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Found art in San Francisco. Genuine Canned Florida Sunshine, in case you need more.
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This blog is for and about the artists of Beaux Arts. Post your stories on the guest page or send them and we'll post them for you. None of the stories are edited and all are credited. If you are sending background material that you do not wish to publish here, please indicate that in you email.
Tom Young
It’s a SMALL world!!
Is there a website with photos – even vintage, of the old hotel or Beaux Arts?
I saw a story in the Beacon about the Lion Heads being used in the new McDevitt Historical Park. I wonder if there is any mention of the hotel or BA at the park? Guess I’ll have to take a ride and check it out
You may know?
Sandy Holloway – of Seminole, my mother-in-law. She was a Bogie grad 62 or 63, I think. Piddled around with the guitar, years ago – mostly at house parties. She can carry a tune, once in a great while, she’ll get up and do Summertime.
Mike Holloway – of Seminole, my father-in-law, he passed in 1981. We never met. Bogie grad too, one year ahead of Sandy. Played a 5 string banjo. With lots of different local pickers. He & Sandy were instrumental in getting the Bluegrass in the Park started at the Seminole City Park.
Kevin Holloway – my husband. Gigs with Dennis Wallace (now aka Corn Fused) and sometimes with his sister’s band.
Kristen Holloway – Oliphant, my sister-in-law. Gypsy Wind is her band.
WHEW! I better stop, I could go on & on! ha ha!!
I guess in closing, I should say – It’s VERY nice to see people work to save our history! Yeah! for you
Sandy
Hi,
I found this site, surfing for local history.
I read several pages on the site and find – or rather do not find – something very odd to me. There is NO mention of the “boarding” at Beaux Arts.
ca. 1981
When I first moved to Florida, some 28 years ago last month, I LIVED at the hotel. It was run, by Tom, at the time as a boarding house. I was 19 years old. I came to Pinellas Park with my boyfriend & we moved in with a friend at his “apartment”. We lived in a room upstairs. I remember our room, was maybe the first, at the top of the stairs. It was indeed, just a room. It was set similar to a modern day hotel suite – sofa area, a tiny kitchenette, (maybe only a two burner stove top) I can’t recall if there was actually a bed in the room, if there was our friend slept in it, as it was “his” apartment. My boyfriend and I slept on the floor, next to the “kitchen” table. The “apartment” did NOT have a bathroom. Like a real old boarding house – there was a shared bathroom, down the hall. Outside our door, facing the stairs – to the right, was a window – to the left, was the bathroom; it’s door on the same side of the hall (left, from the stairs) as our room.
Downstairs, there was a room, I would describe at the time, as a “theater”. It was mostly empty – except for the art and photographs on the walls, I remember it had wood floors. The one picture that sticks in my head was a black and white photo of Jim Morrison. His, was always a tragic story to me, maybe that’s why I remember that particular one. Most of the artists pictures there were familiar names, “slightly before my time”, I didn’t know much of their music. My boyfriend, five years my senior, rattled off names of photos in the room, as if he knew the people personally. I have a memory of something related to Janis Joplin, but not sure in what reference. In that room, if I closed my eyes, I could feel people, poetry and music of days gone by. It was magical.
As a 19 year old girl, living in a new town, in a strange place; I longed to make new friends. I didn’t drive and so when my boyfriend and his buddy were at work, I was alone. There were no other girls or women who lived at Beaux Arts at that time. Tom, lived in a small house, behind the boarding house/hotel. Mostly, he would be sitting in a chair outside or puttering around in his garden. It was a great garden, not of the manicured type, more like a miniature forest or a woodland, in the middle of civilization; instead of Lions and Tigers, there were cats. I tried to and did talk to him on several occasions. I remember the conversations; as strained. I don’t remember the subject? Always a plant lover, maybe I questioned him about these “strange” plants that didn’t grow up north. I, looking for the company of a friend and he (in my mind) slightly irritated (?) by this young girl. I questioned our friend, Les, “Is Tom mean? Or why doesn’t Tom like me?” Les would reply, “Maybe he just doesn’t like girls”. After some time, I gave up trying to converse with Tom. Still, I would say hello and wave to him, when we came and went from our “apartment”. I remained, always curious about him, this man who seemed put off by me. Maybe, I couldn’t carry on a conversation “equal to his intellect” ? Maybe, he didn’t like Yankees? I really tried to befriend him, to no avail.
I was saddened to read about the fire. The story in the paper reminded me of my own fire at Beaux Arts. While sleeping on the floor one night, I was awakened by heat, only to see actual flames in front of my face! A lit cigarette had fallen out of the ash tray and onto our makeshift bed of blankets. It damaged no more than the blanket and left a tiny black spot on the floor. I was scolded, by my boyfriend & never smoked in that ‘bed’ again.
