Harvst Project Pop Up Raises Money for Local Artists

On Saturday night, for one night only, the ground floor industrial warehouse space of ad agency Pyper Paul & Kenney at 1102 N. Florida Ave. transformed into the Harvst Project, an eclectic popup showcase of local and emerging artist microgrant award recipients.

From paintings, sculpture, and photography to DJ Oblivion, live music and performance art, Saturday night was a sea of people, pulsating music and homemade movies on the warehouse walls.

This is in thanks to the diligent combined efforts for the last five months of organizers Mitzi Gordon, founder of Bluebird Book Bus, artist and Seminole Heights resident Vincent Kral, and  entrepreneur T. Hampton Dohrman.

Each artist on display had previously won a microgrant through Think Small to Think Big, a micro-funding initiative of Hampton Arts Management, a nonprofit organization created to promote and develop local artists.

Since its inception a little over a year ago, the organization has awarded over $14,000 microgrants to local artists.

Recipient Kral displayed the work he’d created from his 2011 microgrant for the Chair Show at Tampa Museum of Art, Art After Dark, Please Be Seated.

He said that loved everything about being an artist and this particular  art installation was based on a beloved movie.

“It’s based on the 'Empire Strikes Back' Echo Base Station,” said Kral.

Based on the space and his theme, Kral’s display took over the elevator at the entry of the building.

All monies raised through the event go back into the artist community to fund local art projects, ones on a smaller scale that don't usually attract funding from philanthropists.

Dohrman said, “Between the door and the bar, we hope to raise $3,000 (for microgrants).”