This year’s CANVAS will reimagine vacant, city-owned lots into imaginative, interactive, art-filled parks. The four parks — Kids Art Park, Chamber Park, Installation Park, and Museum Park – will feature monumental shipping containers and art installations, interactive sculptures, a creative playground, pop-up shops and more.

“CANVAS is leaving a permanent footprint this year for visitors to enjoy year-round. It’s very exciting to bring this caliber of public art to the heart of Downtown West Palm Beach to define our thriving Arts and Entertainment District,” said CANVAS founder and curator, Nicole Henry. “When curating this year’s show, artists were selected based on their innovative ideas and interactive components to their work. We really want visitors to experience and interact with the art in the parks.”

The impressive lineup of CANVAS artists include Amanda Valdes; Astro; Case Maclaim; Greg Mike; Griffin Loop; HEC One Love; Hoxxoh; Hula; HYBYCOZO; Laura Kimpton; Lonac; Lori Pratico; PichiAvo; Pipsqueak Was Here!!!; Sipros; WRDSMTH; and Zeus. Each artist will embrace this year’s theme of “connection,” and what connection means to an artist and to the creative experience.
Visitors will be able to pose by 14-ft laser-cut sculpture installations and view eye-popping murals on 40-ft monumental shipping containers. Other highlights include the outdoor classroom and an art-inspired playground, graciously funded in part by John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Fund of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties and Knight Foundation program director, Lilly Weinberg.

“In addition to bringing world-renowned artists and visitors to our area, CANVAS is encouraging residents to interact and connect with their surroundings and their community, while dynamically activating underutilized areas of the city,” said West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio. “This type of visionary attraction coupled with our own community engagement allows us to realize West Palm Beach as an international destination.”

Visitors are encouraged to download the free CANVAS Outdoor Museum app from the Apple or Android stores for a self-guided tour of this year’s exhibition. A map of exhibit locations as well as artist information can be found at canvasmuseum.org. CANVAS will be augmented by a series of free and ticketed events to benefit CANVAS Art Charities, a non-profit organization dedicated to funding visual arts to enrich public spaces and foster social and economic outcomes.

Photo: O’Donnell Agency

PALM BEACH ILLUSTRATED
Q&A WITH CANVAS FOUNDER NICOLE HENRY
By Anna Bjorlin

The public spaces in downtown West Palm Beach and Northwood Village will once again be splashed with art for the second annual Canvas Outdoor Museum Show, which returns November 11-20.

Wall mural by Kobra. (Photo by Adrian Wilcox Photography)
The show, which brings together contemporary artists from around the world, will transform five acres of the city’s streets and parks into an interactive art experience through colossal murals and public installations. Canvas founder and Miami native Nicole Henry, who opened her first gallery in Palm Beach Gardens a decade ago, organized the show after witnessing the growth of Miami’s cultural scene with the introduction of Art Basel.

Wall mural by Greg Mike. (Photo by Adrian Wilcox Photography)
This year, Henry hosted a fundraiser gala on October 22 that attracted a crowd of more than 300 art enthusiasts, celebrities, and socialites. At the 2016 show, guests can expect a full lineup of events including art, music, food, and more, along with the 27 participating artists to be featured this year. (For more information and a schedule of activities, click here.)

Wall mural by Hula. (Photo by Adrian Wilcox Photography)
Palm Beach Illustrated had the chance to chat with Henry about what guests can expect at this year’s show.

Canvas founder Nicole Henry in front of a wall mural by WRDSMTH. (Photo by Nelsonphoto.com)

PBI.com: How did Art Basel influence you when it came to creating Canvas?

Henry: I would just say the vibe! When you bring art and culture into a city, you can really see and feel the energy that comes along with it in the form of economic prosperity and new blood, whether that’s artists, entrepreneurs, or young creatives coming in to set up businesses.

How did people react to the inaugural event?

