The Art Harvest in Dunedin celebrates 40, as does its featured artist, this weekend.
By JULIANNE WU
Published October 31, 2003
DUNEDIN - Michelle Mardis of Tarpon Springs has been painting for only three years, yet she has been chosen as the featured artist for the 40th annual Art Harvest in Dunedin this weekend.
"I think it's a neat coincidence that I just turned 40 in September and I'm associated with the Junior League's 40th annual event," she said this week.
Mardis is one of more than 200 artists who will display their wares and participate in a juried show at the Art Harvest at Highlander Park on Saturday and Sunday. The Junior League of Clearwater/Dunedin, the event's major sponsor, will offer more than $20,000 in prizes.
Mardis, a self-taught artist who paints mostly whimsical women and Andy Warhol-like dogs with acrylics, has created the image of a woman for the Junior League's posters and T-shirts that will be sold at the event.
"It features a painting inside a painting of a woman with streamers," said Mardis. "It's called Art In Celebration."
Mardis, who is married and has two children, got into art by accident, she said. When she was working at a landscaper's office, her boss saw some artwork on her wall and offered to buy it. "He was amazed to learn I did it."
Now, Mardis shows her work in art shows every other week, locally and throughout Florida. She has seen her share of honors. Among her projects, she painted three of the turtles in the 1999-2001 Tampa Bay Tour of Turtles. This year, one of her dog pictures was selected by the U.S. Postal Service to be featured on an envelope to be sold locally on the first day of issue of a cat/dog stamp promoting spay and neuter month for the SPCA in Hillsborough and surrounding counties.
"My women, especially, are kind of cartoony," said Mardis. "I like to paint everything in bright colors. For instance, my dogs are painted in every color except brown."
Watercolors, acrylics, jewelry, pottery and sculpture are just a few of the items that will be offered at the Art Harvest, said Stephanie Dodson-Smith, event co-chairwoman. There will also be seven food vendors, all local, she said.
"Everything we make will go directly back to the community," said Dodson-Smith. Most of the money made will go toward the FUN Bus project. Pinellas County school buses take elementary and middle school students to museums, galleries and other places. The Junior League pays the bus drivers and picks up the tab for gasoline.
Dodson-Smith said the club started the project a few years ago when cuts were made in the school system's budget for field trips.
If you go
The 40th annual Art Harvest, sponsored by the Junior League of Clearwater/Dunedin, will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Highlander Park, 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin, at the southwest corner of Michigan Boulevard and Pinehurst Avenue. Parking at the park is $3, or you can park at Causeway Plaza at Alt. 19 and Curlew Road and take a shuttle bus for $1. 738-5523.
