It's gonna be an artsy, music-filled weekend

It's going to be a fun art-filled weekend in Coconut Grove starting with FAM Night on Saturday, March 5, along with the Bacardi Miami Sailing Week Art Exhibit; the night goes from 6 to 10 pm. Stroll the Grove, enjoy live music, art and fashion.

If you had not seen the new gallery at FrameWorks, which had their grand opening at the beginning of February, now is your chance. The Williams McCall Gallery at FrameWorks is presenting a group exhibition including art from Madeliene Abling, Ernie Bynum, Debbie Carfagno, David Evans, Henthorne, Eliot Hess, Joan Cobb Marsh, Taka Maruno, Lisa Remeny, Matt Stock and Laurence Young. The gallery is at 3196 Commodore Plaza, the event is from 6 to 9 pm.

And featured at the Coconut Grove Arts Festival Gallery at the Mayfair Atrium are Adrienne Gaskell, jewelry maker; Carolyn Kerr, weaver and potter; and Lynn Fecteau, painter. Stop by for food, drinks and art, starting at 7 pm.

Italian artist and painter, Roberto Fiorentino, will feature his "OFFshore" collection in his pop-up "WeGallery" inside CocoWalk. Roberto's past exhibitions, including those in New York, Florence, Sorrento, Milan, Naples, have all received critical acclaim and he has been featured in several publications.

Wooden Boat Magazine has an original 11 foot Shellback sailboat being built in one-week's time. A temporary boat-building shed will be set-up in CocoWalk that, coincidentally, was home, back in the 1950's, of a real boat building business. Sailing week is March 6 through 12, based at the Coral Reef Yacht Club.

The exhibit will run from Saturday, March 5 to Sunday, March 12 with an opening night reception at 6:00 pm inside CocoWalk on March 5.

Artist Daniel Pontet will conduct an artistic performance inside CocoWalk with accompanying musicians. The artist's technique is very unique as he interacts with his canvas to create art made with his feet. He calls it art experience and he uses the action painting movement as his reference for great work he creates.

On Sunday, March 6, the 18th annual Gifford Lane Art Stroll is from noon to 5 pm. That's when a tree-lined sleepy residential street turns into a picture of the past. No cars, no modern life, just friends, food, drink and art. Oh yes, and lots of live music.

The free event, which runs from noon to 5 pm, takes place along Gifford Lane, near the Kirk Monroe tennis courts, between Oak and Day Avenues (3200 block) in Coconut Grove. 

The Stroll features the work of some seventy artists. Their art is displayed along the lane on fences, easels, clotheslines, even in trees.  Many of the finest artists in the region participate.  Nathan Kurland, neighbor and a Stroll organizer for the past nine years, says, “As far as I can tell, the Gifford Lane Art Stroll is Coconut Grove.”

The Stroll is a freewheeling art marketplace with plenty of good-natured bargaining. It is all here: sculpture, portraits, landscapes, jewelry, tile mosaics, large abstract paintings, photography, mixed media, found art objects, and whimsical creations with no names. All afternoon you will see people proudly marching up the lane with their art acquisitions tucked under their arms. Each year, artists send in submissions to be considered for the annual poster.
Featured for their seventh year at the Stroll, are the Grove's own Solar Dogs. Grove music legend Bobby Ingram will be performing solo vocals and guitar.  School of Rock will perform and the rock band Cleaveland Jones, led by Grovite Lee Goun. Once again, the Coconut Grove Juggler’s Exchange will thread their magical way through the crowd. At the end of the day, the Gifford Lane Art Stroll gives away all of its money to two Coconut Grove charities, the St. Stephen’s AIDS Ministry and the St. Alban’s Child Enrichment Center in the Village West.

Again this year, there will be free monitored bike valet provided by Bike Coconut Grove on the swale at the intersection of Gifford and Oak Avenue.