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Art of perseverance

Their studios destroyed, these artists press on with help from the community.

By TAMARA EL-KHOURY, Times Staff Writer
Published February 3, 2008

Denis Gaston of Dunedin works Wednesday on a pastel, The Attraction of Opposites, that he recovered from his fire-destroyed space in the Imago Art Gallery, 464 Douglas Ave. in Dunedin. A suspicious fire there Dec. 9 displaced 15 artists, who are now using a city-provided space at 630 Main St.
	[Douglas R. Clifford | Times]

ADVERTISEMENT [Douglas R. Clifford | Times] Elaine Schilp of Ozona, seated, teaches Chinese brush-painting techniques to students Donna Kolden, left, of Clearwater and Donna Longo of Palm Harbor at her new studio Wednesday. [Douglas R. Clifford | Times] This piece by Dunedin artist Sioux Hart, Singed Hope, features CDs she found melted to burned wood at the site of the fire. "The fire did not destroy our creativity nor our talent," she says. [Joseph Garnett, Jr. | Times] Speaking for all the Imago artists Friday, Denis Gaston thanks Susan Rollins Gehring, president of the Professional Association of Visual Artists, right, for the group's fundraising efforts.

DUNEDIN

Sultana Volaitis is still sorting through the charred portfolio she salvaged from the fire that destroyed 30 to 40 years of her work. She pulled out a surviving sketch. It's of a woman lying on a couch, which she drew as a teenager. Next she opened a desk drawer where she keeps tools rescued from the ash. The burned smell was still strong.

"I kind of stare at a canvas and don't know what to do yet," Volaitis said.

A Dec. 9 fire destroyed their studios and consumed decades of their labor. But the 15 displaced artists of the Imago Art Gallery are returning to work.

* * *

On Friday, they resumed their first Friday of the month open house tradition. The event was held in a previously empty city-owned building at 620 Main St. that City Commissioners gave to the artists rent-free for six months.

Artist Marilyn Jones said the event was a thank-you to the community, which supported the artists with fundraisers and donated art supplies after the suspicious fire consumed the gallery on Douglas Street.

A thank-you message was even written in the icing on the cupcakes served at the event, which featured live music and was packed with visitors.

At the open house, each artist was presented with a check for about $2,500. The money came from the more than $37,600 donated by the community.

Artist Elaine Schilp said it was difficult to return to work but she was in the new studio recently, dyeing silk scarves to show Friday. She's also teaching art classes again.

Artist Sioux Hart made art from the destruction. She created a piece from CDs she found melted to burned wood at the site of the fire. She named the piece, which incorporates a broken tray from home and a silver chain also found at the site, Singed Hope.

"When you don't have anything to produce with and you are an artist you will create with anything," she said.

* * *

All leads in the arson have been exhausted, said Sgt. Jim Bordner, spokesman for the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. As a result, the case has been suspended.

There are plans to rebuild, said the Imago's owner, Harry Williams. The charred remains of the single-story structure have been razed. Williams has hired a construction company and engineers. He's planning to build a two-story gallery with space for twice as many studios and bigger teaching facilities.

A variance request must be approved by the Dunedin City Commission before construction begins.

It has taken artist Dorothy Briccetti weeks to wash the soot off each recovered piece of colored glass and stone. But she pointed to the "miracle" in the corner: a stained glass window untouched by the fire. It was packed, ready to be shipped, and was rescued at the last minute from the demolition crews clearing the site.

"I can't wait to get my hands on doing art again," she said Thursday.

The next day in the makeshift studio, artist Toni Hutfilz brushed bright, fresh paint on what was once a door.

Tamara El-Khoury can be reached at tel-khoury@sptimes.com or 727445-4181.

Know what caused the fire?

Anyone with information about the Dec. 9 fire at the Imago Art Gallery is asked to call Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477) or the Sheriff's Office Arson Unit at (727) 582-6200.

[Last modified February 2, 2008, 21:09:31]