NEW THREADS: CONTEMPORARY FIBER IN FLORIDA
Fiber arts are the star of the new exhibition opening Friday at Florida CraftArt in St. Petersburg. Don't expect to find your granny's crocheted afghans here; Contemporary Fiber in Florida showcases work by Florida artists who take contemporary, innovative approaches to fiber art and fresh interpretations of the traditional types. This movement of fine art encompasses a diverse range of media, from basketry to wearables to abstracts, like Stephen Sidelinger's pictured piece, A Cautionary Tale, created with embroidery floss. Florida CraftArt makes a weekend of the exhibition's opening, including workshops on surface design, tapestry and basketry and a curator's talk from Cindy Bartosek. The free opening reception happens from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday at 501 Central Ave. floridacraftart.org.
BUILDING BLOCKS: CONSTRUCT
There's long-suffering debate about whether architecture is art, but suffice to say design lies at both of their foundations. The Tampa Bay Center for Architecture and Design seeks to foster collaboration between the area's artistic and development communities, and its inaugural visual arts exhibit opening Friday is a first step. Construct features work by 16 notable bay area artists, including Chad Mize, Patricia Sriram and Laine Nixon, whose piece, Assent, is pictured. Organized by artist and curator Nathan Beard, the show asked artists to explore the ways in which we build our world by "finding meaning in the architecture of nature, memory, place and society." The opening reception in the center's Gallery AIA, runs from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, at 1315 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City. aiatampabay.com.