local art

Have you experienced A Mysterious Portal to the Bay⁠ by artist Mike Hicks yet?

It’s often difficult to convey the energy, hard work, and dedication that our participating artists and Fairgrounds St. Pete team put into creating the work you get to now enjoy!

Here are some behind-the-scenes photos sharing the process.

As with all of the artwork at Fairgrounds St. Pete A Mysterious Portal to the Bay⁠ has a story.

Comprised of projection mapping, CGI, audio, mixed media construction, 3d modeling, 3d printing, CNC, Microcontrollers⁠, Mike has created a room size installation for Fairgrounds St. Pete that is the largest and most intricate artwork he’s created to date.

A Mysterious Portal to the Bay is a single viewpoint immersive experience that places viewers beneath a bridge on a warm summer night where you see, smell and feel the elements in their natural state.⁠ ⁠This impressive installation transports viewers to a place both eerie and vaguely familiar (to Floridians at least).⁠

Curious about Mike Hicks and his art practice?

Mike Hicks has lived in the bay area for about 30 years. He received a BS in Electrical Engineering from USF Tampa and has worked in various engineering and programming positions ever since. He holds more than a dozen related US patents. A bit of a frustrated mechanical engineer at heart, he started learning 3D CAD and began pestering the shop people at work to print some of his 3D designs (which were horrible, they were very kind to put up with him); he now is known as the “3D printer guy” for the whole place. Occasionally, however, he does dream of winning the lottery and becoming a theater set designer.

Have you experienced A Mysterious Portal to the Bay⁠ yet?

To see more of Mike’s work at Fairgrounds St. Pete, get your ticket today, and join our Insiders Club for the latest Fairgrounds St. Pete news.

Have you noticed the vibrant 2D palm trees planted throughout Fairgrounds St. Pete?

Shane Carey’s Coastal House series provides a surreal portrayal of what the internal structure of a Royal Palm would look like if the organic exterior was removed and a 2D paradox remains from its original form.

Tune in and meet Shane Carey in this behind the scenes look and watch how the 11-foot-tall palm trees were built and scaled-up from their original 10-inch-tall design!

To experience Shane’s work in person at Fairgrounds St. Pete, get your ticket today, and join our Insiders Club for the latest Fairgrounds St. Pete news.

Have you experienced Flora-Da-Scope yet?

We have a difficult time conveying the energy, hard work, and dedication that our Fairgrounds St. Pete team and participating artists put into creating the work you get to now enjoy in our immersive exhibit!

Today we’re sharing some behind the scenes images of the work that went into creating Flora-Da-Scope by artists Alex Kaufman, Aleisha Prather, and George Retkes.

As with all of the artwork at Fairgrounds St. Pete Flora-Da-Scope has a story.

Ready to learn more?

For their Fairgrounds St. Pete artwork Flora-Da-Scope Alex, Aleisha, and George created the coolest Kaleidoscope you’ve ever seen! Using movement, LEDs and acrylic, Flora-Da-Scope transports viewers to a psychedelic and fantastical world, leaving them speechless. Flora-Da-Scope is a gateway to a universe that you need to experience first-hand to completely understand.

Photos C/O Artists and Fairgrounds St. Pete

To experience more of Alex, Aleisha, and George’s work at Fairgrounds St. Pete, get your ticket today, and join our Insiders Club for the latest Fairgrounds St. Pete news.