On Saturday, October 30, join us at the tiki huts at Matheson Hammock Park for the first artwork reveal of Commissioner Season Four with artist Philip Smith. RSVP for the times of your choice at 11 AM - 12:30 PM, 1:30 - 3 PM or 3:30 - 5 PM.
Arrive early or stay after the event to make it your day in nature. Bring a picnic, blanket, comfortable shoes or even a swimsuit to explore Matheson Hammock Park's beautiful grounds, atoll pool, marina and restaurant. We'll even provide you with a complimentary, signed edition of Philip's magnetic memoir, Walking Through Walls — a perfect read under the lush banyan trees. Scroll below for more information to plan your day at the park.
Snacks and beverages will be served. This event is for Commissioner Collectors, Patrons and Alumni.
Can't stay for the event, but want to pick up your artwork from the venue? Just email us at hello@commissioner.us to make arrangements.
Location and parking
The tiki huts are located near Old Cutler Road and the Coral Rock Pavilion, and are accessible by entering through Fairchild Garden's main entrance and taking an immediate left into the free parking lot marked Matheson Hammock Park. There is also parking available on the west side of Old Cutler Road across the street from the Matheson Hammock Park and Fairchild Gardens entrances. Parking is limited, so we encourage you to carpool or use ride share. The tiki huts are within five minutes walking distance from above mentioned parking areas.
COVID-safety guidelines
We all play a role in helping keep each other safe:
Invite one guest, or come solo and just as you are!
Please wear your mask, practice physical distancing and wash your hands.
Kindly stay home if you aren't feeling well.
More about Philip Smith
As a young artist, Philip Smith moved from his home in Miami to New York, working as a writer for Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine, before going on to become managing editor of GQ. He is famously known for establishing The Pictures Generation movement with the seminal exhibition PICTURES in 1977, along with other emerging artists of the time—Troy Brauntuch, Jack Goldstein, Sherrie Levine and Robert Longo—as well as Cindy Sherman, Richard Prince, Laurie Simmons and others.
Planning a relaxing day at Matheson Hammock Park
One of Miami-Dade’s most treasured county parks, Matheson Hammock Park, sits on a peninsula that extends into Biscayne Bay. The park spans 630 acres of coastal Miami just south of Coral Gables, surrounding parts of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. It first opened to the public in 1930, after William J. Matheson donated prime waterfront property to Miami-Dade County.
Nature By Design
The park includes vast stretches of Florida mangroves and hardwood forests, as well as planned green spaces designed by landscape architect William Lyman Phillips. Along with Matheson Hammock Park, Phillips designed Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in 1938.
The park is thoughtfully laid out. Phillips worked closely with the Civilian Conservation Corps to design a park that would feature South Florida’s beautiful water views and offer a welcoming atmosphere for visitors. Its winding road was designed to take visitors through three important Florida landscapes, starting with swamp and dense mangrove forests and ending at an open cove overlooking Biscayne Bay.
The Atoll Pool at Matheson Hammock Park
Spend a day at Matheson Hammock Park to enjoy the natural beauty of Miami. Relax by the manmade “atoll pool,” a bayfront pool naturally filled by the tides of Biscayne Bay, surrounded by limestone, coral and a circular sandy beach with swaying palms and perfect views of the Florida coast. Because of the atoll pool’s calm waters, it has become a safe, popular place for young children to swim.
Matheson Hammock Marina
If you love being on the water, the north end of Matheson Hammock Park also has the full-service Matheson Hammock Marina with a dock, wet slips, powerboat lessons and the Castle Harbor Boating School. There are opportunities for kiteboarding, a fishing pier and even a concession stand where you can rent stand-up paddle boards (SUP), canoes and kayaks to spend hours paddling across Biscayne Bay. Just want to relax? Grab your beach chair and join the visitors lounging on the white sands of Matheson Beach.
Dining at Matheson Hammock Park
Visitors to the park can dine at Coral Gables’ only waterfront restaurant—Redfish by Chef Adrianne, which opened in 2019, replacing the iconic Red Fish Grill which closed after being damaged by Hurricane Irma two years earlier. Stop in for New American-style seafood dishes in this casual restaurant that offers an outdoor terrace with a beautiful view. The restaurant is helmed by Miami celebrity chef Adrianne Calvo of Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant & Wine Bar.
Park Amenities
Coral rock pavilions and picnic areas with charcoal grills and benches can be found throughout Matheson Hammock Park, including by one of its scenic lakes—the perfect place for a picnic lunch with family, friends or that special someone.
As you explore the park, hop on one of its nature or bike trails, or go birdwatching for rare birds such as sulphur-bellied flycatchers, black-throated gray warblers and Townsend’s warblers.
Learn more about Matheson Hammock Park.