ARTS & CULTURE
Two creative couples choose the ‘Burg
Yann & Susana Weymouth
Yann and Susana Weymouth represent an ideal of love and
partnership that we all aspire to. Their story is one of enviable
devotion and mutual respect achieved while navigating two highly
successful careers over three decades. Here in St. Petersburg, Yann
is the architect responsible for the Hazel Hough Wing expansion at
the Museum of Fine Arts.
He also designed our very own surreal palace, the Dali Museum,
one of St. Pete’s most recognizable landmarks. The Dali’s hallmark
emerging glass bubble known as “the enigma” represents a true
marriage of engineering and artistic expression. Once seen, you
simply never forget it.
That seems to be a theme for Yann as, most recently, he was
the architect responsible for the stunning James Museum of
Western & Wildlife Art. This three-story structure appears to us
as a sort of naturally chiseled terracotta monolith jutting out of
the earth, perfectly capturing the Southwest vibe that houses
the extraordinary Western art collection of Tom and Mary James.
(Interesting side note: Yann’s sister, Tina Weymouth, was a
founding member and long-time bassist for the Talking Heads and
Susana is the executive director of Tampa Bay Businesses for
organization facilitates partnerships between the business and
arts communities. It’s a creative and, as it turns out, essential
approach to common sense arts subsidies for scholarships provided
by businesses that wish to be known for their involvement in, and
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held at venues throughout the Tampa Bay area, and the very well
attended annual “Impact Awards,” to name just two.
Their love story began far from here and half a world away from
each other. Yann grew up a Navy brat and lived all over the world.
Hearts in the Arts
As Valentine’s Day approaches, it’s only natural for our thoughts
to wander into romantic territory. Of course, love and romance
celebration of love for family, children, or close friends. Perhaps it
could be love on a much grander scale - in the case of our beautiful
We commonly think of the St. Pete arts origins as synonymous with
opening of the Dali Museum in the ‘80’s. But the truth is, St. Pete
proclaimed it as a city for the arts upon incorporation in 1903.
The new millennium has seen the cultural life of St. Petersburg
explode onto international “best of” lists, and so it would seem, the
secret is out. The gig is up, along with the rents. Not only has art
bolstered St. Pete as a tourist destination, our city has become the
home of some of the most talented creatives in the world - artists of
all genres who fell in love with St. Pete, too.
It got me wondering about the love stories in St. Pete’s arts
community - couples in which both partners are involved with
creating, facilitating, or promoting the arts. Though there are many
stories to tell, here are two of my favorites for your romantic souls.
/StPeteLifeMag.com