Carlos Alves is a Side Arts Certified Visual Artist from Miami, Florida.

Carlos Alves has been serious about art since he was a child. It shows in his passion for making things out of clay, glass, metal, salvaged artifacts, and recycled objects. His mission to make art from anything is encapsulated in his motto, “Chip it, crack it, smash it. Put it back together and give it whole new life.” He draws from his Cuban / Puerto Rican roots and South Florida upbringing, communicating the themes that encompass love, hope, history, culture, politics, nature, and a kinship with the sea.

Education

Carlos graduated with a Masters in Fine Art from Illinois State University, Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Miami, and scholarship to Scuola Lorenzo Di Medici in Florence, Italy. He started his post-college career with a free-flowing tile installation located on the floor and walls of the Art Center South Florida. The project eventually led to commissions by several public and private clients in the United States, London, and Hong Kong. He is excited by making artwork that is seen in large public art settings such as airports, parks, fountains, courthouses, libraries, restaurants, galleries, and private residences.

Public Art

Recently, Carlos designed and completed a courtyard featuring a sculpture fountain, garden benches, planters, seating rocks, and bamboo railing at a rehabilitation facility in Fort Lauderdale; mosaic sidewalk “Save Our Water” for Miami-Dade Water/Sewer Department; and entrance / ticketing area for the Port Everglades’ Holland America Terminal.

He often enjoys projects with local youth and has accomplished many public artworks working with them including “The River Poetry Project”, “The Miami Children’s Museum”, and a 186-foot mural at the entrance of the new Miami-Dade County Children’s Court House. Carlos works closely with his wife and partner of over twenty years, JC Carroll, in all aspects of public art from concept, design, and manufacturing, to completion.

Private Work

As much as Carlos enjoys the public art arena, he loves creating pieces for private clients, museums, and gallery exhibitions. He is currently working on a series, “Animal Instincts”, creating large, animal shaped clay bodies filled with recycled figurines and glass. The final piece in the series is a globe that will show the animals and sea life of each region and the fragile ecosystems of the world with emphasis on showing the planet’s need for our protection.

See more work, visit carlosalvesmosaics.com