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Mainsail memories
By MARY ANN MARGER, Times Art Critic
© St. Petersburg Times, published April 14, 2000
Fun facts about the Mainsail Arts Festival:
Mainsail had a predecessor in a one-day unjuried show called the Festival of States Sidewalk Art Show. Tight jurying, dropping of the word "sidewalk" (then considered a pejorative term for an outdoor show), and higher prize money were all incentives to attract high-quality artists and create a show competitive with other top shows around the state
The first show featured 101 artists; this year's show has accepted 232 artists.
The first best of show winner ($500) was Cheley Beckman. Cheley was short for Michele; Beckman was exchanged for Tuegel along with marriage vows. Now a leading arts activist in the bay area, Michele Tuegel is director of the statewide organization, Florida Craftsmen.
Total prize money has risen from $3,000 in 1976 to $50,000 this year.
Visitors to the 1977 show witnessed the unveiling of the Bicentennial Fountain, located in South Straub Park. The creation of University of Florida professor and noted sculptor Geoffrey Naylor, the fountain's completion was delayed a year after considerable revision to suit some conservative tastes on St. Petersburg City Council.
The 1989 show, with 275 accepted artists, was the largest. The 1979 show, with 83 artists, was the smallest.
From 1978 to the mid-1980s, Mainsail had a performing arts competition, believed unique among outdoor art shows.
In 1979 a "Vanguard" category was introduced to recognize artists working in new media. It was discontinued after 1987 because too few artists chose it.
The show has had several rained-out days. In 1983, rain forced Sunday's show into the Bayfront Center, which has not been available in subsequent years. In 1988, the deluge was so heavy that the show was canceled, leaving prize money undistributed and some artists disgruntled. This year's show will go on, rain or shine.
Mainsail has had a hard time settling on a date. Early shows were Festival of States events, at the height of the Florida outdoor show season and often in conflict with other major shows. Held in the sweltering heat of May in 1995 and 1996, it moved to the third weekend in April in 1997, where it has remained.
In 1988, the show moved from South Straub Park to the larger North Straub Park to accommodate a growing number of artists.
Jack Ellis, Judith Powers Jones and Ummarid "Tony" Eitharong have won best of show at Mainsail and at Gasparilla Festival of the Arts.
Local resident Beverly Buchan co-chairs Mainsail for the 18th year; Lisa Wells joins her for the 13th year.
Arguably the most controversial winner was Joseph DiGangi, who makes knives. Cornell University art museum director Franklin W. Robinson, who judged the 1994 show, defended his choice, stating, "Art is more than pigment on a canvas, more than art on a pedestal . . . It should be part of our everyday lives and souls."
Three prize winners from the first show are exhibiting this weekend: Tony Eitharong, Paul Eppling and Susan Livingston.
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Past best-of-show winners:
1976: Michele Tuegel (then Cheley Beckman)
1977: Pam Allman
1978: Michele Tuegel
1979: Neverne Covington
1980: Marilyn Foreman
1981: Jack Ellis
1982: Patricia and David Stinson
1983: Jaclyn Davidson
1984: David McKirdy
1985: David Bewley
1986: Judith Powers Jones
1987: John Conklin
1988: no winners; rain
1989: Steve Olszewski
1990: Yasuko Nakamura
1991: Gael and Howard Silverblatt
1992: David Bewley
1993: Duncan McClellan
1994: Joseph DiGangi
1995: Charles Parkhill
1996: Gerald Dvorak
1997: Gael and Howard Silverblatt
1998: Gael and Howard Silverblatt
1999: Ummarid "Tony" Eitharong
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