11 years ago I took a job at The Great Frame Up. The goal was to avoid going back to Florida during the winter months and spend more time with my ex-wife. In theory I could keep skipping Florida but I was wondering about shows in Florida. I been told is was not worth the trips or time.
I apply to five shows and I was accepted to 4 out of 5. I decide decline the invitation for the South Miami show. I was rejected from Winter Park. The three shows that I end doing was Beaux, Boca Raton with Patty and Coconut Grove.
The best show was Beaux and it also help to create sales at the Grove. All three shows are run very good. The show that was the biggest let down was the Coconut Grove. Coconut Grove is suppose to be as top 5 show in the nation and to me it was a joke. It seems that they had become a festival not a art show. What I saw was cattle walking around.
The best part of the trip was meeting people at Dolton GA where my broke down for second time and got stock in there for three days because the first winter storm in Atlanta. Second best part driving through the second winter storm in Atlanta. After these trips I love my car. I discover Hostel. Motel 6 was a big surprise but is better to get a weekly rate or rent a house for the season. I paid 435 to 465 per week at Motel 6.
What I conclude for 2015 season is that I know what shows I want to apply and be part of them are:Beaux, Boca with Patty (filler), Fort Meyers, Boca Raton Museum, Coconut Grove, Naples, Gasparrilla and Winter Park. Everything else if not worth the time or the trip.
If you want to know more ask.
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Comments
Thanks for the review, Oscar. My husband is a vegetarian and show food was never a winner for him. He always carried a lunch box with peanut butter. Me, the travel and food opportunities were exciting.
Nice to hear you pulled people from Beaux Arts to the Grove. Good marketing!
I always loved to be at this show, but bottom line eventually wasn't so good for us.
Talking about food, you might find this story about the "art of food" at this show interesting, including photos:
http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/shortorder/2014/02/coconut_grove_art...
Thank you Oscar for your eport. It was heart-warming. I was there right beside you as you wrote it, you did good, even if the show sucked. Personally, I feel like you it is highly over-rated and over-priced. It is a shadow of its former glory.
Take time and read my blog on Artigras. And again, thanks for responding to my request.
OK, Barry, I will let you off the hook.
Here's a positive: I thought that Katrina and Lilia did an outstanding job of running the show. There were some really excellent changes that made this the easiest Grove show I've done. The police were polite and helpful. They gave me directions to the new parking area and directions out of the show at night. We could park in our lot early before we got our parking passes. We could then go to registration, register early, and then drive in. We could show the security our entrance pass from our phones instead of having to print it out. One year, I forgot my pass and had to hunt someone down before I could even get in the show area. Setup and take down were easy. They kept the golf carts to a minimum. The food supply trucks either had to deliver way before we got there and they were out of the way during setup and take down. Even the fence guys didn't get in the way. They moved the Verizon stage to a separate sponsor area. Getting to the daily breakfast and lunch was easy. Katrina and Lilia walked the show every day and talked to me each day, too.
On another site people were complaining as much or more at Artigras.
Oscar, they have been collecting money for that complex since I started doing the Grove. You could have had rice and beans, and salad without the ceasar dressing, oranges, apples, chicken. Oh wait you were talking about the artists party.
I can not shell sea food because I am allergic and can died. Nothing mix or cook in the same oil or containers is good.
Coconut Grove is rank as one of top 5 shows in the nation. It cost about 2000 to come to do this show ( Gas was 500; hotels was 540, booth fee 805 and food was the rest). A show rank like this should bring people to look the artwork in display and purchase it. The crowd was just cattle. You should see more artists happy about the sales not see people wondering what happen. I think that my work was well received but I only sold to people from the midwest and lot loose prints. The show is a perfect sample what shows are now. They should call the festivals no art shows or art fair. The music even was in different area you ear or feel it it two blocks away.
In general Nels I wanted to keep in positive tone but The Grove is just another show (super over price), 15 dollar to get in, no food or drinks are allow to come into the place, dinner for the artist I guess was good but I can not tell you because I can eat shell sea food and it was a paeya. Lunch was from pollo tropical and only Sunday lunch I could eat. I can tell you could not eat that food Nels. It feel like a bomb hit me (fried). Food vendors way over price. I am from Chicago and can tell you that it was not worth to buy that food.
They need to make the place inviting and not a fundriser. They are building a complex for apartments that will start in 3 millions. I can tell you that this show may be around for another decade at the most before is move from this location.
Please do not apply to St Stephens this show was very bad from what my friend told me.
I've tried to write something 5 times and my laptop keeps jumping to another page erasing what I wrote. I want to help Oscar out but I can't until my new laptop arrives from China, or wherever it is. I'm supposed to get it Monday.
Thanks for your report Oscar. Can you be a little more specific why the Grove was a letdown? They did not like your work? They were a bunch of tire-kickers? They just wanted to party and raise hell? Just wondering.
You are the man. You were there. Humor us. Please.