We were in last Friday and had a wonderful time looking through Gallart's vast collection of Fine…read moreArt... while waiting for a new frame to be measured and set for our prized Peter Max serigraph. Everyone was very nice, warm and friendly and it was quite an experience "talking art" with the owner who is very knowledgeable, while the work was completed... rather inexpensively, I thought. They were very busy but the owner, Mr. Handel made time to discuss various topics of interest with us. We can't wait to go back!

I had a very disappointing experience with Gallery Art and would not trust them with valuable…read moreartwork again. A couple of months ago, I brought in an art piece to have the inside of the plexiglass cleaned. When I noticed months later that there were still visible marks that had been missed, I also realized that the plexiglass was no longer properly seated under the wood frame, the edge was now sticking out. This had never been an issue in the 20+ years the piece of art has been in this frame, including previous handling by other professionals. I brought the piece back and spoke with an employee named Mathew. He acknowledged that the piece had not been cleaned properly, but then attempted to blame me for the plexiglass shifting due to how I "might have handled it." He also claimed the plexiglass was cut too small for the frame, which makes no sense given the frame's long history without this problem, until Gallery Art took it apart and put it back together. Mathew initially tried to charge me $180 to re-clean the piece and realign the plexiglass, even though the issue was clearly caused by their work. I asked instead for the plexiglass to simply be replaced. After getting my piece back, I contacted the owner, Amy, to discuss the situation. She was extremely unprofessional from my initial call with her. When I called at 11:30 a.m., she told me she sleeps during the day and would not speak with me until after 7 p.m. When I finally did reach her and explained that I should not have been charged to fix their mistake, she dismissed my concerns entirely after multiple calls going back and forth with her on the situation. After spending over $700 with this business, she offered only a $90 credit and later followed up with a text to me stating... "Obviously, you agreed to the price when you dropped it off, you were not double billed." This completely missed the point of my complaint, which was about poor workmanship and accountability, not billing confusion. Overall, the lack of care, refusal to take responsibility, and unprofessional communication were unacceptable. I would not trust this company with any artwork, especially valuable or sentimental pieces.

Let me start by stating something that will tell you just how pleased I am with Obrapia: These guys…read moreare magicians! I'll start from the beginning... last January the gallery that represents my work (Mayer Fine Art from Norfolk, VA) participated in the Miami International Art Fair at the Miami Beach Convention Center. During the hanging day, the largest and most expensive piece of artwork arrived in a huge crate and was delivered to the Convention Center. When the box was then moved to our booth, we discovered that the Convention Center's work crew had poked two huge holes in the crate by using a forklift to move the work horizontally. When we opened the box, there were two tiny punctures on a $26,000 painting taller than a person. We panicked and we asked the organizers if they knew of a good local art restorer. They recommended Obrapia and we called them. About eleven am or so, a nice Cuban guy with bright blue eyes and with the unfortunate name of Fidel (for a Cuban in Miami anyway) shows up. It is seldom in my experience that I have seen an "expert" not only be an expert, but also an aficionado of his expertise and a true hero in this case. For my fellow galleristas: when you come to Miami, if you need any repair work, or stretching, or conservation, or framing, then Obrapia Fine Arts has my highest possible recommendation. Fidel arrived, looked at the work and initially began to repair the two holes right on the spot. He did that easily and quickly, and after he was done, it was impossible to find them again. Because the painting had been laid flat during shipping (even though the crate was marked with giant letters with DO NOT LAY FLAT signs), the canvas had stretched and was wavy and bubbly and had several pressure marks. We needed it re-stretched, and it became clear that the only way to get it back to a taut canvas would be to un-frame it and re-tighten it. This is no easy task for a huge seven feet by seven feet work of art, and the decision was made to take the painting back to Obrapia's shop and work on it there. Easily said, but that meant that Fidel would have to go and rent a truck, come back, pick up the painting from the Convention Center, take it to his shop, un-frame it, upgrade the stretcher bars, stretch it, re-frame it, drive it back to the Convention Center and hang it. And it was 3PM and the fair opens at 6PM. Somehow this dude did it. At 5:30PM he was back with a beautifully taut painting, and not only had he fixed the tiny pricks, and not only had he re-stretched the saggy linen, and not only had he upgraded the stretcher bars and added a cross bar and four angle corners, but the amazing dude had also touched up the frame and eliminated all the nicks and bruises from it. And then he hung it. And then he gave Mayer Fine Art the bill, and we were shocked at how reasonable that bill was, and the amazing degree of professionalism and expertise and joy for the job shown by this talented conservator. And Obrapia Fine Arts got a well-earned tip on top of the bill from Mayer Fine Art.

This place is such a scam. I had a piece that needed to be reframed and repainted in a part. They…read morehad it for 3 months. The guy wouldn't return my phone calls, I went 4 times and he kept giving me the run around. Finally I just said I don't believe you give me the piece and he handed it to me without any work done. Total scam artist. Ridiculous.

I really like the concept of this Art Complex. Unfortunately we went on a Saturday and most art…read morestudios were closed. We did get to peek in the windows and saw some really interesting art work. We were there to visit Bookleggers for a kids event. We'll have to go back in a weekday!

Pretty cool old place..one of the few - if not the only - true artist loft in Miami…read more I remember seeing this place from I95and thinking it was a haunted house. I got an evite for an opening event at Basel and found it wasn't. Although off the beaten path from the traditional gallery walk, it can make a walk all its own. There are two stories of artists there, a lot of whom you can talk to about their work, including my personal favorite - Daniel Fila, the creator of the "J-Lo Mural" off 36th & Biscayne. (If you've driven by you know what I'm talking about) Add to that the whole old-building ambiance and the chance to see old structure (huge bolted trusses and expose I-beams) and you're in heaven as a true art lover. Oh, and by the way, a couple of the artists have said that it is haunted ;).

