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Local
Local Artist To Host Downtown
Art Show
Deborah Rodriguez is a retired art instructor who helped mentor new art teach- ers in the school system.
On Friday, July 15th at 6 p. m., Ms. Rodriguez will be hosting an art show at DDA Development, 1215 North Franklin Street, downtown Tampa.
“I’ve been putting on art shows for more than 30 years, and I’ve been a professional artist my entire life,” said Ms. Rodriguez.
Ms. Rodriguez is also a photographer, and holds sev- eral degrees in art.
“I create works of art with handmade papers and rice papers. These sculptures are presented in the form of clothing and shoes.
“Clothing is a second skin for human beings. As such, it has a story telling quality that speaks of our feelings and ideas about life. My images express narratives through textures, colors, and forms. The earthy texture of hand- made paper pulp, contrast with sheer rice papers to cre- ate works with visual interest and the wonder of where, when and how.”
As a child, Ms. Ro- driguez said she often watched garments dancing on the clothesline in her grand- mother’s backyard.
“The overlapping colors and patterns captured my in- terest and have remained a strong source of inspiration. Clothing has its own visual language, spoken in forms, textures and colors. It is a sto- rytelling element that invites input from viewers.”
Ms. Rodriguez credits her late father, Atty. Fran- cisco Rodriguez with nur- turing her interest in art.
“He’d buy me art supplies and other items to help me work. I didn’t visit a lot of art galleries growing up, but I did visit a lot of museums.”
Ms. Rodriguez has lived and worked in Tampa for most of her life. She earned an M.F.A. degree in Painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design this year. She also has a Master’s degree in Art Education and has been an elementary school art in- structor for 25 years. She completed her Bachelor’s de-
These are some of the de- signs created by Ms. Ro- driguez.
gree in Fine Art at the Rin- gling College of Art and De- sign in 1987.
Ms. Rodriguez has par- ticipated in many group ex- hibits in museums and galleries, such as the Tampa Museum of Art, Dali Mu- seum, Lakeland Museum of Art, Museum of African American Art, Florida Mu- seum of Photographic Arts, and John German Gallery.
‘Black Nurses Rock’ Charters Tampa Chapter
Erika Hall, President Elect of the Tampa Black Nurses Rock Chapter, wants to introduce the organization to the Tampa Bay area and let everyone know exactly who they are.
“We plan to bring great things to the community, and have done some great things so far,” said Ms. Hall.
“We will hold an open com- munity chapter meeting July 16th at Brandon Regional Li- brary, 619 Vonderburg Drive, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a 30-minute education on HIV.
Black Nurses Rock was cre- ated by Dr. Romeatrius Moss in 2014. The mission of the organization is to inspire and empower innovative leaders that will serve and ed- ucate vulnerable communi- ties.
Black Nurses Rock began as the largest online commu- nity where Black nurses could share, network, and develop together.
“It is a powerful forum for Black nurses to share their stories, insights, and opin- ions,” said Ms. Hall.
ERIKA HALL
Black Nurses Rock Tampa Chapter President
“As the trusted voice for Black nurses, we not only fa- cilitate communication, but also act as a catalyst of change, bringing light and life to vital issues pertinent to the Black nurse and community.”
Due to the overwhelming response of the online com- munity, Dr. Moss began to shift into physical chapters with an official launch date as a non-profit organization with incorporation on March 18, 2015.
Black Nurses Rock is an or- ganization with a focus to fos- ter a positive environment of
DR. ROMEATRIUS MOSS Black Nurses Rock Founder
professional growth and de- velopment. They provide sup- port and mentorship to nurses in an effort to elevate their profession and improve communities by focusing on reducing/eliminating health- care disparities.
Black Nurses Rock in- vites all LPNs, RNs and student nurses currently enrolled in LPN or RN programs to apply for membership. There are no restrictions on race or ethnicity, and they only ask that members respect the mission of the organ- ization.
FRIDAY, JULY 15, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 7-A