations and possible collaborations with the use of the studio’s four corners, with each artist assigned to a corner. “Definitely on board” right now is artist Gali Nieves, who exhibited work in Square One Production’s recent event, Magnum Opus. Another possibility is Frank Strunk III, an acclaimed metalworker who also showed in TYPE RIOT. Hutcherson is not officially curating the show, but will assist with promotion. TYPE RIOT can be viewed by appointment until December 18th. To see the show, contact Sarah Gail Hutcherson at info@roundhouseart.com or call 727-954-8880.

Slideshow

TYPE RIOT

By Sarah Gerard

Click to View 5 slides