Viva Florida 500 at the Gables Hispanic Fest. 2013

Coral Gables Mayor Jim Cason At The New World Mural 1513 Foundation At the Coral Gables Hispanic Cultural Festival. 2013
New World Mural 1513 and Citizens 2013 Viva Florida 500 Ponce de Leon Mural at the Gables Hispanic cultural Festival Painted by Ana Bikic And William Mark Coulthard. Freedom Tower Miami Muralist 1988

 New World Mural 1513 Foundation

At The Gables Hispanic Cultural Festival 2013

Le Jeune and Biltmore Way Coral Gables October, 26, 27.

The Gables Hispanic Cultural Festival had it’s 4th annual weekend street festival in front of Coral Gables City Hall .

Saturday morning Mayor Jim Cason welcomed everyone from the stage to get the Festival started then made his way up the Festival tents past a host of vibrant and expressive artists and vendors to the West end entrance, where he signed the Gracias Por La Historia canvases at the New World Mural 1513 Foundation’s tent. Mayor Cason then posed with a Conquistador helmet in front of a new mural made in partnership with Dade Heritage Trust for the Viva 500 Florida theme, by two of the original Freedom Tower, muralists from 1988.

New World Mural 1513 and Citizens 2013 Viva Florida 500 Ponce de Leon Mural at the Gables Hispanic cultural Festival Painted by Ana Bikic And William Mark Coulthard. Freedom Tower Miami Muralist 1988

The Gracias Por La Historia canvases filled with signatures by the end of the second day of the Festival, whole families donned helmets and feathers to be photographed together in front of the Map mural being raffled. The signed canvases are destined for the State and Spanish archive collections for this historic milestone in our State’s Viva 500 history and heritage. Families put the dates of their arrival in this area, they ranged from 1866 to less than 6 months ago.

New World Mural 1513 and Citizens 2013 Viva Florida 500 Ponce de Leon Mural at the Gables Hispanic cultural Festival Painted by Ana Bikic And William Mark Coulthard. Freedom Tower Miami Muralist 1988

The Freedom Tower Muralists were on hand to sign posters, they were also celebrating 25 years since their New World mural was created for the News Tower/ Freedom Tower in 1988,  which commemorates Juan Ponce De Leon’s naming and exploration of Biscayne Bay and Tequesta Miami for two weeks in 1513 and reminding everyone that Tequesta Miami is the first Native American settlement discovered and recorded in the ships logs of Juan Ponce De Leon’s first expedition to the waters North of Cuba.

New World Mural 1513 and Citizens 2013 Viva Florida 500 Ponce de Leon Mural at the Gables Hispanic cultural Festival Painted by Ana Bikic And William Mark Coulthard. Freedom Tower Miami Muralist 1988

Major Jim Cason is quick to point out that sixty percent of Coral Gables residents and businesses are Hispanic in culture or influence and having the Gables Hispanic Cultural Festival is an obvious win for all.  By the time he had made his way back down the other side of the vendor’s avenue the Stage area was well warmed up and sounding out Latin beats that would vary through the weekend from folk and gypsy to Latin funk and salsa beats.

Miami Hurricanes Football at the At the New World Mural 1513 Foundation

The small Merrick Park in front of Coral Gables City Hall had shade and favorite foods found from all over Miami Dade County with kids activities and cool places to sit and enjoy the stage performers.

New World Mural 1513 and Citizens 2013 Viva Florida 500 Ponce de Leon Mural at the Gables Hispanic cultural Festival Painted by Ana Bikic And William Mark Coulthard. Freedom Tower Miami Muralist 1988

This was a new venue for the Gables Hispanic Cultural Festival, previously at the Ponce De Leon and Biltmore intersect and park area. Their partnership with Waste Management Inc, had positioned clean trash boxes everywhere with soda and water stands never far from any point at the Festival. The Festival ran till late Saturday night attracting the usual Coral Gables Miracle Mile crowd to come across Le Jeune Ave to eat and dance, Sunday evening  the Festival ended earlier.

