Miami Art Week continues to help local artists shine bright: "It feels like I belong here"
That's a wrap! Miami Art Week has come to a close, leaving its mark once again.
Every year, this vibrant event expands in both its vision and mission, drawing art lovers from all corners of the globe.
For Chas Spiros, this isn't just another week in South Florida's finance scene. It's an opportunity for his true passion, photography, to shine brightly.
"It allows me to detach on the weekend, go out in the morning in the sunrise, and take pictures of Miami that are very different than what you would see in the nightlife were there's art deco and neon lights," Spiros said. "I go out to the tranquil moments and try to capture that. That's like my therapy."
Now participating in his second Miami Art Week, Spiros found a fitting new venue to show his work - the Miami Art Week kickoff party, It was held this year at the historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables and featured a curated exhibition alongside an engaging lineup of panel discussions
"It's incredible. It's one of the highlights of my year," Spiros said "I work at a desk job all day. Don't get me wrong. I love my job, but being able to show my art, to have somebody look at your photo for like three or four seconds longer than they would, or even a minute or two, gives me so much inspiration."
Iryna Turliai is a Miami IT consultant whose artistic journey began during the COVID-19 pandemic. This marks her first debut at Miami Art Week.
Living in Miami Beach, she incorporates sand from the beach into her artwork and is beaming with excitement as potential buyers discover her creations.
"It feels fantastic," she said. "It feels like I belong here. One day maybe I become a full time painter. Who knows," Turliai said.
Each year, Miami Art Week turns the city into the hub of the global art scene. With over 20 art fairs, more than 1,200 galleries, and thousands of artists showcased, it remains one of the most significant cultural events worldwide.
Hundreds of galleries apply each year, and countless artists dream of moments like these when their work can finally shine and be celebrated.
Meredith Aziz, the president of Miami Art Week, told CBS Miami that the event continues to evolve, expanding its impact and outreach every single year.
"We started as a digital platform, and we've always focused on emerging artists because they can't always afford to be in the bigger shows, to spend the money, especially if they aren't represented by anybody," Aziz said. "After Covid, we had people asking, 'Well are you going to do an in person show?' We went, 'I don't know and then we said yes we'll do it.'"
This year, Miami Art Week spread its wings into Coral Gables through the Art Coral Gables initiative. The entire city transformed into an open-air arts district. Museums, galleries, hotels, boutiques, and even unexpected venues across Coral Gables were reimagined into curated art and photography installations.
For more information on Miami Art Week, click here.