This week’s NPR Note will be the first in a series of articles covering the artistic thread that runs through New Port Richey’s past all the way to the present day.  I’m going to concentrate on our galleries today.

The oldest gallery in New Port Richey is the West Pasco Art Guild & Gallery, located at the corner of Jefferson and Missouri.  The Guild was founded in 1963 and has been in their current location since 1971.  The Guild has a series of monthly shows.  The next show, Weather Effects, starts with an opening reception on Friday, March 13th, from 5-7pm.

The Guild also has a regular series of workshops from November through May each year and has an art library of some 3000 books.

The Guild is completely self funded, with no federal, state or local government support.  It is supported through a combination of membership dues, workshop fees, and contributions.

The Downtown New Port Richey Art Gallery, formerly known as the Progress Energy Art Gallery, is located at 6231 Grand Boulevard. It is a subsidiary of Greater New Port Richey Main Street.  The Art Gallery was founded in 2003.  The Gallery holds monthly shows, the next of which will feature the Feminine Mystique.  The show will open with a reception on Friday, March 6th, from 6-8pm.

The Downtown New Port Richey Art Gallery has an “Emerging Artists” hallway with art produced by area students.

Both organizations worked together to organize last fall’s successful Art Walk.

There are at least two other sizable collections of art on display:  The New Port Richey City Hall has a number of photographs and artwork displayed in the halls.  The First United Methodist Church of New Port Richey has a large number of “classic” stained glass windows.  Local art is also displayed in some not so obvious locations, such as Mezzaluna restaurant.

I’ll cover another aspect of New Port Richey’s art scene next week.  In the meantime, check out Readers Digest’s “13 Secrets Mayors Won’t Tell You“.  With the exception of the last one, there is a lot of truth in the article.  Item 13 isn’t true here, although the city clerk can, since she is a notary.

Rob Marlowe, Mayor