The Best of Art Basel Weekend 2013

Art Basel provides a platform for galleries, giving them access to an international audience of collectors, museum directors and curators. The shows attract people with an appreciation of modern and contemporary art who experience Art Basel as a cultural event. (Reference from Wikipedia) This event arrived to Miami Beach, Florida at the Miami Convention Center under the direction formerly of Samuel Keller in 2002.

 The first week of December every year, Miami is the Mecca of art thanks to Art Basel. It is inevitable that everyone knows about the big event at the Convention Center, many do notice that the entire city transitions as well. Everything around is creatively expressed. And any objects bolted down are taken over by urban art writers (graffiti artists). 

 With everything going on including the gridlock around the city, it is extremely difficult to see everything and attend all the invitations receive. However, there are a few spots and events that deserve mentioning as A.T.B’s Best of Art Basel Weekend 2013.



Best Welcome- Black Art in America @ Townhouse Hotel in South Beach.

Only a few blocks away from the convention center, this quaint meet and greet was hosted by the leading online social network focused on African-American art. Nibbles, libations and intelligent conversation were a great start to a week of festivities important not only to the black art community but to the South Florida art community as a whole. 

 BAIA provides member artists with global exposure by connecting them to collectors, arts enthusiasts, arts institutions and professionals. Black Art in America (BAIA) has received over 4 million page views from 180 countries and has a weekly reach on Facebook that exceeds 1 million each week, allowing the global arts market to become familiar with work from BAIA artists and the exchange of thought within their online community. (Reference from http://blackartinamerica.com) We were blessed to have BAIA as our cooperate sponsor for @ Collaboration: African Diaspora Exhibition in September 2013.


Best Conversation- Najee Dorsey

Najee Dorsey, is Founder and CEO of Black Art In America™ and an artist in his own right who was one of the people welcoming all the attendees to the BAIA Meet & Greet . One thing that was appreciated, this very successful artist was very down to earth. 

 Although he has met many famous people and has had his work appear in films including the re-make of the movie Steel Magnolias, he is very friendly & down to earth. He keeps it real. This big teddy bear welcomes you with a smile, a glass of wine & great conversation that you will learn something from as an artist and as a collector.









Best Popup Show- Prizm Art Fair 

Located at the Marquis Residence in Downtown Miami, this very hip Hot Spot showcasing an exhibition of artists of African Diaspora brought in a who’s who of diverse art collectors. Prizm is a cutting-edge art fair that is multidisciplinary in scope, promoting the work of artists of color, who reflect global trends in contemporary art. (Reference from http://www.prizmartfair.com/) The unique premise that coordinator Mikhaile Solomon & curator Marie Vickles did, was not the typical “wine & cheese” event. In fact if you wish to eat or drink you can purchase that before you walk into the exhibition venue. The vibe was, “you can mingle, but you are here to BUY art”. Not a pretentious approach at all. Very smart in fact. Reiterating that, the space is full of great art, and they need to go to great homes.

Best Art Supporter- Danny Simmons

Being a fine artist by profession is often challenging. Add on being related to a mogul and a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and you may think this is harder. But Joseph and Russell do not run this show. Older brother Daniel “Danny” Simmons, a neo-African abstract expressionist painter and co-founder and Chairman of Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation is very well accomplished in the art scene. By no means because of the name he is connected to. You’d figure with his name, like other famous people who attend Basel weekend, he’d pick up a Basquiat or a Wiley with a camera crew in tow. Not at all. Very discretely, Danny supports emerging artists. No bragging rights, just simply “he likes what he likes.” That old fashioned approach to good ol’ art appreciation. One need not have an art history degree or a million dollar contract to simply support great art created by great artists.

