Keys Vending Machines Selling Miniature Masterpieces

Keys Vending Machines Selling Miniature Masterpieces

by Cammy Clark
Miami Herald, February 2009

Vintage cigarette machines are now selling something good: original art at a bargain price for the masses.

Slip a $5 token into a vintage cigarette machine at a studio in Key West, pull on the knob and a cellophane-wrapped packet pops out. Its contents could be habit-forming: original art.

North Carolina artist Clark Whittington has turned about 90 obsolete machines that once dispensed Marlboros and Virginia Slims into ''Art-o-Mats'' that sell small, unique pieces of art ranging from floral sculptures to barcode tattoos.

Whittington brings art to the masses. He's placed the vending machines in coffee shops, art hotels, museums, and grocery stores.

''In many cases, Art-o-Mat is the first time artists have sold art and the first time a buyer has bought art,'' Whittington said during a stop in Key West Tuesday.

LOOKING FOR ARTISTS

He's in Florida searching for more artists to fill the machines. Between 350 and 400 artists have created works. One piece from Japan ended up with a man from Iran via an Art-o-Mat in Los Angeles. About 25,000 pieces of art kerplunk from vending machines each year.

''Key West is such a creative place, with a legacy of artists and writers and creative discovery, that I wanted to bring the machine to this community,'' said Eric Holowacz, director of the Studios of Key West, where one of the machines is located. ....The missing piece was getting artists from Key West into the Art-o-Mat.''

Thursday night, Whittington will be in Miami, the guest lecturer at the LoweDown Happy Hour, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Lowe Art Museum on the University of Miami campus in Coral Gables.

Dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, he warned a group of Key West artists that the Art-o-Mat is not a get-rich scheme -- although he said two single moms from Bangladesh made enough money from hand-knit dolls to support their families for a year.

''When artists find out this is run by an artist, then they understand maybe why the money is not so great,'' Whittington said. ....It's more about public relations and proliferation of their work.''

It's also about making art accessible to all. 'At my first machine, a police officer told me, ..Well, your art is right smart,' '' Whittington recalled. ....It's not a term critics use, not a term Picasso would use. But it opened my eyes that it was reaching people who may never have been exposed to art before.''

INSPIRATION

Art-o-Mat's inspiration came in 1997 from a friend of Whittington's who liked the sound of snacks coming from vending machines. When tougher smoking laws banned cigarette machines from locations where minors could use them, Whittington fitted one of the machines to dispense $1 black and white photographs.

The Art-o-Mat took off in 1999, after a story about it on National Public Radio's Morning Edition led to a call from the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York requesting an Art-o-Mat.

Miami dentist and art collector Steve Lanster saw that Art-of-Mat and thought it was ''so cool'' that he got an employee to help him buy 15 artworks at once. He now has over 400 Art-o-Mat pieces.

''It's the whole concept of somebody converting old cigarette machines of the '50s and '60s that dispensed something harmful for you into now dispensing something wonderful,'' said Lanster, who brought Art-o--Mats to the Miami Art Museum and Lowe Art Museum.

Of the $5 fee, $2.50 goes to the artist, $1.50 to the place housing the machine and $1 to Whittington's company. ''But when people buy a $5 treasure and look on the back and see a website of the artist's other work, they might buy the artist's more important works,'' Lanster said. ....Then it's a win-win situation.''

Holowacz said art collectors and tourists have become fans of the machine: ....There's a sense of mystery of what's behind those 20 slots. Put your token in, hear the kerplunk and you get a package to unwrap. It's fun.''