This framing place is excellent. First, and most importantly, it is the best framing at the best…read moreprice in Miami. I shopped around for services (even contemplated trying to frame a bunch of things on my own) and came across this company's living social deal (in Nov. 2012). I thought they would jack up the prices to dilute the coupon, but it was so affordable that I got everything I wanted framed PLUS two additional pieces that I hadn't anticipated framing and was able to get a refund for one certificate (bought 3, used 2). The first place I went to wanted to charge me over $700 for 5 items. I paid 1/4 of what I would have paid had I gone to the first place (I used the living social coupon - for argument's sake - had I not used the coupon, I still would have saved almost 50% from the first place I went to). Second, the service was just as excellent as the value. The associate working at the time sat down with me for over an hour and walked me through each piece I had brought in to frame. She went through different mattes and frame colors/styles until we saw the combos that looked good. Also, I went on a Monday to pick up my frames, and even though they were only open for appointment only on Mondays, a man, whom I believe to be the store owner, let me pick up my framed work! Great place, great service, great value. I highly recommend! Very satisfied customer!

Customer service (a thing of the past) is alive and well at Onate Framing Gallery and the…read moreprofessional product that was delivered was just as awesome. The staff is polite, respectful, easy to talk to and bilingual. Not only did they understand the language of framing but also my needs and sensibilities. I had a large oil painting framed in a beautiful gold finish, five smaller frames perfect for the pulp magazine covers I had collected and one exist frame reworked so that it would fit the fruit crate label that was displayed. My reworked frame was completed under the guidelines that if it didn't work it was no ones fault -- which I felt was completely understandable and fine. I was taking a chance and understood the risks. But everything worked out better then I could have dreamed and it was worthwhile driving all that way. I would do it again. My last comment is that they are closed on Mondays.

Very polite and courteous. Devoted plenty of time to examining my piece…read more Unfortunately, at the time of my visit they didn't have the right equipment in the shop to assay its gold content and suggested I return the following week.

Took my necklace to get my clasp fixed. The service was quick and friendly. Jessica was amazing!…read moreShe was very thorough in asking what I needed and making me aware of pricing. My necklace was even ready a day earlier than expected. Thank you for your help !!

This gallery was especially nice. I loved how colorful their art was. I love going to see art…read moregalleries around the city and this is one of the first that I can say I loved almost every piece in there and it wasn't too hot or too cold and the staff was very friendly. It was an overall great experience. I think they're open late on weekends, so if you have a moment to stop by and see the art it's well worth it. There are also other art galleries near by, so you can make a night of it and end with dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Fantastic new(ish) home for ICA. We went for the Dolce and Gabbana exhibit. Very impressive space…read moreand a really fantastic exhibit. Admission was reasonable for the exhibit at $23 (adjustable demand by day pricing... think it ranges up $40 Staffers were warm, friendly and helpful. The exhibit itself was a huge amount of fun. Be sure to explore the neighborhood outside as well as the museum...design district is incredibly cool. Old derelict warehouse neighborhood transformed into luxury boutiques. Parking in this neighborhood is almost never free...several different local parking garages or cheaper pay by phone on neighborhood streets (just be careful of residents only zones)

Ever since I heard it was coming to Miami, I've wanted to see this exhibit. I finally made it…read moreduring its final weeks, and it far exceeded my expectations. The extent of my fashion knowledge runs more to Emily in Paris and the Devil Wears Prada but I love history and art and this fashion is steeped in both. Dolce & Gabbana: From Heart to Hand is a blockbuster exhibit currently on display at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Miami's Design District. Dolce $ Gabbana was founded in 1985 by Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. Madonna launched them into international fame when she picked them to design the wardrobe for her 1993 The Girlie Show World Tour. Known for their glamorous Mediterranean style they are firmly rooted pop culture dramatically dressing A list celebrities for red carpet appearance. Curated by Florence Müller, the exhibit showcases more than 300 pieces of Alta Moda, Alta Sartoria, and jewelry alongside archival treasures, artwork, and the cultural traditions that inspire them, including Sicilian tiles, opera, and Baroque art. The exhibit winds through three floors on the west side of the museum. Each room is more jaw-dropping than the last. The clothing and jewelry are true works of art. Take your time examining the exquisite details in each piece. I thought I would be done in an hour, but I ended up spending more than three hours immersed in the fairytale world of Dolce & Gabbana. Parking is available in the garage across. the street or along the street. Tickets range in price from $26 to $42 depending on when you visit. This is a not-to-be-missed exhibit, but you only have until June 14 to see it.

I heard many people comment that this was better than Art Basel, and I would have to agree…read more Amazing production of modern art. Great collections and very unique pieces. Can't wait to go back next year!

I had VIP tickets to Art Wynwood, which also gave me access to the Boat Show next door…read more Unfortunately, it was torrential downpour, so the entire experience was not as enjoyable as it could have been, although that's not the fault of the venue. Fortunately, Art Wynwood was fully indoors. This was the first time I had been to Art Wynwood and I enjoyed seeing classic pieces from Latin American artists Wifredo Lam and Amelia Pelaez, pop and surrealist pieces from famous artists like Warhol and Dali, as well as contemporary pieces from lesser known artists around the world. I was really pleased that the show featured several local galleries showcasing local talent. Art Wynwood reminded me of a scaled down version of Art Miami, I thought it was very nicely produced and would love to go back next year.