Best Art Fair- Red Dot

From the minute I walked in the door, the woman at the front table remembered me from the previous year from signing up for more information. There was interactive art to my right and greeter left. And that was only 26 second of walking in the door. The event coordinator stopped us in the second aisle asking how we were like what we saw so far. And we were so in awe of the art & the atmosphere and were delighted to tell her. Red Dot Art Fair far exceeded our expectations of any art fair we had ever experienced in the 10 years of attending these shows. The hospitality and the talent that was within that space was just inspiring to us as artists & curators.


Best Technique-Leah Yerpe

ArtMiami/Context by far is a large venue. There is no way one can see everything in one visit. However, the most impressive artist exhibiting here was Brooklyn artist, Leah Yerpe. Amazing rendering. Simply breathtaking.
















Best Gallery- Collection Privee Gallery

Walking thru the Wynwood Art District this time of year, one acknowledges that there are a vast variety of pop up galleries in the area. In the midst of all these temporary entities, lies a permanent space worth visiting Collection Privee Gallery. The sculpture series by Paige Bradley is definitely worth the investment. Busy as he should be, the gallery director is happy to give you anything you want to know about the artists and the beautiful work in the space.













Best Restaurant-Pride and Joy BBQ

Sometimes one needs a break from art. Though still artsy, the design decor at Pride and Joy BBQ is very artistically eclectic. Beer can chandeliers, truck installation bar  and the great Rock n Roll music adds to the fun ambiance of this eatery.  The shrimp & grits are to die for & the brisket melts in your mouth. They are ala cart but that's okay because it gives you a great opportunity to pick what you want without the worry of being penalized for substituting. 

Best Gimmick-Rivalry Club

As quoted by one of the sales people "this is our Super Bowl". The spot where all the writers know for their gear and their bombs (a.k.a spray paints). Rivalry Club has  the coolest tees and whimsical art parodies painting .  In the heart of Wynwood, this edging yet classy spot had a diverse clientele and appealed to kids and elders alike. But rest assure, if you were tagging a wall, and ran out of paint, you knew exactly what spot to hit.

Best Urban Spot-Wynwood Wall

Nestled between Wynwood Kitchen & Bar & Wynwood Doors, this spot is smack in the heart of the Wynwood Arts District.  Walls and walls of some of the best Street Artists from all over the world. The walls a tastefully covered with  the cream of the crop art work that money can't buy. There is a juice bar, a few galleries & some great novelty stores. 

So since you cannot stick the walls in your purse.  There are opportunities bring a little bit of Wynwood home with you. 


Best Space-Yeelen Art Gallery

Yeelen is a contemporary art space with a focus on the promotion and expression of Street Culture. 

(Reference from website http://www.yeelenart.com) Established in 2008 in Little Haiti, it is art's best kept  secret in Miami. It is curated/founded by art director Karla Soimaud and her artist husband Jerome who was also exhibiting at the Prizm Art Fair. (Showcases were partnered) 4 dynamic spaces. Three different art shows and entertainment outside can be happening all at the same time, and you can feel 4 completely unique experiences.  By far a must see.Beautiful.

SAVE THE DATE

Cheryl Gowdy & Vicki Halmos 
Invite You To

A Beautiful Evening of Beautiful Delights

a benefit for the Center for Creative Education

  

November 22, 2013 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Featuring 

Irina Grammatina Handpainted Silk Scarves & Tunics

Irina Smirnova Photography

Nzingah Oniwosan  Jewelry  

Bonnie Roseman's BLT collection
Mars  Sublime Antiques & Vintage Jewelry

  

20% of all proceeds will be donated to the Center for Creative Education

 

 

CCE merges ART and ACADEMICS

We bring learning to life by engaging children in hands on, multi-dimensional learning. We use visual, performing and language arts to enhance student's knowledge of traditional subjects. So painting, music and dance are used to increase mastery of literacy, math and science. It's creative and it works!   

  

Special thanks to Michael Price Photography!  

Well Worth It

Met a few friends for dinner & drinks at this highly suggested place by my longtime HS friend Freddie "Prophet" Parra (of K7) right before the place opened. Since then people like my life sisters Karen Suazo & Angela Torres as well as music Producer Jellybean Benitez & radio personality Alexie F gave high recommendations on the spot & the food.

