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Well. it is done and over.

This is still a very well run all volunteer show.  They have artist's interests foremost in their hearts.

The mighty schlep from the park is done (Thank God, 7 cartloads out over those wretched railroad tracks.)

Not one of the better years for this show.

A lot of disappointed artists.  Some barely broke even.

Others, were off by 50 per cent over other years.

Still, just as many prospered.

It was just a funny feeling show.  The vibes were not feeling right.

Anyways here goes my report.  As usual, I will give you a little "meat" first.

THE SETUP IN THE PARK AND THE STREET

This is a three-day show.  Setup for those in the park is Thursday, all day, and night.

People on Park Avenue have to set up early Friday morning and be ready for show opening at 9 AM.

The show is held in two sections of a beautiful city park, bordered with a rail line on the west side and with trendy Park Avenue on the east.

Morse blvd. bisects the center of the park, so you have a south section and a north section.

Some booth locations are better than others.  I will delve into that later.

The primo booth spots are on the street.  Savvy exhibitors know that.  Competition for those coveted spots is heady.

Most spaces are generous.  Room on the sides and room in the back for storage.

Weights only for anchoring booths because of the sprinkler system.

For the booth setup, you signup on line for loading times.  Supposed to drop the stuff off, go park, then setup.  We all know how that can go.  Some people are more special then others, and can hog the loading curb for quite a while.

All the artist parking is in two lots located west of the railroad tracks.  Hence, the schlep across grooved  tracks, at least 8 of them, they will rattle your load on a cart.  God Forbid!  If you take a spill on the tracks with the mighty train bearing down on you.  Your ass will be grass, and your art will be history.

Years ago, a very colorful photographer on the circuit had a run-in with a train with his van.  Guess who won that one?

So, some did like me, and just parked in the lot and then schlepped it all in, and then back out at tear-down.

I viewed it as part of my daily workout.  Seven loads in, and about two hours invested in sweat and brawn.  It is not fun, but--my heart is happy.

Oh, they have nice hospitality tent, usual artist grub.

An artist party with free food and limited booze.  Nice awards.  Only the top winners get an automatic reinvite.

OK,OK, ENOUGH MEAT. GET ON WITH IT NELS.

Ok.  Here are my observations, plus a little input from my lovely wife, Ellen Marshall, who has done this show many times.

For me, this was my first time back since 1985.  You do the math.

I had always heard that this was one of the top shows in Florida to do.  Some say it is better for them than the Grove or Naples.

So, I geared up bigtime for this show.  Had two weekends off from shows since Gasparilla.

I have done Saint Louis, The Plaza, Main Street Fort Worth and Artisphere.  I was expecting numbers like these guys.

This year, for me, never came close.

Heck, in Gasparilla (my hometown) which is only a two-day show, I did almost as much as in Winter Park.

Numero uno in Florida?

I don't  think so--this year.  And that is not just me saying that.

Something was seriously missing at this show.  Could it be buyers?

The $5 lemonade people made a killing.  Everybody had a cup in their hands.  Unfortunately, most did not have any art in their hands.

A little memory from my early history.

When I got out of the Army in Hawaii and returned to Florida, I got in this show three years in a row.  Last time being 1985.

I remember when I first saw this magical park with everybody's home-made booths, I was totally enchanted.

This was before the pre made-manufactured booth era.  So individuality was in bloom everywhere.  In the art and in the booth designs.

But, what I remember most clearly was how much money the food people were making.

Opening day, barely one hour after show opening, I went by the fried dough booth.

Dough was sizzling in the oil, and dough was stacked high in their wooden kiosk.

I spied six rows of dollar bills stacked, at least 50 high, in the rear of the kiosk.  Those days they only charged $3 for a portion.  

They were raking it in.

I said to myself, "Welcome to the big time!"  I was floating on air.

Contrast that to the now.

Same white-tented booths everywhere.  Same lemonade stands on every conceivable corner.

