Art
The Art of Coming Together
My first experience exhibiting at an art fair brought an unexpected lesson: sometimes, the most memorable part of an exhibition is what happens before the artwork goes on the walls.
Art Fair Tampa was scheduled for Oct. 15–18. I arrived expecting to unpack my paintings, arrange my booth, and meet visitors. Instead, I walked into an exhibition space still taking shape.
An unexpected change in contractors had delayed construction, and the organizers were working hard to get the booths ready. Walls were still being completed, and painting remained unfinished. With opening time approaching, there was understandable uncertainty.
Then something shifted.
Allen Pettigrew, a fellow artist, enthusiastically began painting his booth and offered to help us with ours. His generosity encouraged us to help others. Before long, we had helped paint four or five booths. With music from the DJ playing in the background and artists working alongside one another, a stressful situation began to feel like a community gathering.
We had arrived to display our individual work. Now we were helping create the space where everyone’s work could be seen.
One neighboring artist Carl McGrady gave us a carpet after we helped paint his booth. Our floor had become messy with paint, and his thoughtful gift made a real difference. It was a simple exchange, but it captured the spirit of those hours: people noticing what others needed and responding.
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Eventually, the show came together.
Walking through more than 100 booths, I was struck by the variety. Each space offered a distinct artistic voice, with professionally finished work and artists who demonstrated deep skill in their chosen approaches.
In one booth, special glasses revealed a three-dimensional effect in the artwork. In another, shining a light across a painting brought out golden color and unexpected depth. Every turn offered another way of seeing, another artist’s exploration of materials, light, texture, or form.
Yet what stayed with me was more than the diversity of the art. It was the willingness of these artists to support one another while preparing to present their own work.
An art fair may appear to be a collection of separate booths, each bearing an individual name. My first fair revealed the connections between them.