Kristen H.
Yelp
The absolute highlight of my Spring Break staycation. Some friends from VA and I went here since I'd heard so many good things and I'm so glad we did. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, Yelpers. This was an amazing find on your part.
The place is in a very unexpected place, in the middle of a warehouse district in Wynwood near Allapattah. From the outside, you just have no clue what you're in for. Well, it's free, which is awesome, as is the street parking outside. Again, awesome.
There are galleries on two floors inside, as well as outside. The artists are all in-residence, so you'll see most of them working away in their studios. They're all so incredibly cool and down-to-earth people and are all more than willing and even excited to talk to you about their work. This place has a lot of people who work with recycled and unusual materials. For example, one guy works with clothes line pins and we talked with him forever about his work and his experiences as an artist.
We also met a guy with an outside studio who made robots from old, antique materials. He had this super cool one that he was making for Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes, who is from my hometown. Come to find out, the artist himself is also from VA, so small world.
There are so many nooks and crannies in this place that are packed with art. Even the elevators, the concrete walls outside, and even the trashcans outside have been made into canvases for awesome art.
I have never in my life had an experience like this, but being able to interact with the artists in a chill, laid-back conversation just made this an unparalleled experience. It really changes you to think outside the box and question your own ways and thinking patterns even more than seeing the art alone does. My friends and I enjoyed every second of hearing the artists fantastic stories and living vicariously through them. It really made us feel a freedom that we seldom get to feel in our busy lives.
I absolutely love this place and the next time I get a little spare change, I definitely would not hesitate to send it their way. This is a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful organization with amazing galleries, and even more amazing artists.