This from the Coconut Grove Grapevine:
You may remember, in October, we sat in on the two-day blind judging process for the upcoming 48th Annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival. Well the artists have been chosen for the festival to be held February 19 to 21, 2011.
Out of 1232 applicants, 360 were chosen from the US and Canada. Over 100 of the artists chosen are from Florida and 19 are from the Miami area. Hans Feyerabend, Dan Bondroff and George Rodez are three Coconut Grove artists chosen.
Read the rest of the article here: http://coconutgrovegrapevine.blogspot.com
The article about the jurying is entitled "Long,tedious process involved in judging the art".
Now, that is funny! This second link is an interesting take on an art fair jury from an outsider, a reporter for the Grapevine.
Getting into or not getting into the Grove has been an important part of the festival business for a long time. At one time it was a make or break deal for many artists. For northern artists it meant winter income and many would trek to Miami for a string of shows. Those days are gone for many of us. The overhead and the low sales really meant it was better to stay home and shovel snow. Read the articles about the jurying and how they made their choices, ruminate a little and send us some feedback.
Are you going to be at CG in February? Did you decide not to apply this year? Why? Share your CG experiences. Do you live in Florida and feel like you're not invited to the prom if you are not at The Grove?
Comments
Thanks everybody for a walk down memory lane. I still miss "The Life and Times" - guess once it is in your blood it is hard to get out.
Everybody have a great holiday season.
Here's wishing each of you the best in the New Year.
Happy Trails!
One of the best years I ever had at the Grove was the first year they enclosed us in the fence and charged admission. Apparently, the people who had food booths and the endless stream of promotional booths wanted to be outside the pay area and they were accommodated. At first, I complained loudly to the committee because it had the ambiance of a prison yard. As it turned out, it kept out all the riff-raff and the only people on the inside were people who really wanted to see and buy that art. As I said, it was one of my best Coconut Grove shows and it great not only because I could converse with people genuinely interested in the work, but, I didn't have to worry about greasy fingers from funnelcakes, etc. Of course, the next year, the food and promotional booths wanted to be on the inside and of course they once again they were accommodated.
What show in Cincinnati was good for you? I do printmaking, one of a kind prints,was just wondering which show it was, I have done the one day show in Oct, Thanks
Barry, I think you are talking about when Marla Bercuson was running the Grove. Those were the good old days. Marla was very hardnose that it was an ART fair and really fought to keep all the commercial elements out of it. She quit when the Board outvoted her on many issues. The event has ever been the same. It is run like a business. That is good for the event, not as great for the artists.
Connie, I forgot about the pizza party. The Riviera was very inexpensive and the rooms were clean and well kept. Michael, I've had my mustache since 1970 when I went to Washington to protest the Vietnam War. Florida better be good this year or that will be me with the tin can and the cardboard box.
The Grove was my favorite show for a long time. The committee always made us feel special and welcomed us with open arms. One year a few of them tried to get me to move down there. They had a studio I could rent and a place to stay. They fed us every day. It was the first show that I can remember where they came around with water and suntan lotion to make sure we were hydrated and protected from the sun. They made us pay for parking at the Convention Center, but, if you got there early and left late, you could get in and out without paying and nobody complained. (I made sure I paid in advanced this year). When we had the use of the convention center, they would feed us breakfast and lunch. The party was and still is excellent.
The ACE Baltimore show opened on Wednesday and the Grove closed Monday night. It was a 20 hour drive and they would let us set up Tuesday night, in Baltimore. More than a few of us would be doing that drive up I-95. The Grove would always have a big name musical act on Monday afternoon, usually jazz. They had Dizzy Gillespie, Maynard Ferguson and others. One year they decided to have Bachman Turner Overdrive and there was a huge amount of young people in the streets as we were trying to get out of the show, so we could get to the highway for the long drive North to Baltimore. No one would get out of the way and we basically had to push our way through the crowds in our vans. At one point I actually feared that some kids were going to start rocking my van and tip me over. That was the last time they had Rock and Roll on Monday afternoon.
Barry - I was next to you at the Grove in 2008. I confirm your experience. Did you have a mustache then? I won't apply again, unless I hear the economy is booming in Fl. I wish you a good show this year.
It was a GREAT motel! I loved being there - hanging out with artist friends between the shows, walking in the neighborhood, pizza party around the pool the night before the Grove, show nights eating Chinese at East West with the Eatons, Sonny and Roxie, Bill Coleman, Ted Gall, Phil Thompson, Jan Richardson -- how much fun that was!
I would take that room in the Grove in a nanosecond. Plus, I was trying to remember the name of that cheap motel we used to stay at every year. Having you bring that up made me smile.
Hey Barry, need a room for the Grove? I may have one available from a friend. I remember those good old days hanging out at the Riviera Court in CG...
I've done the Grove off and on for the last 25 years and I will be there this year. I haven't been there for the past 5 years. I did it 2008, but, I don't count that because I had the worst spot in the show and was virtually invisible. I got in late off the waiting list and didn't get set up until mid-day on Friday. I asked for and got my old space in front of the Mutiny Hotel where I had a steady run of great shows for about 10 years. So, I'm excited to be doing it, again.
I've had my all time best show at the Grove. When Florida is hit with hurricanes in the Winter, people get there insurance money just in time for the show and they come to restock their homes with pieces. That's when I've done the best. One year, I was pretty much sold out on the first day. If I had twice the inventory, I would have sold that too.
I've won best of show at the Grove and numerous purchase prizes. They used to have a trolley come through the show at 8 AM to drop off their association members, who would get a head start on purchasing work. If you were one of the "chosen" ones, by 10 AM you could have had a successful show, already. before the show actually opened. I had that happen to me a few times. They had a huge support group and they would show their members a slide show of the artists works a few days in advance, so, they would know who they wanted to buy from before they got to the show. I could be wrong, but, I don't think they do that any more.
The weather for the most part usually is pretty good. One year, Friday had a record low temp and Saturday had a record high temp.
The Mutiny Hotel, used to be a sleaze dump with mirrors on the ceiling. It was popular with the artists because of its low priced rooms. Since then it has been remodeled and the rooms start at $350 a night. Now, the most popular place that people stay at is in the convention center parking lot.
In the spring before the first Cherry Creek show, the committee came from Colorado to recruit people for their show. I was invited and was offered a 3 year contract. I thought it was too risky to drive 1600 miles for a first year show and declined the invitation. We all know what a big mistake that was.
In the article the writer mentioned that many artists counted on their Grove show for their total income for the year. I think that was a little exaggerated. I do know that at one time, I could do the Grove and Ann Arbor and not have to worry about paying my bills for the whole year. However, those days are long gone, at least until the economy turns around. I anticipate that when things get moving again, the good shows will be better than ever.
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