SoBay Festival of the Arts Winter 2007 Exhibit
The Deering Estate at Cutler Welcomes South Florida Artists as Part of the 2007 SoBay Festival of the Arts
Set against the backdrop of a growing South Biscayne Bay (SoBay) Community, the SoBay Festival of the Arts celebrates the literary, performing, and visual arts. The 2007 SoBay Festival will kick-off in early February with the Moth Story Tour presented by TNT and culminate in the Deering Estate at Cutler’s Sixth Annual Moonlight and Music Valentine’s Day Concert. Art exhibits, dance, dramatic and musical performances will also be included as part of the 10 day long Festival. The Deering Estate at Cutler will be the host of many events and one of two art exhibits featuring select South Florida artists. The Richmond Cottage Art on Loan Program welcomes Patricia Rottino Cummins, Stephen May, Liilia Morrison, Ellie Schneiderman and William Vega.
Pat Cummins was born and first studied art in New York City. Her earliest memories are of creating sculptures in clay as a preschooler, and painting “easel side” in kindergarten. At the age of twelve, she began her pastel and oil painting, studying art with Robert Barrell, a contemporary of George Bridgeman from The Art Students League of New York City. She continued her studies at The City University of New York, receiving a B.A. degree in Art Education, studying with artists such as Gabriel Laderman and Richard Serra. In 1976 she relocated to Miami, inspired by its colors and light, where she attended Florida International University, receiving a M.S. in Art Education. For the past 25 years Pat has been a fine arts instructor for Miami-Dade Public Schools. She also serves as an adjunct for Barry University’s Adrian School of Education.
Stephen May—Clay artist
Liilia Morrison states,"when I first came to ArtSouth, I didn't have an artistic voice at all. After my son died, I became interested in doing collages with memorabilia and photos and poems by Mike as a central theme. As time moves along, I am able to incorporate more varied themes and once in a while do pastel work "just for the fun of it." The dark pink fabrics draping my studio somehow comfort me and make the world look more cheerful. I am grateful to be in this art community where it is the norm to be "different."
Ellie Schneiderman, accomplished clay artist, showcases her work as part of the Deering Estate at Cutler’s Art on Loan Program. Ellie has a special place in Deering’s heart as much of inspiration has led to the establishment of our own Artist in Residence Program and the expansion of our Art on Loan Program in the Richmond Cottage. This should come as no surprise to many in the local art community, who know Ellie as a visionary and great supporter of the arts and artists in general. As founder of the South Florida Art Center (now ArtCenter/South Florida) in 1980s Miami Beach and its executive director for ten years, she brought a spark back to once-bustling and then-barren Lincoln Road, inadvertently paving the way for plenty of tourists and locals to have a greater exposure to the rich artist resources in our community and elsewhere. Then she moved south to Coral Way, where in 1996 she established Miami Art Works, putting artist studios and exhibition space in a failing shopping mall. Just four years after that, Schneiderman trekked further south to Homestead. There she and partner I. Stanley Levine created ArtSouth, a three-and-a-half acre artists' colony, where teaching, working, and learning goes on. Emerging and established artists also exhibit their work there on a regular basis. We are fortunate to have her great inspiration and talent as part of the Deering Estate at Cutler family.
William Vega, born in Vallegrande, Bolivia, in 1958, William moved to Brazil to get a degree as a textile technician. He also enrolled at "Escuela de Bellas Arte de Sao Paolo" to study with Maglio Moretto, a master painter. He studied Art and Graving skills at the Art and Craft School "Massana" in Barcelona, Spain. He has worked as a graphic correspondent for newspapers and magazines, and the music industry, as well as a professional photographer. He has lectured at conferences at the cultural center "Joven Bolivia" in Cochabamba. His work has been in many group and solo exhibitions throughout the world.