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Alliance Paints A Hopeful Picture

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By B.C. MANION bmanion@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 22, 2008

CARROLLWOOD - Boosting exposure of art obviously helps the artists.

It also gives people who enjoy viewing art more opportunities.

Those are dual aims of the Hillsborough County Arts Alliance, a group staging its inaugural exhibit at the Carrollwood Cultural Center.

The alliance was formed in September by presidents of the Brandon League of Fine Arts, the North Tampa Arts League, the Tampa Realistic Artists and the Westchase Artists' Society.

The exhibit, which runs through Nov. 7, features 45 works by members of those groups.

"Each group has some very, very talented artists," said Mary Ellen Bitner, who came up with the idea for the alliance. "Their lack of exposure is kind of sad."

Bringing works from the artists together is exciting, said Gainor Roberts, whose pastel "Reverie" is included in the exhibit.

In the past, each art group has held separate shows, she said. "This injects all kinds of new work into the mix. I think it's pretty exciting."

The alliance also aims to create opportunities for artists to expand their skills and to learn how to market their work, Bitner said.

The alliance wants to encourage more art within the community and to use a more coordinated approach among the art groups for getting the word out about upcoming shows, said Kathy Durdin, president of Tampa Realistic Artists and one of the alliance founders.

With roughly 300 artists belonging to the combined groups, the organization also hopes to offer more workshops to help artists branch out and hone their skills, Bitner said.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Hillsborough County Visual Arts Alliance Inaugural Exhibit
WHERE: Carrollwood Cultural Center, 4537 Lowell Road.

WHEN: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; a "meet the artists" reception is set for 7 to 9 p.m. Friday

Reporter B.C. Manion can be reached at (813) 865-1507.

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