ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Along the Pinellas Trail in an industrial section of South St. Petersburg, blank concrete walls are becoming vibrant canvases.
Tampa Bay 28 reporter Michael Paluska spoke with four local artists transforming what was once an eyesore into a show-stopper as part of this year's SHINE Origins Mural Festival.
Elizabeth Barenis, Chris "Brain" Roberts, Karel Garcia, and Amy Ilic-Volpe stand shoulder to shoulder, creating new worlds for passersby and softening the rough edges of this part of South St. Pete, where trash, barbed wire, and industry litter the landscape.
"There's beauty everywhere, right?" Paluska asked Barenis.
"That's right, and it's the artist's job to amplify that," Barenis said.
The artists have different backgrounds and different visions, but share one passion: using paint to transform their city.
"It (art) spreads a message to the community, and it lets people know what's possible. You know what I mean in terms of art and in terms of the message that's being shown in the art," Roberts said.
The murals are meant for everyone — whether on a bike, walking the Pinellas Trail, or peering through a car window.
"And this year, the focus is on local artists," Barenis said.
"Art for a community really uplifts the community. It brings people together. I mean, this festival is a perfect example, because it's brought artists together. I've met artists that have been here the whole time I've been here, but I've never met and now I know them," she said.
For Roberts, a native of South St. Pete, the festival represents something more profound.
"South Side St Pete for the most part. You know what I mean, being a native born and raised here, just making sure that we have a stamp on the city," Roberts said.
"It's getting pretty big. I've seen it growing over the years. Just as a youth growing up here," Roberts said about art's growing presence in St. Pete.
Ilic-Volpe finds joy in the community aspect of the festival.
"I think, you know, being as far as the festival, being out here, and getting to meet the other artists, and being part of the artistic community, but also, you know, just doing something vibrant and fun and making people smile," Ilic-Volpe said.
For Garcia, who moved to Florida from Cuba, his mural means even more — it's his origin story and introduction to America for everyone to see.
"My mural is about my history, coming here to America, looking for freedom. So it's about migration, love, freedom, family, and live your truth," Garcia said.
The SHINE festival marks Garcia's first public art installation and the beginning of his artistic journey in America.
"It's complicated. Everything about art in Cuba is complicated," Garcia said when asked about creating art in his home country.
"This is my first mural here. I made murals in Cuba for my friends, and those I make in homes, and that kind of thing. But public, public, my first one is this one," he said.
Garcia hopes his work will inspire others who see it along the busy trail.
"I want them to feel the freedom I felt coming here, starting again, and create my career like professional artists. And this opportunity with SHINE is really big for me, to show my art and be in a public space. So it's something big for me. I'm really happy to be part of SHINE," Garcia said.
The SHINE Festival runs through this weekend.
This story was reported on-air by Michael Paluska and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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