Carone says he rarely shows local artists at his prestigious, appointment-only space. Bill Withers, former chief curator at the Norton Museum, says the esteem the former venue lent the Hortt cannot be overestimated. We always used to joke that when we painted the walls between shows, our paintings were on the walls. Hollywood painter David Maxwell, who has won four Hortt awards, acknowledges the BAG's and Buzzi's relative inexperience but looks forward to the show anyway. If you wish to encourage innovative work, you have to be very open and democratic.
Society is the eventual judge of what is good art.
In fact Maxwell predicts the Hortt's new incarnation will be an improvement because it's no longer associated with the MoA, an institution that, in his opinion, has been faltering for years. Their heart is in supporting the arts, not making some entry in The Herald or ArtNews or Art in America . At the moment the Hortt is a blank canvas on which local art scenesters pin their hopes. Buzzi envisions a traveling show that would make stops in five South Florida counties. Perched on the edge of her chair, Buzzi buzzes with nervous determination.