The Gables Hispanic Cultural Foundation really organised a very fun and secure Festival again.

http://www.newworldmural1513.org/

http://www.gableshispanicfestival.com/

http://www.gableshispanicfestival.com/

http://www.vivaflorida.org/

http://events.miamiherald.com/coral_gables_fl/events/show/359158583-new-world-mural-1513-tent-at-the-gables-hispanic-cultural-festival-viva-500-florida

http://www.vivaflorida.org/Events/New-World-Mural-1513

www.miamiartreviews.com                  Contact: Miamiartreviews@gmail.com

New World Mural 1513 and Citizens 2013 Viva Florida 500 Ponce de Leon Mural at the Gables Hispanic cultural Festival Painted by Ana Bikic And William Mark Coulthard. Freedom Tower Miami Muralist 1988

2013 A Viva Florida 500 Event Coral Gables

New World 1513 Mural Foundation at the Gables Hispanic Cultural Festival 2013
A Viva Florida 500 Event

The New World 1513 Mural Foundation will be participating at the Gables Hispanic Cultural Festival on 26th and 27th October.
This outdoor weekend Festival, in it’s fourth year, will feature local food, live music and art activities for the family.

The New World Mural 1513 tent at the Gables Hispanic Cultural Festival will be showing a recent tri-panel canvas mural celebrating Viva 500 . Tickets for the raffle of this mural will be sold at the tent,proceeds are going to the Dade Heritage Trust. with the final drawing at the end of the year.
The tent will also have postcards and small posters of local historic art for sale, a student history quiz with prizes and an opportunity for families to don period hats and take photos together in front of the art work. There will be a large canvas scroll mural where visitors can sign their “thanks” which is to be sent to the State’s archive collection for this year’s Viva Florida 500 program.

The New World Mural 1513 Foundation aims to raise the awareness of important events in history from 500 years ago. The State’s Viva Florida 500 program running this year is an important time to remember that Tequesta Miami was the first Native American
settlement discovered by the Spanish explorers.

The Gables Hispanic Cultural Festival will be at Biltmoor Way and Le Jeune, Coral Gables. It is a free family event lasting all day Saturday and Sunday, on the 26th and 27th October. Come and join us to learn that St Augustine was not the founding site of Juan Ponce De Leon 500 years ago in 1513. It was the Biscayne Bay and Tequesta Miami that were named as the first discovered Native American settlement, Viva 500 Miami.

http://www.newworldmural1513.com/

http://www.vivaflorida.org/Events/(from_date)/2013-10-7/(mode)/week/(query)/CORAL%20GABLES/(limit)/10/(sort_by)/Date

http://www.miamiartreviews.com

Stonehenge by Brian Curtis

Stonehenge 2013 By Brian Curtis UM Art Professor.

Brian Curtis Stonehenge Series I&II
UM Gallery Wynwood. Miami Florida July – Sept. 2013
Miami Art Reviews.

Brian Curtis is the head of under graduate studies in Painting and drawing at University of Miami, Coral Gables. The Stonehenge Series is a departure from his life and figure paintings.
The ancient (6500yrs) megalithic stone circle of England set against a tropical sunset may seem like a remarketing tool of artistic juxtaposition but a few days after meeting the artist ,looking west from Miami Beach’s Green Diamond towards Miami’s downtown skyline. “how much alike the set sun on these new Miami megalithic towers are to Brain’s recent series”. The use of the ancient symbol “Stonehenge” has proved to be very universal this side of the Atlantic. Miami has its own mini circle, dating from a similar time in man’s history, the symbol has always been associated with the psyche,spirit and meeting place.
Brian Curtis’s Stonehenges are keys to personal spaces,each sky appealing to each destiny, the brush work delivers only as much as is required with light’s fluidity and life’s color against stone cold realism. The paintings are accompanied with mythical tales, ancient stories and ancestral traditions of ritual. It would be easy to imagine any of these paintings being a subliminal morning flash or returning welcome in many people’s homes.
Brian has succeeded in fusing two specific joys into one language, he is after all a professor of Fine Art and his use of universal symbols to evoke emotion and mind is in complete tradition of the visual language of symbols that defines Fine Art from art in general.

