Category: Events

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Nobody’s Fault: Local band has staying power

From Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean,” to Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain,” to Deep Purple’s “Hush,” Nobody’s Fault, South Florida’s classic and new rock band, plays it all.

Although the origin of the name is lost in the ether, one possibility is that it’s a nod to Aerosmith’s 1976 “Nobody’s Fault,” or Led Zeppelin’s 1979 hit, “Nobody’s Fault But Mine.”

Now mostly in their 60s, guitarist Rick Friedlander, lead vocalist William (Bill) Murphy, his brother Steve Murphy (guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist), bass player and vocalist Mark Knight, and drummer Paul Green have been playing together since 1997; and the Murphys and Knight have been playing together since high school.

“I met Bill at 17 when we worked together at K-Mart,” says Knight, who is a laser engineer by trade. “We started making noise together, and the rest is history.”

They are one of the longest continuing bands in South Florida, with a large fan base. “We’re a band of brothers,” says Bill Murphy. “For good or bad; we fight like siblings, but love each other.”

He attributes this camaraderie for their longevity. “We’re good friends and share a musical bond,” he says. “We always make time to play together. We’re in it for the fun, and we enjoy our time together on stage.”

From a musical family—his parents were folk musicians in New York—he and his younger brother Steve grew up in the business. “We had no choice,” he jokes.

At 13, Bill Murphy went to see the Jackson 5 perform, and he says that “the concert changed my life.”

That day he made the decision to make the music industry his life. “I never looked back,” he says.

Within two years, he and Steve were performing at a friend’s wedding reception.

Bill Murphy went on to have a 35-year professional career as a radio DJ, both in Dallas and in Miami at 101.5 LITE FM, BIG 105.9 classic rock, and WSHE rock & roll 103.5 (She’s Only Rock and Roll). He was the announcer and voice of the Florida Panthers for 14 years.

He has also been a part of other local bands, including Joe Rush, Company Kane, Top Priority, the Free Radicals, and Smoke and Mirrors. One of his biggest influences is Paul Carrack (aka “The Man with the Golden Voice”), best known for his 1975 song, “How Long” (“Has this been going on?”), and his rendition of “The Living Years.”

“He has such a soulful, passionate voice,” Murphy says. “It’s a huge compliment when people tell me I sound like him.”

A highlight of his career came at a Panthers game in 2012 where he played with the band pre-game, announced the game, and then played after the game to thousands of people at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise.

“It was a great atmosphere and so much fun,” recalls Murphy. “I am blessed to make a living doing what I love. This is the key to a good life.”

Steve Murphy traveled the world and played with Alan Parsons, an English musician, songwriter, and record producer who was the sound engineer on the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” in 1969, “Let It Be” in 1970, and Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon” in 1973.

A multi-disciplinary musician—he plays guitar, keyboards, and sings—Steve Murphy also drums. With dreams of becoming Stewart Copeland, Jeff Porcaro, or John Henry Bonham (all drummers), Murphy played with some of his favorite bands, including the Police, Toto, and Led Zeppelin.

He toured with the Hit Men and the Trans Siberian Orchestra, visiting more than 40 countries in eight years with guitarist Godfrey Townsend and the Alan Parsons Live Project.

Nobody’s Fault drummer Green began playing music at the age of 13 with his mother, Susan Rose, a musician. They performed at a USO show in Japan and traveled the country, arriving in Florida in 1973.

Moving out at the age of 16, Green studied at the Recording Institute of America, where he learned lighting, sound, and stage building. He brought national acts including the Police and Pat Benatar to Florida, went on tour with the Jackson 5, and recorded an album with the Joe Rush Band.

“We love what we’re doing,” says bass player Knight, “and we hope to keep doing it. We give our fans our best every time—you never know when the last show will be.”

For Green, a highlight is the togetherness and camaraderie the band provides. “I enjoy that we’ve all been together for so long,” he says. “We communicate through music.”

He notes that over the past 25 years, the band has had its share of ups and downs.

“It’s like a boot camp,” he says. “We’ve been through thick and thin and have now become a family.”

For more information, visit nobodysfaultband.com or like them on Facebook. Upcoming dates include Saturday, Jan. 13, at Sharkey’s Bar & Grill, 10365 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs. Visit sharkeysfl.com or call (954) 341-9990.

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Havoc 305 Wreaking havoc in all three area codes

With a passion and talent for music, Enrique “Rik” De Cubas, lead guitarist and vocalist for the rock and top-40 party cover band Havoc 305, says the band also wreaks havoc in the 954 and 561 area codes.

Originally known as the Swinging Richards, the current name evolved over a brainstorming session one evening and took hold.

Whether singing the Beatles’ “Come Together,” Rod Stewart’s “All Right Now,” or Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing,” De Cubas and his bandmates, lead vocalist and guitarist José Almonte, bass player and vocalist Arthur Granquist, and drummer and vocalist Jwani Brito, bring their own style and energy to each gig they play.

“Playing for our fans, friends, and family brings us much happiness,” says De Cubas. “We love the energy our audience brings, and we get a lot of energy from them while we play. We couldn’t do what we do without them, and we are indebted to their support and loyalty.”

All the musicians began playing music at an early age. Granquist started piano lessons at the age of 5 and played competitively by age 7. He learned guitar in high school.

Likewise, Brito, born into a musical family, discovered his passion and love for the drums early in life, after watching “The Muppet Show” with Buddy Rich and Animal doing a drum duet. Instantly he knew that was what he wanted to do.

Both De Cubas, who picked up the guitar at age 14, and Almonte, who fell in love with music at the age of 5 and grew up watching MTV and playing records he still has to this day, have devoted their life’s work to their passion for music.

