For Florida artists resigned to a steady diet of sprawling 300-tent, pole-to-pole layouts where the art takes a back seat to corn dogs, dog walkers, newspaper hawkers, music gawkers, and face-painting for the kiddos, the Islamorada Fine Art Expo comes as a welcome respite.
This second-year show is locally sponsored and organized, small in size (50 artists, down from 75 in its inaugural), and tightly juried to deliver quality art to a top-end demographic of snowbirds and year-long residents alike.
Islamorada is the most arts-savvy area in the Florida Keys, and art abounds not only in the working studios that dot the streets, but also in nearly every restaurant and hotel. Centered at Mile Marker 81.5 of US 1 , the show spans several blocks along the highway's service road and the blocks just to the east (or "ocean-side", as the locals say). Tents are generously spaced, surrounded by no less than eight working artist studios and locally-owned businesses, plus a small Mercedes dealership (a major sponsor).
The community buy-in is universal; the amenities are world class. Each artist, upon arrival, received a white Islamorada beach bag full of show information, official poster, bottles of coconut water, and local coupons. The Friday night "Meet the Artist" VIP party at Sotheby Real Estate had catered hors d'oeuvres and drink, and featured artists' work was hung (and sold) in the gallery. The volunteers cooked up a seafood grill for artists and volunteers on Sunday night before everyone hit the road. Throughout the weekend there was a relaxed vibe befitting the Florida Keys lifestyle. And oh, yes--the, um, "facilities" consisted of a large, air-conditioned trailer with an impeccably maintained washroom.
All very nice, you say. But how were sales?
And that's where it gets tricky. The Keys are swarming with vacationers this time of year, of course, and parking is nearly non-existent, so the show runs a free shuttle to and from the site. If you've done "shuttle shows", you know that they aren't optimal for large-item sales, because how the heck do you tote a glass sculpture or 3 by 4 foot canvas or framed piece back to your car?
Moreover, on these long, narrow islands, you're never going to have the same size crowds you're used to in mainland Florida. The majority of Saturday browsers in my booth were visitors, many from distant states or overseas, and they were interested only in purchases they could fit into a suitcase.
As a result, Day One was nearly a career low for me: People largely ignored the Gallery Wraps on the wall and made a beeline to the small-print browse bin. I wound up with two humble 11x14 matted prints sold, all day. I briefly considered calling my hotel with a request for housekeeping to clear my room of sharp objects and lock the sliding door to the beachfront balcony. But I've done these kinds of shows before, and I've learned that on Sundays, the tourists head home and the locals come out in force, and bring their vehicles. I was hoping that held true at Islamorada.
Luckily, it did. Sunday brought not just buying interest, but buyers. By 1 PM Sunday I'd covered my booth fee; by 3 PM, I'd covered my expenses. And the last two hours brought three big purchases and a respectable sales total, well north of $2K, for the show. Taking expenses into account ($300 booth fee, $450 hotel, $60 gas, and the 400-mile round trip from Fort Myers) my first foray to the Florida Keys wasn't a huge moneymaker, but I had managed to turn around day one's disaster, and there's satisfaction in that.
A few others I spoke with at the closing seafood-fest did very well indeed; several said they did in excess of $10K on the weekend. A few did "okay." One or two I spoke with didn't do well at all. Nearly all said that, like me, their Sunday sales were stronger.
Bottom line: Despite a few glitches --the "VIP Hour" that opened the show at 9 AM Saturday was a desolate snooze-fest; the purple ribbons we got to signal the need for a boothsitter waved fruitlessly, unheeded, in the island breezes--the show organizers and volunteers largely delivered on their promise to host a show that was "small, elite, and sweet," as one put it, for a very art-savvy, well-heeled customer base that isn't daunted by high price points if they like what they see.
There are no plans to grow the show beyond what the local sponsors, volunteers, and island infrastructure can handle, and that's a good thing. So although it's enticing to consider exhibiting at an island paradise, the costs, geography, and small, if affluent, customer base make this show a high-risk, high-reward venture. I'll roll the dice again next year, for sure.
Comments
I really wanted to come to this show. It sounds like they did what they could to make it a special event. Tighter jurying doesn't hurt. If it can become elite (isn't Mercedes-Benz a sponsor) that might develop it into a boutique-y event that will work for the right price points. But Geri, Shoshana and the rest of you have it right. I'd hate to have to choose a date for the show -- stepping toes everywhere definitely on other shows.
Thanks for a good report. The weather seems to be good down there so far this year. I guess it is all coming up north. Someday I would love to see your work in person.
Thank you, Annette!
Congratulations on a decent show Geoff and your wonderful report had me wishing to be there and experience it first hand :)
They did talk to Key West before having the show the same weekend. The weekend before was Beaux Arts in Coral Gables and that would have stolen artists and crowd from Islamorada.
I would say earlier in February but you run into Ft. Myers, Boca Museum and then the Grove and Artigras. I still don't think there are too many festivals for patrons in the Miami Dade area but there are for artists.
It's not that it pulled people from Key West - it pulled artists. Last year it was the weekend before Key West so it would have been logical to do both shows.
Bill/Staci: The organizers implied that the smaller show was due to tighter jurying. Could be spin, I suppose, but I didn't get that sense. I think they may have taken craft-y stuff last year, and did not in 2013.
As for the weekend they picked, it worked fine for me. I wouldn't have heartburn if they moved it to first weekend in Feb since Ft. Myers ArtFest and I have never been introduced. There's always a conflict somewhere...and I am uncertain that a show in Key West, no matter how big, would pull people from this one. It's 75 miles away from Islamorada on a two lane road. Two hours drive, at best.
Nels, congrats on the awards, well deserved! As for this show, can't argue with your biz decision. There isn't much margin for error on this show if you're not local. One rainy day, one big buyer who stays home or goes boating,and you are SOL.
Great report Geoff.
I did the show last year and chose not to return. Not enough revenue for the costs involved.
I even have great photos of Islamorada and the whole Keys. alas, it was to no avail. Not enough lookers.
I think you have the best chance since you sell the birds. They will by the birds, flowers and reef stuff first.
But, for most of us with other art to sell, it is tough.
The best thing there is the sunset hour at the Lorilie Bar.
They were also the same weekend as the larger Key West show (which is always the last full weekend of Jan.). I'd love to do both if they could find a date that didn't conflict.
So sorry I missed you. I looked for your booth but my sis-in-law was anxious to leave. Next year I will try to keep the relatives away that weekend so I can enjoy the show at a leisurely pace.
As last year, the quality at this show was very good. The people involved are very art savvy and make sure the artists are treated well (it helps that some are artists themselves) as well as selecting great art for the show.
They need to settle on a weekend for the show. This year they "competed" with the Key Largo Seafood and Crab festival. As we drove back to Miami, traffic into the Keys was backed up for miles. People coming to Islamorada from Ocean Reef would have turned around gone home, the traffic was that bad. We were happy we were going in the opposite direction.
Geoff is right, if you have what they want, people there will certainly buy. I know that I did!!