Street SmART

JUPITER, FL – February 26, 2018 – If you live in Palm Beach County, there is no doubt that the chromatic, evocative art on the walls of buildings in Downtown West Palm Beach and Lake Worth, Jupiter’s Abacoa, and Tequesta has caught your eye once or twice. You may have even noticed that these renditions are there one day, and often wiped clean with white paint the next, only to be supplanted by different shapes, color hues, and perhaps even a public figure painted onto the surface. Such is the transient nature of street art.

Despite its temporary essence, street art is a direct illustration—pardon the pun—of how times have changed: What was once construed and dismissed as graffiti transmuted into awe-striking public art pieces that created an emerging market. Starving artists from all over the world became wealthy entrepreneurs when property owners and city councils began commissioning their talents to enrich the culture of their respective surroundings. Gallery owner/art advocate Nicole Henry has made it her mission to celebrate this avant-garde movement and its innovation; it is through her efforts that world-renowned art is popping up out in the open around here.

How does she accomplish this? Nicole is responsible for putting together the CANVAS Outdoor Museum, a nine-day event that turns cities in Palm Beach County into blank canvases for more than 20 acclaimed contemporary artists hailing from all four corners of the world to literally come paint the town. These artists craft site-specific installations and large-scale murals on buildings, shipping containers, or under bridges, as well as produce sculptures that are showcased in high-profile locations of the cityscape. Through CANVAS, Nicole brings world-class art to the community via an interactive experience, as locals and visitors are encouraged to observe the different stages that the artist delves in from concept to production to colorful realization.  

“Outdoor art breaks down barriers because it is able to engage everybody,” says Nicole. “Many people are intimidated to go into a museum. However, when you can walk through the city and see museum-quality art on your own terms, you begin to have an organic connection and appreciation for the artwork. Unlike being in a museum, you can interact with the art. It’s accessible, and I think that’s the future of art.”

Forward thinking is a defining trait that has helped Nicole blaze her own trail throughout her career. After graduating from Southern Methodist University with a BFA in Studio Art and Art History, Nicole sought to create a collection of Cuban pieces, which was, at the time, rare and hard to get. In 2001, she went through different motions to obtain a treasury license that allowed her to travel to Cuba and bring back art. She amassed a unique collection, and in 2006 she opened Nicole Henry Fine Art in Palm Beach Gardens (she later moved it to West Palm Beach). After several years in the art game, she developed CANVAS Art Charities, a non-profit organization dedicated to funding the visual arts, which has the CANVAS Outdoor Museum as its premier annual event.

Coming up on its fourth year, CANVAS has been recognized as the largest outdoor art museum in the nation, and it has featured influential street artists such as HULA, Kobra, and WRDSMTH. The first two annual events took place in West Palm Beach, but last year CANVAS was moved further south to Lake Worth. Asked about whether this year’s CANVAS will see artists overrun the city of Lake Worth again, Nicole takes a coy stance. “You will just have to wait and see. It might just happen in more than one location.”

Nicole curates CANVAS around a universal theme, and the artist, in turn, showcases and brings awareness to that theme through their work. For instance, last year’s theme was “Unity,” which revolved around the way art brings people together breaking through the division around the world. This year’s theme has not been revealed yet but Nicole remarks that it’ll invoke a profound statement.

Nicole’s contributions have indubitably reinforced Palm Beach County’s position as a major cultural and art destination worldwide; therefore, it comes as no surprise that CANVAS Art Charities was selected for the 2018 Muse Award for Outstanding Art in Public Places. She notes that although the response of the community and the art world to CANVAS has been “overwhelmingly positive,” she hopes to push the event to the next level.

“I want to expand CANVAS and move it to different cities around the country and the world,” notes Nicole. “The idea behind CANVAS is to have multiple venues for everyone to appreciate museum-quality art in outdoor spaces.”  

» For more information, visit www.canvasmuseum.org

Lead Photo Credit "Wings of Unity"- Artist:Jennifer Chaparro | Photo:Kevin Thompson