Wet and Tired!

Everything was going great until the skies opened up Sunday. It was miserable. One of my print boxes leaked and I lost about 10 small prints. I forgot and left the box for my canvas prints out in the rain so I'm not sure how well they will fare being transported. I probably will not hang them at Naples anyway since "Water's Bend" was well received. It didn't sell yet but a lot of people liked it. Framed work seems more fitting for Naples anyway. From Sunday afternoon on having a corner booth was useless. The majority of the time the sides were down and the photographs on the side could not be seen. There are little brown leaves all over the tent. I had planned break down as a slow, patient thing since everything is wet but my location was in a spot where they needed to bring in other vehicles so I was requested to break down as quickly as possible. Thank God for the gentleman that offered to help as I think my sister was overwhelmed by the whole experience. Truth be told, so was I. I was glad to get out of Coconut Grove. No fault of St. Stephens. They were very nice and helpful. They even came by with incense to bless everyone's artwork. But I'm going to hold out for the Coconut Grove show in the future. St. Stephens was not enough profit for the stress level.

But we're in the Everglades now, or close by at least. We had a nice dinner and have decided to forgo sunrise tomorrow morning for some extra sleep. There's a place I want to try for sunset anyway. Hopefully I'll have some new photographs to post tomorrow.

St. Stephens Art Show

If I ever say I want to move to Miami, shoot me, I have lost my mind. Coconut Grove, at least, is a combination of New York and Boston with no public transportation. Perhaps it is worse because of the two art shows and the required closed streets but driving here is a nightmare. So is parking. The economy in Miami is alive and well. Every restaurant is mobbed, people are out on the street. It's nice to see but not too pleasant when you just want a quick meal and back to the hotel.

The show however is going great. It started out kind of slow but I ended the day with quite a few sales. If it keeps going this way I will definitely return but I think I will stay further away or come better prepared. The hotel room has a kitchen but finding a grocery store... Well we did find a Quik Stop to get some milk but that's it.

I'm looking forward to peace and quiet in the Everglades next week.

Photographer Spotlight and other musings

What a difference a week makes. Winter Park was a grand success. Beautiful weather, beautiful setting, large crowd, and last but not least enough purchases for a modest profit. Then this morning I got word that I have been accepted into the St. Stephens Art Show. Wow! I had said I was going to wait to hear from Coconut Grove but comparing booth fees and the chance to get a corner booth if I accepted right away… well, I’ll definitely be in Miami in February.

Then Greg Kiser wrote this great story about me in his Photographer Spotlight. You can also see Greg’s wonderful photography here. I also found this wonderful quote:

"Above all, it's hard learning to live with vivid mental images of scenes I cared for and failed to photograph. It is the edgy existence within me of these unmade images that is the only assurance that the best photographs are yet to be made." --Sam Abell

This time of year, in the midst of multiple back to back art shows I often feel my spirit slipping away. Too much setup, selling, break down, and do it again. Not enough photography. This quote really spoke to me. I remembered my multitude of Alaska photographs. To tell the truth I was ill-prepared to go to Alaska. So many great pictures missed, so many things I would do differently if I have the chance to go again. I skimmed through the pictures, pulled out the very best, and had to stop looking at them. Now a year and a half later, I am looking again and remembering that vast beauty and wilderness. If nothing else, they are wonderful memories. And there might be a few good ones in there after all.

I must remember to experience as well as photograph.