The Economy and Key West Artists Survival of the Fittest

Key West’s artists and galleries seem to stay one-step ahead of the downturn in the economy as they reinvent themselves and their marketing plans. In less than a year, the artists and galleries have regrouped, moved, closed, formed a collective, and faced the sagging economy head on. Artist Letty Nowak, once owner of the successful Lemonade Stand Gallery in Bahama Village, personifies the changes and attitude in Key West’s artist community. Nowak closed her gallery of seven years and was one of the first local artists to rent space at The Studios of Key West, a co-op of artists that is housed at the old Key West Armory at 600 White St. The success of the Lemonade Stand had a lot to do with Nowak’s marketing savvy in promoting shows for herself and other artists. The gallery’s success was also a thorn in her side. “I enjoyed all aspects of the Lemonade Stand,” Nowak said from her new studio at the Armory. “Two things came into play. I was working too much to make the gallery successful, mostly for other artists, and I wasn’t working on my art.” Nowak wanted to do more of her own paintings, but between promoting the gallery and commissioned work, she had too little time. “I wasn’t creating for me,” she said. When Nowak was finishing large portraits for her exhibit at the Key West Art and Historical Society’s Custom House, she had to rent a vacant barbershop across the street from the Lemonade Stand to work. “It was my gallery, but I didn’t have the space to work,” she said. By moving to the Armory, Nowak saves more than $1,800 a month in rent and that, she said, helped her make the decision. She had her first show at the Armory’s gallery a couple of months ago and displayed her new works, smaller paintings. “I thought the smaller paintings would be more attractive to the art buyer,” she said. “At $400, people could buy more than one painting.” The show was successful and she sold painting to locals and visitors. “The painting of Marlanie Galliano, from El Mocho, a Stock Island Cuban restaurant, sold to a couple from Ohio,” she said. The works that sold were to locals and visitors, she said. Nowak has caught up on her commissioned work, something that took almost a year to do and is cutting back on new commissions, so she can work for herself. “The atmosphere is totally different here,” she said. “There are 12 of us renting studio space, all kinds of artists, not just painters, and that gives out a lot of energy.” Her Armory studio is just that, a painter’s studio, she said. “I miss having my frame shop in the studio. Now I have to go out to get things I would have had stored at the Lemonade Stand.” Nowak said TSKW is a benefit for the Key West art scene. “The Studios does a lot of marketing and that brings attention to all of us,” she said. “The economy being slow has forced a lot of local artists to think about space and it has affected those that support the arts, too.” There are two new series in the works for Nowak. “I won’t tell you what they are,” she laughed, “but I’ve had the ideas in my head for five years and being here has allowed me the time to work on them.” Nowak said, like the Lemonade Stand, people can walk up stairs and talk to the artists in their studios. “If I am here, my door is always open,” she said. Sculptor Lauren McAloon has one of her works in the Armory’s garden and is the facility coordinator for TSKW. “I have to work fulltime,” she said, “but the summers are slow, so I get more time for my art.” McAloon works at home and sometimes at other sculptor’s workshop when they are away, because space for her art is limited. “I need more room than a painter,” she said. “And our work can be messy, so there are no sculptors here.” She has also taken art classes at the college and taken advantage of the space available at the Stock Island campus. Eric Holowacz, executive director of TSKW, said the Armory wants a partnership with artists and art groups. “We have 12 studios up stairs and having that many artists in one area helps creativity and enhance experiences,” he said. “We want artists to come to us with ideas for workshops and programs.’ Just before school opened, TSKW held a two-day workshop for Monroe County art teachers. “We had local artists showing techniques the teachers could use in the classroom,” Holowacz said. “Hopefully, the techniques will help the art teachers reach the students and challenge them.” A couple of years ago there were a handful of art galleries on White Street and seeing the art scene thriving along Duval Street the gallery owners began “Walk on White.” Galleries and businesses stayed opened on the third Thursday of the month from 6 – 9 p.m., offered wine and cheese and welcomed guests into their businesses. The walk goes from the Armory at White and Southard streets down to Catherine and White Streets. “And walk worked for us,” said Dianne Zolotow from Lucky Street Gallery. “We got people onto the street and into the shops.” While the “Walk on White” continues, most of the galleries have gone, local businesses welcome the artists to display in their shops. Some galleries closed and others, like Lucky Street have moved. “In 1995, we moved the gallery to White Street, after 10-years on Duval,” Zolotow said. A few years back the owner of the building at 1130 Duval Street approached Zolotow and asked her