ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Oct. 11, 2023 — Featured artist, Lance Rodgers will be exhibiting his newest body of work titled: “Sentimental Journey” at Woodfield Fine Art Gallery. The opening reception will be held on Friday, October 13, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at 2323 Central Avenue in St Petersburg, Florida. The public is invited.

Rodgers is known for creating unique narratives. Through his use of realism, he guides the viewer on a visual journey. Some of his artworks are introspections, others are larger, worldly observations often laced with humor and symbolism inviting the viewer to recollect their own experiences. Sentimental Journey is interspersed with narrative paintings Rodgers is known for, as well as abstract expressionist paintings.

“Sentimental Journey is a fond look backwards from then to now. This body of work is a thoughtful, humorous reflection of the past with a hopeful eye to the future,” said Rodgers. “I’m honored to have a second exhibition at Woodfield Fine Art Gallery.”

About the Artist, Lance Rodgers

Lance Rodgers is an award winning contemporary artist with a strong emphasis on painting and photography. Since 1980, Rodgers has displayed his art in numerous galleries, museums and collections in the United States and abroad. His work is on permanent display at The James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art, The Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, Arts & Sciences Museum of Ormond Beach, Gulf Coast Museum of Art, the American Embassy in Madrid, Spain as well as numerous private and corporate collections. Rodgers resides and maintains a studio in the Old Southeast Artist Enclave in St. Petersburg, FL. For more information visit https://lancerodgersart.com

About Woodfield Fine Art Gallery

Located at 2323 Central Avenue in St Petersburg, FL  Woodfield Fine Art Gallery is known for representing and providing a retail outlet for Tampa Bay visual artists since 2015. Gallery owner Jim Woodfield continues his original intent of presenting laudable art works of local artists where art patrons can view and buy original art. As an artist, Woodfield understands the intersection between artist, gallery and clientele. For more information about the gallery visit https://www.WoodfieldFineArt.com

TAMPA, Fla. – Sept. 21, 2023 — The Health Council of West Central Florida is holding a series of webinars titled: Pathways to Wellness: Accessing Care. The first webinar,  “Health Insurance 101” will be held on September 29, 2023, from 12pm-1pm and will cover all the basics on the health insurance terminology.

Other topics in the series include: Navigating the Affordable Care Act, Getting to Know Your Federally Qualified Health Center, Covering Kids, and Services for the Uninsured.

“The goal of this series is to help address knowledge gaps for all people regardless of insurance status.  The webinars will highlight an array of available health care services, programs, and payment options available,” said Teresa Kelly, Executive Director.  “Access to care helps people achieve better health outcomes and helps reduce health disparities.  Having insurance is certainly one way to improve access, but a 2022 Forbes Advisor study found that 77% of individuals with insurance did not understand basic health insurance terminology,” she continued.

CLICK HERE to Register

About the Health Council of West Central Florida
The Health Council of West Central Florida, Inc. (HCWCF) serves residents in Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee and Polk counties. HCWCF is committed to assessing the health status and resources of area residents and assisting communities with solutions to meet emerging needs.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Sept. 5, 2023 — Party on the Plaza returns to the Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater on Saturday, October 14 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m (Doors open at 6:30 pm). Proceeds from the event will benefit the youth arts programs.

Party on the Plaza will feature live music by #NOFILTER.  The band features four singer-musicians who cover everything from hits of today to the classics of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and enjoy food vendors, drinks, local vendors and plenty of family-friendly fun, all while taking in the beautiful view of the downtown St. Pete waterfront during this outdoor charity benefit concert.

“#NOFILTER is known for a fast-paced, energetic show that will make October’s Party on the Plaza fun and upbeat for dancing,” said Amy Miller, President of Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts. “It’s an exciting time to be involved as we are celebrating the 30th year of our Class Acts Field Trips to the Mahaffey.”

Tickets start at $25 Early-Bird General Admission, and will go up to $30 on 10/07. VIP non-member  tickets are available for $75 ($50 member pricing for VIP) and include priority seating in the VIP Section, complimentary preferred parking, private restrooms, light hors d’oeuvres, one free premium beverage and access to premium liquors. Note: Members of the Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts can purchase their VIP tickets for $50. VIP tickets are limited. To purchase tickets and learn more about Party on the Plaza click here.

Thank you to our Sponsors, Egan Painting, LLC & Labrador Primary Care Center.

About Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts –
Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts was founded as a 501(c)3 nonprofit in 2011 and is dedicated to providing arts education programs, community outreach, live performances as well as concerts and all genres of performing arts for the entire community with emphasis on culturally diverse programming for youth and families. The foundation is the support arm for the programming at the Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater. For more information about the foundation visit, BillEdwardsFoundationfortheArts.org   or  TheMahaffey.com  or call (727) 300-2000

About the Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater
The Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater, under the management of Big3 Entertainment, is one of Tampa Bay’s top-rated performing arts venues. Home to the Florida Orchestra, the world class Mahaffey Theater hosts top-quality national and international artists and performances – pop, rock, comedy, theater, dance, classical and interactive engagements and exhibitions. Located in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg, the 2,031-seat cultural jewel boasts spectacular waterfront views and is located only minutes away from white sandy beaches and world-renowned museums.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Aug. 22, 2023 – PRLog — Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts kicks off its annual Class Acts Series with their first BAM! Fest Thursday, August 31st from 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM (BAM! Fest stands for Books, Art, Music Interactive Youth Arts Festivals) is a series of field trips for school children that celebrate performing and visual arts. The series fosters connection, creativity, imagination as well as social emotional learning.The festival is held outdoors on the waterfront Plaza and is held monthly throughout the school year.

“It’s an immersive and magical adventure celebrating the joy of reading and creativity,” said Katrina Young, Education and Youth Outreach Coordinator for Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts. “We’re excited to have themed festivals throughout this school year and have added two additional STEM themed festivals to be announced at a later date.”

The first field trip is BAM!: Get LIT with English as the curriculum connection. The first of the series is designed for grades 3-5, where students will explore book stations, enjoy interactive puppet shows, create their own stories and book covers, and engage in a thrilling literary scavenger hunt.

“We are going into our 30th Year for Class Acts by making these programs available to our school children in the Tampa Bay area,” said Bill Edwards, Founder & CEO of Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts. “It gives me great joy to see these kids having such a wonderful time taking part in a drum circle, drawing chalk designs on our walkways, or the sheer enthusiasm you see when the kids get a free book. It’s a day to take the classroom outside and get exposure to the arts in a unique environment. We really want to inspire our youth and give them every opportunity to learn about all the aspects of the arts – whether it’s reading, music, performing or visual,” he continued.

As part of their 30th Year, the Class Acts Field Trips are now available at no charge to schools throughout the six-county Tampa Bay area. Each trip is created to inspire a passion for the performing arts, while being simultaneously linked to current Florida B.E.S.T. Standards. Bus scholarships are available.

The Schedule for the series is:
8/31/23  Get LITerature!
10/02/23 Messy Art on the Plaza
11/08/23  IMPROV Festival
12/13/23 Holiday Traditions on the Plaza
3/19/24  Dance: On Your Feet Festival
4/08/24  Music and Mayhem on the Plaza
*TBD  STEM
*TBD  STEM

About Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts –
Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts was founded as a 501(c 3)  nonprofit in 2011 and is dedicated to providing arts education programs, community outreach, live performances as well as concerts and all genres of performing arts for the entire community with emphasis on culturally diverse programming for youth and families. The foundation is the support arm for the programming at the Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater. For more information about the foundation visit, BillEdwardsFoundationfortheArts.org or
TheMahaffey.com or call 727.650.0407

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – July 31, 2023 — The Left Bank Bistro in St Petersburg will be hosting a special event featuring author Daniel Magariel for a special reading from his new novel Walk the Darkness Down. There will be a brief introduction beginning at 6:30 pm with a short Q & A, followed by reading an excerpt from the book. Dinner service will proceed as usual, save for a short “request for quiet” during the reading. The restaurant will have a special cocktail created especially for the evening and complemented by live music from the Jazz Librarians. Local bookseller, Book + Bottle will be on-hand with copies of the book for purchase and signing by the author.

“We’re pleased to host this reading event at the Left Bank,” said Susanne Byram, Owner of Left Bank Bistro. “It is in keeping with my vision to have a gathering place to enjoy art, music and literature. We want to keep that same appreciation for the arts that began in Paris in the 1920s.”

About the Author:
Daniel Magariel is an author from Kansas City. His work has appeared in Granta, Lit Hub, Salt Hill, Stop Smiling, and Issue Magazine, among others. One of the Boys, his first novel, was a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice and Amazon Best Book of 2017, and was published in twelve countries. He has a BA from Columbia University, as well as an MFA from Syracuse University, where he was a Cornelia Carhart Fellow. He currently lives in New York with his wife.

About the Book
A powerful descent into an ink-black whirlpool of obsession and isolation on the turbulent eastern seaboard, Magariel’s book, Walk the Darkness Down, is an unflinching portrayal of love in the margins of twenty-first century America. It is a fierce, beautiful testimonial to a couple’s struggle to survive both the past and the present, and to chart a new path into the future.

About The Left Bank Bistro
The Left Bank Bistro is located in the MLK Business District, Uptown at 1225 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N., St Petersburg, FL 33701 The decor and setting takes you back to 1920’s Paris – where artists and poets lived during that time period. The restaurant is housed in a meticulously restored 1922 bungalow that features French cuisine along with signature top-shelf cocktails named after the artists of the day. There is inside as well as outside seating for patrons. For reservations call 727-256-1691 or visit the website at http://www.theleftbankbistro.com