Loving Our Town March

A Touch Of Funk - Richard Funk By Robert Waldner For Richard Funk, life is all about creating and sharing his passion with others. “When I was growing up, my dad restored cars,” he says. “I worked with him on a lot of his restorations, but cars were never my thing. However, I was always interested in unique furniture.” While he didn’t pick up his dad’s passion for vintage automobiles, Richard did inherit his creative flair and propensity for physical labor. He credits these a

Stephanie Hansen is a mixed-media artist whose work amplifies contemporary pop imagery into something bold, luminous, and unapologetically powerful. During Women’s History Month, her artist statement feels like a clear invitation: to celebrate women in full brilliance, soft and strong, evolving and unafraid. It honors the icons, the everyday leaders, and the women still becoming, and it insists that none of them should ever have to dim their light. Hansen’s work is a personal

Expression as a Path to Well Being By Susan Swearingen We often think of health as something we manage from the outside in— what we eat, how we move, how well we sleep. But there is another pillar of wellbeing that is quieter, less measurable, and just as essential: expression. Creativity is not separate from health. It is one of the ways health speaks. Many people believe they are “not creative.” What they usually mean is that they do not paint, write poetry, or perform on a

The Art of Songwriting By Danielle Torry Don Cooper is a St. Augustine singer and songwriter whose creative life has been shaped by decades of steady, hands-on devotion to craft. He began writing and playing songs in middle school, performed through high school and college, and started his professional career in his early twenties. Since then, he has continued creating as a lifelong musician, performer, writer, and teaching artist, with experience across many forms of product

By Rosaria Cammarata In the demanding kitchens of New York City, Chef Ellie Rose Schultze discovered that her unconventional background was her most vital tool. With a double major in Studio Art and Biology, her culinary path was shaped by a unique interdisciplinary lens. “Everyone thought I was crazy for just studying things that interested me,” she says. “Turns out I use every single one of those focuses in cooking.” Her NYC years were a masterclass in scale and discipline.

The Art of Theatre By Danielle Torry Theatre does not happen alone. It is one of the most collaborative art forms, built through shared vision, trust, and many hands working toward the same moment onstage. In St. Augustine, that collaboration comes to life through A Classic Theatre, guided by Artistic Director Cindy Alexander and a dedicated team of actors, directors, set builders, designers, marketers, and volunteers. Cindy’s path to St. Augustine theatre was shaped by a wid

The Venue in St. Augustine By Robert Waldner Karl and Brenda Baird have built their life and businesses on the foundations of nurturing relationships and investing in their community. Married in 2012, the couple spent their first four years together living in Karl’s home state of Indiana. “We lived in an old, rural home with a big, beautiful barn,” says Brenda. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Brenda spent her adult life living and working in Jacksonville. “I lived there until

Together We Build Homes, Community, and Hope By Julie Wesling Habitat for Humanity of St. Johns County is a nonprofit organization that builds quality, affordable single-family homes for our workforce — the backbone of our community. We eliminate barriers to homeownership so that individuals and families in need of stable, attainable housing can build a better future. Our homebuyer partners include the “missing middle”-those who earn too much to qualify for safety net assista

The Art of Photography By Danielle Torry In the art of photography, the image is never just what’s in front of the lens, it’s what the artist chooses to reveal. For Ken Bacchus, a fashion photographer and creative director based in Saint Augustine, Florida, photography is a bold editorial language: storytelling layered with cultural and societal depth, shaped through intentional juxtaposition. Ken’s eye was formed long before fashion sets and studio lights. Born in Barbados a

The Art of Poetry By Danielle Torry Chris Bodor has become a steady force in St. Augustine’s creative life, not by making poetry feel exclusive, but by making it feel available. A first-generation American, Chris Bodor was born in 1967 in Connecticut to an English mother and a Hungarian father. After ten years working in film production and audiovisual services in New York City, he moved to Florida in 2003. A few years later, he was asked to start a monthly poetry reading in

The Art of Printmaking By Danielle Torry In south St. Augustine, tucked into a modest studio in a business park, Ted Judy is living inside the art of printmaking—where image is earned through pressure, patience, and process. The space isn’t about spectacle. It’s about the steady rhythm of the press, the scent of ink, the tear of paper, and the quiet precision it takes to pull a finished work from a carved surface. Ted’s creative path began with photography, a practice he hone

The Art of Performance & Dance By Danielle Torry For Sunshine Dzierzynski Wilson, dance is an art form that lives in the moment. It is shaped by breath, rhythm, and the electricity between performer and audience. Her work explores the art of performance as something both intentional and alive: movement as storytelling, costuming as character, and presence as the main medium. In St. Augustine, she has become known for creating spaces where performance feels welcoming, expressi

The Art of Baking and Decorating By Danielle Torry Step into Paladar Cuban Eatery and you feel it immediately. This is more than a restaurant. It’s the art of food, and for co-owner Nelly Santiago, that art lives in everything sweet and beautiful. It’s a place where people slow down, share stories, and leave a little lighter than they arrived. At the center of that warmth is Nelly, a Cuban baker and storyteller through dessert, whose creations turn tradition and memory into e

Local Author Explores the Shadows By Danielle Torry St. Augustine is a town defined by its heritage and unique coastal light that illuminates the coquina walls of the Castillo. It glides across the Matanzas River as if it’s been here forever. It’s a place where history feels close enough to touch, and where even an ordinary evening walk can feel cinematic. But for local resident and author Stephen D. Cook, the most compelling stories often exist where that light fades out pas

This Chick's Picks With Jerry Watterson By Rosaria Cammarata and Jerry Watterson Rustica: Earth, Sea, and Fire HE SAID: “Chef Jean Marie Josellin has pulled off the thing every chef dreams of but virtually no one succeeds at: a restaurant featuring global cuisine from all corners of the world. Most restaurants need to fit neatly into a category to succeed, but when the food is this incredible, diners will allow you to do whatever you want. Where else can you get tandoori lamb

The Art of Beauty By Danielle Torry For Sarina Durden, beauty isn’t about covering who someone is, it’s about revealing her with color, texture, and intention. As the artist and owner of Sarina & Co Beauty & Bridal, she treats makeup and hairstyling as an art form that celebrates individuality and helps women feel fully seen. Based in St. Augustine and serving North Florida, Sarina specializes in makeup and hairstyling for weddings, special events, and photo sessions. Every