Art For a Friend's Sake

My friend Rob's boy Mathew is a full time artist -- the real deal. He doesn't just play at it, he lives the life: loft in Wynwwood, bikes all around the city, and waiters at night for rent money. He dropped out of college, UCF, to live his dream, and he's doing it well. Last night was an opening of an exhibit of only his works, at a well known Wynwood gallery -- Greg Sheinbaum. At least I'm told it's a well known gallery; I know as much about modern art as I do about, well, I no very little. I love the "Art Walks" in Wynwood and the Design District for the food, drink, and people watching. As Wifey always points out: "We're not in Pinecrest any more." But last night was an apparently big deal in the art world, and the Ds and I went. Wifey met us there, courtesy of Mike and Loni's SUV. Matt's paintings and drawings all show mixtures of stuff: lions head on military tank tracks, half birds/ half cranes (the mechanical kinds, not the bird kind), bulls mounted on SUVs getting ready to crash into each other. I don't get the stuff, but I admire it. Matt's parents were there -- divorced several years ago, and separately beaming over their son. I saw old acquaintances from days at Orange Bowl tailgate parties in the 80s. Afterward, the Ds, Wifey, Mike, Loni, Chris and his girlfriend and I decamped to City Hall, a great restaurant on Biscayne. Miami is really no city for old men and women -- EVERYONE out is young, and vibrant, and on the move and make. We toasted Matt, and our kids, and had a terrific time. I'm not sure whether Matt sold works or not. We own an early painting of his -- Frank Sinatra and Marvin Gaye, together. I look at it proudly. It'll be great to say we knew Matt when...