If you missed the inaugural Islamorada Fine Art Expo near Morada Way, you missed some amazing original art during a picture-perfect weekend Jan. 21-22 in the Florida Keys. About 60 fine artists from all over the country exhibited fiber art, glass art, metal and wooden sculptures, jewelry, photography, paintings and more, much to the delight of tourists and collectors who had two full days of street fair plus two other art evening activities to enjoy.
Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty, which opened in Islamorada in 2010, was the platinum sponsor of the event, and carries the fine art photography of Clyde Butcher in its gallery at mile marker 81.8 bayside on the Overseas Highway (www.oceansir.com).
Street performers dressed in woven basket-like costumes looking like a mantis and lizard added to the wonder, as they stretched their fabric-covered limbs in dance-like movements.
Click through my slide show to see the paintings of Teri Causey of Fort Myers, Fla. and Diona Fish of Leicester, N.C.; the drawings of Julie Keaten-Reed of Howey-in-the Hills, Fla.; the creative basketry of Sally J. Bright of Fenton, Mich., who was the featured cover artist for the 2009-2010 winter issue of American Style Magazine; glass and lucite art of Michael George of Scottsdale, Ariz. and the Rainforest Creatures.
Participating Islamorada and Key Largo artists included photographer Tim Rahn, glass artist Veronica Gutierrez, jeweler Henry Tinney, and painters Michelle Nicole Lowe, B.J. Royster, Pasta Pantaleo and wildlife artists at the Redbone Gallery. Georgena Hosek traveled north from Marathon with her paintings, as did Tom and Diane Tyma with their jewelry, and Sue Handman brought her fiber art from Key West.
Perhaps most show-stopping was the performance art, Rainforest Creatures, created by Annie Hickman of New York (http://www.weavingthewild.com/WW-Bio.html). They were sponsored by the Botanic Gardens at Kona Kai in Key Largo, which offers guided ethnobotanical tours by appointment (www.kkresort.com)
A list of artists who participated is here: http://www.islamoradafineartexpo.com/Islamorada_Fine_Art_Expo/Artists.html
For more information about the monthly art walkabouts, with the next one set for Feb.16 in Islamorada, visit http://www.moradawayarts.org.
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