In Pembroke Pines, an art complex is opening its doors for visitors to get a look inside artists’ working studios, watch them create and participate in hands-on workshops.
The annual Studio18 Artist Takeover and Open House event is from 3 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16.
At Studio18 Art Complex, there are 18 studio spaces which are available for artists to lease. Along with access to affordable studio spaces, there are also chances for them to participate in art workshops and professional development seminars and showcase their art in an exhibition space, which includes the annual Studio18 Artist Takeover currently on display.
The exhibition is a multidisciplinary show on exhibition through Jan. 11, 2025, created by 16 participating resident artists.
At the open studio on Saturday, Nov. 16, guests can explore the exhibition, participate in free workshops led by two of Studio18’s artists, tour their studios, and meet them. One artist participating in this event is Yochi Yakir-Avin, a Pembroke Pines-based artist who focuses on creating art that combines three different mediums – painting, fabrication, and art installations.
She created her most recent project, “Painting Life in Pictures,” using funding from the $10,000 Artist Innovation Grant she received from the Broward Cultural Division. The project combines her installations of oversized vintage photos grafted onto sheer fabric with a theatrical performance written and directed by her sister, Lisa Yves. “It was the first time I collaborated with a theater, and it’s also a collaboration with my sister. She wrote the story, which is in part about how we met for the first time after her not knowing I existed,” says Yakir-Avin.
As for how she found Studio18 and joined the community of artists in Pembroke Pines, it was entirely by chance. “I found out about Studio18 by accident. One of the resident artists at the time was participating in an art festival. His sign said Studio18 on it, so I asked him about it, and he directed me here. So, I applied and have been here for 10 years. It has a great atmosphere, and it’s very welcoming,” she says.
As a resident artist for a decade, this is not the first artist takeover she has participated in, and she believes it gives people a chance to meet the diverse range of artists in residence. “We have 18 different artists, ones who work with glass or ceramic, photographers, painters, and artists who work in all kinds of disciplines. So, these tours offer people a chance to interact with the variety of artists we have here and see the art we create,” she says.
Another featured artist offering tours of his studio and teaching a realistic texture drawing workshop is Plantation-based artist Tito Padilla. Padilla also considers himself a multidisciplinary artist as he works with pencils, oils, acrylic, watercolor, resin, and mixed media. However, he wasn’t always confident of his abilities as an artist and is happy to have found such a supportive artistic community at Studio18, he says.
“I’ve been at Studio18 for about a year and a half. But before that, it took me a long time to have confidence in my abilities as an artist. I listened to the wrong people when I was young, and there was this one teacher who told me that I didn’t have any talent. So, I just kind of gave it up. Then, 8 years ago, I started again by learning the fundamental parts of art and kept working at it. Eventually, I heard about a vacancy here at Studio18 and applied,” says Padilla.
Most of Padilla’s art concentrates on his 21 years spent in the military, he says, his relationship with God, and his appreciation for landscapes and seascapes. As a newer artist at Studio18, however, this will be only his second artist takeover event, but his biggest takeaway from the studio tours is how they encourage guests to engage with artists on a deeper level.
“I didn’t realize that there are so many people that visit. But they don’t just visit and see the art. They want to spend time with us in our studios and ask questions about what it takes to be an artist, how to get started, and things like that. I really enjoy that part, and I think a lot of people come to our tours to get ideas and to learn,” he says.
A closing reception follows the event with music performed by Studio18 resident artist DJ Gary Gore from 6 to 7 p.m.
IF YOU GO
WHAT : Studio18 Artist Takeover and Open House
WHERE: Studio18 Art Complex, 1101 Poinciana Drive, Pembroke Pines
WHEN: 3 to 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16
COST : Free. Workshops are based on a first-come, first-served basis. No pre-registration is necessary. Space is limited.
INFORMATION: (954) 961-6067 or
www.ppines.com
