Aqua Art Fair is in itself an experience - the Aqua Motel is transformed into a series of galleries, each room is removed of its furniture and a gallery takes over the space.  The courtyard has a DJ and a bar, and each room opens onto the courtyard.  The experience is very Miami Beach - open air, open art, and exotic people.

I had never visited this art show although I grew up in Miami Beach, and I was excited to have the experience.  I was entranced with the environment, and I was really drawn to two particular artists who used techniques I felt would be great projects for graphic design students.

Richard Garrison
Garrison uses gouache, which in and of itself was a triumph for me.  He transforms every day color experiences into unique, abstract geometries full of humor and artistry.  His parking lot series was a large canvas filled with many swatches of different shades of grays and browns, and it one was labeled by the location of the asphalt - outside of the gym, grocery store, etc.  Some of my favorite of his works were spiral palettes containing the colors of the pages of a Target mailer - the junk food section had bright reds and oranges, the cereal blues and browns.  I don’t think I could have understood his work before I took color theory and had to create color palettes for myself, but I think I would have always been drawn to his shapes and geometry.

 

 

David Hollier
Hollier uses type to create images that also portray the message of the type.  His series on display used works with a profound and often positive message - John F Kennedy, George Washington, and the Beatles.  One of my favorites was the 21st Amendment written in the shape of a Corona Beer Bottle.  He uses hand made type as well as actual typewritten type depending on the context of the message.  This series also reminded me of a project from my first Typography class, and I wish I had seen his messages to take inspiration and joy.