Art Shows Anyone?

In these days of rising costs of materials, operation, gasoline, travel, and show fees, artists are having to rethink how they do business.

Most artists I know have had to face the reality of being more selective and discerning about what art shows they do. Travelling 800+ miles to do a show, paying an exhorbitant show fee (cuz the organizers are getting greedy - $1200 for one outdoor show in Michigan which is preposterous!), with no guarantee that you will even make expenses is just not feasable. Some people I know who still travel away for shows try and be smarter by clustering their show bookings, but even then, one person I spoke to last summer, who did 3 shows on one trip, said his gas alone was at least $800.

In an attempt to be creative and get something going in our area for artists (which hopefully for some will mean less travel), our group The Coastal Artisans (a collective of 13 artists formed last year) in conjunction with the Museum of Mobile (the history museum) , are presently working on putting together an art market (official name yet to be announced) right in downtown Mobile, across from The Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center and the Museum of Mobile on the SW corners of Royal and Government Streets in the green space where the old city hall used to stand.

Our mission is to benefit art, culture, and tourism in the city of Mobile and surrounding area, while at the same time providing self-representing working artists with a quality local event where they can show and sell their work. Like the Coastal Artisan show at the Botanical Gardens in December, the market will have an eclectic mix of invited artists presenting in a range of mediums. It will run the 1st Saturdays of March through June. I should have more info soon on the Coastal Artisan blog/website.

Just a few of the Other attractions downtown: On March 3rd (the first day of the art market) is The 18th Annual American Cancer Society Chili Cook-Off over in Bienville Square, just a couple ofblocks west. The Museum of Mobile has an exhibit on the "Transatlantic Slave Trade" starting Feb 7 that is supposed to be very good. The Exploreum has a wonderful exhibit "A day in Pompeii" running through June, and in their IMAX Dome Theater will be "Greece: Secrets of the Past"

Pottery & Happenings: Foley Art in The Park & ArtsAlive! on Conti Street in Mobile AL

As the propane kiln is finally on for a "soak" I thought I would sit down. put my feet up, and write a little bit about what is going on here locally this weekend.

As usual, this Mother's Day weekend is going to be a busy one. As you can see from this lovely poster to the right, Foley's Performing Arts Center is hosting their 34th Annual Art in the Park juried art show, May 13 & 14th in John P. Foley Park, at the corner of Hwys 59 & 98. If the weather holds out and it is anything like last year, it should prove to be a lovely weekend. Please, Come and join us!

Something else that is going on is ArtsAlive! on Conti Street put on by Main Street Mobile, Saturday May 13th from 2 to 8:30 pm. This bi-annual event put on by Main Street Mobile, is on Conti Street, on/beside Cathedral Square. Its is a pretty neat event. We were disappointed to learn we had a scheduling conflict and we couldn't take part on Saturday (the Foley show plus Lowell's daughter Nissa is getting married on late Saturday afternoon), but we hope to do it again in the fall.

Hope to see you in Foley sometime over the weekend :).

Raku, Tino, PIAA & Orange Beach

Raku Art Pottery Vessel with Magnolia Grand Flora Design

Approximately 10.25" H x 8.5" W

by Anne Webb, 2006

Come and see us, Anne & Lowell of Webb Pottery at "Art in the Park", Foley, Alabama, May 13-14 (mother's day weekend). We will have mostly our functional stoneware pottery made from native clay, but also plan on having a few art pieces, and some of new Lowell's pit-fired wall plaques.

Some sad news, the Pleasure Island Art Association (PIAA) in Orange Beach, Alabama, has officially been dissolved. The good news, though, is that the City of Orange Beach has generously offered to completely assume the responsibility for the Center and take over the operation of the gallery and gift shop previously made available to the P.I.A.A.. Among other things, much needed and overdue upgrades and repairs are finally being taken care of, and they are even planning the construction of a new state-of-the-art studio teaching facility sometime next year, which is very exciting. They will continue to hold the spring and fall art shows and encourage local artists and the community to take an active part. In the meantime, the gallery and gift shop are still open. If you are in the area, please drop by. For more information, please visit the new
Orange Beach Art Center website.

Also don't forget to check out the article on Rick Tino and the Tino Frame and Fine Art Gallery in Gulf Shores on p. 36 & 37 of this month's The Pelican, a weekly community newspaper for our part of the Gulf Coast. Rick will be holding a gallery open house on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend, where you can see first hand work including stained glass, funky folk art, pottery, painting, and some really wonderful blockprints and handmade raku tiles. More news to follow on that, but don't forget to mark your calendars! Hope to see you there!