DUNEDIN, Fla. — As she sits in her studio space at Ann’s Monroe St. Gallery, Dunedin artist Lorraine Potocki says she took a circuitous route to her dream profession.

“I just always said I wanted to be an artist. I had no idea what that meant. I just knew I always like to draw,” Potocki said.

Her time in the corporate world gave her some serious presentation skills, perfect for Potocki’s role for this weekend’s Cool Art Show put on by the Professional Association for Visual Artists.

“The Saturday of the art show, I’m gonna be demonstrating just like this — pastel on black paper,” she said.

It’s their 34th PAVA Cool Art Show. The nonprofit group started in 1988.

“I just love it. I feed off the audience,” Potocki said.

The Dunedin artist even takes color requests — especially from children.

“And no matter what color they tell me, I use it, and they say, ‘Oh that’s good,’ and they even come back later and say, ‘Look I painted that painting/,” Potocki said.

More than 60 artists will be on hand, all from various mediums, carrying pieces at various price points.

“I would encourage people, if they are choosing to buy — buy original art,” Potocki said. “First of all, it’s supporting the local artist community. But there’s nothing like saying I saw this artist at a show, and I bought this painting.”