Artlink Team: Summer Elisabeth Kluytman and Gina Kenney

Creative Clay’s Artlink Apprenticeship Program places promising member artists with professional artists to work as a team creating either a body of visual art, poetry, stories, videography, music, and theater performances.

Summer Elisabeth Kluytman and Gina Kenney were making videos together during Creative Clay’s studio time, where Gina has been a member artist since 2002. They posted their videos on Creative Clay’s YouTube Channel. One day, an anonymous donor and long-time supporter of Creative Clay watched their video, Wickie Wallie and the Chocolate Factory, a bold and quirky spinoff of the original conceived by Gina and brought into fruition by Summer.

“The donor reached out to me wanting to know if he could sponsor an Artlink team,” said CEO Kim Dohrman. “I asked him who he had in mind and he told me he’d seen a video by Summer and Gina and thought it was absolutely wonderful. He wanted them to be able to continue as Artlink partners and that he would fund it.”

Summer and Gina at the Dalí Museum. Part of the work of the team is to explore museums, galleries and exhibitions in our community to learn and for inspiration.

And so Artlink team Gina and Summer was born.

“Gina and I have been working so well together on the Artlink project,” said Summer. “She’s my muse, and I nurture her every thought. It always finds its way into a song, a poem, an illustration, or something new entirely.”

Artlink artist mentors pass on important business skills necessary for a successful career as a professional artist. At the conclusion of the apprenticeship, a selection of the works created during the training program will be included in an art exhibition held at a public museum, gallery, or other cultural venue in St. Petersburg, FL. The Artlink program was officially started in 2003 with the final exhibit at Florida CraftArt. Other venues have included the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Art, The St. Petersburg Museum of History, the International Museum, and more.

“For our Artlink project, Gina and I are currently working on an original song that she wrote, and we sing it together,” said Teaching Artist and Gina’s Artlink mentor Summer Elisabeth Kluytman. “This collaboration has been incredible, and our vibe is positive, empowering, and emotional. Gina has a remarkable way of expressing herself through her words, emotions, and feelings.”

To learn more about the Artlink Apprenticeship Program and the Artlink Employment Program, please visit the Artlink web page here.