People really embraced Canvas, and it was people from all different ages and backgrounds. It was really cool to see things shoot up around it, like bike tours, culinary tours, people taking family photos, people shooting rap videos in front of the murals…it really took on a life of its own.

What’s new for this year?

We have 27 artists this year, and I tried to choose artists who are really innovative and have interactive components to their work since I really want people to participate in the artwork. Unlike an indoor museum where you stand five feet back and look at a piece of art, Canvas lets you take pictures with the art and become part of it. You’re also going to see some up-and-coming artists that no one’s heard of before along with famous rockstar artists, so we have a big variety. We have sculptors, muralists, contemporary artists…something for everyone.

What is your end goal for Canvas?


I would like to create a brand that we can take global, where we can bring museum-quality art to outdoor places around the world.

To view article click here 

Ja Rule entertains the crowd at the 2016 CANVAS Art Gala | Photo © LILA PHOTO

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (October 24, 2016) — A crowd of more than 300 art enthusiasts, celebrities and socialites attended the exclusive gala and after-party for CANVAS, the outdoor museum show, that is gearing up for its second year using Downtown West Palm Beach as it’s “cultural canvas” on November 11-20. Guests enjoyed drinks courtesy of Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Perrier® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, a sit-down dinner from Wellington Hospitality Group, a silent auction presented by Paddle8, and a live auction led by the renowned auctioneer, Justin Swisher. The party took place October 22 at the CANVAS VIP Pop-up Lounge at 1016 Clare Avenue in West Palm Beach – even the location was highly creative! Proceeds from the event benefit CANVAS Art Charities, a non-profit organization dedicated to funding visual arts to enrich public spaces and foster social and economic outcomes.

The evening was co-chaired by Bettina Anderson, Lizzi Bickford, and Chris Leavitt, of Million Dollar Listing fame. DJ Adam Lipson kept the energy upbeat throughout the night with special performances by Sean’s Dance Factory and four-time Grammy nominee, Ja Rule. Guests mixed and mingled with CANVAS artists including Griffin Loop, Brendan Murphy Ruben Ubiera, and Zeus. Other notable guests included Elin Nordegren, Wyatt Koch, Jim and Diane Perrella, Joe and Andrea Amato, Beau Wrigley, Laura Andrassy, Chris Asplundh Jr., Kenn Karakul, Tommy Morrison, Keith Spina, Christian Angle, and Lori Stoll.

The competition was fierce during the live auction as guests had the chance to bid on sought after items including a Cuba Experience trip hosted by CANVAS founder, Nicole Henry; a one-week lease of the newest, sleekest, Aston Martin; a VIP package to the Kentucky Derby; and tickets for two to Hamilton and five-star accommodations at The Plaza Hotel, just to name a few of the outstanding items available for bid. Ja Rule went home with a one-of-a-kind original painting by Pipsqueak Was Here!!!, part of the 2016 official CANVAS artist lineup.

“I am so grateful for everyone who attended and graciously donated to this important cause,” said Nicole Henry, founder, and curator of CANVAS. “Through their generosity and sponsorships, we will be able to create a curated show filled with visionary masterpieces that will broaden the mind and inspire creative excellence. I can’t wait to show you what these internationally acclaimed artists will bring to our city.”

Billed as the nation’s largest outdoor museum show, CANVAS will transform Downtown West Palm Beach on November 11-20, 2016. Starting this year, CANVAS will be centrally located along the busy Flagler Drive, directly across the Intracoastal Waterway from Palm Beach. The green space will be built into a world-class outdoor museum accessible to the public year-round with rotating exhibitions and its annual show in November. Artists from across the globe will create monumental installations and murals in the Kids Art Park, Chamber Park, and Installation Park, part of the multi-phase project launching this November. Similar to last year, there will be a menu of exciting free and ticketed events as we celebrate the annual exhibition.

