More than 16 skilled artists, dozens of dedicated volunteers, and a whole lot of spray paint. The SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival brings all this and more October 5 – 14, 2017, returning for a third year to further transform our urban landscape into an interactive outdoor gallery.
Rounding out the festival are vibrant special events, behind-the-scenes bicycle tours, and inspiring Bright Ideas projects designed to build community around our city’s creative spirit.
Bringing more than 35 new murals to St. Pete streets since its inception, SHINE is not- for-profit public art project led by a volunteer group of artists and community members. This
October, the list of outdoor canvases ready for artwork includes 15 walls and one overpass, traffic-signal boxes, and even automobiles.
Festival curators recently announced the selection of this year’s official participating artists, who are coming from as far away as Australia, and as close by as right here in town. The featured SHINE artists who are based in St. Petersburg include:
R5 (St. Petersburg, FL)
Born in Mexico City and now living in St. Petersburg, Daniel Barojas (known as R5) works in diverse platforms such as mixed- media illustration, watercolor, graphic and product design, jewelry, photography, toys, and graffiti. Using cultural and street influences as inspirations for his art, R5’s mission is to spread positivity by means of creativity.
Thirst (St. Petersburg, FL)
Jared Hernandez, also known as Thirst, is a prolific St. Pete muralist who has long been active in the local street art scene. His detailed artwork, found on walls across Florida, reveals a love of comic books and pop culture, showing vibrant depth through geometric shapes and patterns.
Zulu Painter (St. Petersburg, FL)
Zulu Painter is a multi-media artist working in traditional mediums, as well as in body paint, special effects, installation, and scenic art. His aerosol-based murals can be found throughout the state, including many large-scale works in St. Petersburg’s Historic Midtown.
The recipient of this year’s SHINE Open Call Wall is local artist John Suarez, a graduate of Ringling College of Art and Design and founder of Art in the Park in Bradenton. Suarez is a contemporary artist known for his signature portraiture work and graphic style. Using the moniker Suarezart, he creates detailed paintings, sculptures, digital illustrations, and drawings.
For more information about the festival’s internationally-based participating artists, visit the SHINE website at shineonstpete.com. There you can also find details on this year’s Bright Ideas projects, highlighting the power of art in community spaces – including a READ Movement mural by Tampa-based artist Jay Giroux designed to engage and inspire students at John Hopkins Middle School.
The SHINE events calendar offers many great ways to connect with the art and the action, whether your thing is a family festival or a gallery show. Selected highlights include the October 7 kick-off celebration at Child’s Park Rec Center, a pop-up SHINE Indie Market in the Fringe District October 13, and the Outside In gallery exhibition and closing party October 14, featuring curated art by SHINE artists, CARMADA art cars, food trucks, and more.
Artists will be painting throughout the festival’s duration, so be sure to grab an official SHINE Guide when they drop in October at dozens of Bay area locations, and get ready to hit the sidewalk for a self-guided tour of some eye-popping murals-in-progress.
For general inquires and volunteer opportunities, please contact [email protected].
