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I had seen posts about it in the previous weeks and artists like Atomik and Luis Valle have mentioned it in interviews: Free Art Fridays. Last week I decided to participate in Miami’s Free Art Fridays so I made my way to Wynwood, iPhone in hand, to hunt for some art and have a good time.
The Miami Free Art Fridays Group was started by “Registered Artist,” who is friends with the people who had the original idea. For Art Basel Miami Beach 2012 the artist decided to give away pieces of his work. He soon was joined by a few local artists and 200 followers and eventually the group grew to 1305 members (this is the number on June 4 at 5.27 pm - wow 1.305 ! This group really represents Miami right now).
After 6 months many artists and art hunters are looking forward to Fridays and the hunting territory has expanded. Wynwood is of course still a hot spot as the galleries and bars like Wood Tavern and Gramps attract an art crowd but artists are dropping off free art work all over Miami and Fort Lauderdale from Kendall to Brickell, Downtown Miami to the Bird Road Art District.
What I found were two record- coasters by Erik Ace. My glasses now sit on Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” and “I’m a Man” by Chicago. I love the idea, especially since I spent many years working in the music industry and still host and produce a radio show.
Last Friday I was prepared to invest some time and also made stops at some galleries such as PanAmerican Art Projects to see their “Argentine Photography” exhibit. In the afternoon it was my turn. A clue popped up with a photo and I recognized the wall on the corner of NW 2nd Ave and 24th Street. Luckily I had made a stop at Brisky Gallery on 24th Street so I made my way to the corner immediately and found my first envelope.
One of the photos that had attracted me to this Friday’s hunt though was a painting by Carolina Tesoro, a talented young artist whom I had previously met in the capacity of photographer during a studio visit. Born in New Orleans and raised in Miami Carolina started to immerse herself in the arts once she enrolled in college. With the encouragement of teachers Jennifer Basil and Tony Chirinos as well as visionary curator and gallery owner Anthony Spinello Carolina’s artistic pallet opened and she started to create her own unique art works.
When Carolina finally posted her clue I was taking a break to eat at Pride & Joy, devouring some ribs, green beans and corn bread. The clue was “Make sure you tip the bartender.” Considering it was pre- 5 pm in Wynwood there were two options, Lester’s and Panther Coffee and both were too far to get to fast enough, or so I thought.
Thankfully though, I was wrong. I made my way to Panther Coffee and there she waited for me, the white haired lady surrounded by night skies. A tiny 4 x 4 painting on a mini easel sat right there next to the tip jar and nobody had taken her yet. It was my lucky day! I was so happy I basically jumped for joy.
“The small canvass I made is inspired by one of my inspirations Vincent Van Gogh and his famous ‘Starry Night’ painting,” explained Carolina to me the next day and added, “I imagined what it would be like to live in that tiny village and find your self waiting for your lover to take you in his arms and love you under the magic of the moonlight. She is waiting, but is beginning to feel impatient..…”
Free Art Fridays was such a great experience and I spent a beautiful day in Wynwood that I ended at Wood Tavern’s Happy Hour with my favorite drink, “Berry Good.” Needless to say I am already looking forward to this Friday! This time around I will also drop off something. I want to give as well, just as the participating artists. Mind you I am no artist myself but I paint silk scarves and I hope someone out there will find it, enjoy it and have as happy a day as I had.
Wynwood Art Walk June 2013
An Interview with Magnus Sodamin
Heike Dempster 
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