epidermal art

There's a lot of fun body art out and about and I had a great time shooting all those painted poses. Posting most of them here though was problematic, for the obvious reasons, but these three are cool and show off the inventive range of styles.

These pictures are some of the worst garbage I've ever shot

So it's a Saturday night, you throw a party, all your friends and a handful of relatives come over in a really good mood for dancin' and drinkin' and meetin' and greetin' and eatin' 'til closing time.

The night rocks on, the tunes get louder and some folks get to dancing. Someone bumps Aunt Mary's drinking arm and her Beaujolais gets intimate with your beige carpet. Half eaten plates of hors d'oeuvres are piling up in the kitchen, Jack and Jean from across the street (you know, the enthusiastic couple) dance the Tiffany Table Lamp you found at the Big Pine Flea Market last spring right off the end table, Cousin Joe's building the world's biggest beer-can pyramid out back next to the pool and somebody took a leak an completely missed the toilet.

Still, everybody had a good time and at the end of the night as you close the door behind the last of your guests, you know it's time to clean-up. It's already late but you're not gonna wanna do it in the morning so, what the hell, get it done now and sleep in tomorrow.

This year's Fantasy Fest was a party and a damned good one! Thousands of people dancin' and drinkin' and meetin' and greetin' and eatin' 'til closing time.

Now, by the time the last of the die hard party people gets back to their home or hotel, crash land and sleep it all off, it'll be noon the next day. So by the time they've all crawled out of bed, dropped a couple of Darvon and headed back down Duval for brunch and a Bloody Mary, to jump-start the day, the street looks like nothing ever happened the night before.

Somebody cleans-up.
We all know "who" but, under the heading of "artists, go figure", I wanted to see "how".


Actually some of these made pretty fair incidental still-lifes. (or is that "still-lives? I was never quite sure on that one.)


A small army of city dudes and contractors starts at Front Street and one block at a time it's the same pattern. First the blowers and the guys who break down the barriers.

You've got to admire their energy and Spirit! It's 4:30 in the morning, the bars closed a half an hour ago, the lap dancers have all gone home, the streets are ankle deep in trash and these cats are bangin' a drum and dancin' in the street.

Then they bring on the heavy artillery.

It's landfill landscaping!

Next come the zambonis. . .

. . .and the sewer sump pumpers.


Then Toppino's truck dumpers.

I've gotta tell you, once they get the heavy equipment rolling around, the sound gets profound. But 'Ol Sleepin' Zeke here never heard a thing.



Curb your Captain?

. . .and that, is the way they do that.

What's next?

masquerade march

So, it's 5 in the afternoon on the Friday before the day of the big parade. Hundreds of folks, locals and visitors alike, suit up with a refreshing libation and go hang out over by the cemetery.
Eventually, as if pushed by some hidden hands, they all start moving in the same direction.

The Masquerade March is honestly more like a stroll that winds it's way through Old Town. I've always thought of it as practice for the big event. Everyone gets decked out in drag, practices the fine art of keeping their livers lubricated and warms up their bead-pitching arms.
It's really a lot of fun.

One thing I recommend not doing at the Masquerade March is telling the motorcycle cop at the head of the line that he's got a great costume. I don't think it was the first time he'd heard that but man, talk about no sense of humor.

toga • toga • toga • toga

Well it's Fantasy Fest week again. Key West's head start on the rest of the planet, toward the silly season.

Early in the week, most of the fantasy festivities are either private or paid admission and even though I've been to some of those events in years past, this year I've got more practical things to do with my money.

But that's the beauty of the Fantasy Fest experience, in terms of how one might celebrate it, it's really versatile. You can walk in the parade one year and ride on a float the next. Be a madness monitor, sell beer from a booth or, like I'm gonna do this year, just sit back and take it all in. The only real constant is, you've gotta have beads.
(hell, even Max has her own beads)

Last night I found my way to Duval and Greene for Sloppy Joe's Annual Toga Party. (I think I read somewhere this was their 26th annual)

Did you ever wonder where, otherwise "normal" people find a toga?
Well, a friend of mine works at Sloppy's merchandise store. (T-shirts and such) She says Sloppy's sells used hotel bed sheets, sashs and handfuls of safety pins at eight bucks a pop!
(only in Key West, aye?)

Anyway, here's a little of what last night's merry making looked like. But listen, you might want to screen this one before you share it with the kiddies.
Otherwise, enjoy. . .

epidermal art

There was a lot of fun body art out and about last weekend and I had a great time shooting all those painted poses. Posting most of them here though was problematic, for the obvious reasons, but these three are cool and show off the inventive range of styles.

fantasy festivities - VIDEO

Fantasy Fest comes once a year and when it does it brings good cheer;
The locals' are glad for the hoops and hollers while raking in tons of tourist dollars. . .

I guess I've seen Fantasy Fest Parades most every way you can. Like a spectator, as a madness monitor, beside a float, on a float and selling beer from the side lines. It's always been fun.

This year I wanted to see it from behind the camera so since Monday I've shot piles of photographs and miles of streaming video. This is a short sampling of those efforts. (yes friends, this is the PG version - no need to lock the children in
their rooms).

Enjoy. . .

click arrow to start video. run time, 4:17