THE UN-GALLERY

This story would not be complete without a mention of Swampspace Gallery, an alternative space I founded in 2008 to promote artistic values. Today Swampspace is recognized as part of the bedrock on which sustained support for our artistic community is realized. With a steady flow of artists,  we've hosted nearly 80 cultural events presenting a wide range of visual arts, theater and music.  With little budget but much enthusiasm, Swampspace is indeed a springboard towards career development for the youth. It is also a place where the overlooked of all ages are reconsidered and recognized. Here is a comprehensive partial archive of the many exhibitions and cultural events thus far. 

A special thanks goes out to the incomparable Craig Robins and the Miami Design District for their unflinching patronage and encouragement. The best is yet to come. 

My practice is threefold: the curation of Swampspace, professional sculptural fabrication, and my private studio work. These facets interconnect to form a stable structure for creative exploration, personal growth, a sustainable livelihood, and the satisfaction of serving others. 

Art is gesture. In its entirety, art is the culmination of lived experience, recreation, expression, and transformation. My practice aims to foster vital connections across diverse community pillars at Swampspace throughout its 20-year run of programming. Swampspace is central to my artistic practice—a repository of possibilities and a safe house for seasoned art connoisseurs and novices alike. My mission is to embody the role of the artist as a conduit for critical thought, civic engagement, mentorship, and celebration. 

EXAMPLES:

• Social Justice: Aesthetics of Commerce by artist and activist Eddie Arroyo (2015), highlighting gentrification concerns in the Little Haiti community.
  
  

• Environmental Sustainability: Obvious Oblivious by Ottilie Mason (2016), raising ocean degradation awareness; Saving Lolita by Jerry Powers, advocating against marine life abuse; and Leave No Trace with Nicole Davis and The Nature Conservancy.
  
  

• Mental Health & Healing: Nature Links by Jenna Balfe (2017), celebrating artists with physical and neurodiverse disabilities.
  
  

• Cultural Preservation & Innovation: Kaleidoscope with ProjectArt (2024), bringing art education to underserved communities via public libraries; and the Swampspace Music Club, showcasing live music and experimental sound.
  
  

• Community Empowerment: Super Cooper (2025), a South Florida Cooper Union Alumni exhibition championing access to higher education.
  
  

• Inclusivity: Autochthonous: Towards a New Indigene (2017), bridging contemporary Indigenous artists from the Amazon and the Everglades.
  
  

• Global Awareness: Havana Postcards with the Copperbridge Foundation (2015), proving that art remains a vital bridge between cultures.