The group performs regularly at the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort and Margaritaville 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar in Hollywood, THRōW Social in Delray Beach, Copper Blues Rock Pub and Kitchen in Miami, Voodo Bayou on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, Mathews Brewing Company in Lake Worth Beach, and Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton. Additionally, they love to perform at weddings and corporate events.

For New Year’s Eve, the group will appear at Sharkey’s Bar & Grill in Coral Springs to ring in 2024.

Musician Chet Gary, who plays rock violin, mandolin, and guitar, joined the group on stage last October at THRōW Social for some impromptu jamming.

“I enjoyed playing with Havoc 305,” says Gary. “They are professional and intuitive musicians. We developed a groove immediately and generated an exciting conclusion to my electric violin solo in Guns N’ Roses’ ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine.’

“I look forward to jamming with these guys again,” he says.

De Cubas, who admires guitarists Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen, fell in love with the guitar as a teenager. Self-taught, he studied architecture but left school when he signed a record deal with Cane/Universal Records, with the Latin rock group El Duende, and toured with the band during the mid-1990s. Their first album, “Transición,” was a Top 20 hit in the Latin rock charts.

He went on to perform for more than a decade at Murphy’s Law, in the Hard Rock Casino Resort in Hollywood, from where fans still recognize him to this day.

Music, he says, is both a harbor and a refuge, and it stimulates him, makes him happy, and picks him up when he’s down.

“Once I grab the guitar and my fingers graze the metal strings and the strings hit the wood, it’s magical,” De Cubas says, noting that he still practices every day to keep muscle memory intact and his technique and precision crisp.

He met band member Almonte through drummer Brito. The two also perform separately as the Havoc Duo.

Almonte, who doesn’t remember a time before he was singing, grew up in New York and the Dominican Republic. A real rocker, he loves Guns N’ Roses and Led Zeppelin and counts Chris Cornell, Axl Rose, and Robert Plant as inspiration.

With Havoc 305 for the past five years, “it’s been a great ride,” he says. He is a married father of four grown kids in a blended family.

One of Almonte’s favorite things is to be on stage with his best friends, energized by the music and the crowd. “On those nights when the music is pumping and the energy is there from the crowd, we make a perfect match,” he says.

He loves to perform “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” and to get the crowd up and dancing along to the 4 Non Blondes’ 1992 hit, “What’s Up?,” singing along to the refrain “What’s Going On?”

Long-term goals for the band include going as far as they can here in South Florida and branching out to create original music.

Almonte has written and performed an original song titled “Warped” that the band is arranging, each adding his own touch.

“We’re a hard-working band,” he says. “We love to have fun while playing, and we hope our audience has as much fun as we do. It’s a high to see people dancing and smiling and having a great time.

“That’s our job—we’re entertainers,” Almonte says.

Visit Havoc305.com or like them on Facebook. Sharkey’s Bar & Grill is located at 10365 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs. For tickets to the New Year’s Eve show, visit sharkeysfl.com or call (954) 341-9990.

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KEF! Street artist seeks and spreads harmony

Going with the flow is one way to describe the urban art of German-born street artist Simon Röhlen, 34, who goes by the street or tag name “KEF!”

While the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word kef as a “state of dreamy tranquility,” the artist chose the name to mean a scar on your skin, comparing the scar to the street tag, both having a long-lasting impact.

KEF! and his work will be part of the exhibit “Burner: The Exhibition,” at the Onessimo Fine Art Gallery in West Palm Beach through Nov. 12, as part of its North American tour.

A burner piece is described as a complicated, often legal street artwork that takes time and effort and makes a style statement. It’s so good that it “burns off the wall.”

The traveling exhibit of urban art features some of the most recognizable names in the graffiti and pop culture art movement, such as Banksy, Anthony Lister, Mr. Doodle, Kaws, Vinnie Nylon, Takashi Murakami, Reka One, Ben Eine, Dotmaster, Craig Knight, Harry Bunce, Henri Lamy, Dalek (aka James Marshall), Magnus Gjoen, Pure Evil, and the Connor Brothers, a pseudonym for British artists James Golding and Mike Snelle.

The two became known for their Pulp Fiction series, which uses stylized pinup artwork from dime novels juxtaposed with captions like “I drink to make other people more interesting” and “I don’t want to go to heaven,” with giclées on display at the exhibit.

“I am excited to present KEF!, a talented and influential artist, in person in my gallery, as well as some of the most important urban artists making a name in the contemporary art world,” says Debra Onessino, principal of Onessimo Fine Art Gallery.

“This exhibition opens doors to new conversations around art, freedom of expression, societal issues, and genres of work that have been at the forefront of the global contemporary art movement,” she says.

KEF! has on display the 2021 43-by-31-inch acrylic on canvas painting, “Deepness of the Moment #9,” with its strong black-and-white swirling lines and blocks of color; the 2023 “Slow Flowing River #8,” a 28-by-20-inch acrylic on canvas, the bold black lines offset by a Studebaker blue background and chunks of yellow; and the large-scale, 80-by-86-inch 2023 “Crescent Moon Fills My Heart #2,” acrylic on canvas, accented with touches of yellow, blue, and red.

KEF! began experimenting with graffiti art at the age of 14 and left his home base of Berlin for London in 2013, where his career took off.

His work can be seen at the Haus in Berlin, the Park Lane Hong Kong Hotel, and the Commerce building in Baton Rouge, LA, as well as on large-scale murals in the U.S., China, England, France, Germany, Guatemala, Israel, Spain, and Wales.

