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Charitable cause inspires beauty at clinic office
By HARLAN WEIKLE
| Article published on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2008 |
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![[Image]](/content_images/010208_bee-01.jpg) |
| Photo by HARLAN WEIKLE |
| Muralist Tatiana Rugers and Dr. Bill Blackshear stand with her recently completed Trompe l’Oeil. |
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BELLEAIR BLUFFS – Visit Dr. Bill Blackshear’s office at the RX Prescription Weight Loss Clinic and you may have a sudden urge to walk out onto his elegant Italianesque patio with its breathtaking view of the Gulf of Mexico.
Proceed carefully however. Black-shear’s office isn’t on the beach at all, in fact his office is on Indian Rocks Road, and what you’re seeing is Trompe l’Oeil or art that fools the eye.
This charming vision, part fine art and part architectural embellishment, is the work of local artist, muralist Tatiana Rugers. Formerly from Russia, Rugers came to Florida after perfecting her artistry traveling and studying throughout Europe.
How Rugers and Blackshear came to share this artful partnership in the first place is a tale of two shared visions and one uncommon spirit of charity held by both.
Having settled in Tampa, the Rugers became active with local charitable events, he through his work as a wine expert and she as an artist pledging her considerable talent at Trompe l’Oeil to last May’s auction at The Tampa Bay Wine and Food Festival at the Don CeSar Resort, benefiting the Abilities Foundation.
Looking for a way to give his new office in Belleair Bluffs an air of openness as well as a pleasant visual experience for his patients, Blackshear’s attention was drawn to the auction listing of Tatiana’s murals. He won the bid and Tatiana began by visiting the office for inspiration.
The doctor’s only request that the mural depict the inspirational water view, which led to Tatiana’s resplendent sea vista from the verandah in a classic Mediterranean-styled mural.
The work is prepared on special canvas, which allows the art to be removed and re-installed should that ever become necessary. Rugers created the scene in her studio and after it was installed, the reaction was immediate.
Patients love the open airy feeling the mural lends our waiting room, said Blackshear, “It’s transformed the space.” Blackshear extended a public invitation to all who would like to see the mural, to visit their office.
One of Rugers’ favorite moments came when a small girl, upon seeing the art work for the first time, walked over to the scene and bending near the sea gull in the foreground gave the rendered sea bird a kiss.
Rugers has been invited to give a demonstration of her art this May at the International Convention of Mural Masters, Salon 2008 in Chicago.
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Article published on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2008
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