Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Oct. 16--Pat Anderson's passion is capturing the beauty of a tropical day. She also makes a living from it.
The artist, who specializes in painting boats, homes and tropical scenes, sells her artwork on everything from canvas to T-shirts at her Lighthouse Point store, My Own Cruising Journal, also known as Island Wear & Gifts. Anderson operates the business with her husband of 23 years, Pete Anderson, a former marketing executive.
With steel drum music playing, the Andersons chat with regular customers who drop in both for cruise wear and a unique gift of Pat's artwork. It may be a cotton twill shirt with Anderson's artwork on the back and a boat's name on the front. Or, she may customize one of her artworks with a drawing of a customer's actual boat or house.
Personalization is the key to sales at My Own Cruising Journal, a business that developed from the journals Anderson kept of her travels to islands with her husband on their 45-foot, two-mast Hardin Ketch sailboat. She first started selling her artwork on T-shirts. Eleven years later, business flows from many streams: direct sales through the store, custom work for South Florida corporations and residents, charity work, and offshoots that include custom framing, stationery and Christmas ornaments.
The store sells tropical apparel brands including Tommy Bahama, Lily Pulitzer, Fresh Produce, and Jam's World. Pat Anderson is also a fabric designer for Kahala, a brand from Hawaii.
But the real draw is Anderson's custom artwork, because it's unique. "That's what makes us different from the mall stores," she said.
Anderson's artwork is known for its bright colors and detail.
"You can find unique, wonderful gifts about our area that are so hard to find these days," said customer Debbie Edwards, who owns Lighthouse Marina with her brother and sister. Anderson has created Christmas cards for the marina featuring the lighthouse.
Mary Anne Riordan, a Lighthouse Point artist, buys gifts at the shop for her children and grandchildren and also takes art to Anderson for framing. "She has a lot of talent. You don't have to explain anything to her," she said.
Pete Anderson keeps the business on the right track by frequently checking if the store is meeting its goals. "I can tell you what my sales are for the day, the week and the month," he said.
The challenge for the Andersons has been hiring help to pinch-hit for them at the store, which is open seven days a week.
The store has two long-term employees, but most part-time workers have been difficult to keep. That has become a larger issue since Pat Anderson has been recovering from breast cancer surgery earlier this year, so the couple plans to hire additional help. She has "retired" from the store operation now to focus on her artwork.
"People come in and buy a T-shirt and meet the artist who did the work. It really stuns them," said Anderson, whose studio is just a few steps away from the store.
Four days after her operation, she painted a birds of paradise artwork to raise money for the American Cancer Society. She sells prints of the artwork to also raise money for the group, in thanks for her own recovery.
But working for charitable and community causes is nothing new for the artist who has created artwork and Christmas ornaments for the Winterfest boat parade in Fort Lauderdale, Cat Cay lobster events and the historic Sample McDougald House in Pompano Beach.
JM Family Enterprises and its founder, Jim Moran, and his wife, Jan, are frequent customers. Anderson has designed clothing that feature the Morans' Gallant Lady yachts. And the Deerfield Beach-based automobile distribution business recently ordered 300 T-shirts with Anderson's artwork for the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in South Florida.
Pat Anderson also stays active in the community, serving on the Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce and coordinating the annual art show at the Lighthouse Point Yacht & Racquet Club. But at the center of it all is her art.
"If you really love something you're doing, the time just flies by," Anderson said.
Marcia Heroux Pounds can be reached at mpounds@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6650.
-----
Copyright (c) 2006, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
OtherOTC:KAHL,