Retailer Urban Outfitters commissioned KEF! to design interiors for their stores in London, Berlin, Stuttgart, and Hong Kong. One of his most exciting commissions, he says, was the interior design he created in 2017 for the Park Lane Hong Kong Hotel’s SKYE Roofbar, with the panorama of the city and harbor below.

 “The view was just crazy over the skyline of Hong Kong,” KEF! remembers, noting that this project launched his international art career.

With a solo exhibition in Germany at the Museum Goch, a collab with Luis Vuitton, and representing Germany as a part of the official artistic efforts of @visitqatar and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar for last year’s games, his career scored more than a few goals.

Finding inspiration in nature and in the practice and rituals of Buddhism, KEF! is a devotee of Pure Land Buddhism, one of the most popular forms of Buddhism in eastern Asia, and has been to meditation retreats in China and most recently in Taiwan.

His art, a series of swirling and hypnotic patterns—he doesn’t paint lines or straight edges—is intended to promote peace and harmony in keeping with his spiritual beliefs.

“I find the flow relaxing,” KEF! says about his signature style. “It makes me calm to paint these flowing lines, and this is important to me.”

Not connecting with the traditional words and letters of graffiti-style artists, he discovered that these large-scale, patterned murals, using geometric abstract lines, resonate more with him.

“My work allows me to express what is inside of me,” says the self-taught artist who once apprenticed to be an industrial mechanic. Although he says he knew it wasn’t for him after the first week, KEF! persevered and finished the 3½-year apprenticeship.

“I took it as motivation to push my art career forward,” he says. “At the end, it was good, because it brought me to a more satisfying career.”

An admirer of London urban artist Stik (“his work is simple, but with a strong meaning”), known for his iconic depictions of stick figures, KEF! also has an appreciation for the classic art of Russian avant-garde artist Kazimir Malevich.

“His work is abstract, but very spiritual,” KEF! says. “When I read the meaning of his work, I really feel his spirit.”

As successful as he is at a young age, KEF! says his ultimate career goal would be to have an exhibit at MoMa in New York City.

“That’s when I would know I’ve really made it,” he says with a qualifier, also represented by his Buddhist philosophy and practice. “I would try to keep a beginner’s mind,” he says. “It’s unhealthy to focus on an end point. I want to keep my fire and curiosity alive.”

He says, “Success is more internal than external. As long as I can grow internally and be successful each day, I try to keep a balance between my material and spiritual goals.”

A seeker and a searcher on a spiritual journey, KEF! believes the world needs more harmony and tries to impart that message through his work.

His advice? “Try to relax when you observe my work,” he says. “Switch off your mind and try to feel my work emotionally and spiritually, and summon some inner peace and harmony.”

KIF! comments, “I hope my work conveys these feelings into my viewers’ lives so they can feel more calm, centered, and peaceful.”

Onessimo Fine Art Gallery is located at 4530 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens. For more information, visit www.Onessimofineart.com or call (561) 355-8061. Meet KEF! in person Nov. 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. or Nov. 12 from 2 to 5 p.m.

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Cruising the water in a different kind of taxi

How can you tour the Intercoastal Waterway and the New River in Fort Lauderdale but on your own timetable? By buying an all-day pass on the Water Taxi!

I recently did this on a beautiful Saturday with some friends. We started our waterside adventure by parking at 15th Street Fisheries (where we could do valet all day) and having a delicious seafood lunch there, overlooking the sparkling water, fish, and boats of the Intercoastal. Then we walked out on the pier located right there and boarded a yellow water taxi, at the Fort Lauderdale Route’s stop #3.

To get your Water Taxi passes, you go online for pre-purchase and then your ticket barcode appears on your phone; just show the phone to boat staff upon boarding each taxi. The various boats are scheduled to arrive and depart every 35–40 minutes (though we never waited that long), between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. It is a great way to see the many nice features and highlights of Fort Lauderdale.

Stops 1 and 2 are along the river: #1 is the Riverside Hotel and Stranahan House, where you can enjoy the picturesque Riverwalk, and #2 is just steps away from the famous Las Olas Boulevard with all its shops, restaurants, and bars. We disembarked there and walked over to have cocktails and window-shop on the boulevard for a bit.

The other locations are on the Intercoastal: You can go to stop #4, for the Hilton Marina and Convention Center (where you also can transfer to the Hollywood Express Route, which goes to Margaritaville Beach Resort and the Hollywood Broadwalk); #5, the south end of Bahia Mar (where you can view marinas of luxury yachts docked); #6, Beach Place and Fort Lauderdale Beach; #7, GalleryOne Double Tree and Galleria Mall; #8, Birch State Park; #9, Shooters Waterfront; and #10, Bokamper’s Sports Bar & Grill.

We spent our afternoon gliding up and down the water throughout the city, seeing celebrities’ mansions and yachts as well as all kinds of other boats, including tour vessels, barges, party boats, a floating tiki bar, and young sailing students soaring by in a line of little boats. We went past “Beer Can Island,” where people frolicked on boats clustered around the sand bars, with many milling around in the shallow water and socializing. It was a gorgeous day, so there was a lot of action on the Intercoastal.

Aboard the taxis were tourists, families, and bar-hopping friends, all seeming to enjoy being out on the water and the ease of the taxi system. There was staff at each stop answering questions and, on board over a microphone, narrating the sights as we went past them, providing some interesting history and funny anecdotes. Be sure to bring some cash for tipping, as they definitely appreciate that and work hard.

