Soccer-Themed Art Show Celebrates Tampa Bay Rowdies, Raises Funds For Fan Club

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A group of soccer fans and artists have come together for a special exhibit at Bayboro Brewing in St. Petersburg.

The “Summer of Soccer” exhibit, on display through Oct. 4, is a fundraiser for Ralph’s Mob, an independent soccer supporters group that cheers on local teams like the Tampa Bay Rowdies and the Tampa Bay Sun FC.

An opening reception and Tampa Bay Rowdies watch party is set for Sunday, 3 to 7 p.m.

Artist James Hartzell, who curated the show, joined Ralph’s Mob shortly after moving from Atlanta to St. Petersburg. Today, he’s a board member and has taken over the group’s art direction.

Soccer has long been an integral part of his life as a player, coach and referee. So, he thought Ralph’s Mob would be a good way to meet people in the community, he told Patch.

“It helped me grow roots here,” Hartzell said.

He soon learned that other members of the group, like him, also had an arts background.

See Also:

• Get Your Halloween Frights Early With These Spooky Events In Tampa Bay
• Dinosaur Bones To Be Displayed In Rooftop Garden Of Edge District Parking Garage
• Breeze Airways Offers First-Ever International Flight Out Of Tampa International Airport

“I was surprised, but at the same time, when you see the banners unfurled at matches, it was very clear that it was someone who had a fine arts background that was designing them,” he said.

For years, artists George Retkes and Laura Spencer, who creates under the name Miss Crit, led efforts to bring members together to create and paint original banners celebrating the team and its players.

“We’d have a wind range of folks, some with experience with painting or none. It’s a volunteer effort,” Hartzell said. “It’s great community building.”

Just last month, a 20 foot by 30 foot banner paying tribute to the original Rowdies team as a 50th anniversary tribute was unveiled at a home game at Al Lang Stadium, he added.

Hartzell also received a grant from Creative Pinellas to paint a mural about “the power of soccer bringing people together” at the stadium over the summer, he said.

The current art exhibit features works by 10 artists. A portion of all sales will benefit Ralph’s Mob. There will be raffle prizes and local vendors at the event.

“It’s a very fun show with artists of all different backgrounds that love soccer and it played a role in their lives, and to get to express that through art on display, it’s a dream come true for me,” Hartzell said.