For Skip Hartzell, “The Dog Artist,” inspiration comes in the form of a furry friend

Renowned South Florida artist Skip Hartzell creates unique art inspired by man’s best friend. His inspiration comes in the form of a morning walk, accompanied by a furry friend. The canine-inspired artworks that he creates are figments of his artistic imagination and creative vision. Hartzell creates directly from his emotions and instincts, his work is inspired by dogs of all shapes, sizes, and varieties.

The artist creates large paintings and works on paper that capture the essence of “dog.” He is best known for his unique sculptures recognized immediately by their distinct form and style that only Hartzell can produce. His painterly expression captures each dog’s own personality with beautiful textures, line and brush strokes using mixed media to bring each dog to life. Whether he’s painting or sculpting, Hartzell’s dogs have a wonderful quality of friendliness about them, and it’s hard to keep yourself from reaching out to touch. And that’s perfectly okay with Hartzell. He’s never been one to place a rope around his artwork. 

“The texture is so important because the tactile experience of sculpture is so primal for me,” he says. “You grab with your hands and just start to mush things together and get your fingers on the materials, and there is just such a richness to the feel.” He says whenever he’s doing a show, he is quick to hand his sculptures to the patrons so they can enjoy the feeling, too. And whether it’s paint on canvas or sculpture, the texture is one of the most captivating and inviting parts of experiencing his artwork. Hartzell may not set out to mimic the look of someone’s beloved pet, but he says his sculptures and paintings often evoke a fond memory of a furry family member.

“Dogs are always in the moment. Although nothing in life has held my attention longer or has been more fascinating to me than dogs, my work is about much more than that. It is about form, movement, color, and texture. The dogs are a recognizable common denominator that allows me to communicate my joy of living, passions, and sentiments,” explained Skip Hartzell.

The artist has held numerous solo exhibitions at notable art galleries and prestigious art fairs such as Art Palm Beach, A.E. Backus Museum, ArtHouse 429, Paul Fisher Gallery, Aqua Art Fair during Art Basel Miami Beach and many more. Skip Hartzell is a longtime supporter of no-kill animal rescues and donates proceeds from the sale of his artworks to animal-rescue, no-kill shelters. For sales info, private commissions, general inquiries or exhibition updates, email: skipperhartzell@yahoo.com / visit https://www.skiphartzell.com/

“Open New Worlds” at the University of Miami’s Kislak Center

The Kislak Center at the University of Miami Libraries dedicated a new gallery last year in May 2018 and opened with its inaugural exhibition, Open New Worlds: A Journey Through the Kislak Collection, an incredible on-going exhibit featuring two hundred rare books, manuscripts, maps, globes, and artifacts related to exploration of the early Americas.

The gallery, located on the mezzanine level of the Otto G. Richter Library, “celebrates the vision, passion, and generosity” of collector and philanthropist Jay I. Kislak, who died last year at the age of 96. In 2017, he presented the University of Miami Libraries with a landmark gift of rare books that included a first edition of the famous 1493 letter of Christopher Columbus, in which his describes the New World.

Cristina Favretto, head of special collections for University of Miami Libraries, using the touchscreen exhibit display at the gallery's dedication.

That donation also included a 1486 edition of Ptolemy’s Cosmographia; a 1521 volume describing Cuba by Italian historian Peter Martyr d’Anghiera, who wrote the first accounts of Spanish explorations in the Caribbean and Central and South America; a 1589 volume, The Principal Navigations, Voiages and Discoveries of the English Nation, by Richard Hakluyt; and a two-volume account of the 1804-1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition, commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson after the Louisiana Purchase.

University of Miami Libraries

1300 Memorial Drive

Coral Gables, FL 33124-0320

(305) 284-3233

The Delightful Four-Legged Sculptures Of "Dog Artist" Skip Hartzell

South Florida artist Skip Hartzell creates unique art inspired by man’s best friend. He is best known for his unique sculptures recognized immediately by their distinct form and style only Hartzell can produce.

Renowned "dog artist" Skip Hartzell creates unique art inspired by man’s best friend. His inspiration comes in the form of a morning walk, accompanied by a furry friend. The canine-inspired artworks that he creates are figments of his artistic imagination and creative vision. Hartzell creates directly from his emotions and instincts, his work is inspired by dogs of all shapes, sizes and varieties.

Hartzell creates large paintings and works on paper that capture the essence of “dog”. He is best known for his unique sculptures recognized immediately by their distinct form and style that only Hartzell can produce. “Dogs are always in the moment. Although nothing in life has held my attention longer or has been more fascinating to me than dogs, my work is about much more than that. It is about form, movement, color and texture. The dogs are a recognizable common denominator that allows me to communicate my joy of living, passions and sentiments,” explained Skip Hartzell.

