From the entire DTMHTA team, I want to welcome you to the inaugural edition of Don’t Tell Me How to Art. You are about to discover artists who refuse to color inside the lines—and we think you will never look at the art world quite the same way again. Our mission is simple: to introduce you to groundbreaking artists, creators, performers and rule breakers from across America, beginning with my hometown of Miami. There may be no better place to launch this adventure than the cultural crossroads of the Americas, where influences, ideas and people from around the world collide to create something entirely new.
Our writers, producers and designers are going behind the scenes to give you an up-close and personal look at the lives, work and creative processes of our featured artists. But DTMHTA is about more than profiles. We want to show you the neighborhoods, galleries, studios, stages, restaurants, streets and unexpected places where Miami’s creative community comes to life. We want you to know not only who the artists are, but where they live, work, perform and create—and, most importantly, where you can experience their work for yourself. Consider this your personal invitation to explore the Miami art scene with us.
The rules are different down here. Miami is a tropical oasis with its own rhythm, attitude and creative DNA, and that makes a Miami artist different from an artist in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles. South Florida just hits differently. Here, cultures collide, genres overlap and boundaries seem to exist mostly so someone can break them. That is exactly what we love about the artists we are featuring. DTMHTA is searching for the young Turks, the risk takers and the creative renegades who bring passion, perseverance and a willingness to take chances to everything they do.
For the next six months, we will shine a spotlight on the Rule Breakers of the Miami art scene. Music, dance, visual art, photography, performance, spoken word, digital art and whatever comes next—we are throwing the doors wide open. And while Miami is our first chapter, the idea behind DTMHTA is much bigger. We believe the most interesting artists are often the ones who don’t follow the instructions. As Pablo Picasso famously said, “Learn the rules like a professional, so you can break them like an artist.” That spirit is at the heart of everything we are doing.
So welcome to Don’t Tell Me How to Art Miami! Come explore with us. Meet the artists. Discover their worlds. Break a few rules along the way. And most of all, don’t let anybody tell you how to art.
Grant Gravitt
Publisher