 Fridays has 2 for 1 drinks at the bar. Try the Sangria Blanco. And please definitely end your meal w/the chocolate flan. The food is amazing, the atmosphere was nice. Music after 11pm when on the guest list. Note: Jellybean Benitez also performs once a month at the spot. 

 I especially like the fact that celebrities & regular people can congregate and it not be a media circus. Had the pleasure of meeting record executive & establishment owner Gungie Rivera who was nice enough to buy a drink for my guest & I. 

 If you are in the NYC area, head to the Bronx & check out Babalu Restaurant & Lounge 3233 East Tremont Avenue Bronx, New York 10461

A Northwood Favorite

If you are looking for something basic in the form of a burger.... you have come to the WRONG place....Relish is anything but basic. 

Opened in 2010, Relish is a unique experience of casual dining for people with a gourmet palette. 

Not only do they have the commonly expected beef & turkey burgers...they have duck, wild mushroom, black bean, buffalo & even kobe w/foie gras burgers just to name a few. But what gives this place it's name is all the delicious relishes to top your burgers...20 to be exact.  My favorite is the sweet & smokey bacon.

And if you are a regular you already know about their notorious addictive milk shakes... Each shake is topped with an edible garnish that enhances the experience. This is worth cheating on your diet for. 

So if you plan to be in the neighborhood, for Art & Wine Promenade, art or antique shopping, or just passing thru....stop in to RELISH...you won't be disappointed.

401 Northwood Rd, West Palm Beach FL 

The Radiant Child

As this is my 3rd time seeing this movie, I really am starting to realize that this purposely was brought to my attention. Jean Michel Basquiat, like so many of us artists, was a tormented soul who was brilliant. The Radiant Child was a simple documentary with a complexed formula. 

 So many of us artists only true request is to be accepted for what we are put on this earth to do….We want to be appreciated….respected. & we can also be embraced by our idol, that’s just icing on the cake. 

 I know there is a definite reason this story keeps coming onto my path.... I am still trying to read the signs & I will eventually figure out what they are. If there is any art documentary you need to witness in your lifetime…. This one is definitely it.

West Palm Beach's Best Kept Secret

Courtesy of Irie Island Cuisine and Bistro

We had been saying we would check out this location for months. I must say we have been missing out on this grand location for well over a year. Irie Island Cuisine and Bistro is one our best restaurant discoveries this year. Not just for the food, but for what it stands for. The location is ran by a brother, sister team with mom in the kitchen. How simple is that? You know if Mom is cooking, you cannot go wrong! It's a combination of Caribbean & American cuisine. The family is so humble. Loved them the minute we met them. 

Having a conversation with the male of the team Orien, you can see how appreciative he is to be part of the community & proud he is to introduce them to what his family's specialty is. Not to mention the prices are just right. 

 So when you go to lunch on Clematis in West Palm Beach, FL make sure you & your colleagues drop by this great establishment. 

 Irie Island Cuisine and Bistro is located @ 

 106 North Olive Avenue West Palm Beach, Florida 

 open Monday-Friday 8am-7pm 

(561) 650-8111

Unchained Melody

Watching a flick about slavery one should usually feel uncomfortable.....So I went into the theater to see Django Unchained, making sure that I would NOT feel awkward about the subject matter, use of language or even the much anticipated notorious Tarantino gore.

 I have to say once I got past that, I was able to enjoy the movie. I will admit that I felt a little guilty about grinning from ear to ear. As if Jamie Foxx's actions were getting even w/the slave owners of my own family....SMH 

 So many people would give negative comments about the movie because it was created by a non-person of color. But I say...OH SO WHAT...it's entertainment....And not for nothing, if Quentin Tarantino rewrote our (black) history, chances, our ancestors may have had a different outcome.