‘Catalyst Sessions’ recap: Derek Donnelly

Artist Derek Donnelly estimates he’s created “several dozen” murals in downtown St. Petersburg, some as SHINE showpieces, others commissioned by businesses, and still others inside private residences – original art that most people will never see.

Still, the St. Pete native is a champion of public art, and one of the leaders of a “second wave” of muralists whose missive is to keep the city colorful, rich and alive with absolutely original, inspiring and delightfully unpredictable outdoor paintings. He’s proud of his hometown.

Wednesday on The Catalyst Sessions, Donnelly spoke emotionally about his friend and mentor Bill Woo, who died in 2012, and the effect Woo’s prolific outdoor painting adventures had on him and other young muralists.

Woo, Donnelly said, inspired him to join the burgeoning mural movement.

“Tes One, Palehorse and Vitale Brothers had done the back of the State Theatre; at the time, Sebastian Coolidge was tearing it up as well. I credit Sebastian a lot for bringing this generation of the street art into the light a little bit.

“Obviously, major respect for Bask and Tes One, but with us in this generation of the guys a couple years younger than them … Sebastian was also a good friend of Woo. I’d seen what that kid was doing – he was a few years younger than me – and that was really inspiring.”

Donnelly also discussed his ongoing Public Art Project initiative, his commercial business Saint Paint Arts, and his efforts to help keep artists in the spotlight through the project Paint it Forward.

A lengthy section of the discussion is devoted to his recent Woo-inspired murals for Coast Brothers janitorial supply delivery trucks.

Today on The Catalyst Sessions: Kristen A. Shepherd, executive director of the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg.

Streaming live weekdays at 7 p.m. on the Catalyst Facebook page.