Category: Arts

By Jensen Horvath 

Before Julia Morris ever picked up a piece of chalk, she was inspired by the temporary messages she saw scattered across downtown St. Petersburg. Now, as a dedicated participant in the Global Love Project, she’s made it a weekly ritual to share uplifting messages through chalk art, impacting the community one sidewalk at a time. 

“I want my art to be a mirror,” Morris said. “To reflect something back to the people looking that they didn’t even realize they needed. If it stirs up playfulness, intention, curiosity or even just a smile, then I’ve done what I came to do. Love doesn’t always have to be loud. Sometimes it’s just chalk on the sidewalk waiting for you to look down and feel seen.” 

Founded by Justin Lucci, the Global Love Project meets every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the roundabout on Central Avenue in downtown St. Petersburg, and every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Vinoy Park.  

Community members are encouraged to join in by creating chalk art and writing messages designed to spread peace and positivity. 

The project began when Lucci first started sharing his sidewalk art with the public. What started as his own personal expression has grown into a consistent community tradition, now 166 weeks strong, where Lucci is surrounded by friends and neighbors, adding their own creativity to the collective message. 

For Lucci, the project began as a meaningful way to cope with the personal loss of someone close to him, utilizing chalk as an outlet for healing, he said. 

“Over the past 166 weeks, I’ve come to take greater responsibility for what, and who, I attract into my life,” Lucci said. “The people who show up in this project have offered me countless lessons. Sometimes they reveal things I’d rather not see, but almost always, they’re exactly what I need to see.” 

As promoted on their website, the Global Love Project welcomes a wide range of participants, from local neighborhoods and artists to environmental advocates, educational programs and global audiences. Everyone is invited to take part, inspired by the project’s mission to unite diverse communities through acts of creative expression. 

For residents like Avery Siwinski and her mother, the project has served as an “important emotional and creative outlet.” 

“It was in November that we first stopped,” Siwinski said. “I wrote ‘give thanks’ to emphasize the importance of gratitude. My mom added a drawing with the words ‘choose your happy face,’ copying something my dad had written on his bathroom mirror when undergoing chemo treatments.” 

Though it started as a simple outlet for creativity, the Global Love Project has since expanded to raise awareness for International Day of Peace. By promoting actionable steps toward the 17 sustainable development goals, GLP unites creatives to collaborate on solutions for global change, while fostering love and community connections. 

On April 22, the Global Love Project gathered at the St. Pete Pier to celebrate Earth Day with chalk art highlighting environmental awareness. The messages, created by participants, encouraged reflection on the importance of protecting the planet. 

“This project continuously invites me to show up in the world as the most authentic version of myself,” Lucci said. “That version is always evolving, shaped by new experiences each week. Creating art that disappears has helped me practice letting go of attachment to outcomes and instead focus on how I move through life.” 

What began as a weekly meetup has grown into a steady ritual of introspection and connection for returning participants. For regulars like Lucci and Morris, the Global Love Project offers an outlet for creativity, right in their own community, on the sidewalks of St. Petersburg. 

 “This group has brought me more than I can ever explain,” Morris said. “It’s been my therapy. It’s brought new friendships, much-needed laughter, playful wisdom and a weekly date with myself that makes me excited to wake up on a Tuesday. It’s a space that reminds me life is still full of color and magic.” 

 
By Noah Chase 

Henna use, once primarily tied to cultural and ceremonial traditions, has expanded into a global industry and is embraced today as a popular form of self-expression and body art. 

“In Central Florida, nobody really knew what henna was—only in smaller circles,” said Tampa Bay henna artist Nadiyah Mahmood of Henna by Nadi Nam. “But now it’s grown tremendously… It’s at fairs now, at Disney [and] at Busch Gardens. Everyone wants to get it done.” 

Primarily used in African, Asian and Middle Eastern cultures, henna has become widespread and continues to grow in popularity outside of its traditional uses. 

“There are so many different types of cultures that use henna,” said local St. Petersburg henna artist Sumayah Lea of Talia Moon Botanica. “It’s a pretty wide range of designs that go along with that too, and you can usually tell what type of culture someone is from based on the designs themselves.” 

Henna leaves a temporary stain on the skin, hair, nails or fabric when applied as a paste. Traditionally, it has been used in cultural ceremonies like weddings and religious holidays. 

Beyond its decorative role, henna has also been historically valued for its natural cooling properties. 

“The appeal is that it’s beautiful and temporary,” Soulshine Henna owner Elisa Giacona said. “People like that. I found my favorite art medium [henna]. I fell in love with it because it’s natural, from a plant, it’s temporary and the color changed. It all just fascinated me. I started [henna] and just haven’t stopped.” 

Henna, often compared to a tattoo for its intricate designs and temporary nature, has gained widespread popularity for offering the beauty of body art without a lifelong commitment. 

“It’s become so popular in modern times that women here in the West really adore getting it done because it’s less of a commitment compared to getting an actual tattoo,” Mahmood said. “It makes you feel feminine and very beautiful.” 

