Carole Devillers’ “Flyout at Outback Key (Fort De Soto Park),” where the artist volunteers during nesting season. On the morning of ODTB, the Black Skimmers and terns congregated on this sand bar. Photo by Carole Devillers

One Day Tampa Bay exhibition aims to visually capture our livesSee it at the Dunedin Fine Art Center

Caitlin Albritton | Tuesday, November 23, 2021

MEET KIGO, THE STRIPED PET SKUNK.” Kigo and her owner enjoying breakfast on the patio of an outdoor café in St. Pete. Photo by Carole Devillers

Beth Reynolds, Midnight Chess. Courtesy of Dunedin Fine Art Center

Betsy Lewis-Hohe, Fun in the Sun! Courtesy of Dunedin Fine Art Center

“A TALE OF DOG TAILS AND PONYTAIL,” taken at the Washington Street Park Dog Run in Tampa’s Channel District. Photo by Carole Devillers

Liwen Tao, Take a Break. Courtesy of Dunedin Fine Art Center

All over the Tampa Bay Area -- from Dunedin all the way to Sarasota -- photographers strapped on their cameras one day in September and set out to capture unique moments that represent life in this part of Florida.

Called One Day Tampa Bay, this annual 24-hour community-engaged photography project was started back in 2016 to document and reflect the diversity of Tampa and its surrounding cities, and encourages participation from all photographers -- professional to amateur alike -- to take pictures of whatever they see.

This year, 94 photographers participated in the Sept. 18 event and could submit up to 10 images to be juried for two opportunities: to be included in One Day Tampa Bay’s printed art book and/or a group exhibition at the Dunedin Fine Art Center (DFAC).

DFAC curators Catherine Bergman and Nathan Beard culled through over 800 entries to select 80 pieces for their 2^ndFloor Teaching Gallery -- with a separate juror for the book selections -- from artists you may know like Beth Reynolds, Chip Weiner, Jennifer Ring, Veronica Stewart, Lisa Presnail, Kevin King, and the founder of One Day Tampa Bay Jamie Jackson.

Carole Devillers, a longtime photographer for National Geographic and other global publications, including 83 Degrees Media, had three of her shots selected for inclusion.

“What we did was choose our favorites separately, then go through everything together. During the process, we wanted to have diversity in people, the areas represented, and even the time of day,” says Catherine Bergman, Curatorial Director at the Dunedin Fine Art Center. “We really tried to represent that essence of living in Tampa with key recreational moments and family gatherings to moments of solitude.”

Ranging from categories of landscape, people, animals, landmarks, and more, there are images for everyone to enjoy. Most of all, One Day Tampa Bay is seen as an opportunity to make a fun photography event that anyone can be a part of. Bergman noted that even families got involved, and that it was hard to tell which photo was the work of the child or parent because of how tech-savvy kids are nowadays.

“There was an excellent turnout this year with a lot of beautiful, diverse captures and a wide range of professional levels and ages. We love having this show and a lot of people have come to see the work already,” Bergman says.

The exhibition will be up through Dec. 23.

To find out more about the One Day Tampa Bay exhibition, visit the Dunedin Fine Art Center. To find out more about the project and their print book, follow One Day Tampa Bay on Facebook.

Read more articles by Caitlin Albritton.

Caitlin Albritton is a freelance writer based in Tampa with a BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design and a MFA from Maryland Institute College of Art. When she's not looking at art throughout town, she can be found making it. You can keep up with her visual art on Instagram @caitlinalbritton or on her website. Visit her recent line of inlay “wearable paintings.”