Despite the lousy weather on Saturday, the Celebration of the Arts in Cedar Key was a HUGE success. The crowds could have been bigger, but the show couldn't have been much better. As promised by the hard working volunteers of the Chamber of Commerce Arts and Aesthetics Committee, this show was a return to fine arts. Patrons were impressed by the quality of work and artists were impressed by the hospitality of our community. It will take time for the show to become a "must attend" event again. The artists I spoke with understand that, and they want to return next year to help perpetuate the growth and development of the show even though it was not necessarily profitable for them this year. For some it was very profitable, especially for some of our local artists who received prizes and/or purchase awards valued from $500 to over $1,000 each. A big thanks goes to all who helped make this Celebration of the Arts a success. Carol Pattillo, Marsha Schwartz and Chick Swartz each volunteered hundreds of hours. They were the heart and soul of the show. Other members of the committee that met frequently during the past eight months and worked diligently on many aspects of the show between meetings were Henry and Amy Gernhardt, Jim Hoy, Dottie Grix, Janet Cook, Nancy and Rolland Christians, Missy Jackson, and Doris Hellermann. Thanks also to the block captains Cathy Carver, Judy Duvall, Linda Hendry, Nita & Mac Cox, Beth and Don Kenny, Cindy Liner, Sue and Bill Seyfarth, Nancy and Gerry Salamon, Leah King, who helped artists set up their booths, answered their questions, and "booth sat" while the artists took a break. The artists expressed their gratitude for this thoughtfulness. Also appreciated was the Saturday evening reception graciously hosted by the Cedar Key Art Center where the wine flowed and platters of boiled shrimp, mullet dip, fresh fruit and cheese never went empty. Thank you Chiefland Wal-Mart for donating breakfast of 500 donuts for all of the participants, and Dottie for picking them up at 5:00 a.m. Several local businesses offered purchase awards (a commitment to purchase artwork valued at $1,000.00 or more): Pelican Realty, Nature Coast Realty, Ronnie Taylor Construction, Cedar Key Historic Renovation, Capital City Bank, Cypress Station, Cedar Key News and Drummond Community Bank. These commitments plus sixteen prize awards totaling $10,000 including $500 from the Art Center and $100 from the Cedar Keyhole, brought quality artists to our Celebration of the Arts. We are very proud of our artists and our town for hosting such a successful and well thought-out event. Many Thanks to all the participants and attendees of the Old Florida Celebration of the Arts and I look forward to an even better show next year. Janet Blackwell, Pres. Cedar Key Area Chamber of Commerce |