http://www.brian-curtis.com/um_webpage/index.html
University of Miami Wynwood Art Gallery
Wynwood Building suite # 4 – 2750 NW 3rd Ave, Miami Fl. 33127

WWW.ARTREVIEWMIAMI.COM
bY WILLIAM MARK COULTHARD AND ANA BIKIC
MIAMIARTREVIEWS@gmail.com

Saving Miami History

Advocacy For Regional Preservation of Heritage for Economical Stability.

 by Wiliiam Coulthard / Edited by Ana Bikic Miami Art Reviews. 

Carol Cohan’s book Coconut Grove Playhouse back cover Pickering Press 1987
Miami Art Reviews Inc.

 

 A region that relies upon tourism needs an entertainment industry. Historical sites are an integral part of this service orientated economy and the degradation and destruction of cultural interests undermines the formula a region has inherited over the decades and centuries. History is the repeated story that entertains, they are the tourist industry‘s product line and without them a region is no different than any other as a destination. 

 

  Although Miami Dade has beaches,National Parks and a pool side party image, most of our visitors are children and the retired if we include resident’s families,snow birds and annual holiday trippers. Their interests are based on more traditional pursuits that require a more intellectual approach to entertainment. Beaches and night clubs, gambling and sports are good for some but to attract an audience appreciation for the arts requires having a strong local history that is more appealing to opera lovers and art collectors, who in turn buy apartments and return each year. 

  Miami Dade County has an immediate or recent history in comparison to European regions but what interests visitors beyond just the pleasure and joy of visiting is to be entertained, educated and have memorable experiences that can be shared with friends upon returning home. Saving local history plays a vital role when tourists return home, they carry with them the stories behind the places they’ve visited. A region’s history actively stimulates  intelligent and curious minds, between natural pleasures of parks and beaches to complete the experience of an exciting and fulfilling trip to their friends. The ancient Romans understood this economic formula providing not just arena entertainment but also galleries of archival history to accompany libraries and monuments. Their tourist cities provided the very best in spas and sports but the most successful cities like Pompey and Pila had preserved and prepared more ancient sites to excite a more affluent and studied clientele.

  Miami, Miami Beach and the  Miami Dade County, as a whole, must be mindful as it expands to what foot print of the past it wipes away.  If an iconic house sitting in full view is the cover picture of an old story related to the region’s past with  internationally known cultural references; it follows that the home’s destruction would bring strong negative feed back from previous and possible visitors. If a City is seen not to care about it’s heritage then it is seen not to care about it’s visitor’s experience. So why should they return? or talk well to others?   Persuading for a location based on others opinions and published experiences, a reputation by region or location should be seen as a regional and  residential responsibility for everyone wishing to live in a successful area and enjoy  the benefits that come from an active tourist economy.  

      The history, architecture and intellectual property of local myths and stories that enrich the visitors experience of our region are vital to the tourism industry as a whole, without them Miami would be boring and predictable. Our local history adds variety to regional destination and encourages opportunities for creating new local attractions. Preservation is therefore a vital part, not an after thought, it is at the heart of our very image and if we are seen to not care what is torn down, our ineptness to protect our own interests will be ridiculed internationally.  Currently the Coconut  Grove Playhouse and the famous Star Island Mansion are up for destruction.

Now is the time to save them, like Miami did with the Daily News / Freedom Tower 12 years ago. Developers and their investors must realize history has unique and has brand name status and that the stories behind the history are an intellectual property that belongs to all the region’s residents, compromising local stories  compromises future potential. Destroying history actually limits future development.

Miami Art Reviews Inc.

http://www.miamiartreviews.com

Contact :   Arts@miamiartreviews.com

phone: 786-766-1714