rhondak drive october 24 2008 boca grande aqua boutique stum pass tiki bar florida funny bar signs
DESCRIPTION
DRIVE.....persistence, inspiration, risk taking through 5 cities making sales calls and hanging out at tiki bars. RhondaK shows DRIVE and considers the true nature of MEMORIAL.TRANSCRIPT
DRIVEOctober 24,
2008RhondaK
Sales Calls, Inspiration
Hunting, Tiki Bars and
New Roads RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
DRIVEOctober 24,
2008Sales Call
to Boca Grande, Leave
8:30am, Raining RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrites.comwww.Floridafolkartist.com
DRIVEOctober 24,
2008Packed up some new work, old
work and a lot of hopes to do well. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrites.comwww.Floridafolkartist.com
DRIVEBoca Grande’s
Really chic, very fascinating Aqua
Boutique. Emily is now selling some of
my work…and apparently has been! Nice surprise. Boca
Grande is FASCINATING. Very quaint and even an affordable daytrip
despite being known as a playground for the really well to do.
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
DRIVEAqua Boutique is selling one of my favorite one of a
kind mermaids…a dreadhead
mermaid with turtle on a really
aged piece of wood. And a rare pastel pink “Live with egrets – not
regrets.” RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrites.comwww.Floridafolkartist.com
This is some of my new work. They used to be bar doodles. They didn’t make it into Aqua
Boutique…but they will be in a Brandon,
Florida art show November and December.
Sometimes new work doesn’t find an audience right off and you have to remain persistent
and have faith.The reason people don’t buy them or pass over them for
their store--- you can’t take it personal.
Every sign…every bar doodle..finds its person.
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrite
s.comwww.Floridafolkarti
st.com
DRIVEEmily picked up
some signs to sell in her ecletic, super
cool boutique. I was there too early to
enjoy the neighborhood which included the Boca
Grille Tiki Bar. Looks like my kind of place.
Beer prices were also very friendly. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrites.comwww.Floridafolkartist.com
DRIVEA Livejournal.com friend is a native of Boca Grande and told me about this
memorial to a friend of hers that was
down 7th and a small walk down the sea
wall near a beautiful and isolated beach.
At the seawall, magnolias had
washed down the street to the wall.
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrites.co
mwww.Floridafolkartist.c
om
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
DRIVEThis is a Boca
Grande Memorial for Lorn who passed in 1993. It faces the sea. While I was there about 20 –
seriously – 20 dolphins were
playing out in front. I sat there for a while. I left a flower for the girl who told me this
was her friend’s
memorial. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrites.comwww.Floridafolkartist.com
DRIVESitting there I
realized I needed to do something for
TiKiMan. As far as I know his family left him the morgue so
that he’s either been a science
experiment or in a pauper’s grave.
He deserves better. I need something to visit and not carry around with me.
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
DRIVEA beautiful magnolia
draped wall in Boca Grande near the 7th Ave public
beach.RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrites.comwww.Floridafolkartist.com
From Boca Grande I turned right on Placida to go TO Placida’s
Fishery Road. There are a lot of galleries there and a great
restaurant. This is Margaret Albritton’s gallery. Whimsical fun.
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
Margaret Albritton’s gallery has candles, crabs, fantastic fish
paintings and more.I didn’t ask her to sell my work
because her place wasn’t shabby chic, but full of light and
smoothness.
More Here:http://www.margaretalbrittongallery.com/
Placida’s Fishery Road has many places of interest and some
festivals too.
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
This is the lively charter boat area on Placida’s
Fishery Road. Lot’s of fun, live crabs, mullet…and Old
Florida.RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrites.comwww.Floridafolkartist.com
DRIVEThis is Fishery Restaurant in
Placida. It has a fantastic view of
charter boats, and old dock and Lemon
Bay. Maybe even Cape Haze. The
sauces are FANTASTIC. The
Key Lime mustard—amazing. Also, the
interior is fun.RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrites.comwww.Floridafolkartist.com
DRIVEFor a mere
$4.95..the Fishery Restaurant’s Conch
Fritters with Key Lime Mustard is
Delicious.Affordable.
With the view…FANTASTIC.
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
DRIVEThis is the interior of
Placida’s Fishery Restaurant.
For More Info:http://www.sunstate.com/fishery/
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
Placida’s Cindy’s Fish House. Retail fresh
Florida seafood.
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
DRIVEThe Master….Hatch’s
gallery in Placida. He, his father and brother do handcrafted wood art.
Amazing nautical collectibles and more.
I asked him to let me know if I could rent a spot there one Sunday. Nice guy. He
said Stump Pass Grille might be interested in
consignment..so I went there next.
http://www.themkt.com/hatch.html
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
Stump Pass Grille has huge tiki setups by the
bay. NICE.The people who work there are friendly. The
grouper is actually fresh and recommended. The chicken wings—super. They sell the work on a tiki guy in Englewood who calls himself Tiki
Ron. http://www.stumppassgrille.com/
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
DRIVETiki Ron isn’t
TikiMan’s style. He does sports tikis and also
painted tikis with a minimum of
carving. His work is well regarded
in Englewood and Stump’s is good about supporting
a local artist.RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrites.comwww.Floridafolkartist.com
Stump’s Pass Grille. I left some signs there just in case, I might get
a chance to sell there. Nothing ventured…nothing gained.
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrites.comwww.Floridafolkartist.com
I used my time at Stump’s to go over some new work I’m trying out this year. I’m not sure where it is taking me. But my
bar doodles have come to life in many places. Not just bars.But in people’s lives.
On days like today, I am thankful. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrites.comwww.Floridafolkartist.com
Captain Eddie’s in Nokomis
The restaurants interior features some prints by Sanibel ( I think ) artist Nora Butler. She has an amazing style. Pictures
inside of pictures.
Better examples here:http://www.norabutler.com/
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com
I also did some “free” signs for the Siesta Key Market. They are fun and not the sort of thing I sell. But I
want a chance to get into the Siesta Fiesta. I’ve been turned down because I don’t
have a “display.” As in, I don’t use a white tent.
However, this year I might know the right people.
Sometimes persistence has a distinct curve and detour
to it.
In short…
DRIVE.You have to have it to get
anywhere at all.RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrites.comwww.Floridafolkartist.com
Siesta Key Farmer’s Market
is every Sunday. I love the bread
and the soap. It is super dog
friendly. As my sign sez: “Flip
Flop Shop til you drop…have a sunSational
time..”RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist
http://www.rhondakwrites.comwww.Floridafolkartist.com
Friday October 24, I picked up a new store in super chic, super beautiful Boca Grande. I walked to
another person’s friend’s memorial by the sea and had some thoughts about memorials. The absence of
those we love and their remains far away. What gives us peace when we fear they don’t have peace?
I think the 20 dolphins answered that question. I met some great artists, found some new ones, hung out in the rain inside some great tiki bars, found the best key lime mustard EVER…and found a great road trip
I hope becomes another home away from home.
RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artisthttp://www.rhondakwrites.com
www.Floridafolkartist.com