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T his beach house is a constantly changing canvas and work in progress

  All of us struggle to balance our act between production of new stuff and doing the rest of what it takes to make a living in this business.  With our photography, we come up with a lot of our new material on the road between the shows. 

  When we have more time than we’d like between shows, however, we recharge our batteries with a favorite fallback. 

    Beach Vacation Trade!!

  A few years ago we had rented a beach apartment through a real estate agent.  We had taken a nice picture of the place a year earlier and left a copy with the agent to pass on to the owners.  This beach area has been a favorite of mine since the age of 7 when our family first started vacationing there.  I’ll be the first to admit my pictures weren’t worth a hoot in hell until I reached the age of ten or so.  

  That night, we heard a vigorous knock on the door and it was two of the three partners who owned the building.  Along with several other properties on the surrounding beaches.  They wanted to trade us two weeks on the beach for updating pictures of their properties for their website and brochures. 

     Well, we said we’d think about it.  For two seconds.  

We are grateful for having fallen into this relationship and for making good friends in the process.  They’re constantly needing updates.  We’re glad to help.  

    We also have taken pleasure in inviting a couple of our friends and bitter art show rivals, Steve Vaughn (and Renae) and R.C. Fulwiler (and Kim) to stay with us so we can try our best to outdo each other.  

   We want to share our experience because there may be opportunities for other  artists to keep their eyes peeled for barter opportunities.  If you're trading for time at a vacation space, the best window is during the low season when there would otherwise be vacancies.  We either make arrangements for early December or during the middle of Summer when rentals are usually light.  During the high season, our friends say they have their rabbit cages booked!  

  We’d like to hear from others who have worked any kind of barters with their art any time in the past.  It would be interesting to hear how they were able to score good trades so that more of us can be on the lookout for opportunities like this one.  Thanks for sharing.  

 Ann was glad to be there.  'nuff said

In 1927 the upper floor was floated across the water from Egmont Key.  The military station had closed and anyone who wanted to was welcome to pick up the old barracks buildings and take them away.  This was one of those giveaways.  

   The couple who started this one originally had it up on stilts and gradually added more rooms.   Eventually the downstairs was filled in.  The new owners acquired it a few years ago and made it what it was today..   In an age of beach MacMansions this, along 

other with other units belonging to them, is a refreshing departure from the adjoining structures of the Edifice Erection school of architecture.   

Mr. Steve Vaughn at work.  Florida's premier panoramic photographer..   shooting a non panorama.  

Mr. Steve's masterpiece.  

 R.C. in a target rich environment.

    He nailed the essence.  Double click on this for a better appreciation.

      I have to say we were lucky to have fallen into this situation and were able to share it with friends.  I also hope that anyone out there with a remotely similar story will share it with the rest of us.  Let's hear from you.