Artists showcase unique creations at St. Armands Art Festival

Longboat Key photographer Mary Lou Johnson said she only participates in shows close to home, extending to Naples. 

"It keeps my little world here, but (people are) coming from all over," she said. 

Including puzzles featuring Johnson's photos, the third annual St. Armands Circle Art Festival with Craft Marketplace, held Sept. 13 to 14, had plenty of unique offerings to draw visitors from near and far. 

Just one of the unusual items on display were the "unzipped rocks" by Timothy Gregory and his wife Lauren Gregory of Port St. Lucie. The rocks had been partially carved out, fitted with zippers around the openings, and filled with real objects. 

"I look at the rock, and I try to imagine, if it were to open, what would it look like?" Timothy Gregory said. "And I just kind of flow with the stone. And it kind of tells me what it wants to do."

Another was the images of photographer Steven Madow of Orlando, who has clearance from NASA to take up-close photographs of rocket launches. 

"I take the approach of trying to create the most surreal, most beautiful images of these launches, and rockets themselves are just powerful, exciting," he said.

"We've had a great crowd, great sales, people are out and about, and it's cooler this weekend," Johnson said. "I love seeing people who have bought my art before, but I love meeting all the new people as well."