Creative Native Gallery home for local art

By: Kathryn Bursch

Tampa, Florida – An alligator’s eye welcomes you to Tampa’s newest gallery. And inside a yellow house on Falkenburg Road, you’ll find all things Floridian.

The Creative Native Gallery features artwork by locals and much of the art does express local themes.

“We feature a lot of sea life, reptiles, mangroves… works inspired by the ocean. I think the work in here definitely reflects our Florida roots,” says gallery owner Pam Moody.

But this gallery aims to be more than just wall space and displays. Peek around a corner or even outside and you might just find an artist at work.

On this day we found Sherrie St. James-Bastien wielding a blow torch. She’s known for her photography, but this artist is now finding white-hot excitement molding metal to her imagination.

“I just love to be able to turn something very industrial and manmade into a beautiful work of art that everybody can enjoy,” she says.

Falkenburg Road is probably more know for its jail and dog pound than galleries, so Creative Native hopes to spark some new artistic interest.

“Much like real Florida, we are a little off the beaten path,” says Moody. “But well worth the trip.”

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