Later that afternoon, two of us went ashore for a nice walk alongside A1A and the ocean, at Fort Lauderdale Beach, where we saw large groups having beach parties and barbecues and a wedding getting set up on the sand overlooking the ocean. We went on a walking bridge above A1A to buy drinks from a small market, and then headed back to our water taxi stop. I enjoyed being able to explore the area at our leisure and return when we were ready.

We ended our water tour of Fort Lauderdale by disembarking at the same place where we first got on, at stop #3, and picking up our car at the 15th Street Fisheries valet lot. A very pleasant day!

The Water Taxi all-day pass costs $35 for adults, $30 for seniors and military, $15 for children 5–11, and free for children under 5. Evening-only passes are $20 and start at 5 p.m. You can also buy a month’s unlimited pass for $90. For tickets and information, go to WaterTaxi.com.

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Sur Aur Taal: From Classical to Modern Bollywood Music, Indian Culture Comes to Liberty City

MAIACA, Miami Association of Indian Americans for Culture and the Arts, will host Sur Aur Taal, a live production exploring the evolution of melody and rhythm connecting centuries old Classical Indian music to Bollywood movie songs. The event is scheduled for September 18th at the revitalized Sandrell Rivers Theater in Liberty City beginning at 6pm EST. Sur Aur Taal will feature musicians and singers from the Asian Cultural Association of Central Florida. The troupe will perform a series of well-known musical ragas (classical patterns of musical stanzas) in both Classical and Bollywood melodies. This will be the first live, in-person performance for MAIACA in almost two years, due to the pandemic.

Tickets for the September 18th Sur Aur Taal show are available via the Sandrell Rivers Theater website. COVID protocols of the Sandrell Rivers Theater will be enforced. Face coverings in all public common areas and temperature checks for all patrons and staff are required. The Sandrell Rivers Theater is located at 6103 NW 7th Ave, Miami, FL 33127. Please visit MAIACA to make a donation or learn more.

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A documentary from Parkland’s own: ‘It’s Not a Burden’

Directed by Michelle Boyaner and produced by Parkland resident Wendy Zipes Hunter, “It’s Not a Burden: The Humor and Heartache of Raising Elderly Parents” is a deeply intimate documentary that follows its director as she serves as the primary caretaker for her elderly parents, Elaine and Morris. Each parent struggles with their own battle incited by old age, with Elaine suffering from dementia and Morris being a hoarder.

Morris Boyaner in IT’S NOT A BURDEN
©2021 Greenie Films

Supplementing her own personal story and composing the majority of the film is a composition of around 20 vignettes, each telling their own story of adults providing care for their elderly parents. Each vignette features a retrospective of each parent’s life, an account of their current struggles, and occasionally an update on the family’s story. 

Boyaner’s impetus for dedicating such a considerable portion of her documentary toward other people’s struggles instead of her own is to convey the film’s central message. 

Coming directly from Boyaner, the message of this film is, “You are not alone. If you are somewhere in the midst of this journey, helping your parent/parents, you are not alone. Look at the people in this film, all walks of life, navigating their own version of the same thing. You are not alone.”

Frances Moore & Cynthia Moore in IT’S NOT A BURDEN
©2021 Greenie Films

In each story, including her own, it is an uphill battle against old age. Boyaner is frank in showcasing that elderly care is often embarrassing and melancholy, for both parties.

However, as Boyaner presents, no one family is solitary dealing with the strife of old age. Although each family struggles, they prove strong in the face of life’s great equalizer, and they are able to see the final time spent with their loved ones as a blessing rather than a burden.

Below is a portion of my interview with Boyaner.

Q. What kind of philosophy or belief system do you believe people should take into the final stages of their lives?

A. I relied very heavily on the book “Being Mortal” by Atul Gawande, as it explores the last stages of life through personal stories and focuses on quality of life. I highly recommend this book (you should see my copy, it’s marked up like a textbook).

Q. After filming, did you do any follow-ups with the families you interviewed?

A. We have kept in touch with many of the families we met with for “It’s Not a Burden,” and although “follow-ups” are not contained in the film, we have been in touch. The bulk of the filming with the other families was from 2016 to 2019, so unfortunately some of the parents have now passed away, and we’ve been in touch with families as they have grieved their losses. We also continue to celebrate milestones with those who are still with us.

Q. During filming, was it ever difficult for the people you interviewed to talk about their circumstances?

A. Every family who opened their homes and their hearts to us were taking a chance. They were honest and vulnerable and shared stories about their own experiences that they hoped would help other people. Those we spoke to were truly heroes and we are so grateful to them for trusting us with their truths and knowing that what we were creating was going to become something to help.

Q. What is your favorite memory with your mother?

A. I have certain memories, snapshots of simpler times from very early in my childhood that stand out as magical with my mother. In more recent times, it has just become a montage of all the time we spent — as you see in the film — out on adventures, running errands, just being together.

Q. Do you have any advice for anyone who is currently going through something similar to what you experienced?

A. My advice is really contained in the film: Let’s try harder to regard each other. To take a minute. To spend the time. To be patient. To listen. To not just see an older person as their age or their ailment but realize that they’ve lived a whole life filled with memories, and they’re still here, and it’s vital that they have a sense of purpose.

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Vickie Pierre: ‘Be my herald of what’s to come’

Vickie Pierre: ‘Be my herald of what’s to come’

For New York-born and Miami-based artist Vickie Pierre, there’s more to come. At the age of 51, Pierre is just hitting her stride.

