Gotta catch up

Been too busy to write this thing the last month.

Like anyone cares, right ?

Had three shows to attend since I last posted, and was finalizing the highwaymen article I wrote for Arts and Antiques around Florida, their Summer-Fall issue. The publisher says distribution of the magazine starts the end of June and it's the 28th now, so start looking for it. I imagine there will be delays, like there always are for books.

Publicized this blogspot for the first time in that issue, as well.

First report, as promised, the St Augustine show at the armory. We enjoyed better attendance by the public than we expected compared to the last few up there. What resulted was more individual sales transactions than usual, usual meaning during the past year at an average show anywhere in Florida, east coast or west. People were loosening up a little and buying things that they don't necessarily "need". Like Florida art.

So, this was encouraging, ........................but on the flip side, out of a couple of dozen sales, only one was for a highwayman painting, and it was a new Willie for only $ 575.00.

The next weekend, though, in the Melbourne Auditorium, highwaymen art sales kicked back into gear and we sold several vintage pieces, including a jumbo Sam Newton poinciana, and an important and rare Alfonso Moran 24 x 36 upson poinciana with Backus clouds. These were both multi-thousand dollar pictures, so that's really encouraging when the public loosens up that much. Contemporary Florida landscape artists like Mitch Kolbe and Ellie Blair sold, too. Donald Rust's Florida wildlife paintings have been hot, we've sold 6 0r 8 of them recently.

And then, the first weekend in June, we went to West Palm Beach for the last DMG monthly show there until November. Like so many times before, the market came to a screeching halt, and we only sold a couple of Rusts, maybe a book and a video. Geez. ........But, no whining. We've done something like 150 shows over the years at those same fairgrounds and some of them have been spectacular, even recently. The attendance was fine, just the wrong people, tire kickers and brain pickers. Not like you, gentle reader.

I got that "gentle reader" stuff from Stephen King.

So as not to leave on a negative note, although our next exposure at a show is not until Ft Lauderdale in August, I should be posting some thoughts here more often .

I've got some amusing stories to share, about people and artists and the highways and I unashamedly solicit yours.