Small Works of Art.

I didn't even know about the Small Works Show put on by the Lemonade Stand Gallery at the Studios of Key West. I was here looking for an entirely different exhibit but this was delightfully unexpected.

There are a 170 pieces, they say though I din't count them. And they come in all shapes and sizes and media. Apparently they have to be no longer than ten inches in any direction but they each pack so much into a tiny space.

 I wandered around for a while but I was unable to disentangle my mind from all that I saw. There was just too much!

 Collages and oils and photos and art in a box, it was all here.

 Not all of it made in the Keys either, not at all.

Some was easy to identify as being local. The label "Ft Zach Man" struck me as really funny, like a newly minted paleolithic era or something. And I recognized the type.

The collage sticking out from the wall was titled "Bending The Rules" the type of pun that appeals to me, a ruler and a bent wire in an arc. 

 Historical and sociological significance combined with much sadness and discrimination no doubt:

Like so many things in life the smaller the space the more intense the experience and these pieces of art packed a punch. I really enjoyed it.

Coconut Art

I had  cunning plan but naturally it all fell apart. However I did get to see coconut art which was I grant you, pretty cool. Check out this lion made from a discarded coconut shell. Actually think it's bloody brilliant! 

The man responsible for this stuff grew up far away, they say, from the land of free coconuts but a long life in Florida produced a self-taught artist. I photographed his biography here (below) and I grant you it is a bit of a drag to read especially on a  small screen so I'll inlude some highlights.

I did notice in the biography a mention of the Anne McKee Fund so thanks to Google I located a page discussing grants for Florida Keys based artists. It's actually pretty cool  offering up to two grand as seed money for specific projects with a deadline to complete them. Clearly that money has done something positive here! 

What fascinated me about this artwork is the amount of expression the artist got into pieces of discarded coconuts. Furthermore I like how he linked the tropical nuts to tropical themes. A turtle, with a giant coconut flipper above and below.

Whimsical fish:

This  is a "Turtle on Lobster Trap Wood" and represents Keys  living at it's...least likely! It's how we all want to live in the Keys I dare say.

 The coconut band caught my wife's imagination as she zoned in on the drummer.

The guy ion the middle here reminded me of my buddy Curt so I think I'd have to say the artist caught the spirit of the Keys precisely!

The contrast between the outside world, Eaton Street, intruding and the sea life swimming struck a nerve. 

The Studios prides itself on creating space for artists with workshops and residence programs and classes and exhibit space. Next year they hope to have a roof garden built which as one visitor suggested to me will restore the ability to us of having a welcoming place to watch the sunset from above the city. the representation of the future is in the elevator:

My suggestion that one can go to the top of the parking garage on Grinnell Street was met with stony silence from the would be local so I didn't mention the quarterdeck of the Ingham floating museum at the Truman Waterfront for sunset viewing. Naturally a sensible rooftop hang out will be welcome and I look forward to it especially since the top of La Concha is no longer a terrace bar:

I'm going to post a couple more art shows from The Studios this week. I missed the Hadden livingaboard exhibit (also a McKee recipient) which was my cunning plan and I'm irritated about that as I wanted to see what he made of my former life style. His photos are something to learn from too:

They did have one picture on show which whet my appetite even more for what I missed. Oh well.