Vickie Pierre: ‘Be my herald of what’s to come’

With a solid portfolio and major accomplishments under her belt, Pierre is currently focused on generating new works. Her current pieces on display at the Boca Raton Museum of Art are a continuation of the work she has done since her college years at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Her work has been exhibited at Foundation Clement in Martinique and Centro de Documentación para las Artes Visuales and Galerie Oriente in Cuba. She has exhibited at the Little Haiti Cultural Center and the Diana Lowenstein Fine Art Gallery in Miami and the Art and Culture Center in Hollywood, Florida. In 2019, she was a finalist in the Orlando Museum of Art Florida Prize in Contemporary Art. 

In 2016 Pierre caught the eye of both Irvin Lippman, CEO of the Boca Raton Museum of Art, and Assistant Curator Kelli Bodle, when she was brought to their attention by Miami-Haitian artist Edouard Duval-Carrié, who was exhibiting at the museum. He flagged her as an up-and-coming artist in the Miami art scene.

“Vickie draws from her parents’ penchant for European interior design, evident in the French colonial influence on Haiti,” says Bodle. 

Pierre uses resin wall plaques, ornate wall sconces, vintage Avon glass perfume bottles, wooden shelf sconces and ship bookends, jewelry, and hand-strung glass beads to create her visions. She deconstructs the perfume bottles from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries and reintroduces them as anthropomorphic shapes set against monochromatic backgrounds. The headless forms are no longer recognizable as the fairy-tale mistresses they once were. 

Vickie Pierre: ‘Be my herald of what’s to come’

Her piece titled “And Though I May Have Lost My Way, All Paths Lead Straight to You” uses the reenvisioned perfume bottles, flaxen hair from dolls, galleon ships representing the slave trade, bracelets, cuffs, and jewelry, all interconnected by long strands of beads that she strings herself in various patterns.

Pierre’s work encompasses evocative titles such as “I Can’t Say No to You (Good Enough),” “Totems for My Sisters (We Are All Illuminous!),” and “You’ve Stolen My Heart and It Hurts Me to Remember.”

“When Vickie exhibited her piece ‘Elemental Mistresses (The Power of 3)’ [also in this exhibition] at the museum in 2016, I found the sculpture beautiful, with its grand sweeps of beadwork and ornate sconces,” Bodle says. “It was also quite haunting by virtue of the elegant script (‘This Must Be the Love They Speak of’) transcribed on the wall.

“The world craves authentic, genuine people and experiences more than any faux polished façade. Vickie and her work come from a place of earnestness and authenticity.

“These attributes, paired with skill and effectual presentation, make for great art,” Bodle says.

The current exhibit is Pierre’s premiere solo museum show and one of which she is immensely proud.

“This is a significant milestone in my career,” says Pierre. “It is a tremendous opportunity and a great achievement for my work to be introduced and showcased in the Boca Raton Museum of Art, to be enjoyed by the local public as well as visitors from around the world.

“My work exemplifies who I am and what I’m trying to do,” she says from her studio in Miami’s Fountainhead. “I have a love of the fantastical and whimsical but also incorporate history, identity, and the concepts of womanhood and femininity.”

Indeed, Pierre turns pop-culture feminine icons such as Snow White and Cinderella on their head, deconstructing them à la Hans Bellmer, a German surrealist artist and photographer best known for his series of life-sized pubescent female dolls (poupées).

Pierre questions the influence of history and popular culture on identity. “My continued focus is on the exploration of identity and ethnicity, with references to design and nature, as well as connections between my Haitian heritage and the Caribbean as well as broader global cultural mythologies,” she says.

In 2020, after the social justice movements, Pierre created “Black Flowers Blossom (Hanging Tree),” as a way to honor the souls of people lost to racial injustice, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, among others. This piece is also included in the show.

Vickie Pierre: ‘Be my herald of what’s to come’

She describes her creative process as “easy,” doing a lot of sketching and what she calls “navel-gazing.”

“I’m always reworking, cutting, and pasting,” she says. “I let the ideas marinate and my execution is superfast.”

The child of medical professionals and immigrants from Haiti, Pierre says she was raised to be 100% American. She grew up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, in a mixed neighborhood playing with people of all different backgrounds and religions.

“This inclusivity fostered my vision to reach for the universal,” she says. “I strive for a global ideal.”

In addition to Bellmer, Pierre counts Duval-Carrié, Canadian-American artists Miriam Schapiro, and Betye Saar as influences, who also worked with assemblage to explore the myths and stereotypes around race and femininity.

In 2016, Pierre committed full-time to her artwork. “It was sink or swim, and everything came together,” she says.

When asked what drives her, Pierre reflects.

“I feel this is my destiny; I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing and I am where I’m supposed to be,” she replies. “I’m excited and amazed. Everything in my life has led me to this point.”

The exhibit runs through Sept. 5. For more information, visit bocamuseum.org.

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The show must go on: Barclay Performing Arts

With a great-grandmother who was a showgirl and George White Scandal dancer (Broadway revues modeled after the Ziegfield Follies) who appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine, and a family steeped in musical theater, it’s no wonder that Christine Barclay founded the Barclay Performing Arts theater in 2016 as a way to honor her late father, John Barclay.

John Barclay was a director, educator, actor, and founder of the Weston Drama Workshop in Weston, MA.

“My dad was an amazing director who always found a way to bring out the very best in each and every person, whether on the stage or behind the scenes,” remembers Christine Barclay.

It is to his memory and passion that she dedicates herself and her work. “There’s no better person to be the beacon for this theater in Boca Raton,” she says.

“My dad created confident, articulate young people and made a big difference in the lives of his students,” Barclay says. “I hope to do the same.”

The theater, located next to T.J. Maxx in the Somerset Shoppes in Boca Raton, helps students of all ages find their voice, creativity, and confidence. Before moving to this location, Barclay worked out of the Boca Black Box theater on Glades Road. 

