ORANGE PARK – Local artists peppered the Urban Bean Coffeehouse Café with original artwork, crafts and other handcrafted oddities late last month for the inaugural ‘Art Buzz’ art show.

Now, a partnership between the coffeehouse and local artists hopes to expand on the flagship event’s success by holding the event monthly.

Art Buzz saw seven artists wrapped around the outside of the coffeehouse, located near the corner of Park and and Kingsley Avenues. The owners of the Urban Bean hope to attract more artisans and artists for the next event, as well as a larger turnout from the public.

If the turnout is higher among artists and customers, then they’ll continue hosting Art Buzz. If not, however, the event may need to be tweaked or even scrapped. Café co-owner Pam Hegel said the artists will decide for themselves if it’s worth continuing

“Art is a part of who we are culturally, art is a part of who we are in every community, art affects every body in one way or another,” Hegel said. “If we don’t support artists – they have to make a living for at least what they’re doing on the side in order to allow them to do what they do.”

The symbiosis of coffee shop and art show works well for the café’s business and for the artists. But, according to the event’s organizer Kyle Willis, the event’s chief aim is to “attract some attention [to local artists] and get a little ‘Art Buzz’ going on.”

“To pair independent business owners with independent artists and give them a place to sell their wares, I think that’s cool,” said Willis who lives in Oakleaf. “I personally love to patronize the business that sell my wares”

Drumming up support for the artistic ecosystem budding in Clay County requires a quiet and slow rhythm of consistent artistic exposure, something Clay’s artsy cousin to the north, Jacksonville, apparently does well.

However, Willis, is just one artist in the small insurgency of artists vying to have their voices heard through local business partnerships, local events and art shows.

And it seems to be working.

For some artists, Art Buzz provided a first taste at the minutia of art shows. For others, it gave them their first sale.

“Some of these artists never showcased their artwork live before,” Willis said. “There’s nothing like the look on someone’s face when they interact for the first time and make a sale – it’s like watching your child walk for the first time, it’s a beautiful thing.”

The event was free for artists, an uncommon scene in the world of art shows, according to Willis. According to Hegel, some of the best support she can provide local artists is giving them a free platform to show their work to the public.

“If it isn’t something that is strongly supported here, we’d love to be a part of making that happen then,” Hegel said. “In [places like] Avondale and in the Five Points area, why not bring that down to Clay County? Bring it down south – bring it down south. That’s our whole reason for even starting the Urban Bean here.”

The Urban Bean has worked to bring exposure for artists since they opened their doors in March 2015. With a small stage in the corner of the coffeehouse, they’ve hosted jazz artists, singers, rock bands and other flavors of music.

They’ve also given budding musicians the chance to perform live through open mic nights. Musicians themselves, the husband and wife owners know the persistence it takes to gain recognition with art.

It’s difficult, however, to hang up local artwork without interrupting the coffeehouses’ warm Feng Shui, with the café’s industrial style and earth colors.

So when Willis met with the Hegels and the idea for Art Buzz got feet, the owners thought it was a fantastic alternative to hanging artwork that might not fit the visuals of their space.

The Urban Bean will host the next Art Buzz on Oct. 29.