Gala Re-Opening of Hoffman Porges Gallery

Diagonal View of HPG, front door on lower right.

 Hoffman Porges Gallery (HPG) on Seventh Ave. Ybor, was originally put together by Marcie Hoffman, who'd had a prior gallery in Sarasota. The gallery/frame shop closed down a few years ago, was recently sold and re-opened under the same name and new ownership. Jill and the "General" are bringing this exciting premier art space back to life. She loves sneakers with the lights that blink as you walk and owns a software development company, he is a retired three-star general. They are a lovely addition to the Tampa/Ybor art scene.

Julia Ponzek, "So many necklaces"

Their Gala Re-opening was titled "Virgins and Vixens". It included many posters and lithos, including a large hodge podge that had been left behind when HPG last closed its doors. Several Ybor Arts Association artists were shown, including Samantha Churchill, Nicolae Tucker, Scott Spillman, Rick Reeves, Jason Shiver (no stranger to these pages) and Marc De Waeler.










I ran into Moira Shiver, who told me of exciting events to come from the Ybor Artists Association, which has evolved rapidly and elegantly in recent times. Also into Allen Hampton, of Hampton Arts Management, and talked about the plans for this year's Refractory Show, which will be held in the Kress building (and will be announced in these pages)....and wire sculptress and painter Samantha Churchill.

Samantha Churchill with her "Pentinent" Angel sculpture.

There were two openings, one on Friday, and one Sat., which was a fundraiser for homeless women veterans. I was there or the former. Jill and the General are themselves Virgins to owning a gallery, though they have run a frame shop before.

Jill, at the Gala opening of her Hoffman-Porges Gallery

Art Taco welcomes Jill, the General and Hoffman Porges Gallery to the Bay Arts Community and wishes them the best with their new venture. We thank you for bringing this art space back to life -- as an art space and look forward to seeing a variety of talent, events and the gallery as a nexus for artists, collectors and the public.

--- Luis