Open Studio at Coral Gables Museum

Spend a midweek evening exploring hands-on art activities guided by local artists in a relaxed, social setting. This free summer series at the Coral Gables Museum invites adults to engage in the creative process while contributing to a broader community conversation about memory, material and storytelling.

Curated by The Things Lab, Open Studio takes place every other Wednesday from June 18 through August 27. Each session features a different South Florida-based artist and offers opportunities for personal expression through art-making, all centered on the shared theme of “things”—everyday objects and the stories they hold. The series launches on June 18 with Kerry Phillips, a Miami-based artist known for her use of found materials and participatory installations that explore memory, value and place.

On July 30, visual artist and art historian Amalia Caputo invites participants to bring 3–5 treasured objects—whether kept, found or collected—to explore their narrative potential. Through guided reflection and conversation, the session will examine how these items connect to memory and what stories they might reveal or reshape. Caputo’s multidisciplinary work spans photography, video and installation, with recent solo exhibitions at Deering Estate and the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood.

On August 13, multidisciplinary artist Loni Johnson leads a session centered on ancestral memory and altar-building. Participants are encouraged to bring meaningful personal objects—such as photographs, memorabilia, crystals or jewelry—to construct small altars honoring their ancestors. Johnson’s work, rooted in assemblage, movement and ritual, explores how Black women enter, claim and transform space, drawing from personal and communal histories. Her performances and installations have appeared at Locust Projects, Bakehouse Art Complex and Little Haiti Cultural Arts Center.

The series concludes on August 27 with Patricia L. Cooke, who invites guests to bring a small unwanted plastic item (such as a bottle, toy or piece of packaging), an unwanted article of clothing, and a sense of play. Participants will transform these materials into small mixed-media sculptures using simple armatures, exploring how everyday objects relate to one another—and to broader questions about consumption, identity and environment. A Miami-based artist originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, Cooke works primarily in fiber sculpture, integrating digital manipulation and laser cutting. Her work has been shown at the Rollins Museum of Art, Schmidt Center Gallery at FAU, and as part of No Vacancy 2024 at the Sherry Frontenac Oceanfront Hotel.

These gatherings lead up to the museum’s fall exhibition 100 Years of Coral Gables Through Objects. Designed for adults 18 and older, the sessions include materials, artist talks and creative prompts. A cash bar is available on-site, and Young Associates Members receive a complimentary LALO Tequila drink. Advance RSVP is encouraged, and participants are welcome to attend one or multiple sessions throughout the summer.