Tampa Is…?

Caleb lives and works in St. Petersburg. He has been slinging paint and pixels for a number of years over on the peninsula, without great result, but he manages to feed his dog and cat and pay rent. When not creating images or difficulties for his neighbors, he preaches the gospel of Wordpress and social media to the slightly interested.

Below is the pretentious artist’s bio he is contractually obligated by his agency, Seven North, to include with each painting or print. It has the virtue of being almost true in some respects.

Caleb came to painting as a result of his inability to get cameras to record his unique emotional response to his surroundings. “Apparently, I see light and lines somewhat differently than film or CCD’s do. Go figure.” He has used just about every media known to western man, and although pastel is his first love, and oils his longest romance, he now employs acrylic paints, to take advantage of their ability to mimic pastel chalks.

Although Caleb cites the early-twentieth century Regionalists as his major formal influence, he says he is more governed by aesthetic preferences that are rooted in his childhood experience and perception. “In childhood, perception and preference are unfiltered, raw and honest. I notice that I am drawn to the scenes, colors and shapes that surrounded me before my fifth year. I did not consciously make choices then; I do better work when I do not make conscious choices now. But there is always choosing.”

Caleb says that he can describe his work his work as being closest to Fauvist in appearance. He says that the Florida climate is very influential. “During the winter, my paintings are relatively cool and sober. By August, I’m laying down wild colors that hatch in my poor heat-addled head. I guess I’ll never really get acclimatized…”

Caleb spent his youth in the Midwest, New York and finally the Los Angeles basin. As a young adult he moved to Oregon, where he spent a good chunk of his adult life. He has been on the Pinellas peninsula on Tampa Bay for nearly a dozen years.

Caleb lives and paints in St Petersburg, which he is sure is the best place on the Gulf Coast of Florida. He cohabits with Toulouse the dog and Bonnie the cat.

The extremely bored, or those to whom he still owes money, may access Caleb’s lifestream by Googling “Calebism”.

Was asked to do an interview Monday based on my post about Holly Benson.

The interview happened so fast I didn’t have time to do my hair or make-up so viewer discretion is advised.

I swear the camera adds twenty pounds, but yes, I recognize the fact that I made fun of Holly’s hair and then got on television with a brillo pad atop my own head.

Laugh it up, fuzzballs.

Thank God they didn’t mention my site - I’d like to charm my co-workers before I start alarming them.

I’ve only been back a month. That’s gotta be some kind of record.

Update 5pm: Commenter Lee Nelson noticed that the Buzz also picked up the story.

I’ve been a Sticks lurker for quite a while but just started commenting recently, and now I get to join the party. So I guess I should be polite and introduce myself.

First, I should confess that Lara Diamond’s not my real name. It’s my pen name for a novel (Man Overboard) I wrote that takes place in 1920s land boom Tampa. A few people have asked me why a pen name and why such a fake-sounding one at that. Truth is, I’d rather use my real name but my day job required me to use a pen name for this book. Since the book takes place in the 1920s and is written in the noir style popular at the time, I wanted something that was a little bit Guy Noir, a little bit Sam Spade–something that made a smoky sax solo play in your head. The main character’s last name is Heart, and Club is a crummy last name, so Diamond it was.

If you want to know more about the book, you can visit my website at www.manoverboard.us (There’s some info in there about the fabulous Burgert Brothers historical photograph collection and some other stuff about Tampa, including a couple of tours.)

I’m sarcastic and opinionated, which apparently makes me perfect for this newfangled thang called blogging. In my real life, I spent many years as a social worker and public servant before becoming a writer, editor and journalist. I adore Florida’s exuberant eccentricity and have spent more than two decades digging up odd bits of it for various projects. My fascination began in the mid-1980s, when I worked on a five-part documentary on eccentric Florida architecture. The doc won a bunch of awards including an Emmy, and I was hooked for life on the area’s peculiar charm and amazing history.

Hi - My middle name may as well be “addicted to writing”. But I was a late bloomer. It all started with an editorial submission to the St. Pete Times in 1997 that ended up winning a national writing award! With several more SPT editorials after that, I thank the editors for their encouragement to pursue writing as more than a hobby!

So this is my 11th year of freelance writing. I also enjoy ghostwriting (sorry- no school papers!). If you’re in a pinch for a writer, see my freelance website at http://www.writefromtheheart.net/.

