At the City Council’s Special Presentations on December 20th, Vice Mayor Stephen Shelley introduced Susan Sorrentino, Homestead’s Artist in the Spotlight for December 2017 – January 2018. “Homestead Harvest,” an exhibit of Sorrentino’s paintings, opened at the Seminole Theatre on December 4th and will run through the end of January.
Before inviting Sorrentino to talk about what inspired her as an artist, Vice Mayor Shelley joked, “I suggest if you go to see Susan’s work at the Seminole you don’t go there hungry, because her artwork is all fruits [from] South Florida. [Her show] will make you hungry.”
Born and raised in Miami Beach, Sorrentino has been a jewelry and mixed media artist for 30 years, and has won numerous awards. As a child, she visited Homestead with her family, who owned horses here.
About a year ago, she relocated to Homestead. “I decided to retire here,” she explained. “When I [moved] here, I fell in love with Homestead all over again.”
She continued, “Artists never really retire, as creating is a way of life. I am very inspired by the landscapes in this area. I love the agricultural areas, the Everglades and the shores. Looking at the fields, seeing things being planted, the harvesting – that was my inspiration.” She is also currently working on abstracted landscapes in various media.
Sorrentino explained that the Seminole Theatre is “the center of my social life.” It was there a friend said to her, “Why don’t you be a Spotlight artist?”
“For the next six months, I went wild, painting day and night,” she said, and, in that time, produced more than 50 paintings that are a part of “Homestead Harvest.” She noted that because she loves the Seminole Theatre so much, she donated two paintings for them to auction off, including one of tomatoes.
Sorrentino received an AA degree from Miami Dade College and a BFA from the University of Florida. Her “Art to Wear” jewelry collection can be found at www.etsy.com/shop/susansorrentino. She has also sold her work at art festivals throughout the country. She is a member of the Homestead Center for the Arts and the Homestead Art Club.
If you are interested in becoming an “Artist in the Spotlight” or know of a local artist in the area from Broward, Dade or Monroe Counties, please contact Councilman Shelley’s office at 305-224-4447 or mwells@cityofhomestead.com. Artists who live in or near the City of Homestead will be given preference.