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New exhibit at Florida CraftArt showcases '99 bottles'

By Barry Wong
Updated  June 18, 2025 4:54pm EDT
Florida
FOX 13 News
New exhibit at Florida CraftArt showcases '99 bottles'

New exhibit at Florida CraftArt showcases '99 bottles'

Florida CraftArt's newest exhibition, "99 Bottles," takes a unique approach to the everyday item.

The Brief

    • Florida CraftArt's newest exhibition, "99 Bottles," takes a unique approach to the everyday item.
    • The non-profit highlights the work of more than 200 craft artists in the state.
    • "99 Bottles" will be on display until July 12.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Florida CraftArt's newest exhibition, "99 Bottles," takes a unique approach to the everyday item. 

"The idea of the bottle for us just had so many references and culture," Florida CraftArt CEO Jorge Vidal said. 

The non-profit highlights the work of more than 200 craft artists in the state. "99 Bottles" received over 400 submissions from all over the country. 

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"What's so wonderful about the show is that you have this very recognizable form, and it's interpreted by artists in such completely different ways, that it's really fun to see how each person approaches the subject of a bottle," Vidal said.

Artist Barbara Dibble's initial idea for her submission morphed during her creative process. She made seven ceramic pieces separated into two different collections. For this project, she used a clay extruder for the first time. 

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"As I was extruding, they were coming out all wonky, and I sort of loved that, and so I played off that sort of energy," Dibble said. 

"Once I did the surface design on them, I thought, oh my gosh, they look like people and personalities. When I arranged them to be photographed for the show for the application, they were all looking up, so I called them "Solar Eclipse," and these were all hunched and walking away, so I called it "Separate Ways."

The "bottles" range in size, material and design. Some are smaller than an inch, while others are longer than a foot. Some pieces incorporate real bottles. One collection features collected tears. 

"To spend some time thinking about what another human being might have thought when they were creating these objects, I think it's really a great exercise for us for a number of reasons," Vidal said.

"99 Bottles" will be on display until July 12. There is no cost to visit the exhibition space. 

The Source: The information for this story was gathered by FOX 13 photojournalist Barry Wong.

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