Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum Open Studio:
A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum 285 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL, United States
Jun 18 / Jul 2 / Jul 16 / Jul 30 / Aug 13 / Aug 27
(every other Wed, 6:00pm – 8:30pm)
Join us every other Wednesday, beginning June 18 with Kerry Phillips, for a series of participatory creative mixers at the Coral Gables Museum, curated by The Things Lab and led by local South Florida-based artists. These summer sessions are your invitation to explore creativity, connect with makers, and be part of a community celebration leading up to our fall exhibition: 100 Years of Coral Gables Through Objects.
What to Expect
- Engaging, hands-on activities designed for adults (18+).
- Exploration of the theme of THINGS through art, storytelling, and personal expression.
- Professional South Florida-based artists sharing their work, vision, and experience.
- A welcoming environment to meet new people, nurture your creativity, and unwind midweek.
- Cash bar on site featuring LALO Tequila, open from 6 to 7 PM for a relaxed social atmosphere.
- Young Associates Members receive a free drink from LALO Tequila.
Why Join?
- Discover new artistic skills and creative perspectives
- Connect with a vibrant community of makers and thinkers
- Enjoy a unique, enriching night out in the heart of Coral Gables
Mark Your Calendar and RSVP today!
Jun 18 / Jul 2 / Jul 16 / Jul 30 / Aug 13 / Aug 27
June 18 with Kerry Phillips
My parents grew up on farms. One grandmother collected things (kept things) and the other was a Grand Storyteller. Both influenced me greatly. I create sculptures and installations using materials available in a given place at a given time – ranging from things found to collected experiences and retold stories. Often, I’ll alter a space using architectural interventions and enlist the public’s participation in the gathering of materials or through performative interactions.
I used to find and keep objects for their potential but I now have a more immediate approach to working with materials and sites: finding, using and letting go. I’ve drastically limited my bounty of resources, forcing myself to rely heavily on insight, good oldfangled farm know-how (thanks, Dad) and my MacGyver-like resourcefulness.
Limiting my resources has also led me to engage viewers more directly in scheduled events and unscheduled mini-events – like the “farm tours” I’ve given in various places where I guide groups around, pointing out and describing bits of my father’s farm (site of the ongoing “The Farms Project”) as if we were actually there; collecting phrases in French from French people in France; using masking tape to write large letters to crushes I’ve had; getting people to “draw a line” for a bound book of 524 lines on 524 pages by 524 people; or in building tents in people’s living rooms using materials they have on hand.
I remain fascinated by collections – even if a bit wary. I abstain from collections by giving myself art-or-else deadlines. Sometimes your things… is such a project, covering the walls with homemade cardboard shadowboxes filled with things found and kept over the years. My parents’ junk drawer… reveals my attraction to meaningless objects that I am, nonetheless, charmed by and have fond memories of.
I’ve been focused on the tendency towards accidental collections, like junk drawers, and highlighting my many accidentals (as in all the extension cords from my studio, all the sheets, all the yarn, or all the tape, etc.) and combining them with objects or architectural elements found on site. This immediate way of responding to sites and the current contents of my studio becomes a candid representation of a specific moment in time.
bio
Kerry Phillips is an installation artist whose artwork borders on performance and social practice. Phillips’ work with found objects is intuitive, often site-specific, and steeped in remembrance and storytelling. She uses common objects in unexpected ways, working collaboratively with viewer-participants to reveal an exchange of value, the importance and limitations of memory, and the vitality of play.
Phillips earned an MFA from University of Arizona and has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including at the Orlando Museum of Art, Locust Projects, Pérez Art Museum Miami, Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami, Boca Raton Museum of Art, and Bridge Red Projects. She has solo projects opening Summer 2023 at The Bass Museum and Locust Projects in 2024.
She has exhibited and completed residencies in Ohio, Vermont, New York, North Carolina, and internationally in Berlin, Krakow, Mexico, and France. Her work is held in the collections of the Orlando Museum of Art, The Girls’ Club, and Mosquera Collections. Originally from Texas, Phillips works in Miami and, contrary to her family’s wishes, doesn’t paint pretty pictures.
June 2025
Wed18
June 18 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum 285 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL, United States
Step into the Summer of THINGS! Join us every other Wednesday, beginning June 18, for a series of participatory creative mixers at the Coral Gables Museum, curated by The Things Lab and led by local South Florida-based artists. These summer sessions are your invitation to explore creativity, connect with makers, and be part of a community celebration leading up to our fall exhibition: 100 Years of Coral Gables Through Objects.
Thu19
June 19 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Master Lecture “The Restoration of La Giralda”
Coral Gables Museum 285 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL, United States
Join renowned architect-restorer Eduardo Martínez Moya for an in-depth look at the award-winning restoration of La Giralda or Bell Tower of Seville, a masterpiece of World Heritage, and a cultural, historical, and artistic landmark for Seville, Andalusia, Spain, and Europe. Martínez Moya has been recognized with the 2024 Hispania Nostra Award in the category of Heritage Conservation as a Factor of Economic and Social Development for his research, documentation, restoration, and communication of the Giralda façades.
