Downtown Clearwater is “really expanding” not only according to the remarks made by Founder and CEO of PostcardMania, Joy Gendusa, but also according to the continuous expansion projects being reported about in the Tampa Bay Business Journal. The newest project is Cleveland Street’s new outdoor art gallery called Sculpture360: Art in the Cleveland Street District Outdoor Gallery.
The St. Pete Times recently reported that starting this week, three works of art will be installed in the downtown thoroughfare’s median. The $14,000 art project was funded through a partnership with the Downtown Development Board and the Clearwater Downtown Partnership. Sculpture360 is part of the Clearwater public art and design program.
The Clearwater Cultural Arts Division released a call to artists that brought in applications from as far away as the Philippines, and formed a committee to select the works including city staff, artists, community leaders, and private citizens. Joy Gendusa was on the committee to select the finalists, and said that creating more culture for downtown was high on her list of priorities.
The three winning art pieces are:
· Sorcerer’s Gate, by Bruce White. The striking, brightly colored arch will be located between Garden and Fort Harrison avenues.
· Shanti, by Claudia Jane Klein. An abstract sculpture meant to emulate human movement, it will be placed between Osceola and Fort Harrison avenues.
· In Harmony — Earth, Water, Wind, Fire, by Hanna Jubran. Each section of this sculpture combines stainless steel and bronze cast elements. It will be located between East and Garden avenues.
These sculptures will be on display until July 2009, when they will be replaced by a new trio of artworks. A July 22, 5:30 p.m. public celebration for the Sculpture360 exhibition is planned at the Atrium Building lobby, 601 Cleveland St. Christopher Hubbard, at the City of Clearwater, can be contacted for more information on Sculpture360.
Gendusa, who serves also as an executive board member of the Clearwater Downtown Partnership, said the Downtown Clearwater had huge support behind it. “There’s a large group of high-powered people working on creating a diverse community that is culturally and economically thriving,” she said. “I am very proud to be a part of this!”
About PostcardMania:
Using a powerful, simple, extremely cost effective way of communicating with customers has earned Joy Gendusa Inc Magazine’s recognition as the nation’s fastest growing direct mail postcard-marketing firm with year 2007 revenues close to $19,000,000. Gendusa began in 1998 with zero investment capital. Today, her Clearwater, FL firm called PostcardMania, employs over 150 people and prints 4 million and mails 2 million postcards representing 31000-plus customers in over 350 industries each week. Visit www.postcardmania.com
About the CDP:
The Clearwater Downtown Partnership is an independent voice of citizens, business, and property owners who are interested in supporting the economic vitality of Downtown Clearwater. It brings stakeholders together to develop, advocate and implement policies that build an exciting, vibrant and diverse downtown, and plays an essential role in keeping the business and residential community educated, informed and involved in the continued success of the downtown. Membership donations will go directly towards projects that will create tangible result in downtown. For more information or to become a member, visit www.clwdp.org