Her opening production, entitled “Spring Awakening,” is forever etched in her mind.

Pregnant with her now 3-year-old daughter Caroline and about to give birth in February 2018, the tragedy occurred at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Many of the MSD students were performing in the production.

“The cast decided to move forward with the show,” recalls Barclay, who by that time was on maternity leave. “It was one of the most unbelievable experiences of my life.” 

“To watch these kids travel to the White House, meet with then-President Barack Obama, then board a red-eye back to Boca for rehearsals, all while mourning their friends, was just incredible,” she says.

“I’m so proud of their survival and the emotional, physical, and mental resilience of our team and that of the community,” Barclay says. “Getting through those shows after the tragedy and giving birth was a moment that fully made me realize my responsibilities.”

“I wanted to ensure my company was there to support these kids and to transition to a space with a purpose and mission to change the world,” she says.

“We want to be a community center where kids and others can come to feel safe and have a platform in which to express themselves.”

Before relocating to Florida in 2012, Barclay was the executive assistant to Marc Tumminelli, founder of the Broadway Workshop in New York City, and she was a resident member of the theater faculty for the Rodeph Sholom School in Manhattan. 

She performed, directed, and choreographed for many theaters and schools, including the Kew Forest School and the Looking Glass Theatre in New York. In addition to acting, she has directed, choreographed, stage-managed, and performed in numerous productions in New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, and Pennsylvania.

During the pandemic, Barclay produced 10 virtual, live-streamed performances including “Schoolhouse Rock,” “Fame Jr.,” “Band Geeks: The Musical,” and the concert version of “Guys and Dolls.”

She is currently in production for “Peter Pan,” “Urinetown: The Musical,” and “Willie Wonka.”

“We worked just as hard during quarantine as we did previously,” says Barclay, who in addition to her 3-year-old is raising three stepchildren.

Lewis Singer, 53, a chiropractor at Singer Family Chiropractic in Boynton Beach, had his first acting role 22 years ago in “Sweet Charity” at the Lake Worth Playhouse when he played the hippie preacher, known as “Big Daddy.”

Fast forward to 2015, where Singer was in the audience at the Barclay theater to support some acting friends, when he noticed one of their upcoming shows was “Fun Home,” the first Broadway musical with a lesbian protagonist, which won five Tony Awards including Best Musical that year.  

“I knew I had to be a part of it,” Singer remembers. He had seen the road show in Tampa and says “to my shock and disbelief, I landed my dream role of the father, Bruce Bechdel. This is the role of a lifetime.”

“I fell in love with Christine and fell in love with the mission of her theater,” says Singer, who also sings and plays keyboard in an ’80s cover band called Livin’ the 80s.

“She’s amazing, and her vision and mission of caring for the community using her theater as the vehicle for this are amazing as well. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for her,” he says.

Barclay is working with the nonprofit Find Your Voice Foundation, a social enterprise company that gives creative companies a voice with which to share their story with the end goal of establishing their own theater and venue. She hopes the theater will be a gathering place for people in the community.

“If anyone feels like they’re missing something in their life, a spark of interest, motivation, friendship, or someone to hug, somewhere to walk in a door and sit down and be exactly who you are, we’re the space for you,” Barclay says. “You don’t need to be on Broadway. If you need somewhere to be and be the best version of yourself, we’ll find a space for you.”

“We want to be a ball of light for our community,” says Barclay.

For more information, visit barclayperformingarts.com.

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Here’s to a COLORFUL school year! 

A colorful back-to-school collaboration

We can’t contain our excitement, as it’s nearly time for school again! In order to get the kids as enthusiastic as we are, we decided to throw them a colorful back-to-school party. First we started with a wall sign, colorful balloons, and an amazing sweets table. 

   

The kids activity table was set up with personalized pencil cases and water bottles on top of coloring sheets serving as placemats. Next, they each were given custom T-shirts to wear as good-luck pajamas for the night before their first day. A cute tradition to start is a first day of school interview. For example, you can create your own questions or get a free printable list online. Keep it somewhere safe! It’s fun to read it again at the end of the year. 

 

The final activity was loads of fun: a school supply scavenger hunt! We hid all the essential supplies around the house with clues, and set the kids running to fill their backpacks. The kids felt so proud as they read the clues and figured out where to go next. 

   

Finally, as you prepare for their first day, be sure to send them off with four things: 

  • A good joke. Here’s a simple one:

Q. What’s the king of all school supplies?

A. The ruler!

  • A survival kit for their new teacher filled with fun treats. 
  • A sweet note to remind them how amazing and brave they are. This ruler cookie will do the trick! 
  • A giant hug.

Rachel Hunter is the owner of Celebrate You Events, offering bespoke party planning for all occasions.

She can be reached at (305) 389-0550 or CelebrateYou2020@gmail.com.

For information on any of these activities, contact the following:

  • Rachel from Celebrate You Events (IG: @celebrate.you.events) — concept creation, party styling, and activities
  • Alex from Hullaballoon (IG: @thehullaballoon) — custom balloon arch
  • Claudia from Claumellows (IG: @claumellows) — custom cookies
  • Kim and KJ from Tis the Season Favors (IG: @tistheseasonfavors) — personalized pencil cases and teacher survival kit
  • Miriam from City Girl Sweet Shop (IG: @citygirlsweetshop) — custom cake and cupcakes
  • Nicole from Luv My Creations (IG: @luvmycreations) — custom T-shirts and personalized water bottles.
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Mounts Botanical Garden Offers Escape from Summer Heat

Mounts Botanical Garden offers escape from summer heat

What to do in the dog days of summer?

