North Port Art Crawl: Celebrating 10 Years of Bone Boutique & Images of Therapy
- Michele Moore
- Feb 26
- 3 min read
They say that "home is where the heart is," but for an artist, home is often where the work is. As we approach March 21st, we aren’t just celebrating another Saturday morning pop-up. We are celebrating a trifecta of milestones: a career that has spanned a decade, the 1-year anniversary of our "Pop-Up in My Driveway," and the official birth of the North Port Art Crawl.
The Leap: From the Bank to the Workbench
In 2021, I left the banking world behind. I had been on the craft show scene since late 2017, balancing my career with my passion, but I was ready to see if I could make this "art thing" a full-time reality.
That was the year the "hatchback era" truly began. I hauled my life’s work across North Port and surrounding cities in my Toyota. I kept my bone jewelry and art with me always—if I was in my car, the gallery was open. I learned the grit required to be a traveling artist: the 4:00 AM alarms, the booth fees, and the physical toll of packing and unpacking your soul every weekend. I never dreamt I would make a full-time career from it, let alone expand into Images of Therapy when Phillip and I started painting. But here we are—ten years into the art journey, and stronger than ever.
The "No-Brainer" Shift
In March of 2024, I decided to stop moving the merchandise and start moving the people.
With several local art centers closing their doors, the community was losing its connection to creators. I decided to open my driveway on Bobko Circle. It started as a "Pop-Up," but it quickly became a destination. People weren't just driving from down the street; they were driving for hours. Why? Because when you remove the high commissions of a middleman, you get something rare: Authenticity. You get to see where the paint is mixed and where the bones are cleaned.
Reclaiming the Map: The North Port Art Crawl
That "driveway notion" has grown too big for one house. By partnering with Carolina Lacerda of Onda Therapy Co, we have launched the North Port Art Crawl. We are a city of nearly 100,000 people "hidden between the trees" of Sarasota and Ft. Myers. For too long, we’ve been told we have to leave town to find culture.
We’re proving that wrong. By turning our studios and garages into professional, curated "Museum" environments, we are putting North Port on the map as an art destination in its own right.
What to Expect on March 21st
This month is our One-Year Pop-Up Anniversary, and it’s going to be special.
The Moore Museum of Art & Natural History: We are unveiling new wayfinding signage and placards to guide you through the Skullitorium, the Vivarium, and Fossil Curio.
The Military Wing: Phillip has rotated the "Art of War" collection. Notecards and prints are available for pre-order or in-person.
The Lab: See the beginning stages of articulating Little Miss Sunshine, a miniature horse who will eventually be reunited with her son, Ray of Sunshine and other projects.
The Tour: As always, we will host our guided Museum Tour at 11:00 AM sharp. You will always see something new, even if you have visited before.
Join the Movement
Whether you are a collector who has been with me since the 2021 hatchback days or a neighbor curious about the "Art Crawl", we invite you to come see what happens when a community supports its own. No trailers. No booth fees. Just real art, real stories, and real people.
See you in the driveway.
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