The Brief
Artists are lining Corey Avenue in St. Pete Beach this weekend to showcase their work and connect with thousands of local attendees.
Local creators are using their crafts for therapy, personal artistic expression and community engagement.
Festival participants highlighted that the event centers around community connection rather than financial gain.
ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. – Artists have lined Corey Avenue in St. Pete Beach this weekend to display their handcrafted creations and share the personal journeys behind their work.
St. Pete Beach art festival
Big picture view
Hundreds of pieces of art are lining Corey Avenue as local creators display their work to thousands of visitors in St. Pete Beach.
For many artists, the event is less about making money and more about building community ties and sharing their passion.
Creative outlets supporting health
The backstory
Kelly Beale, owner of KBeale Art, began painting four years ago and discovered it served as a therapeutic lifesaver during personal health struggles.
Beale paints every night to calm her body, noting she has not needed a hospital visit in three years while enjoying conversations with attendees.
Balancing daily work and art
Todd Atkinson balances a job at an environmental recycling company with running Raw Art Creations.
Atkinson uses painting and designing shirts as a creative outlet to unwind after handling industrial waste during his day job.
Handcrafted designs finding purpose
What they’re saying
Todd Casey of Mr. Square Designs transitioned from home remodeling to crafting wooden vessels after someone asked him to make a cutting board.
“It’s nice to make something nice,” Casey said. “Sometimes I impress myself. And you know, when you dip it in the oil, it comes to life.”
The Source
The information in this story was gathered from video soundbites and statements provided by artists Kelly Beale, Todd Atkinson and Todd Casey during the Corey Avenue Art and Craft Festival in St. Pete Beach.