Babushka's Baile : Wynwood Art District

Before a concert or show there's usually a warm up or opening act to get the audience ready for the headliner; the "Potencia that is Hispanicize 2013" had just that, thanks to Sherwin Williams and their Noches de Diseño.

You don't get to be almost 150 years old without knowing your product and the people who use it, and with this initiative, Colores Latinos;Artistas Latinos , Sherwin Williams proves why it gets a definite ESO!!! For a full background on this, the above link with the NBC news release will give you detalles, pero Babushka will give you the visual and the sabor!

We were greeted by the impassioned and irrepressible Susana Baker, private curator and owner of TheArtExperiences who whisked us away to the Wynwood Art District . The first stop on our bus tour was the Center of Visual Communications, a blue chip gallery whose director Barry Fellman graciously showed us the works of Iconic American photographer Clyde Butcher in his series of black and white photos showcasing Cuba. Call me biased, but even without color the richness of the island and it's intoxicating beauty is very evident.

Salto el Rocio

"There are many waterfalls in Cuba, but I don't think Ive ever seen one as graceful as this one that is located in the Sierra del Escambray area. We hiked quite a distance to reach the waterfall, and then down a narrow trail into the small stream flowing from the bose of the waterfall. It was a beautiful place where I could have spent several days photographing. "

Clyde Butcher Silver Gelatin Photograph Ed.5;Ed.3 $8,000 for 36"x46"; $10,000 for 40" x 60"

The ArtExperiences offered us signature bites and sparkling wine, furthering the art exhibit experience. Babushka at one point looked around for cameras, as this felt surreal but at the same time so real. Si, BB could definitely live this way.

The next gallery, also under Barry Fellman's directorship was Guerra de La Paz. Cuban born artists schooled in Chicago, they epitomize our love of color and talent of readapting articles, prolonging usefulness. All their works are made from manufacturer cast offs-new and now used in a new way.

Rainbows - y si, BB always wanted to go inside a rainbow, so I did just that.

The Zadok Gallery, showcasing works of art from Masters to Mid Career artists in its' 12,000 foot gallery also filled our senses with color and awe.

Mark Messersmith- Where have all the birds gone?

Gabriel Dawe- Threading Light

Pero the most impressive work of art that filled us with color and awe?

The curator. Bernice.

Bernice Steinbaum.

Supuestamente,supposedly, after years of owning her own gallery she retired.

Thankfully she didn't fully leave the scene for long because we all fell in love with her.

Her charm, her chispa and her chutzpah.

Si, we'll be back.

Returning to our coche, we toured around the district. The neighborhood walls were alive with modern murals whose scenes and colors were bigger than life and just as big or bigger than our tour bus. We ended the art portion with the Wynwood Walls, graffiti and street art genre extraordinaire. BB was grateful for the giant windows and air conditioner of our transportation and enjoyed from afar. Quee?? Babushka's baterias were needing a recharge. It's a three hour tour and we were running 1.5 hours behind schedule and playing catchup. Actually, for being a busload of latinos, in Miami, we weren't too far off Cubantime...

As I said in the beginning, you don't stay in business for over a century if you don't know your product and the people who use it. The colors of life for Latinos isn't only in art, it's in every aspect of our worlds and cuisine is definitely a big part of it. This too Susana Baker and Sherwin-Williams understand, so the next part of this adventure was fine dining.

Quee?? JU SO FONII!!! Ok si, BB was still a little llena from the gallery appetizers, pero if the food was 1/2 the caliber of the rest of the tour, Babushka will always be able to make room. And you My Beautifuls, I hope you make room to read the following posts in this series. Yes, it will be a series of posts because this is one sponsor who "gets us" and touched me in many ways, in aspects so sublime yet meaningful that I must return the appreciation they showed us. So until then,

Babushka Besos a todos. Cuidensen.

P.S. The opinions expressed here are from the corazon and all BB's. No expectation of posts or any social media promoting was stressed by the sponsor. Babushka received no monetary compensation- though, como siempre, I'm always open to negotiations. ; )