Now, they squeeze the halves of one lemon in a cup, then leave the lemons in the cup, which of course displaces liquid, which means less product going out, more profit coming in.

And people are lined up with $5 bills in their hands gladly waiting to suck one down.  Amazing?

And they won't even pay $30 for a unique piece of art.

It is a sad statement of where we are in this country in regards to art appreciation.

Ellen, my wife, has done the show many times.

According to her, one year can be just great, and then the next one is off by 50-per-cent.

My buddy Jim Parker was in a primo location.  He was mildly happy.  He expected more.

My little firecracker artist Terry Causey was looking for big fish--and she had to settle for sushi.

My neighbor, Robin Frisella, a great pastel artist, had a puny show.  And she had the kind of work that resonates with this crowd.

She does lovely, traditional still-lifes with flowers and lovely home objects, like water pitchers, etc.  She sold about four pieces the whole show, and for not a lot of money.

Ellen had a so-so year.

Some notables, who won big prize money, zipped for sales.

My buddy, Amy Flynn had a real good show with her Fobots.  So see, great talent wins out.

My Minneapolis glass buddy was worn out from making big bucks, five shows in a row.  Oh, to have such a problem--I can only dream.

Face it.  This a great show to do.  It beats doing Winterhaven or Fairhope which are usually on this date.

Our economy still really sucks,

That is the product of two flawed presidents, and equally flawed Congress" who have not moved us out of the morass we are in.

The banks made out like Jesse James.  Isn't that ironic?

The Middle Class has been nearly eradicated.  They were our primary customer base at art shows.  They are hard to find these days--just like home-made artist booths.

That said, this is why sales were not so great this year at Winter Park.

Face it, it is not just Winter Park.

This is Our Winter of Discontent.

2014 Florida winter/spring shows are going down in history as one of our lamest seasons.

There will be a lot fewer artist vans stopping at the Citrus Inspection station on I-95 next year.

OK NELS, ENOUGH OF THE MOROSE, CAN YOU TELL US ANYTHING FUNNY OR POSITIVE?

NO.  SORRY.

I will give you some sage asides from the show that I actually witnessed, or heard.

So, we got judged by three famous people.

I have this one fun piece of mine that deals with actor/comic Bill Murray.

One judge gave me a good look--but, no selection for final judging.

I was shocked.

NOT!

But, as she was leaving she whispered sotto voice in my ears.

She said,"I will tell you a little joke about Bill Murray."

I was all ears.  No judge had ever told me a joke in 39 years.  Not even Les Slesnick.

Then she cooed slyly,"He was once in this restaurant in New York City.  He walked up to a complete strangers table.  He grabbed a french fry off this guys plate--and ate it. Then he leaned in and whispered in the guy's ear,'Nobody will believe you if you complain.'"

That was my high point of Friday at the show.

Oh, I had one other judge who said, "I really like your frames (Green Porticos).  Damn, I didn't even win Best in Frames at Winter Park.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CONCERT STAGE VENUE AT THE VERY END OF THE NORTH PARK.

What?  You can't hear me?

Try being an artist in the north end of the North Park when music is playing.

The volume is FRICKING LOUD.

You cannot have an intelligent conversation with a client, let alone, a prospective client.

Unfortunately, that is never going to change.

TFS.

If you are lucky to be in that area, you are stuck with it.

Now.

Do you think a numeo uno show in Florida would allow that to prevail?

Apparently so.

The sound people are oblivious to artist entreaties to turn the FRICKING VOLUME DOWN!

The savvy ones, say stay away from booths in that end.  Leave them all to John Scanlan.

SO, IN CONCLUSION.

Yep, I would do Winter Park again, because I don't want to do Winterhaven or Fairhope.

You gotta know, going in, this is a conservative, traditional crowd.  They don't go for flash, splashy color, or contemporary themes.  They love "Old School."  In fact, they drool over it.

Is it still the best show in Florida?  

The jury is still out on that one.

I guess we will have to see who next year's jury is.

Aloha, the Pirate Nels--AAAARGH!