Ana, Kirsten, Carrie, me, Judy, and the beach!

the company

I’m happy to report that the Miami adventure was a great experience. Really enjoyed the time with my artist traveling companions from SCAD: Judy, Carrie, Ana, and Kirsten. We were hosted by Terri in her gorgeous home – an inspiring retreat after a day of walking the fairs. Plenty of good food, drink, and company.

the art

And then, of course, there was the art. Tons of it. More than you could shake a stick at, and certainly more than we could see in three days! But we made an impressive dent and visited eight fairs and venues: Red Dot, Scope, Art Asia, Art Miami, Rubell Collection, Art Basel Miami Beach (ABMB), Aqua, and NADA. I did not take my camera, but took lots of notes. It really was a contemporary art education in three days! Lots to challenge and inspire. I probably took the most notes at ABMB, just because it was the largest (took two visits to get through), enjoyed the art most at Art Miami and Aqua, and definitely liked Aqua best in terms of the venue. That fair is set up in the Aqua hotel, with each gallery having a room. I enjoyed the intimate setting, very different from the hugeness of ABMB in the Convention Center.

It was a thrill to visit my own paintings in the Artisan Direct booth at Red Dot, and to share that experience with friends. Met several other artists on the trip, as well as some gallerists and suppliers.

Artisan Direct booth at Red Dot. Photo by Lisa Freedman.

Up close on my Reservoir paintings. Photo by Carrie Johnson.

a perfect ending

We wrapped up our visit with a performance of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company at the Ziff Ballet Opera House. The dance “event”, part of their Legacy tour, included original costumes by Robert Rauschenberg. The audience is actually on stage with the dancers, who move between three different areas throughout the dance. The musicians were also on stage in three locations, and used a combination of traditional and fantastical instruments. We were able to move all around the stage during the performance. Definitely one of the most interesting performances I’ve ever attended, and we were all enthralled. It was the perfect way to end our art-laden experience! (PS – I’ve since learned that the Legacy Tour, which continues through 2011, will the the Merce Cunningham company’s last. If they’re performing near you, go see them!)

Never have I so enjoyed art overload! I feel happily sated, as after a sumptuous holiday meal.

For more on the Miami art fair experience, here’s Carrie’s write-up at the SCAD Painting blog. Also highly recommended: Joanne Mattera’s detailed and photo-rich Miami posts, which will continue through December.