Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9GfpIaa_R4&list=PLOQvdw7d0cd9RZZkd2lZy2hmrnJv-cfLI&index=50
Evan: So we are back here at the Choose Nap Time podcast, episode 51, with the Chief Curator at the Frank C. Lourdes Exhibit Hall at the art gallery, Tara Temple. This beautiful space is in front of works you might recognize from some of our favorite local artists, like KX2.
If you didn't know about Cheese Knife at 4:00, we started the social movement into cultivating a cultured community here in our county, to keep people informed about all the great things going on within our art culture. We try to make this place livable, not just a place to vacation.
The point of the podcast is to connect you with amazing people like her, doing incredible and meaningful work in the community.
This podcast is brought to you by the Thousand Remains of Artificial Reef Project, creating artistically crafted artificial reefs to save the reefs, create fish habitats, and metro areas as destinations for divers. Research counts the benefits, and you can find out more by logging onto wwlp.com. That's www.movinon.com.
You might actually be able to see more than a thousand remains here at the Frank coming up soon. Without much further ado, for those who don’t know you, why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Tara Temple: Sure, I’m Tara Temple, Chief Curator. I joined the Frank shortly after its opening in 2017. I’ll give you a little bit of background. I was born and raised in Cape Town, and at 17, my family and I had never been to the United States. I was really fortunate to have been born to two parents who really fostered my love of the arts from the start. Their only caveat was that if I wanted to have a career in the arts and culture, I had to be very serious about it.
If I wanted to live like a lawyer or a doctor, and have the same kind of happiness and success, not just in a career but in life, I needed to work as hard as they did. Whether as an artist or an artistic professional, I had to have the same kind of discipline and work ethic as anyone else trying to succeed in their field.
That lesson stayed with me throughout my life. My family, including my brother, who was a very successful musician, instilled these values in us. We moved to California, and my parents sacrificed everything in South Africa to give us a future that would allow us to foster our passions and pursue the things we loved most.
After researching schools all over the country, I accepted a scholarship to the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles.
Evan: That’s incredible. High initiative and hard work definitely don't come easily to everyone, and you've clearly demonstrated that in pursuing your passion and creative outlet.
We briefly spoke earlier about how many creators aspire to be blue-chip artists or be featured in major art venues, but there is also a significant role and need for curators. Could you talk a little bit about your journey and how you transitioned into curation?
Tara Temple: Absolutely. One of the most mystifying things about the arts is that, unlike many other fields, there isn't a clear path laid out. When you're young, say 18 years old, looking ahead, you want guidance. You might attend a great university and graduate with a degree, but then what?
At Otis, students graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, but they're left with student loans and no clear path. Many students lack the practical skills they need to pursue their chosen field.
One key thing to look at is internships. Whether it's a gallery or museum, internships provide essential experience. You can be studying art history or studio arts, but having real-world experience on your resume is invaluable.
It's critical to understand that universities don’t always teach you what your real-world options are. For example, many places publish opportunities for interns, assistants, and for the first few years, you're going to be helping someone book appointments, manage schedules, and learn the administrative side of the art world.
All of this is part of the creative economy. Someone designs exhibitions, manages lighting, and coordinates everything from renting venues to logistics.
In my case, I had to handle international shipping for artworks, communicate with established artists, and facilitate consignment agreements, all while navigating customs regulations in different countries. One of my mentors allowed me to walk alongside her through this process, which gave me incredible insight.
I also had the opportunity to contribute to international museum catalogs, working as a researcher for various articles over the years. Our relationship spanned years, and it was an example of how one opportunity leads to another.
Evan: Wow, that’s amazing. We are incredibly fortunate to have someone with your background as the chief curator here at the Frank Pembroke Pines in Broward County. For those unfamiliar with the Frank, can you tell us a little about where we are right now?
Tara Temple: The Frank is an incredible venue, truly built for the community. It’s focused on connecting people through art and creating a meaningful space where art is accessible to everyone.
The Frank is named after Frank C. Lourdes, a man known for his lifelong commitment to the arts and community. It’s through his passion and conviction that we have this space today.
Tara Temple: Our mission at the Frank is to inspire change through the arts, whether it’s through visual art, paintings, sculptures, you know. All sorts of two-dimensional, three -dimensional works.
And you can't see too much if you're tuning into video, but there will be some architectural background. The high ceilings, the lighting, the layout, the three-room second floor — it's like an architectural dream. You know, you’re building this matrix of practices and what it should be like. And then, on top of that, you’re bringing in world-class programming from local and national artists. It would be one thing to just have the space, but it’s obviously well-programmed. Could you share a little bit about the current exhibitions?
