The Werk Gallery has become one of our favorite artist hubs since opening in 2023, and its newest exhibition is bringing something entirely new to the beloved home for the arts. This week, The Werk debuts Living In Color, an immersive and vibrant display of textile and fiber artists by the Tampa Bay Surface Design Guild.
The guild consists of more than 100 incredible local artists, and Living In Color will bring some of their finest and most inspiring pieces together under one roof in a first for The Werk Gallery. The opening reception this Friday night, May 8, is the first chance to catch the impressive exhibition, and you can also stop by The Werk Gallery (2210 1st Ave S) anytime during their operating hours to peruse and even find a piece to take home after the exhibition.
This exhibition is not only a celebration of the impressive array of techniques and media the artists employ, but also of the type of sustainable community that can be built through mutual respect for each other’s creativity and humanity. The medium is a particularly impressive form, as Surface Design showcases the coloring, patterning, structuring and transformation of fabric, fiber, and other materials by the artists.
The opening reception for Living In Color runs from 5-9 pm on Friday, May 8, at The Werk Gallery. It serves as an opportunity to not only experience these intricate and beautiful pieces, but also to meet and discuss the works with the artists who created them. Attendance is free, and if you can’t make it Friday, we recommend stopping by Saturday afternoon or evening for the Second Saturday Art Walk.
If you miss opening weekend, you still have plenty of time to catch the show, and perhaps find a piece for your own collection. The show will be on view during all operating hours at The Werk Gallery for the rest of the month of May, and we highly recommend making a stop in on your weekend hours spent in the Grand Central District.
The Werk Art Gallery & Object Lab is a hotspot for all things beautiful
Since opening in 2023, The Werk Gallery has become a star in St. Pete. As you enter, the art gallery is home to a curated list of rotating exhibits featuring an amazing array of local artists. As you walk through the gallery, the space opens up into The Object Lab, a one-of-a-kind art and gift store offering a deep selection of beautiful pieces, from greeting cards, oil paintings and jewelry, to antique pottery, altered vintage clothing and even a sticker bar.
Between it all, The Werk has become a hotspot in St. Pete for all things art and antiques. The gallery has played host to a tremendous lineup of exhibitions, and has plenty in store for the rest of 2026.
While the gallery space is what draws many people in for the first time, it’s The Object Lab that can make you lose hours to browsing. Whether admiring artwork, sniffing candles, or trying on hand-painted tees, the shop is packed full of delights for any taste or inclination.
You can find vintage scarves and signed ephemera on the same wall as luxury handbags and altered vintage jackets created by Spenny Lane. You’ll find pottery dating back 800 years to the Ming Dynasty on a shelf next to pottery only a few weeks old created by a local artist.
In the same place, you can get a quirky $4 sticker or a funny gift card, or spring for high end art pieces or jewelry. The job they have done stocking The Object Lab is outstanding, making it feel like you’re walking around a colorful combination of a museum, gift shop, and arts and crafts store. It’s the perfect spot for holiday shopping, even if you’re buying for yourself.
Follow The Werk on Instagram and Facebook to learn more and get updates on their upcoming events and exhibitions. The Werk Gallery and The Object Lab are open 12-5 pm Wednesday and Sunday, and 12-7 pm Thursday-Saturday, plus special exhibition nights, at 2210 1st Avenue South.
