By Coral Gables Gazette staff
For the past three months, the Coral Gables Museum has invited residents to turn ordinary objects into works of art. On Wednesday, August 27, the series comes to a close with a final Open Studio led by Miami-based artist Patricia L. Cooke. The event runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and offers adults the chance to end their summer by experimenting with materials, memory, and storytelling.
Curated by The Things Lab, Open Studio has been held every other Wednesday since June. Each session paired participants with a South Florida-based artist who guided hands-on projects centered on the shared theme of “things”—the everyday items that carry both personal meaning and larger cultural stories.
Turning unwanted objects into art
Cooke’s workshop will invite participants to bring three items: a small unwanted plastic object, an article of clothing they no longer need, and a sense of play. These will become the raw material for small mixed-media sculptures, supported by simple armatures. The exercise encourages participants to rethink how materials interact, how objects shape our daily lives, and what they reveal about broader questions of consumption, identity, and environment.
The session continues the series’ emphasis on transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. Previous Open Studio evenings have encouraged guests to consider the personal histories carried by discarded or overlooked materials. Cooke’s finale highlights this thread, encouraging participants to create new meaning from the objects most often destined for the trash.
An artist rooted in fiber and technology
Originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, Cooke has made Miami her home and creative base. Her work blends traditional fiber sculpture with digital tools such as laser cutting and digital manipulation. This fusion of handcraft and technology has brought her recognition across Florida and beyond.
Cooke holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from Appalachian State University and a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the University of Miami. Her exhibitions include Hollow (2023) at a Wynwood pop-up space, digs (2018) at the University of Miami Wynwood Gallery, and notable group shows at the Rollins Museum of Art, the Schmidt Center Gallery at FAU, and the Sherry Frontenac Oceanfront Hotel as part of No Vacancy 2024. She was a finalist for the Carlos Malamud Prize, nominated twice for the Joan Mitchell Fellowship, and has received both the Miami-Dade Artist Access Grant and Individual Artist Grant.
By bringing her practice into the Open Studio setting, Cooke offers participants not just instruction but a window into the evolving landscape of contemporary art in South Florida.
From Open Studio to the centennial exhibition
The Open Studio series serves as a lead-up to the museum’s fall exhibition, 100 Years of Coral Gables Through Objects. By centering the summer workshops on “things,” the program underscores how personal artifacts connect to larger historical narratives. The museum’s goal is to cultivate a community dialogue around material culture—one that links the city’s centennial celebration with the everyday lives of its residents.
For participants, this means each creative session doubles as a rehearsal for engaging with the fall exhibition. The objects they transform in Cooke’s workshop will echo the museum’s larger inquiry: how do the things we hold onto—or throw away—tell the story of a place and its people?
An evening of art, conversation and community
The evening begins with an open bar hour featuring complimentary LALO Tequila for Young Associates Members, followed by a cash bar offering wine and beer. Guests will have access to materials, guided instruction, and prompts designed to spark conversation. The setting is deliberately social, encouraging attendees to meet new people while working through the artistic process.
Designed for adults 18 and older, the program balances instruction with freedom, allowing participants to discover new artistic skills in a relaxed, convivial environment. Whether seasoned creators or newcomers to art-making, all are welcome to join.
If you go…
- What: Open Studio with Patricia L. Cooke, curated by The Things Lab
- When: Wednesday, August 27, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:00 p.m.)
- Where: Coral Gables Museum, 285 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33134
- Who: Adults 18+
- Cost: Free (cash bar available)
- RSVP: Advance registration encouraged; venue parking available
- Contact: Coral Gables Museum, 305-603-8067
The Summer of THINGS has transformed Wednesday evenings into a creative ritual in the City Beautiful. As Patricia Cooke closes the series, participants will carry forward not only their own small sculptures but also a renewed sense of how art can emerge from the most unexpected places.