Tara Temple: Absolutely. The current exhibition, A Whole New Industry, is really provocative because it incorporates materials we see in our everyday lives, but from a different climate perspective. It’s taking these everyday materials, such as concrete, wood, plaster, and other tactile materials like oil and cardboard, and presenting them to the community in an artistic way. It’s really about challenging traditional art methods.
Evan:That's fascinating. And you're also able to leverage local artists to contribute in other ways, like talks and workshops. Tell us about those.
Tara Temple: Yes, we have workshops for children as well, which are a great way to engage younger audiences in the arts.
Evan:Did you ever imagine you'd be a co-curator?
Tara Temple: No, if you had told my mother I’d be a co-curator, she never would have believed you. But here I am.
Evan: Contemporary art is such a dynamic field. The way I describe the Frank's exhibitions, tell me if I’m incorrect, is that they are monthly meetups on top of exhibitions. It’s not just an exhibition, like the current show New Industry, but in addition to that, you have pop-up exhibitions. You bring in artists not just to exhibit their work but to mix, mingle, and engage with the community.
Tara Temple: That’s correct. We are constantly working to raise awareness about the oceans, the environment, and the ecosystem. So, we decided to do a marine eco-art-inspired exhibition. We’re bringing in some of our favorite local eco-marine-based artists.
For example, we’re bringing in sculptures and mermaid figures from the Thousand Remains Artificial Reef Project, which is dear to our hearts. We’ll also feature artists like Raynier Espinosa, a Cuban artist who creates incredibly detailed, realistic underwater paintings. His works have thousands of little people, structures, and submarines in them — there’s always something new to see.
Evan: That sounds amazing. Cuban art has such a rich tradition, and you’ve had the chance to work with some incredible artists in that space.
Tara Temple: Yes, I’ve worked with many Cuban artists, and we’re also featuring Mochi Ruska, one of the most talented upcycling artists. He takes everyday items — shoes, random objects — and transforms them into creatures like turtles and fish. His work is brilliant.
Evan: And you're also working with glass artists, right?
Tara Temple: Yes, Steve D'Arcy is a marine artist who specializes in glass art. You might recognize his work from the Palm Beach boat shows. He creates stunning underwater scenes, often with fish. He’s a phenomenal artist, and we’re so fortunate to have him exhibit here.
Evan: That’s wonderful. This month’s event is on October 24th at 6 p.m., correct? It’s a free event with a great spread, drinks, bites, and all the good stuff. Attendees can meet the artists and hear them speak about their work.
What are some of the things you love about the Frank Contemporaries program?
Tara Temple: Frank Contemporaries is exceptional. We have an open portfolio submission process available on our website, and we encourage every artist to submit their work. It comes directly to us, and our internal team reviews every submission. It’s a fantastic way for us to see the ambition and dedication of artists, whether they’re from Broward, Miami-Dade, or Palm Beach. Some even come from outside South Florida to share their work.
Evan: It’s so different to see the works in person, digitally, and as part of a larger planning process. It’s an incredible opportunity for emerging artists to be considered for our major exhibitions, regardless of where they are in their career. We’ve had artists with 25 years of experience participating as well.
You can visit frankgallery.org under our events tab to find out more about Frankly Contemporaries, our pop-up workshops, and other programs we have.
Today, in our Artist Spotlight, we have someone who I initially thought was another artist, Bishop Beltran. I said, "Hey, they look alike!" But it turns out it wasn’t her. She participated in the Choose954 Fort Lauderdale Discovery Series and has done amazing things. You never know who you’ll discover, and if you’re an artist, you never know who might discover you. I’m sure there are other success stories out there as well from people who have exhibited and popped up.
So, Thursday, October 24th, we look forward to having you join us.
Tara Temple: It’s really beautiful visiting everything at the Frank. Right now, the featured artist is Kerry Phillips. She’s a remarkable South Florida artist who uses large-scale textile works in the form of portraits.
Evan: That’s incredible. Textile and fabric art are really popular right now, and her work is truly powerful. You can’t miss it, it’s one of the first things you see when you walk in.
In addition to that, we have some other exciting events coming up. For those who are interested in the Sharif Project and want to help create a reef but don’t have $7,500 to sponsor their own module, we’re hosting a Creative Reef Fundraising Dinner at Regina’s Farm in Sample. Tickets are $100, and a portion of the proceeds will go towards creating a fishery module, which is a 3,500-pound sculpture. Everyone who attends the dinner will have their name on a plaque as a friend of the reef.