Skip Hartzell collector, Curator Dr. Milagros Bello of Curator Voice Art Projects (CVAP)

The artist has held numerous solo exhibitions at notable art galleries and prestigious art fairs such as Art Palm Beach, A.E. Backus Museum, ArtHouse 429, Paul Fisher Gallery, Aqua Art Fair during Art Basel Miami Beach and many more. Skip Hartzell is a longtime supporter of no-kill animal rescues and donates proceeds from the sale of his artworks to animal-rescue, no kill shelters. For sales, commissions, general inquiries or future show information, email: skipperhartzell@yahoo.com / visit www.skiphartzell.com

The Frank presents New Industry: Contemporary Visions of the Industrial

Nestor Arenas, “Typologies: Structure No. 9”Acrylic on Canvas, 77″ x 67″

The Frank art gallery in Pembroke Pines presents New Industry: Contemporary Visions of the Industrial, an exhibition focused on industrial aesthetic, blurring the lines between fine art, mechanical design and fabrication while also challenging traditional artmaking materials and techniques. New Industry is on display from August 29th through October 26th, 2019.

The public is invited to the New Industry opening reception on Thursday, August 29th from 6-9pm. Guests will be treated to a performance by top Miami rap artist and Pembroke Pines native, Sam Stan. Admission is free.

Nestor Arenas, “Spomenik-Pok No. 3”Mixed Media on Canvas, 100″ x 54″

Curated by The Frank’s Chief Curator Joshua Carden, the new exhibition features the work of artists Nestor Arenas, Yves Gabriel, Kx2, Devora Perez and Norman Silva along with a video piece by Layne Hinton and Chris Foster. Each of the artists employ a minimalist tendency while engaging the viewer with work grounded in industrialization, gentrification and/or the notion of change through industrial materials.

Devora Perez, “Open” Concrete, wood, metal, Plexiglas, 25″ x 25″

“Oftentimes, in urban environments, the viewer is met with a combination of aesthetics and materials. New Industry seeks to contextualize this industrial aesthetic as an artistic result of urbanization,” said Carden. “We are excited to showcase the unique work that these artists have created and hope that this compelling exhibition leaves visitors with a new perspective on the world around them.”

Norman Silva, “The Weapon II”Steel and cement, 12″ x 11″ x 4″

In The Frank’s Third Space Gallery, which specifically focuses on supporting non-profit organizations, educational partners, underrepresented populations and community advocacy groups, an exhibition featuring artwork by students of Fletcher Art & Cultural Center in Pembroke Pines will be on display. Fletcher Art & Cultural Center provides year-round art, piano, guitar and drama classes for children and adults for all skill levels. As part of New Industry, The Frank also will offer free fun, engaging and educational workshops, lectures and events for children and adults. For more information, visit https://www.thefrankgallery.org/events.

The Frank in Pembroke Pines

The Frank is located in the Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines at 601 City Center Way. Admission to The Frank is free. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about The Frank, call 954.392.2120, email thefrank@ppines.com or visit thefrankgallery.org.

Vizcaya Museum & Gardens presents WEAVE: a twilight parade

Saturday, August 10th from 7-11pm Processional Arts Workshop (PAW) returns to Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, continuing an annual tradition of community-built immersive art that began with WHIRL in 2016. This year’s lantern parade, entitled WEAVE, explores the individual patterns, motifs, and textures that come together to create Vizcaya. All are invited to enjoy the WEAVE Twilight Parade & Block Party at Vizcaya. For tickets and more information, RSVP here.

One hundred years ago, Vizcaya’s owner James Deering and artistic director Paul Chalfin took multiple journeys to Europe to create Vizcaya’s immersive environment, assembling a collection of artifacts and architectural details that reflected many cultures and time periods. WEAVE brings these threads together in a participatory procession of lanterns, sounds, and projections created and performed by locals.

The performance will be built in a week-long series of public workshops. These are a hands-on opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to work closely with PAW artists Sophia Michahelles and Alex Kahn. Throughout the week, participants will create lanterns inspired and informed by Vizcaya’s rich history, guided by Michahelles and Kahn on concept and techniques, and collaborate with other participants on all aspects of production. Those who wish will also have the opportunity to perform in the culminating twilight procession.

Art Workshop: NSU Art Museum's Creativity Exploration

Enjoy an art workshop at NSU Art Museum on Saturday, August 10th from 12noon – 1:30pm. Creativity Exporation: Guiding Grids at NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale will allow participants to explore the paintings of India’s S.H. Raza and make a gridded mandala with oil pastels inspired by his work, personal symbology, and color. Creativity Exploration workshops promote the benefits of creative exploration and the mind to-body experience. Studies have shown that 45 minutes of creative activity a day reduces stress and offers mental clarity and relaxation. In addition to producing a sense of well-being, sessions expand participants’ perceptions of forms, while increasing brain connectivity through visual and cognitive stimulation. The workshop is led by educator Lark Keeler, a specialist in mindfulness education. RSVP here.

Artist Spotlight: Miami-based artist Ernesto Kunde

Miami-based artist Ernesto Kunde was born in Paraíso do Sul, Brazil in 1973. After a brief stint re-discovering his family roots in Germany (where he worked in agriculture in Mosbach), Kunde returned to Brazil in 1995 where he first began his artistic journey by experimenting with works on paper: drawings and controlled coffee stains.

Kunde has always found inspiration in his surroundings, most notably architecture and nature. Since moving to Miami in 2006, the tropical mangroves of the Everglades and South Florida have been Kunde's most prominent subject matter. 

Kunde has shown for several years at the Context, SCOPE, and Spectrum arts fairs during Art Basel and extensively throughout venues in South Florida. 

Kunde currently works out of his studio in Little Haiti, Miami, FL.
www.kundeart.com