Henna paste is typically made from four ingredients: henna plant powder, cane sugar, essential oil and a binding liquid, which is usually water or different fruit juices. 

“It has become more popularized and more available, so people are trying it themselves,” Giacona said. “Especially in this area because we have the sunshine.” 

To apply henna, artists clean the area first and ensure the client remains still while the paste is applied. Afterward, clients must sit patiently as the henna dries—a process that can take several hours before the stain sets properly. 

“It’s a living, breathing art form,” Lea said.  

Giacona and Mahmood both said that social media has contributed significantly to henna’s recent rise in popularity. 

“I thank social media because it helped educate people about certain things and made people become more aware of henna,” Mahmood said. 

When Mahmood was a child, she said she would often be questioned about what was on her skin when she wore henna for holidays such as Ramadan because “it was not as normalized.” 

Henna has also been known for its therapeutic properties, thanks to its calming essential oils and the meditative experience of watching it being applied. 

“Henna is something that really touched my soul in a way that nothing else ever did because it’s a plant and has medicinal qualities as well as being an art form,” Lea said. 

As henna continues to gain mainstream popularity, it remains a powerful blend of cultural tradition, natural beauty and personal expression that resonates with people across the globe. 

By Kylie Perz 

St. Petersburg Second Saturday ArtWalk unites the city’s art districts for a lively monthly event, allowing visitors to explore new exhibits, meet local artists and engage in the community. From 5 to 9 p.m. on the ArtsXchange campus, studios and galleries open their doors to showcase their one-of-a-kind pieces, offering food, wine and music to create an immersive experience. 

According to Terry Marks, CEO of the Arts Alliance and organizer of the ArtWalk, the event’s primary goal is to encourage, engage and introduce residents and visitors alike to the galleries that are offered throughout the many art districts in St. Petersburg.

“It’s an opportunity not only to meet the artists and purchase art but to really have a sense of community, for people to meet each other, learn more about what’s going on in the arts world and support emerging artists,” Marks said. “This is especially important for underrepresented artists, such as African American and BIPOC artists, by giving them exposure as well.” 

According to Marks, the experience brings multiple districts together makes art more accessible, encourages people to support small businesses, and keeps the city’s creative spirit thriving. 

“We did an economic impact study with Americans for the Arts, a nonprofit organization, and discovered that $132 million in revenue comes from the arts sector and impacts the city of St. Petersburg,” Marks said. “We’re an economic driver not only for our residents but also for tourism. ArtWalk is an opportunity for the galleries to be open during hours they typically aren’t for Second Saturday.” 

David Williams, artist and former visual journalist, brings a unique perspective to this event as a regular attendee.  

“When I accepted a job with the St. Petersburg Times in 1987, there was no ‘art scene’ here,” Williams said. “That didn’t start until the mid-90s when local artists started taking over rundown, unused space and showing their work and the work of others. From that seed, it has grown into the lively art scene you see today. I believe the Artwalks are a way to keep the public informed as to what is going on with the arts in their community.” 

Anna Ayres, a participating artist in the ArtWalk, has been part of St. Petersburg’s art scene for the past decade. She graduated from the University of Vermont with a minor in studio art and continued her artistic journey by finding ways to get involved, such as showcasing her work at arkets and events like ArtWalk. She has painted murals around the city, with some of her other artwork featured at Soft Water Gallery in the Warehouse Arts District, where she now assists with Second Saturday’s. 

“The energy is unmatched for Second Saturdays,” Ayres said. “It is so incredible to witness the community coming out, experiencing art, interacting and engaging in something so connecting for us. It’s an incredibly positive and rewarding type of evening. It just feels good to be a part of something so unique.” 

Creating art often requires long hours of isolation and intense focus, which can sometimes feel lonely and be challenging at times, Ayres said. Events like the Second Saturday ArtWalk provide an opportunity to connect with others. 

“The ArtWalk provides a space to share our process and our triumphs, and to engage with the community of other artists and, most importantly, art appreciators,” she said. “This gives it even more life than it has on its own. It’s like being a musician. Making the songs is one part of the process, and then sharing the songs with an audience brings a whole new energy. It’s the ripple effect of creativity. It has the power to affect others in a hugely positive way, inspiring, encouraging and motivating each other towards healthier ways of being.” 

According to Ayres, these community-driven events not only foster meaningful connections but also breathe new life into the often solitary process of making art. 

“The Artwalk is such a fun, positive way to encourage the community and to witness the creative process of artists,” Ayres said. “It’s not an easy vocation, and organic networking is the best way to create those relationships that make it possible. It is literally impossible to survive as an artist without the support of others, like any business or industry.” 

For aspiring artists who are looking to become involved in events like this, Ayres said she encourages artists with some words of advice she wishes she had received earlier in her career. 

“It’s so important to keep artistic endeavors sacred by not putting pressure or expectations on them,” she said. “It helps to have a separate vocation that keeps you afloat, allowing your passion for art to be reserved for creating and not for making sales. That way, when you do make sales, it’s just fun and a bonus. Putting all your needs on your passion can change it, and then it becomes less about soul and more about necessity.”