Artists and art educators have found inspiration and opportunity in the Sunshine City for over 100 years. Dating back to 1907, art schools led by talented and renowned artists multiplied quickly and began creating a small but nationally recognized art scene in St. Pete. It began with the Miss M. Frances Williams School of Art in 1907 and expanded dramatically with the opening of the Winter Art School in Straub Park in 1916, which was located on 2nd Avenue Northeast and Beach Drive at the current site of the Museum of Fine Arts.
The trend of artists making their way to the Sunshine City continued in the 1920s, with well-known names like Mark Dixon Dodd, George Snow Hill and his wife, Polly Knipp Hill. Art education continued to be the center of the city's art world, and the tradition of St. Pete art schools continued with the creation of early programs at St. Pete College, St. Petersburg High School, and Gibbs High School. This tradition then exploded with the creation of the Morean Arts Center and the DMG School.
These artists and educators made St. Petersburg the beacon of art that it is today.
From the St. Petersburg Museum of History. Beautiful Beginnings, an exhibit highlighting the key figures who influenced art education in St. Pete, will be on view through July 27. To learn more, visit spmoh.com.