After the beach and pool, why not explore nature at Mounts Botanical Garden, Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest botanical garden? Or better yet, bring your pooch on July 11 as the garden hosts its monthly Dogs’ Day in the Garden, a dog- and family-friendly event.

“Dogs’ Day in the Garden offers dog owners a chance to step away from their routine outdoor walks and enjoy a different, relaxing environment with their fur babies,” says Melissa Carter, a spokesperson for Mounts.

Mounts Botanical Garden offers escape from summer heat

“The dogs love being in our garden with so many new ‘sniffs’ and the chance to see other dogs and people,” she says. “The Mounts Botanical Garden also offers a great backdrop for family photo ops.”

The Garden takes its name from Marvin Umphrey “Red” Mounts, the county’s first assistant agricultural extension agent, who established and cared for the Garden’s collection of fruit trees to help produce new food resources.

A quiet, tropical oasis located behind the Palm Beach International Airport, the Garden spans 4 acres and boasts a collection of 25 display gardens containing more than 5,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants, including Florida native plants, exotic and tropical fruit trees, ornamentals, herbs, palms, roses, cacti, succulents, and bromeliads.

The various gardens include the Rose and Fragrance Garden, Garden of Tranquility, Herb Garden of Well-Being, Florida Natives Garden, and Children’s Maze Garden, among others.

For kids, the Children’s Maze Garden offers opportunities to learn and explore. Hedge mazes evolved from the knot gardens of Renaissance Europe. They are known for their mystical and magical quality. This maze was created in the 1980s from a sweet fragrant shrub whose white flowers bloom twice a year. 

At the center of the maze stands the Bo Tree, said to be the species of tree that Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher known as the Buddha, sat under when he attained enlightenment.

Each garden is created as a living exhibit, with plants chosen specifically to tell a story about choices that visitors can make within our subtropical climate. The gardens illustrate what area residents can emulate in their own spaces, large or small.

The Herb Garden of Well-Being showcases herbs and how they affect our lives and sense of well-being through culinary, medicinal, ceremonial, and aromatherapy applications. 

Natural elements of stone, wood, and living plant materials are combined in the Garden of Tranquility, as well as an Indonesian, hand-carved wall juxtaposed with elements from other Asian influences. The objective is to inspire peace and tranquility — a spiritual place for the mind and soul.

In addition to roses, the Rose and Fragrance Garden boasts the fragrant flowers of the Ylang-Ylang Perfume Tree, Angel’s Trumpet, and the Longan Tree, one of the oldest trees in the Garden.

The Florida Natives Garden uses native plants to help preserve the state’s natural resources. Increasingly, our native birds, butterflies, and wildlife rely on gardeners to replace natural habitats lost to development. Those native plants include the Wild Coffee native shrub and the Firebush, which attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. 

In bloom in July are the Rainbow Shower Cassia (Cassia x nealiae), the Verawood (Bulnesia arborea), and the Trai Tich Lan Perfume Tree (Fagraea ceilanica), with its large, creamy, trumpet-shaped flowers.

August awaits the blooms of the Summer Poinsettia (Mussaenda philippica), the White Crepe Ginger (Costus speciosus), and the fragrance that became famous as Chanel No. 5 Eau de Parfum — the Ylang-Ylang Perfume Flower (Canaga odorata).

In June 2017, the Garden created the Windows on the Floating World: Blume Tropical Wetland Garden as a way of conserving and protecting freshwater. The wetland garden was designed to highlight the wetland ecology and to protect Florida’s fragile wetland system. 

Designed by artists in collaboration with Palm Beach County’s Art in Public Places program, the garden, a microcosm of tropical wetlands, features open-gridded, 4-foot-wide walkways on the surface of the wetlands. 

Within these walks are four “windows” planted with aquatics and changed out with rotating and seasonal botanical exhibits growing from submerged containers. Four circular, etched-glass, interpretive viewers are strategically located throughout the garden to educate and engage visitors on key components of a wetland.

Bromeliads grow wild and cover the natural stone walls; aquatic life and wading birds are abundant; and wildlife can be seen foraging for fish, clams, and snails in the muck and shallow pools.

So, while you may not find silver bells or cockle shells, you will find a respite from the outside world, a chance to unwind with or without your pet, and appreciate nature in all its glory.

Mounts Botanical Garden

Mounts Botanical Garden is located at 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach. Sunday, July 11, is Dogs’ Day in the Garden, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Last entry at 2 p.m.) Cost: Free for members; $10 for nonmembers; $5 for children 5-12. For more information, visit mounts.org.

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Go for the Gold! – An Olympic Collaboration

Go for the Gold! - An Olympic Collaboration

Five years in the making, the rescheduled 2020 Summer Olympic in Tokyo are (at the time of print) set to forge ahead on July 23rd. We cannot wait to see the amazing physical feats that these athletes perform and cheer on Team USA! We created this Opening Ceremony party to help build the excitement, and show some creative hosting ideas and family activities. 

Go for the Gold! - An Olympic Collaboration

The fun is in the details. From torch cupcakes to Olympic Rings cookies to food in the five Olympic colors. We made it bright, colorful, and easy thanks to some talented local bakers and crafters, and a quick trip to Trader Joe’s. 

                 Go for the Gold! - An Olympic Collaboration

For the adults, we created a signature cocktail called Go for the Gold (2 parts bourbon, 1 part freshly squeezed lemon, 1 part honey syrup – 100% delicious!). Dipping the glasses in honey and Olympic-colored sugars makes them extra festive, and custom-made Olympic Rings stir sticks topped off the look. We made a flag game to test how worldly our friends were. Simply choose 26 flags and assign them a letter. Then have your guests try to match them to the correct country name. Be sure to throw some obscure ones in there to really test them!