Thu26
June 26 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Art Off The Wall
Coral Gables Museum 285 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL, United States
Join us for a bold and immersive art experience like no other as we celebrate Coral Gables’ centennial with a special summer edition of Art Off The Wall. This vintage-inspired evening will feature live art by talented local artists creating masterpieces in real time, giving you the chance to interact with them and discover the inspiration behind their work. Groove to retro sounds spun by vinyl DJs, setting the perfect vibe for a nostalgic celebration, and savor vintage cocktails curated to match the evening’s aesthetic. Throughout the Museum, enjoy interactive activations including photo-worthy moments, creative installations, and centennial-themed surprises.
July 2025
Wed2
July 2 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum 285 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL, United States
Step into the Summer of THINGS! Join us every other Wednesday, beginning June 18, for a series of participatory creative mixers at the Coral Gables Museum, curated by The Things Lab and led by local South Florida-based artists. These summer sessions are your invitation to explore creativity, connect with makers, and be part of a community celebration leading up to our fall exhibition: 100 Years of Coral Gables Through Objects.
Wed16
July 16 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum 285 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL, United States
Step into the Summer of THINGS! Join us every other Wednesday, beginning June 18, for a series of participatory creative mixers at the Coral Gables Museum, curated by The Things Lab and led by local South Florida-based artists. These summer sessions are your invitation to explore creativity, connect with makers, and be part of a community celebration leading up to our fall exhibition: 100 Years of Coral Gables Through Objects.
Wed30
July 30 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum 285 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL, United States
Step into the Summer of THINGS! Join us every other Wednesday, beginning June 18, for a series of participatory creative mixers at the Coral Gables Museum, curated by The Things Lab and led by local South Florida-based artists. These summer sessions are your invitation to explore creativity, connect with makers, and be part of a community celebration leading up to our fall exhibition: 100 Years of Coral Gables Through Objects.
August 2025
Wed13
August 13 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum 285 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL, United States
Step into the Summer of THINGS! Join us every other Wednesday, beginning June 18, for a series of participatory creative mixers at the Coral Gables Museum, curated by The Things Lab and led by local South Florida-based artists. These summer sessions are your invitation to explore creativity, connect with makers, and be part of a community celebration leading up to our fall exhibition: 100 Years of Coral Gables Through Objects.
Wed27
August 27 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum 285 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL, United States
Step into the Summer of THINGS! Join us every other Wednesday, beginning June 18, for a series of participatory creative mixers at the Coral Gables Museum, curated by The Things Lab and led by local South Florida-based artists. These summer sessions are your invitation to explore creativity, connect with makers, and be part of a community celebration leading up to our fall exhibition: 100 Years of Coral Gables Through Objects.
September 2025
Wed10
September 10 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum 285 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL, United States
Step into the Summer of THINGS! Join us every other Wednesday, beginning June 18, for a series of participatory creative mixers at the Coral Gables Museum, curated by The Things Lab and led by local South Florida-based artists. These summer sessions are your invitation to explore creativity, connect with makers, and be part of a community celebration leading up to our fall exhibition: 100 Years of Coral Gables Through Objects.
Wed24
September 24 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum Open Studio: A Series of Free Creative Mixers with The Things Lab
Coral Gables Museum 285 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL, United States
Step into the Summer of THINGS! Join us every other Wednesday, beginning June 18, for a series of participatory creative mixers at the Coral Gables Museum, curated by The Things Lab and led by local South Florida-based artists. These summer sessions are your invitation to explore creativity, connect with makers, and be part of a community celebration leading up to our fall exhibition: 100 Years of Coral Gables Through Objects.
Thethingslab.org
The Things Lab is an artist-led socially-engaged participatory project and start-up non-profit created by Susan Caraballo & Kerry Phillips.The Things Lab emphasizes creativity as a resource for resiliency and adaptability centering on three complementary aspects: the collaborative, ever-changing immersive art installation/reuse center where one determines the pricing, paying what they value items to be worth within their budget; a lending library of things that meaningfully benefits the neighboring communities; and a series of arts & community workshops and events that serve as a meeting place connecting creativity, sustainability, memory, shared knowledge and compassion.The Things Lab’s first iteration in Little River is officially closed. We are hosting the next collaborative THINGS SWAP with Miami Time Swap on Saturday, June 21 at LnS Gallery located 2610 SW 28th Lane in Miami. Events below for more information.Reservations can still be made for the Lending Library.If you’d like to support our efforts, we encourage you to become a MEMBER or simply donate by clicking on SUPPORT below.
