11/4/07- As seen in Keys Sunday

Rain Barrel collects new artists

BY CLAUDIA MILLER

In the front gallery of the Rain Barrel in Islamorada, the soft tinkling of wind chimes mixes with the loud banging of hammers from ongoing renovations.

After changing hands three months ago, it is apparent that the artisan village is going through a metamorphosis, so it’s fitting that the first event in the spruced-up space focuses on butterflies.

Several people came together to purchase the Rain Barrel: Jim Mooney, Mike Forster and Dan and Sande Keil. Sande Keil, an artist who has worked at Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden and Miami Children’s Museum, said that although they each had different skills to bring to the table, their uniting factor was their love of the community.

“Our main goal in purchasing the property was to reunite the community with the Rain Barrel. We definitely want it to still be a tourist destination, but we want to bring back the local families. This is a beautiful natural hammock — like a mini- Fairchild Gardens.”

Founded 30 years ago by Carol Cutshall, the Rain Barrel is home to 10 resident artists, and many more are represented throughout the galleries. Although two artists, Dan Lawler and Joan Purcell, have moved on to different studios since the new owners took over, five new artists have moved in.

Sande Keil has joined with Flor Mayoral and Gloria Sesana to create the 3 Arts Studio where the focus is on the three mediums of painting, digital art and collage. The gallery showcases their works as well as that of nine other artists.

“I think trying out different artists brings a new life,” Keil said. “It helps bring in new customers, and it helps the up-andcoming artists.”

Painter Stacie Krupa and Sea Dragon Exotic Island Décor will be sharing another gallery as secondary outposts of their downtown Islamorada spaces. It will open in mid-November. Krupa’s larger-than-life paintings will be featured on the walls, while the Indonesian furniture of Sea Dragon will fill the floor.

“I thought it was a natural balance,” Krupa said. “My work is very contemporary and modern, and I feel that it works really great with the Bali woods and furniture.”

Keil noted that there were some changes in the Rain Barrel’s main gallery as well. They have added jewelry such as Wendy Mahr’s work with semi-precious stones, Diane Dufour’s Swarovski crystal hearts and the eclectic beadwork of Elizabeth Nuche. Also, in the outdoor area, they are focusing on artwork that serves both indoors and out such as wind chimes, ceramic planters, sculptures and wall plaques.

A scaled-down café will be reopening Saturday. Instead of the gourmet vegetarian fare that was once served, there will be more casual ready-to-go items such as wraps, sandwiches, salads, key lime pie and ice cream.

“We hope to have a little bit of that gourmet food, but 80 percent of the people who come here want a lower price-range, especially for the kids,” Keil said.

What used to be the front of the café will be used to hold a staging area for visitors who want to tour the HGTV Dream Home being built in Islamorada. This home, which will be the first “green” home built by the network, is worth more than $2.5 million, and the tours start the beginning of January. Keil said that organizers anticipate approximately 300 people a day will come to visit the home, which HGTV will give away at the end of a spring contest.

“I like the fact that HGTV is going to be in there,” Krupa said. “This is a phenomenal opportunity. It’s going to generate a lot of traffic. They have purchased three pieces of mine, and I am in the great room of the home. They like to use local artists, and I think that’s going to encourage visitors to shop at the Rain Barrel.”

The remaining question mark at the Rain Barrel is the unfinished building at the back of the property. The owners are still waiting for permits in order to complete construction. Forster said talks are ongoing with the historical society to put a museum into the space. Also, they are considering using the rest of the building as artist co-ops.

The first event at the Rain Barrel is the Butterfly Art and Science Exhibit on Saturday and Sunday. All of the artists in the village, as well as some visiting artists, will create artworks with butterfly themes. Local schools will be participating by creating butterflies that will be hanging from the trees as well as other artwork. Dwayne and Cindy King of the Rain Barrel Sculpture Gallery supplied the MARC project with ceramic butterflies to paint for the event.

There will be a free art table where children can make creative pictures of butterflies as well as pick up scientific information on things such as the development of the butterfly. At 11 a.m. Saturday, Cindy David of Landscape Designs, who landscaped Hawk’s Cay and Fisher Island, will give a presentation on how to create a butterfly garden. Visitors will also be able to see an example of a newly planted butterfly garden in the picnic seating area of the café.

“I like to combine art with science,” Keil said. “I also wanted to have things to do that are intergenerational — small children to grandparent age — where everyone can have something to do together. It’s fun, interactive and free. You don’t have to come here just to buy art.”

The Kings noted that although there were a lot of changes happening fast, they felt that they were all positive.

“We’re waiting to see what’s going to happen next, and we’re just going to keep on doing what we do,” said Dwayne King.