That dinner is on November 9th at 6 p.m. at Regina’s Farm. The artist and project builder will be there, and it’s a great opportunity to meet them and learn more about the project.
If you want to immerse yourself in a week full of art, we’re also getting closer to Fort Lauderdale Art & Design Week, which runs from January 18th through the 26th. It’s a week-long self-guided discovery tour of the arts, where we work with local institutions like art museums, galleries, and artists’ spaces to activate the community. We’re hoping to contribute to the local economy similarly to how Miami’s Art Basel does, with its $550 million impact.
Fort Lauderdale Art & Design Week will feature events like Art Fair on the Water, which is the only art fair in the world that takes place in luxury waterfront homes and is accessible by boat. It’s going into its fourth year, and we’re really excited to integrate more international contemporary artists this year.
We’re also working to bring in top contemporary artists from other countries, who may not have the chance to show at major events like Art Basel due to the high costs. Artists from places like Colombia, Sweden, and Taiwan deserve to be highlighted and discovered as well.
For more information about Fort Lauderdale Art & Design Week, visit www.artftlauderdale.com. You can also find updates on social media.
But what I really want to know, and I’m sure our listeners do too, is what drives you, Tara? Why do you do what you do?
Tara Temple: For me, it can be summed up in one word: opportunity. I’m so passionate about fostering the arts and creating opportunities for artists. It’s incredible to see what can happen when artists are given the chance to grow and develop their craft.
There’s so much happening right now. So many people are working to source and find these opportunities. This is an inclusionary space, and it’s really about giving artists the platform they need to succeed.
Evan: You’re relatively young in your career. Would you have been able to walk into a world-class space like the Frank and become the chief curator in a place like LA or New York?
Tara Temple: That’s a great question. Possibly, but the opportunity here was perfect for me. In LA or New York, it might have been harder to break into the art scene, whether as an artist or curator. Those cities offer incredible opportunities to see world-class art, but breaking through as a professional is a different story.
The opportunity to flex my creative muscles and figure out what I needed to do to succeed was here. I feel really lucky to have had the chance to represent the Frank in such a vibrant community like Pembroke Pines.
Evan: You’ve got a great team with Vivian and everyone else. It’s really a beautiful thing. And you’re right — it’s all about opportunity. There’s an energy right now with all these new spaces opening, and it’s creating a buzz.
If you’re an artist and want to connect and engage, come to Frankly Contemporaries. We also host an artist potluck every last Sunday night of the month. You bring a dish, and we’ve had about 25 or 30 people show up. It’s a great way to network and share ideas.
We’re also making artist studio spaces available through the Zero Empty Spaces initiative. These spaces are available at $2 per square foot, inclusive of utilities and insurance, on a 30-day flexible lease. If you’re interested, we’re doing an open house this Saturday at our new location on Plantation Mile.
We’ll also be opening 10 new artist studio spaces in downtown Hollywood, supported by Choose954. We’re really excited about that! You can find out more at zeroemptyspaces.com.
You can also follow us on Instagram at @choose954 for updates!
I’m an open book. I’d love to hear why you chose Choose954, and I look forward to having you tell both of us on Thursday, October 24th, here at the Frank during the Frankly Contemporaries event.
Tara Temple: It’s going to be a beautiful event. I’m so grateful to have this partnership with Robert and to be working with the Broward County Environmental Resilience Division to put this together. We’re bringing in experts across the board, from culture to the environment, to discuss achieving sustainability and more.
We are showcasing artists from all different media as well, including some incredible visual learners like Kim Hyesu and Lucinda Linderman.
The project came about because we realized that we often take the beauty of our environment for granted. We’re steps away from the Everglades and minutes from the ocean, but sometimes we forget how special that is. We can’t continue to take these things for granted, or we risk losing this beautiful place and potentially being underwater — but that’s a conversation for another day.
We’re excited to work with different artistic producers who deal with topics like this. Last year, during our Florida exhibition, we had the privilege of working with architect and professor Jody Huber. His take on climate change and sea level rise was extremely positive, as long as we’re willing to look at the issue and adapt our design approaches.
Evan: Absolutely, and I just want to give credit and respect to the amazing work you’re doing here. I’m really excited to see what comes out of it.
Tara Temple: Thank you! I strongly encourage everyone to come out to the event on October 24th.
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