Starting this year, CANVAS will be centrally located along the busy Flagler Drive, directly across the Intracoastal Waterway from Palm Beach. The lush green space along the waterfront will be built into a world-class outdoor museum accessible to the public year-round with rotating exhibitions and its annual show in November. The first phase which will come to fruition this year will include a Kids Art Park, Chamber Park, Installation Park, as well as colossal murals. Attendees will find themselves in awe of 14-foot-tall laser-cut sculpture installations illustrating design and technology, exploring 40-foot-long monumental shipping containers with designs that connect art to the landscape and examining railroad boxcar installations that will reflect on the historical significance of Flagler Drive. An outdoor classroom and a playful art-inspired playground will be featured in the interactive Kids Art Park, graciously funded by John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Fund of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties and Knight Foundation program director, Lilly Weinberg.

“Last year, as we introduced the public to CANVAS, the community got a taste for its potential and it left a lasting impression on Downtown West Palm Beach. Now we’re realizing a permanent home for the CANVAS Outdoor Museum. CANVAS has become an ingrained component of the art and cultural experience in West Palm Beach now, and I’m thrilled to continue this journey that is captivating the imagination of the international art community,” said Henry. “Today marks the beginning of the installation of both temporary and permanent artworks from well-known artists from across the globe. I can’t wait to show our residents and visitors to Downtown West Palm Beach what we have in store this year.”

With the plans set and renderings approved, we eagerly await the arrival of more than 15 cutting-edge artists from around the world to touch down in West Palm Beach. While the lineup includes some familiar faces from last year’s inaugural show, several new artists are excited to join the roster in the rotating exhibition. World-renowned artists participating in CANVAS 2016 includes: Amanda Valdes; Astro; Brendan Murphy; Case Maclaim; Filthy Luker; Greg Mike; Griffin Loop; HoxxoH; Hula; Hybycozo; Kobra; Laura Kimpton; Lonac; PichiAvo; Pipsqueak Was Here!!!; Sipros; WRDSMTH; and Zeus. This year’s theme is “connection,” and what connection represents to an artist and to the creative experience.

CANVAS will be augmented by a series of free and ticketed events, including the CANVAS Art Gala on October 22, 2016 at the CANVAS VIP Pop-up Lounge at 1016 Clare Ave., hosted by Bettina Anderson, Lizzi Bickford and Chris Leavitt with a live musical performance by hip-hop superstar Ja Rule. Proceeds from the CANVAS Art Gala will support CANVAS Art Charities, a non-profit organization dedicated to funding visual arts to enrich public spaces and foster social and economic outcomes.

Jhonattan Arango, Palm Beach County
Ron Burkhardt, Palm Beach County
Jennifer Chaparro, Martin County
Cheryl Maeder and Marilyn Walter, Palm Beach County
Eduardo Mendieta, Palm Beach County
Ruben Ubiera, Miami-Dade County
Luis Valle, Miami-Dade County

Thank you to all the artists that applied, the esteemed selection committee, and the generosity of our sponsors.

CANVAS Local Showdown, sponsored by West Palm Beach Art in Public Places (AiPP) and the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), will take place in the Northwood Village in West Palm Beach, Florida on Friday, November 11, 2016.

Stay tuned for details about the event and how you can vote.

The city commission is scheduled to vote Aug. 1 on buying a 61-foot-long, 12-foot-high metal sculpture that forms the words, “BE ART,” as West Palm Beach’s contribution to this year’s Canvas Outdoor Art Museum event.

Designed by California artist Laura Kimpton, “BE ART” fits the theme of the show, “connections,” organizer Nicole Henry said Wednesday.

The 4-foot-deep work, illuminated from within by colored LED lights, “invites you to climb into it, to be part of it,” Henry explained. “People are meant to interact with the sculpture and take pictures in it. That’s what the ‘BE ART’ means.”

Assuming the city approves the $138,000 expenditure, the work would be delivered in time for Canvas, which kicks off Nov. 11. The location has yet to be determined. One possible spot is in front of the old city hall, which is slated for demolition and redevelopment. The money would come from the city’s Art In Public Places program, a fund to which developers are required to contribute.