Tallahassee International Airport Art
Last month, I got a call from the local Tailwinds Concessions manager to see if I'd like to exhibit my work at Tallahassee International Airport. Intriguing for sure. Pat manages all the cafes and gift shops at the newly renovated airport and had recently heard of my work. He was wanting to offer a taste of the natural beauty of North Florida to the flow of travellers passing through TLH. In addition, the largest cafe, Live Oak Grille, could benefit from attractive local art on its walls, and he figured I might like a new local venue to show and sell my artwork. Win-win-win for his company, Tallahassee's visitors, and my small business. Smaller matted prints will also be sold at the gift shops soon.
So on Friday, Crystal and I met our good friend Chris Smith at Tallahassee International Airport with tools and art in hand. We installed 16 new metal prints ranging from 12x12 inch square wildlife portraits to 20x40 inch panoramas in the Live Oak. We were all pleased with how it turned out, as were the customers who commented during installation. Afterward, lunch at the Grille was the "cherry-on-top". The delicious well-prepared food, was way beyond the usual airport fare. Next time you're flying to or from TLH, have a look and a bite.
This long term exhibit will provide me with a new and broader audience, and may also generate sales. The pieces are actually available for purchase right there at the cafe. And I am committing 10% of the proceeds to the Florida Wildlife Corridor, a brilliant and worthy endeavor for Florida wildlife's future.
But best of all, I love that many of our visitors from far and wide will get a real taste of the North Florida wilds and beauty as they arrive in our neck of the woods. So few get to see it in person and have no idea what they're missing. Here are the 16 photos. Hope you get a chance to see them sometime... or better, get a chance to see where they were made.
Paddle Trail. 11x17. This photo was made less than a mile from where it hangs in the airport.
East River Myst. 20x30. An early morning at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.
Garfish. 12x12. Our springs, while struggling to remain healthy against man's heavy footprint, still house some pretty cool wildlife.
Gulf Mist. 16x24. Front Beach at St. Vincent Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Sopchoppy Sentinel. 20x30. A paddling trail of wildly sculpted cypress and knees.
Jazz Riff of Liquid Light. 16x24. One of Crystal's favorites and the name is borrowed from her writings.
Bay Scallop. 16x24. Bountiful in our Gulf coastal waters each summer, their beauty supercedes their delectability.
Plumage. 12x12. The showy Great Egret during mating season.
Secret Beach. 11x17. Most of our sugar-sand beaches, unlike this remote one at Cape San Blas, are prized by tourists.
Wacissa Light. 16x24. Our springfed rivers are a paddler's delight.
Night Patrol. 11x17. Standing in knee-deep water in the dark beside my tripod, I felt quite vulnerable as my flash lit these gator eyes.
Realm of St. Marks. 20x40. What more need I say about this magnificent place?
Japanese Magnolia. 11x14. Okay, so not native, these lovely early-spring blossoms bountifully adorn our Tallahassee neighborhoods.
Pelican Dive. 12x12. Here entering the plunge toward an unsuspecting fish, this beloved seabird is a Florida icon.
Young Denizen. 16x24. Alligators, another of Florida's icons, are found in wild (and not-so-wild) waterways throughout our state.
Swallowtail. 12x12. Our spring wildflowers are closely followed by a myriad of butterflies in North Florida.
That's the show. The pieces may change from time to time. Thanks for your visit. Oh, and please leave a comment here at the blog. I love hearing from you.