Blog

We’ve exhibited in this coastal Tampa area venue four times in seven years and this year was our worst ever despite last year being our best ever. The show is located in a quaint historic neighborhood in a fenced park along Spring Bayou providing a beautiful setting for any outdoor event. Gate admission is $5 and attendees are given a coupon ticket to redeem for a free canned soft drink or bottled water. And there were plenty of patrons afoot, or so it seemed, with several loyal fans reminding us that they love the art they got from us once upon a time. We made some new customers and fans as well, which is encouraging, and one woman loved us so much she I-phoned nearly everything in the booth. 

Setup was easy in our perfect booth location on the cul-de-sac at show center since we could unload right by our booth. Others exhibiting along park walkways had to dolly in and out. Weather was ideal to a few degrees warm, so patrons enjoyed plenty of beer and self-dipped ice cream bars to die for. Other artists around us indicated sales were o.k. to good. Quality of art seemed a bit inconsistent, but there was plenty of fine work exhibited. Load-out can get chaotic in the cul-de-sac as it has in the past, but this year all ran pretty smoothly. I never get in a hurry leaving a show, anyway.

Parking is on neighborhood streets and early Friday committee members were roping off more NO PARKING areas than we've seen in the past. There's still plenty for artists since we get there so early as it is. Some residents have large yards and charge $5 or $10 for parking, and we paid one for a perfect spot in total dark shade next to his old boat and lawnmowers. Perfect!  

The show did not provide any water for artists whatsoever. Since our booth is located at show center and very near the INFO booth, I went over and asked a gentleman volunteer there if the bottled water he was restocking into the two large ice-filled tubs at my feet was for artists, and he said, “NO.” Coffee and muffinettes were provided early each day and were gone before opening the show. The show held an artist party Saturday after closing the show, but we didn't attend. Our neighbor said he enjoyed it, though.

We’ve won awards the other three times we showed here, but this year we failed to impress. Les Slesnick and Jinsong Kim judged the show. I noticed the 2D/3D TOP AWARD ribbons were smaller and less fancy than those presented in previous years. Winners who got a balloon delivered to their booth by some committee members accompanied by the judges early Sunday morning knew they needed to attend the awards ceremony at 11:00 to find out exactly which prize they would be getting. And it went like this, er, uh, in opposite order, of course:

BEST OF SHOW $3,000

Jonathon Stopper - Jewelry

2D TOP AWARDS $1,000

Kerin Connolly - Photography

Ben Essenberg - Acrylic/Oil

Paul Stevens - Photography

Teri & Rachelle Meager - Acrylic/Oil

3D TOP AWARDS

John Mascoll - Wood

Rocky Bridges - Mixed Media

Beth Garcia - Sculpture

Sandra Brewster - Glass

AWARD OF DISTINCTION $500

Bruce Nawrocke - Acrylic/Oil

Sharon Scalise - Jewelry

Melissa Menzer - Mixed Media

Holly Ham brick - Mixed Media

Ralph Rankin - Digital

Bonnie Eastwood - Mixed Media

Marilyn Vaillancourt - Jewelry

Dennis Debon - Glass

AWARD OF MERIT $300

Hernie Vann - Acrylic/Oil

Peggy Miller - Jewelry

Rollin Karg - Glass

Nicholas Toth - Metal

Li Wang - Acrylic/Oil

Jeff Eckert - Graphics/Drawing

Kevin Liang - Acrylic/Oil

Douglas Adams - Ceramics

AWARD OF APPRECIATION $250

Jon Smith - Acrylic/Oil

Joyce Slate - Jewelry

Lynn Hardest - Jewelry

Mina Heuslin - Ceramics