Kids love a good contest, and when gold medal cookies are the prize they get really excited! We set up a basketball station, a golf station and had swimming races. We ordered temporary tattoo flags to make it really authentic. 

Whatever sport you tune into, whatever country you cheer for, we can all be united in this historical sporting event.

Enjoy, stay safe, and GO TEAM USA!

For information on any of these activities contact:

Rachel from Celebrate You Events (IG: @celebrate.you.events) – Concept creation, party styling, activities & fringe banners

Lindsay from ARCH the Party Co. (IG: @archtheparty) – Balloons & helium bundles

Daniela from Tulle & Tools (IG: @tulleandtools) – Cupcake torches & mini cake

Ana from AO Craft Décor (IG: @aocraftdecor) – Hanging Olympic Rings & acrylic stir sticks

Crystal from Riley Black Designs (IG: @rileyblackdesigns) – Custom acrylic cone stand, flame cake & cupcake toppers

Melissa from That Girl in Pink Bakery (IG: @thatgirlinpinkbakery) – Custom cookies

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The Fantels − adjusting to a new normal in music, performing arts

In early 2020, the future looked rosy for Coral Springs couple Caryl and Roy Fantel.

One night, Roy was playing drums in the orchestra for the world premiere production of the musical “A Wonderful World” at Miami New Drama, a professional, nonprofit theater company in Miami Beach. Roy helped create the drum score for the musical biography about jazz legend Louis Armstrong. 

While Roy worked on “A Wonderful World,” Caryl was music directing a production of Stephen Sondheim’s classic “A Little Night Music” by Zoetic Stage, a nonprofit, professional company in downtown Miami.

Caryl and Roy, a nationally respected couple who have been married almost 26 years, own and operate Coral Springs-based Fantel Music (www.fantelmusic.com). The couple, between them, boast more than 60 years of professional expertise in the performing arts. And the couple had already booked most of the rest of 2020 with gigs. Life was good.

Then, almost overnight, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Folks who had booked the Fantels for jobs canceled the engagements. In fact, Caryl could not even retrieve her belongings from the Arsht Center, where “A Little Night Music” was to open. The Arsht shut down, as did the musical. Meanwhile, in Miami Beach, Miami New Drama postponed “A Wonderful World” indefinitely.

In the bleakness that followed, email message after email message reached the couple’s inboxes, confirming closures and cancellations. 

For the first time in decades, the Fantels found themselves jobless. Fortunately, they are versatile and adaptable. 

Caryl is a music director, event producer, pianist, teacher, editor, and arts activist. Meanwhile, Roy is a drummer, percussionist, teacher, video-audio producer, and web designer. With all the skills between them, they were able to adapt to the new normal by finding virtual work.

Their first COVID-era job was producing the Carbonell Awards, which recognizes excellence in South Florida live theater. Caryl has been part of the award show’s production team for 12 years. But this year, the awards ceremony looked different. Caryl, herself a Carbonell Award winner, decided — along with the organization — to prerecord the 2020 awards ceremony and present it virtually in August 2020. The Carbonells turned out to be one of several projects the Fantels worked on, during which they helped schools and other performers put on shows virtually. 

“COVID has been extraordinarily challenging for everyone in the entertainment industry, but it has given us the opportunity to demonstrate our flexibility,” Caryl said. “Roy’s extensive technical background and abilities, and our wide experience working with groups of all sizes, ages, and levels, has enabled us to pivot into creating work that isn’t necessarily live performance, but is still art and entertainment.” 

For instance, the couple worked with drama students at Coral Glades High School to virtually perform the Off-Broadway musical hit “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.” Among other things, Roy figured out via green-screen technology how to make four actors appear as though they were together.

The Fantels also used green-screen technology to virtually produce “Signs of Life.” The Yiddishkayt Initiative presented the musical drama as part of a Holocaust Remembrance Day program. Roy said because the production was virtual, people from all over the world were able to watch it on Facebook and YouTube. 

The Fantels − adjusting to a new normal in music, performing artsJoan Limon, the producer of “Signs of Life,” praised the Fantels. “If there is an equivalent of a Tony Award for best musical direction and videography of a virtual musical drama, it definitely belongs on [their] mantel,” she said.

In addition to the Carbonell Awards, “Signs of Life,” and “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” the couple’s projects during the past year included the following:

  • “Stars of David in Concert,” produced by Avi Hoffman’s Yiddishkayt Initiative. The group is a not-for-profit organization that celebrates and promotes Jewish history, life, and culture.
  • Two readings of new musicals that combined recorded and live elements, including one at Florida Atlantic University.
  • A couple of holiday concerts presented as part of the Yiddishkayt Initiative’s international Hanukkah and Purim festivals.
  • A musical theater production for Nova Southeastern University.
  • A production of “Almost, Maine” for an area high school.

“As long as there’s a need, we will continue to produce virtually,” Caryl said. “To some degree, we believe virtual productions are here to stay, as they provide unlimited audience reach.”

However, “we’re both looking forward to performing in front of live audiences again,” Caryl said. “We are cautiously optimistic that audiences will return to theaters live and in-person in pre-pandemic numbers (or even beyond those numbers). We have heard that people are starved for live entertainment. We’re hoping they will be willing to prioritize attending live events, since people haven’t spent much, if anything, on arts events in more than a year … and artists and arts organizations need support now more than ever.”

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