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Tony Fernandez is a 2024 Artist-in-Residence at Deering Estate. His primary area of interest as a visual artist is Photography. In 7th grade at Miami Kinloch Jr High School, he began to photograph classmates with a Kodak camera. Later, as an undergraduate at the University of Florida, he studied for two semesters with Jerry N. Uelsmann, a gifted teacher and photographer known for his surreal imaging, who enlightened him about the Art of Photography. Under the guidance of Aaron Siskind, another excellent teacher and abstract photographer, he completed his MFA in Photography at the Institute of Design in Chicago.
However, concurrently with Photography, teaching has also been an area of primary interest. Coincidentally, this began around 7th grade, when Tony tutored the neighbor’s children in basic math, reading, and writing. Over the years, Tony has taught at the elementary, secondary, and college levels and has completed a Master of Arts in Teaching (Oakland University) and a Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Michigan State University).
He helped create the Photography program at the New World School of the Arts and has continued to teach in the same program as an adjunct instructor of Photography and Cinematography for over 3 decades. He is also a retired full Professor from St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida. His photographs are in the George Eastman House and The Cleveland Museum of Art, as well as in many private collections nationally and internationally.
Tony’s practice has been shaped not only by his mentors’ influence but also by his keen eye and observational skills. His art statement refers to art as a mediating tool ‘for introspection, self-evaluation, and growth.’ He builds upon previous knowledge and is constantly amused by the contradictions between our natural and urban worlds, where we irremediably coexist. His response to all lived experiences is to quietly create work and pass on the knowledge to his students, whom he hopes can find meaningful experiences through art that allow for their introspection, growth, and development.
Tony’s photographs reflect those of the f-64 Group, photographers who worked on the tradition of full depth of field and total sharpness from the moment of capture to the final print. Photographers in this group, such as Ansel Adams and Edward Weston, played a crucial role in shaping Tony’s aesthetics with a signature and physicality that is hard to find at such a sophisticated level in contemporary Photography. Tony’s work was part of Interlocking Dimensions: Eco-Art at the Deering Contemporary at Deering Estate, still partially on view until June 2024.
The Deering Estate’s Artist-in-Residence Program (AIR) seeks to continue the legacy of art patronage by supporting artists who work in various disciplines and media. The AIR Program offers professional visual, literary, performing, and cross-disciplinary artists the opportunity to pursue innovative projects and studio work, connect with other artists, and engage the public while interacting with the historical, architectural, intellectual, archeological, and natural elements of the Estate’s inspiring environment. Since 2006, we have welcomed over 90 shared and collaborative residencies representing a broad scope of contemporary and traditional artistic practices. For more information on the Artist in Residence Program at the Deering Estate, please visit the website.
About the Deering Estate
Deering Estate, located at 16701 SW 72 Ave. in Miami, is a 21st Century house museum, cultural and ecological field station, and a national landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places, owned by the State of Florida and managed by Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department. Deering Estate is designated as one of seven Miami-Dade County “Heritage Parks” which have a vital role in our community’s history, environment and in providing recreational and cultural experiences.
Cultural Arts Programming at the Deering Estate is made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, and The Deering Estate Foundation, Inc.
About the Deering Estate Foundation
For those who treasure the Deering Estate, who advocate for its preservation and wish to invest in its future, The Deering Estate Foundation provides opportunities for individuals and corporations alike to partake in membership, signature events, and one-of-a-kind experiences, all in service of providing vital funding and support to the Deering Estate. Through these efforts, the foundation fulfills its mission to uphold the legacy of Charles Deering’s cherished 1920s-era property, to provide funding for the cultural, educational and recreational experiences it offers, as well as its significant scientific and archaeological endeavors to conserve its diverse flora, fauna and the eight native ecosystems that thrive on its 450 acres, and to ensure its longevity as a prized American heritage site. Established in 1989, The Deering Estate Foundation, Inc. is a community-based charitable 501(c) 3 Florida Corporation and the philanthropic partner of the Deering Estate.
