DUNEDIN, Fla. — Going to a city council meeting may seem boring to many, but the city of Dunedin is livening things up by turning the walls of the commission chambers into a blank canvas for local artists.
When Betsy Ore Glass enters Dunedin City Hall Commission Chambers, it’s not about attending a meeting, it’s about seizing an opportunity.
“Dunedin is the most creative town I have ever experienced, they are doing so many things to support local artists, and the fact that they did this is really an inspiration to other chambers,” said Glass.
Betsy is one of the first Tampa Bay artists to be recognized by the Dunedin City Hall Chamber Gallery.
“I was overjoyed because the building is called ‘The Wave’ and I specialize in the wave; they call me, ‘The Wave Lady,’” said Glass. “There are no two waves alike so there is no one who can come and correct you.”
Curator Elizabeth Brinklow says the city is always looking for new unique ways to promote up and coming artists.
“It personalizes the building, it makes it warmer, it makes it thoughtful, it really does bring the art inside the building that we have all over the city,” said Brinklow.
Betsy didn’t even start painting until she was in her 50s. It was a source of therapy while battling cancer. She never imagined one day her work would be on display for hundreds of people to see, every month, while attending various meetings.
“This is a whole new audience; I’ve gotten a lot of good feedback,” said Glass. “I was talking to the commissioners, and I said, ‘I imagine it gets a little spirited in here at times with the language and the conversation and the things they are discussing,’ and I said, ‘I hope that my art brings peace,’ and they all agreed that it did.”
The city plans to introduce a new artist every six months.
“I think it’s an incredible model that artists have the opportunity within a city space, a public space, to share their work,” said Brincklow.
The exhibit is already making waves, leading to new connections and shows within the art community.
“I never thought that I would live this long, so you get a second chance at life, and that’s what I think my art is, a second chance, so I want to share it with those and if it can inspire somebody that’s all the better,” said Glass.
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