Coral Gables Festival of the Arts features vibrant, original concepts

Janet Moses of Blue Goose Studio stands alongside her work, on display at the Coral Gables Art Festival. Mackenzie Miller // Online Editor Photo credit: Mackenzie Miller

This year’s Coral Gables Festival of the Arts finished Jan. 28 after a weekend filled with an eclectic range of art, food and entertainment. Many of the artists used vivid pops of color in their work and said they gain inspiration from their everyday lives. We spent a few minutes with five of them:

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Silvia T. Duarte poses in front of her works of art, filled with vibrant hues of acrylic and inspired by her emotions. Duarte was one of many artists who took part in the annual Coral Gables Art Festival which took place over the weekend. Mackenzie Miller // Online Editor Photo credit: Mackenzie Miller

Silvia T. Duarte: Silvia Tatiana Art

Duarte is an acrylic artist based in Miami. While she used to paint more realist work, she now primarily focuses on abstract paintings that physicalize her emotions and environment.

“Every time I paint, it is a self-awareness process,” she said. “Different colors or patterns come out depending on my mood or what I am feeling.”

She said she finds inspiration in the bright colors surrounding her at the beach and throughout the city of Miami. Duarte is on Instagram @silviatatiana_art.

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Maria Elena Perez-Puelles with her pieces at the Coral Gables Art Festival on Jan. 28. She creates one-of-a-kind bowls and figurines made from unlikely materials and painted in colors reminiscent of Perez-Puelles’ home country of Venezuela. Mackenzie Miller // Online Editor Photo credit: Mackenzie Miller

Maria Elena Perez-Puelles: Art by Mele

Perez-Puelles creates various shapes, bowls and animal figurines using fiberglass, resin and the mold of a gourd, which she describes as having a very whimsical quality. The designs Perez-Puelles paints on her objects are inspired by nature and the vibrant colors of her home in Venezuela.

 

“I quit my job and I decided to do what I always wanted to do: work with my hands,” she said.

To see more of Perez-Puelles’ work, visit artbymele.com.

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Janet Moses of Blue Goose Studio stands alongside her work, on display at the Coral Gables Art Festival. Mackenzie Miller // Online Editor Photo credit: Mackenzie Miller

Janet Moses: Blue Goose Studio

Moses creates beautiful folk home décor out of old metal, planks of wood, windows and doors.

“I love picking out something old and turning it into something that can be reused or repurposed,” she said.

Inspired primarily by the coastal scenery of Georgia and South Carolina, she refurbishes each recycled item to create a representation of beach life. To find more of Moses’ work, visit @bluegoosestudio on Facebook.

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Farinah Ali and her paintings at the Coral Gables Art Festival on Sunday, Jan. 28. Ali used to work as a stylist but then made the transition into artwork to chase her passion. She blends both skill sets to create eye-catching artwork. Mackenzie Miller // Online Editor Photo credit: Mackenzie Miller

Farinah Ali: Art by Farinah

A hair stylist by trade, Ali was encouraged by her mom to also pursue her passion of painting on canvas. She is originally from Atlanta but calls Miami her home. Ali’s artwork is inspired by her career as a stylist.

“Everything on my canvas deals with care, beauty and bedazzlement,” she said.

See more of Ali’s work on Instagram @Art_by_Farinah.

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Emily Rackley of Nymph and Nectar Jewelry smiles as she sells her artisanal pieces during the last day of the Coral Gables Art Festival weekend. Mackenzie Miller // Online Editor Photo credit: Mackenzie Miller

Emily Rackley: Nymph & Nectar handcrafted artisan jewelry

Rackley travels across the country to art festivals in a 40-foot converted school bus with her husband and animals. Her jewelry is rustic, with a bit of a Bohemian flare. Rackley uses copper or silver as a base and from there creates various textures and finishes for her necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

“Most of it starts with an idea I have for a shape,” she said. “I have certain shapes that I repeat a lot – circles and leaves.”

Find more of Rackley’s work at nymphandnectar.com