I’ve lived in Tampa for over 20 years, but was born and raised in Chicago. Couldn’t stand the winters anymore, so I escaped! But still have family there and go back often when it’s warm. I miss the pizza.

I’m grateful and honored to join Sticks of Fire! Thanks for a great website, Tommy! Here, I will probably be writing mostly about things to do, eat and see in Tampa and area; you’d be surprised how many things us “locals” miss that tourists see! Maybe I’ll do some local politics and events, and will spotlight interesting people of Tampa Bay.

I was on the Tampa Tribune’s first “Board of Community Columnists”, (2005-2006), surprised to be selected as one of only 22 writers out of 800 applicants to write opinion editorials on topics of our choice as “fresh voices” for Tampa. Unlike fellow Sticks writers Bob and Judy, I never actually worked for the Tribune, but now write occasional freelance articles for them. Keep an eye out for links!

You may have previously seen my articles around town in 3 area-targeted Style Publications Magazines (Westchase, New Tampa, or North Pinellas Style) or the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Nationally, Light & Life Magazine has me doing a bi-monthly interview column. That’s fun - I interview “everyday” people all over the country who are faith-based “movers and shakers” in their communities.

My other writing interests include Politics & U.S. Government, Life & Family Issues, Jewish/Christian relations, Alternative Health vs. Traditional Medicine and more!

However, I am also a confessed addict of TV shows like “American Idol” and “Dancing with the Stars”, and love movies and music as well.

You can see my thoughts on many of these assorted issues at my page on AssociatedContent.com.

I have a great husband (24 years as of 2008), one fabulous stepdaughter, and a deep belief in God and Jesus with a sincere love and respect for all people.

Yes, indeed!

After running for a city office, Tommy Duncan has been named Vice President of QMS.

Congratulations to that Tommy Duncan from Spring Hill, Tennessee.

You could spend your money at Four Green Fields, Leroy’s Four Wheel Drive, Four Paws Sake Pet Care, Four Corners Custom Framing, Studio Four Photography in Bradenton, and the Four Stars Star Mart.

You can also get a great cafe con leche at the Fourth of July Cafe, watch the game at the Fourth & Inches Sports Bar, or head to 4th St. in St. Petersburg for the Fourth Street Shrimp Store, Fourth Street Liquor Mart or Harvey’s 4th Street Grill.

Blues great Tampa Red was born in 1904, and Gasparilla was first held in May of ‘04. Of course, the NCAA Women’s Final Four is coming to Tampa Bay this year, early next year will bring Tampa’s fourth Super Bowl, and the Lightning won the Stanley Cup in ‘04.

And this past week, Sticks of Fire turned four years old.

• First post ever
• First Anniversary
• Second Anniversary
• Third Anniversary

Thanks a bunch to all the contributors, commenters, and readers for helping to make this such a nice place.

Thanks to an idea some modern journalists are kicking around, I’m going to start keeping office hours at local eateries. So, on Sunday, Tampans can find me at the Panera Bread on the corner of Fowler and Bruce B. Downs.

I will be at the location from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; anyone with a story they’d like to tell is welcome to join me in breaking bread (literally). Eventually I’ll have cards printed up to bring with me, but in this initial meetup / office hours experiment, I’m only going to have my notebook with me.

In the next few weeks, I plan to have more meetups / office hours at different locations and times. If anyone has a story they’d like to tell but can’t make it on Sunday, please let me know through my email, wendylbolm (at) gmail.com.

Everyone is welcome. If any other bloggers / journalists in the area would like to join me, please come and enjoy. I will be wearing a very bright, yellow, patterned satin shirt.

Wendy is a senior journalism major at the University of South Florida. She’s been bouncing back and forth between Tampa and other places since her family moved here in the early 90s. She ended up in Tampa again when she decided it was time to finish college once and for all.

For fun, she goes out dancing, writes, reads, haunts art shows, galleries, theatres, puppet shows, and all the other artsy-fartsy places she can find.

Some places you may have seen her:
USF
The Castle
Howl O Scream
Sacred Grounds
Tampa Theatre
one of Orianna Kurrus’s fashion shows

Wendy is thrilled to be covering Tampa’s varied and growing art beat. She loves art and artists, theatre, music, and other zany things some people don’t believe exist in the area. If you have any suggestions on events or artists to cover, please contact her at wendy.withers@451press.net. She also writes a feminist blog, an artist’s blog, and is a regular contributor to Mookychick.