MAHAFFEY GALLERY UNVEILS ART ON THE 'CUTTING EDGE'

ST. PETERSBURG, FL (May 7, 2012) - The city of St. Petersburg and The Mahaffey welcome cutting edge, an exhibition created by husband and wife artists Rocky Bridges and Kathleen Frazier Bridges, through August 6.  The Mahaffey Gallery is located in the lobby of The Mahaffey, 400 First St. S.

The exhibit by Kathleen Frazier Bridges features two-dimensional collages reminiscent of the Bauhaus movement and has been called a refreshing and elegant representation of subtle coloration in the collage format.'  Following graduation from Savannah College of Art & Design, Frazier Bridges honed her talent at a major Madison Ave. florist before returning to Pinellas County to raise a family and pursue her art as an advisor for a Trinity floral center. Frazier Bridges is a recent recipient of a juried excellence distinction award at Temple Beth-El Arts Festival.

For more than 20 years, former Tarpon High School graduate Rocky Bridges has used everyday, throwaway objects as the focal element of his art to engage audiences in provocative conversation.

A graduate of Savannah College of Art & Design, with additional study at the Art Institute of Chicago and New York's Cooper Union, Bridges has taught art and art history to students since 1990 at the Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts in Lakeland. Bridges has been awarded the Florida Individual Artist Fellowship in the Visual Arts; a Residency Fellowship from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts; and was named the Japan Fulbright Memorial Scholar in 2007.

He currently serves on the national admissions search for The Cooper Union, and is a member of Princeton's National College Boards review team. His nationally recognized reputation as an artist of found objects' has earned several Best of Show awards in major juried exhibitions, including Mainsail, Temple Beth-El Arts Festival, Gasparilla, Mayfaire, SoBe Miami, and others.

Both artists will be available to meet the public and discuss their technique during a reception Thursday, May 17, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at The Mahaffey.  To RSVP, call 727-892-5800. The public may view cutting edge on Mondays in May, June and July from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. as well as during ticketed events or by appointment.

The Mahaffey Gallery showcases recognized artists with four to five seasonal exhibitions annually.  Twenty percent from the sale of each exhibited piece benefits the Class Acts Educational Program. Class Acts provides Pinellas County students with arts enrichment education through curriculum-based performances, artist residencies, and field trips, as well as masters-level development for teachers and artists and is funded by the city of St. Petersburg and The Mahaffey's M Foundation. To purchase artwork from the current exhibit or to schedule an appointment to view cutting edge, contact April Minor at 727-892-5891 or aminor@themahaffey.com.

Located in the heart of beautiful Downtown St. Petersburg, the newly renovated Progress Energy Center for the ArtsThe Mahaffey (www.themahaffey.com) is a 2,031 seat cultural jewel featuring elegant ballroom space, spectacular waterfront views, and European box-style seating. Just steps away from the culturally vibrant downtown and minutes away from white sandy beaches and world-famous museums, The Mahaffey hosts top-quality national and international artists and performances - Broadway, classical, pop, rock, comedy, dance, family, and the renowned Florida Orchestra. Additionally, the theater supports the highly successful Class Acts program (www.classacts.com), which enables school children to experience the performing arts through in-theater performances as well as in-school outreach and extension programs.