Art Basel 2011 - Miami Beach

This year was the 10th anniversary of Art Basel Miami in Miami Beach. The world's premier international art show for modern and contemporary art was started 42 years ago in Basel, Switzerland. I was invited to Art Basel for the first time about 8 years ago by a very good friend and master of fine art photography. I enjoy a good arts and craft show so I figured - why not?

Comparing Art Basel to an "art show" would be like comparing a Florida sun shower to the sensory and emotional assault of a category 4 hurricane complete with a tornado and hail storm thrown in for good measure. Prepared or not, you will be introduced to, or immersed in the finest modern art from across the globe.

Since my first visit, I have attend 6 more, so I have a pretty good amount of experience to draw upon. The $40.00 price of admission hardly deters me. I am an extremist and I want to enjoy it all. I want every emotion activated but I don't care to linger too long on any one piece. I want to soak it all in and to do that, I have a well formulated plan.

Added myself to the art

I go on Sunday as the other three days are usually just too hectic. I always plan to be ready with ticket in hand for the noon opening and more often than not, stay till closing at 6:00 PM. I have gone with a different person each year so I make sure my event partner for this show has proven themselves durable both mentally and physically.  I start my day early with a double espresso and a couple of Tylenol. Oh yes - it's going to be that kind of a day. To beat the crowds and get parking, I typically arrive around 10:30 at the garage near the convention center and head straight to Lincoln Road for a fortifying breakfast.

Starting the day with a great, relaxing meal (Eggs and champagne) and the best people watching in South Florida is always a nice way to ease into the show. We arrived right on schedule and passed through the front doors just after noon. This was going to be a gigantic show and the only way to take it all in was to not spend too much time at each item. In shows past, I was hassled at the door because my phone had photo taking abilities. This year, everyone had a camera of every conceivable configuration and were snapping away like crazy. I only had my phone so sorry for the photos.











This year's show was tame by the standards of shows past. There were no works that completely offended me or caused me mental anguish depicting the depths of human suffering. There are always displays or installations that astound me with the power of human creativity or the intricacy of their construction. It seemed every material known to man could be found in the creation of this collection. Some pieces were obvious and amusing while others required considerable study to experience every thought they were intended to provoke. No matter what you might think of a piece, it is in this show for a reason and you could literally spend the rest of your life discovering what those reasons are. I think maybe next year I will pick a few pieces at random and trace their history from inception to their appearance in the show. I'm sure the answers will be even more interesting than the work itself in many cases.

Islamorada – Florida Keys

Islamorada is one of the northernmost Florida Keys. It comes right after Key Largo, and Tavernier. Most of my adventures in the keys have involved either Key Largo or Key West with barely a passing notice to the islands in between. As this was my first real visit to Islamorada, I decided to do it right and spend some time staying and exploring. I spent about two weeks exploring on the internet first and had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to see. My first stop was Marker 88 for lunch.

This was my first visit to Marker 88 and as the name implies, it's right at mile marker 88. Key West starts the whole mile marker thing with mile 0 and addresses along US-1 are based on the mile markers all the way up thru the Keys. This visit almost didn't happen as the sign literally jumped out at me and the entrance turn-in was about a foot and a half long. Even with a two second peek in the rear view mirror I knew it was a place I wanted to see so a U-turn was in order. Not something for the faint of heart on US-1 in the Keys.

Our meal started off with the most pleasant server I've met in a long time and a menu that had some unusual items. Something different is always my first choice so I had a Cuban Sandwich with Thai Green Beans. If you have a taste for something new and spicy, get the green beans. My travel companion on this trip had the Tuna Steak served burger style with a chutney topping and sweet potato fries. Everything was done to perfection and served with a smile.

The restaurant is actually a giant patio right on the water. There are a few shade covered seats which we were lucky enough to get and an indoor section for those that don't find blazing heat appetizing. We hated to leave but we had more to see so we broke away from our pleasant conversation with our server and moved on. Little did we know this entire long weekend was going to be a string of pleasant conversations with strangers.

Our next stop was just a mile marker down the road. The Rain Barrel - A Village of Artists. You can't miss it. There is a lobster sculpture the size of a bus right out front. We stopped to take a picture and found the most amazing collection of artists just behind the lobster.

The first gallery we entered was Emerald Bay Trading Company. The gallery was the size of a walk-in closet yet filled with items from all over the world. We asked the simple question of how did this all get here and wound up with a half hour conversation on the subject. Donna Davis, the proprietor, was mainly a basket weaver and her medium of choice - Pine Needles. Her work is intricate and extraordinary and her collection of world wide items is a passion. The Rain Barrel is a cluster of little houses and buildings with a winding, shady walkway connecting them. Heading to the back we found the pottery shop. The pottery is all made onsite in a workshop in the back. We got a little history of the shop and information about the area from the owner as we watched her create a made to order piece right in front of us.

We skipped a few stores on the way to the pottery shop but one was a must see on the way back. The SeaSide GlassWorks owned by Stephanie Martin was one that needed a much closer look. The glass work was like nothing I've ever seen before in both intricacy and bursts of color. This seemed to be the day for an education and Stephanie was perfectly willing to share all her secrets in making her mystical glass creations. Obviously knowing the secrets is not enough to actually producing the art just as viewing her web site is no substitute for seeing her larger pieces in person.










It was only our first few hours in Islamorada. We felt like everyone was an ambassador for the island and we were very special guests. Not a typical day in South Florida but just another day in the Keys from what we learned. There is a lot more to this story so check back for the next chapter coming soon.

Henry Flagler Museum - Palm Beach

I have always been fascinated with the history of Henry Flagler and the Florida East Coast Railway. There are many places you can see Flagler's legacy  in Florida but for the ultimate experience I recommend the Henry Flagler Museum in Palm Beach. At a time when nearly all of Florida was wilderness, Flagler had a vision, a blank canvas, and the money to do what he pleased with it. There are very few moments in history where one person had so much power for change and used it so wisely. I remember years ago being introduced to the Henry Flagler story at the Flagler Station Musemm in Key West and later I saw a television special on the building of the Overseas Railroad. Several of the old train bridges can still be seen today on the ride down to Key West.

The Flagler Museum is actually Henry Flagler's Florida home. Walking up to the front door, you get a true impression of it's actual size. The cost to get in is $18.00 and that includes a self guided or guided tour. I opted for the self guided tour and that comes with a handheld audio player to explain the 40 or so stops along the way. As soon as you enter, you know instantly you are in an American Castle. The ceilings alone are phenomenal works of art all throughout the house. Not to mention the grand staircase, courtyard, chandeliers, rare books, and the actual art work. I have put quite a few links in this posting if you are interested, as I was, to research before you visit. You can also check out the photos I attempted to take in my Photo Album. No flash allowed so not my best work.