New Times! Palm Beach Artists Unite....Shop Creative Saturday!

Ian Witlen

New Times! 

Palm Beach Artists Unite for "Shop Small, Shop Creative Saturday"

In an example of ethical consumerism, and aligned with the same thinking that fires the locavore movement, two of Palm Beach County's most visible alternative arts entrepreneurs are urging aesthetically adventurous, socially conscious holiday shoppers to "Shop Small, Shop Creative" this Saturday. They ask we patronize "the various art hubs, shops, districts, and galleries that promote emerging artists."

See also: ActivistArtistA Celebrates Two Years of Art and Fun with Three Days of Art and Fun

Shop Small is the brainchild of Boynton Beach artist/gallerist Rolando Chang Barrero and Lake Worth artist/gallerist Jacques de Beaufort. 

It involves open houses at Barrero's ActivistArtistA Gallery Saturday afternoon and de Beaufort's Unit 1 that evening, including a nightcap of live local music from Delray Beach's Smith Sundy, in an acoustic set, and Lake Worth's electronica-oriented Astrea Corporation.

See also: Smith Sundy's Music Is Inspired by "Outer Space"
Astrea Corporation Points Out, "You Can't Roll a Spliff on an MP3"

Acting under the umbrella of the Florida Arts Association (applying for 501(c)3 status, and which Barrero hopes will grow into "a statewide resource for emerging artists") Shop Small also touts Vape Trends (Delray Beach), Spot Coffee (Delray Beach), Art-Sea Living(Boynton Beach), The Glass Mermaid (Boynton Beach), Coastars Coffee (Lake Worth), and Harold's Coffee (West Palm Beach), all of which will be open and featuring the work of local artists.

Barrero has committed to price the work at his gallery at half off usual prices, with similar bargains from the many resident artists adjoining his space in the Boynton Beach Arts District. He says "a good deal" of work on display there and at Unit 1 will go for $25 to $50, with nothing priced more than $500.

De Beaufort denounced the prohibitively high prices of most art and "the architecture of suburbia" for its inability to support local artists. In a Shop Small manifesto of sorts he wrote:

Think of it this way, if you don't have the requisite $142 million to buy a Francis Bacon triptych, there's probably going to be a drawing or collage with bacon in it...or at least some sort of depiction of an animal to buy, and probably for around $142 dollars or less. And lots of people at the show will like Bacon, I mean who doesn't?

Shop Small Shop Creative. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Saturday, December 14, at ActivistArtistA Gallery, 422 West Industrial Ave., Boynton Beach, 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at UNIT 1, 1202 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth. Visit activistartista.com.

Fire Ant -- an invasive species, tinged bright red, with an annoying, sometimes-fatal sting -- covers Palm Beach County. Got feedback or a tip? Contact Fire.Ant@BrowardPalmBeach.com.

Thank you SE!