MIAMI ART SHOW REPORT

As you may know, David and I flew out to Miami after Thanksgiving weekend to check out some of the art shows that turn Miami upside down the first of week of December every year. While there, we visited Art Expo Solo, the main objective of our short trip, plus Red Dot and Art Miami. We arrived on Tuesday, Nov. 29, in time to take in the opening gala for the Solo and Red Dot shows. We returned on Wednesday for another visit and to walk the mammoth Art Miami. Unfortunately, we had to leave early Thursday morning, the same day that many of the other shows opened.

This Miami art phenomenon started about 10 years ago with the first Art Basel, an international, high-end show that attracts artists, art collectors and celebrities from around the globe. Generally held the first week of December, Art Basel started a trend of art shows that has grown every year, filling up empty lots with pop-up galleries and hotel rooms with hundreds of guests. (Here's a view of Miami at night from our room on the 16th floor of the Marriott Biscayne Bay.)

We were there to check out Art Expo Miami, which is put on by the same people who do the long-running Art Expo NYC every year. We want to see what it was all about and get to meet, face-to-face, with reps of the company. (David and I at the entrance to the Solo show. It was held in the same building as the Red Dot show. And I need to mention that we had a celeb-sighting of our own...Jane Seymour! Yes, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, who is also an artist. I mustered up the courage go up and talk to her as well but drew the line at asking for a photo!)

While we've done shows in NYC several times (Art License Expo International and Surtex), our objective in the past was to promote the licensing of my wildflower art. We had talked about doing the Art Expo but had not taken that step...until now. After walking the shows and meeting with the reps, we signed up for Art Expo NYC that's scheduled for March 22-25. I'm taking my wildflowers to the heart of Manhattan! We'll be in the Solo portion of Art Expo, in booth #1145. The last photo posted here is a night-time shot of one of the many palm trees draped for the Art Miami show. Look closely...these are men's, long-sleeve shirts! I just love artists!! We look forward to returning to Miami for next year's shows and to have a little more time to check out the city! Our 2-day+ trip only whetted our appetite for both. We took out a little time to walk the downtown area and spent a few hours at a market overlooking the bay. Can't wait to check out the art deco buildings and Coconut Grove. So much to see...so little time. We will be back!!