Today, seeing pictures of Tom, with his long gray hair and beard – that’s not the Tom I remember. “My” Tom was a much younger man. I wish I had photographs to go with my memories of Beaux Arts. I didn’t even own a camera then. I came to Beaux Arts with my clothes, not in a suitcase, but in brown grocery sacks. I only lived at Beaux Arts for a short while, maybe three to six months? I was happy to leave there and move into a real apartment, with a bed and a bathroom in it. Our friend, Les, stayed for a while longer and we would visit him often. There was Tom, in the garden…
So, that’s my memory of Beaux Arts.
Submitted by Sandy Holloway, of St. Petersburg, FL
I was a Beaux Arts regular from early 1966 to June 1967. Is this blog dead, now that I have just discovered it? I do love the photos here! Especially the photo of that Beaux Arts door I used so many times. Does anyone else remember the sweet smell of Jasmine as you approached that door?
My mother and I danced at Temple of the Wings in the mid-1950’s, and my teacher was Sulgwynn Quitzow. I remember her husband Charles and daughter (Aurora?) quite well. After living in many places in the USA for the past 50 years, as a professional violinist, I now live in LA and am hoping to move back to Berkeley someday soon. Is there any way to contact other dance students from my era: 1953-1958? I went to the Temple last week for the first time in 50 yrs, and it is beautiful!
What is Beaux Arts? Can I play my violin at the Temple?
Karen Van Sant
Beaux Arts 2007
It was great meeting with Mari and Colleen while Mari was visiting St. Petersburg the last week of October 2007.
I was able to show her and Colleen some of the manuscript on the book I have written about Tom, Beaux Arts and it’s famous alumnus. We were able to get together with Chris Gomez and Gig and the other Chris who’s last name I can’t recall and go over many of the photos and films that have been saved from Tom’s estate (I was also able to share the photos I had taken of the original Beaux Arts before it’s destruction). I found a great photo of my brother Richard accepting his award for winning the July 4th, 1971 poetry contest and being presented by author/ playwright Gilbert Maxwell, a friend of the immortal Tennesee Williams.
I am looking forward to getting my book published and hope that Mari and Colleen will soon have theirs ready as well, so that we can document for all time the greatness of Beaux Arts, Tom and all the individuals that made it so wonderful.
Thanks Mari for all that you have done to organize everyone and encourage the reunions and revival of the “Oldest coffehouse in the South”, we all appreciate your noble effort and look forward to any further reunions and celebrations.
Peace,
John Balcomb
I’d love to talk to you about your experience as a student at the Royal Palms. are you still in the St. Pete area?
Mari
I took art as a kid from Tom and his teacher peers at the Royal Palm – some years before Kerouac and Morrison – I’m not famous yet, but survivin’ – still the artist inside me is scratchin’ the cage and shakin’ the bars – help…
Message from Malcolm, May 17, 2007
“Brad Morewood has notified me that Poet Bill Martin passed away last week in San Fransisco after a massive heart attack. There will be a Memorial Open Mike for Bill at Jake’s Java Joint on May 27 at 3 pm, Sunday. Jake’s is on Kennedy one or two blocks East of Dale Mabry, on the South side.
“Bill was a very unique individual who lived the raging literary life that everybody else can only dream about. I am glad that he was immersed in the hot literary life in San Fransisco at the time of his passing.”
- Malcolm Johnson
i was a frequent and well received performer at the beaux arts for decades. norman b / deviations from the norm. malcolm or others interested in beaux arts can contact me at below email. hey, malcolm, when is tom’s birthday? shamanslibrary@yahoo.com
dear malcolm
nice to see your name. too bad about tom. please write to me that we may keep in touch. i’m still me, every bit. how’s your health? how’s things? Et cetera. love, norman b
From Malcolm,
There was a short business article in Sunday’s, April 8, Community tabloid, (it may be at Tampabay.com) that notes that the Beaux Arts Gallery and Muse (was ‘museum’ but Tom had it painted over on the sign) has reopened as the Public Dining House. It is actually the owners of the former Central Thyme restaurant that was there before, they are just taking over the space the Frame and Gift shop occuppied on the lower floor. It mentions that it includes art from the collection of Tom Reese. It will be open for lunch Wed.-Sat and Dinner Thurs-Sat. The phone is 727-322-2280 and the website is http://www.thepdh.com.
This opens the possibility that there could be a Beaux Arts Reunion (or something) on or around Toms birthday. It might be possible to rent the restaurant out after hours and have people reserve the tables and even have some of the Beaux Arts performers perform during the event.
Cordially,
Malcolm Johnson
Hello everyone!
Attached is the link to the latest newsletter with T.R.E.E. Inc’s latest tree planting adventures! Read about our first planting on a historic island in Tampa Bay and about a forest planted in memory of a man and his coffee house in St. Petersburg that was a hang out for artists and writers such as Jack Kerouac, Jim Morrison and John D. McDonald!
Enjoy and keep planting trees!
Sincerely,
William D. Moriaty, President
Tampa Bay Reforestation and Environmental Effort, Inc.
http://www.treeinc.ocom
Newsletter Link:
http://www.treeinc.org/newsletter_dir/newsletter.html