Over the last year artist/curator Alette Simmons-Jimenez at Artformz has been working in collaboration with an artist/curator from Valencia, Spain – Cristina Ghetti.  Amazingly enough, or perhaps something more common than one realizes, they met on facebook!   Together they have been developing and redeveloping (as hurdles are met and obstacles overcome) an exchange exhibition between the two communities.  “Artist Invites Artist” is almost a reality. Today, Alette fills in some details…

“Artist Invites Artist” (Artista Invita Artista) opens in Valencia on Thursday, October  14th.  An office of Cultural Affairs in Valencia has invited the Artformz group to show our work alongside the artist group working with Cristina in a beautiful space called Casa de la Cultura of Burjassot.  Once we get there we are scheduled to hold a panel discussion for the public on Monday, October 18th.  They have also scheduled for us visits with local curators, galleries and museums.  Of course, we are all very excited about the contacts we can make and the possibilities of future events and relationships.  Already part of the program is the second half of the show with the group from Valencia exhibiting in Miami in 2011.  We are still developing and studying additional events in conjunction with other institutions.

This project has been in the works for over one year.  It has required support in one way or another from many artists in Miami’s community.  We are very thankful to all those who participated and those who purchased artwork in Artformz’s highly successful summer small works show.  The show opened with a highlight of our year’s events – A great summer party with a local BBQ vendor Mark’s Ribs-2-Go, a live Miami band Pocket of Lollipops performing outside, and amazing appetizers supplied by The Cheese Course, all these generous people in our Wynwood community.  Small Wonders (art) Salon had 67 South Florida artists participating, and proceeds from numerous sales led to the funds for the shipping of the works to Valencia.  So one hurdle crossed.

Next on the agenda is raising funds to help our artists actually get to Valencia.  The exchange won’t be valuable for Miami without Miami artists being there.  We’re approaching this with our current Kickstarter Project.  If you are not aware of this unique, creative community program on-line, you simply have to check it out.  Besides our project, there are so many amazingly creative, fun things to see, explore, and support.   This is People supporting People, and it works…. sometimes in a BIG way.   We hope we make our goal, well, we just have to.  If you have a minute, please visit our link:  http://kck.st/cWCIpj Apart from that excitement, we are gearing up for the beginning of 2010 fall season and our next opening in Wynwood: “Con-Figuration; Painting & Photography” features the work of Sara Rytteke, Rossella Ramanzini, and Maxine Spector.  These are three new members of our group.   We look forward to seeing everyone 2nd Saturday in September.