to look at the space. “It was three-times the space,” she said. “It was also three-times the rent, but it was flexible space and that’s what sold me.” Lucky Street Gallery has a variety of art for sale, from paintings to sculptures and in many shapes and sizes. “I would say 75-percent of my sales are to locals and people with second homes in Key West,” Zolotow said. “The later I stay open the more tourists come in and buy.” Late, during season is 9 p.m., 8 p.m. in the summer. The gallery’s larger items she ships for out-of-town clients. “This time of year, we probably ship 25-30-percent,” she said. “In season it’s a little more.” The gallery changes shows every three-to-four weeks in the summer and every two-weeks in season, she said. The galleries and businesses at Upper Duval Street have taken the hint from “Walk on White” and have created a “Full Moon Walk” for the area each month. “It will bring people to the area,” she said. “And I expect it will be successful. Galleries and businesses are eager to try it.” The Guild Hall Gallery, 614 Duval St., has been at its location for 32 years. It is a co-op of 21 local artists, whose work includes jewelry, pottery, photography, watercolors, oils, and sculptures. “We sell to everyone,” laughed weaver Claire Perrault. “Tourists, of course, but also to a lot of mainland Floridians and locals.” She estimates the Guild ships about 20-percent of its sales. “Each artist is responsible for shipping his or her works,” she said. “If it’s a big sale, being that the artists are all local, we can call them and they’ll come in and discuss the shipping and costs with the customer.” Perrault said if the Guild didn’t offer shipping, they would lose sales. Antonio and Yurien Rodriguez are local artists who make their living off their art. Antonio sells at Mallory Pier during the Sunset Celebration, as well as at the Guild. “We are seeing less people at the pier these days,” he said. “We certainly aren’t looking forward to September, because it is always a slow month in the Keys.” It might be because of the British pound’s exchange value against the dollar, he said, but he has seen Brit tourists spending the most at the pier. “It goes in cycles every year,” Antonio said. “Summers are slow, we see a small increase in sales between October and November and then more increases from January to May, and then it’s summer again.” Across the street, the Wyland Gallery offers high-end art from Wyland and other artists. Jay Schaffer, the manager of both Wyland Galleries, there’s another smaller gallery in the 100 block of Duval Street, said the galleries represent Wyland about 15 other world-recognized artists. “People come here for the purpose of buying a work from Wyland,” he said. The gallery ships about 99-percent of its sales, he said, and absorbs the cost of shipping within the United States. George Guzman, owner of the newest high-end gallery at 534 Duval Street – Galerie de Val – said his gallery represents 25 artists, six of them world renowned. “I’m from Las Vegas,” he said. “I believe when the economy is down it is time to open your business. If you can make it through the hard times, you are stronger when the good times return.” Guzman also believes that with the stock market on such a roller coaster ride, art is becoming a good investment, again. “Buyers know our artists and when they see the works in our windows, they come in,” he said. “We ship, but insurance costs are expensive.” After 14-years in the art business, Guzman chose to open his new gallery in Key West because it’s rated one of the best fine art markets in the country, he said. “We opened in February and we are here for the long haul,” Guzman said. For Fantasy Fest, Guzman will have many of the gallery’s artists present to talk to and meeting buyers. “On Oct. 25, the night of the parade, we are having a RSVP reception with the artists,” Guzman said. “We are calling it the ‘Dream Team of the Art Industry’ and people can find out more by coming in and talking to us.” Artist Barbara Grobe had a gallery on White and Virginia streets for years. She sold it and it soon went out of business. Her sculptures of geckos were seen hanging off walls all over Key West. Grobe has rented the old Flagler Station trolley stop barn at Caroline and Margaret streets and opened the Key West Art Bar. “It’s a department store for things creative,” she said. Still a gallery in progress, Grobe’s plans call for a wine bar and movies, in association with Michael Shields, on the outdoor patio. “We will have seating for 30-40 people for films and art classes,” Grobe said. “I have been going 10-14 hours a day for three weeks to get the gallery going. Getting the artists and licenses, it takes time.” The Key West Art Bar carries jewelry, clothing, painting, and pottery. In the jewelry area, there are pieces from Barbara Garwood, who was named designer of the year in 2005 and featured in National Geographic. Also planned, is a “Walk on Caroline.” The walks are popular with locals and visitors, Grobe said, remembering the “Walk on White.” Art classes, movies, talks, all bring people into the gallery, and also into the neighborhood. “This is a great section of town and it’s ready for the art community,” Grobe said. “We are the second gallery at this end of Caroline and other businesses want to get involved. It’s all about bringing business in.”