For a state with over 1200 miles of coastline, it's no surprise that Florida's connection to the water is a popular subject for arts and crafts. A history that includes Native Americans and agricultural pursuits also plays a part in the crafts produced in the Sunshine State. The early peoples of the area relied not only on the land but on the sea for survival. Many of today's crafts originated with their daily needs, often evolving over time into decorative crafts. Thanks to the state's warm climate and thousands of families and retirees who have relocated to Florida, modern crafts are as popular as folk crafts.
To get a real taste of folk crafting in Florida, visit the small town of White Springs. A town that feels more like the Old South than most people's vision of Florida, White Springs hosts the Florida Folk Festival each May at the Stephen Foster Folk Cultural Center State Park. This is one of the best places to see true Florida folk crafts. Highlights of the festival include many folk craftspeople who learned their skills traditionally, passed down through generations. Most of these crafts started out as objects which were daily necessities, and their continued creation has become a way to preserve tradition and culture. Some of the crafts demonstrated, shown, and sold at this festival include:
- Hand carved duck decoys
- Pine needle baskets
- Embroidery and needlework
- Wooden bowls, spoons, and furniture
- Hand tied cast nets
- Braided rugs
- Cotton and wool spinning
- Handmade brooms
- Split rail fences
- Handmade musical instruments
- Jewelry
- Fiber art and candles
- Clay and pottery
For a taste of beach-related crafts, visit Sanibel Island, located in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Ft. Myers. Sanibel Island holds the Sanibel Shell Fair and Show each year in March. The fair's 70 year-history is a testament Sanibel's well-deserved reputation as one of the best places in the United States to collect seashells. Two large tents of shell crafters display many crafts created out of seashells, including flower arrangements, wall hangings, jewelry, and more.
To see more historical crafts, visit the Florida Museum of Natural History, located in Gainesville on the campus of the University of Florida. The "South Florida - People and Environments" permanent exhibit offers a glimpse into the past, with objects from the Native American tribes of the Seminole and Calusa Indians. Items like shell tools, fishing gear, and paintings give some insight into handmade items that were essential to daily life in wild Florida. The museum also offers workshops in crafts like pine needle basket making, which was a popular folk craft in Florida.
The Museum of Florida History, located in Tallahassee, also has many handmade crafts on display that illustrate Florida's past. One of the most important exhibits is the Florida Quilt Collection, which owns quilts dating back to 1838. The museum also has over 200 examples of Florida basketry.
Yet another great spot to get a peek at old time crafts is the Florida Pioneer Museum in Dade City. This museum includes many pieces that were necessities in daily pioneer life. Its craft exhibits include a decorative crochet collection with items such as table runners and doilies; handmade vintage clothing; furnishings used for spinning and weaving; and quilts. The museum hosts several special events throughout the year, such as the Pioneer Florida Days Festival and the Country Christmas Open House, both of which include craft shows and demonstrations.
For those who want to see crafts with a more contemporary slant, try the Handmade in Florida Craft Gallery, located in Tampa in historic Ybor City. This privately owned gallery is dedicated to showing local craftsmen and women. Crafts of many media are displayed, such as fiber art, pottery, and jewelry. The gallery is part retail, part studio, and also offers classes.
While in Ybor City, view the handmade tradition that built Ybor City. Rolling cigars was part of what made Ybor City into a National Historic Landmark District. "Tabaqueros," or master rollers, still hand roll cigars as their Cuban predecessors did. Five generations have rolled cigars at the Gonzalez Y Martinez Cigar Company, and today visitors can still see and buy hand rolled cigars.
In nearby St. Petersburg, visitors to the Florida Craftsmen Gallery can view the works of nearly 125 craftspeople who create glassware, ceramics, furniture, jewelry, and more. This organization was established in 1952, and is open to the public. Yet another gallery dedicated to fine crafts in St. Pete is the Nancy Markoe Gallery Fine American Crafts Gallery, located at St. Pete Beach.
For those interested in pottery, Florida has many talented potters. They can be found throughout the state, with a large concentration of studios and galleries in beach areas such as Pensacola, Sanibel, Pine Island, and Naples on the Gulf side; and Merritt Island, to Miami, to the Florida Keys on the Atlantic.
Florida Festivals
Festivals are often one of the best ways to view and purchase a wide variety of crafts in one place. Whether it's a festival dedicated strictly to crafts, or a larger festival with crafts as just one of its draws, Florida has a large number of festivals to visit. Some of the best include:
- Pioneer Days, held each October in the one-stoplight town of Mayo
- Tarpon Springs Craft Festival, held each November
- Native American and Pioneer Festival held at the Collier-Seminole State Park in February
- The State Fair, held in Tampa
- Christmas Festival of Crafts, held in Titusville
- Mount Dora Craft Festival, held in October
- Ybor City Arts and Crafts Fiesta, held throughout the year
Florida's rich history of pioneers, farmers, and Native Americans lives on in its traditional crafts. Other crafters add a modern sensibility to their works. The large number of festivals held throughout the state, in addition to galleries and museums, are great ways to explore the myriad of crafts Florida has to offer.