Small Towns with Big Art Scenes Across the South
Seek out handcrafted treasures at these small-but-mighty towns dotted across the region
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Grayton Beach, Florida
The Florida Panhandle’s 30A corridor draws art lovers of all tastes: Festivalgoers flock to ArtsQuest, one of the Southeast’s top juried shows, while Digital Graffiti, a weekend extravaganza at ritzy Alys Beach, pulls an architecture-loving crowd. But any arty itinerary along 30A should include Grayton Beach, the eclectic enclave that birthed the arts scene along this entire stretch. Founded in the 1880s, Grayton—its natural beauty marked by serene dune lakes and swaths of pine and oak, much of it protected as state parks and forests—has long attracted painters, sculptors, and photographers who set up shop in wooden bungalows along the beach. Some original cottages remain among the vacation rentals, their whimsical yard curios peeking through Spanish moss.
At Defuniak Street and Hotz Avenue, a trifecta of landmarks reflects an Old Florida spirit and the com- munity’s artistic core: the Grayt Wall of Art, where a mural proclaims the unofficial motto, NICE DOGS STRANGE PEOPLE; the weathered Red Bar, whose hodgepodge of memorabilia and tchotchkes makes it as much time capsule as restaurant; and the Zoo Gallery, with its delightful and downright weird art. Opened in 1979, the Zoo has three Panhandle outposts; its Grayton location offers to visitors three rentable rooms above the shop. A few miles north, the colorful Shops of Grayton, a collection of eight galleries, have promoted local talent since 1998.
Memorabilia galore at the Red Bar.
The origins of 30A’s event circuit began here too. In 1988, photographer and custom-frame shop owner Susan Foster cofounded the Grayton Beach Fine Arts Festival with her friend Jan Clarke. Its early years typified Grayton’s wild-child personality, with pony rides and a giant pig to pet, someone strumming a guitar, and dogs running around everywhere. “It was very much a small community event,” Clarke says. “There was a lovely bond, and a lot of friendships were formed.” The festival soon obtained state funding, evolved into the multiday ArtsQuest, and helped inspire the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, an organization that named its Foster Gallery in honor of the late photographer. Her tiny frame shop may be long gone, but the legacy she left shows no signs of fading. —Blane Bachelor
GARDEN & GUN
March 12, 2024
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