As Art Director for the Related Group, Patti García-Vélez Hanna Finds the Perfect Pieces

NOT MANY DEVELOPERS HAVE THEIR OWN ART DIRECTOR, BUT THE RELATED GROUP DOES. WHEN YOUR BOSS IS JORGE PERÉZ, the emphasis on art comes from the top down. Hanna commissions site-specific work for all of Related’s many projects, which include luxe buildings like Park Grove, V House and Parque Global. Before joining Related, the Miami-born Hanna served as the Director of the Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation (CIFO) and has helped bring numerous contemporary art exhibitions to South Florida.

5:15 AM I try to get an early morning run a couple of days a week, otherwise I’ll wake up and check my emails first thing. We work quite a bit with galleries and artists in Europe so I typically have the international updates first thing in the morning.

6:15 AM When I am dressed and ready to go I wake my two girls up for school, I get them ready to go and we are off by 7am.

7:45 AM Once I drop off my kids at school I drive into the office. While sitting in morn- ing traffic I religiously listen to NPR while I sip my daily Café con leche. That is my time to catch up on what is happening in the world.

8:30 AM The office is quiet so I research art news online and browse upcoming art auction catalogues. I also update my collection reports. We’re scheduled to receive the latest Related acquisition, a series of sculptures by world renown Jaume Plensa, to be installed this week!

9:15 AM The office is abuzz, but I am getting ready to do a site visit. My heels get re- placed by my flats that are always in my car. I like to walk the buildings I am working on when they are under construction in order to get a better idea of the spaces and the walls. We are currently finalizing an amazing terrazzo floor by Michele Oka Doner for One Ocean and with Jaime Gili on going into production of his mural for Baltus House.

I am also in the process of finalizing the entire art package for Iconbay and Millicento, which will be completed in the coming months.

12:30 PM I take my packed lunch down and find a shady spot on the River walk. I quickly eat my salad and just quietly enjoy the view and the salty breeze for just a few minutes. I have the best lunchroom in Miami!

1:00 PM Jorge and I discuss upcoming acquisitions, we are always reviewing bids on pieces coming up at auction. The Young Arts foundation is about to launch a new pro- gram, and so has been one of our main topics of discussion lately.

2:30 PM Installations typically happen in the afternoons. I usually go to our art stor- age/viewing area, which is a large space where we receive pieces and also install them for viewing. The impact of seeing the pieces in person and installed is so much greater than seeing a digital image on the screen.

3:30 PM Many of the pieces commissioned or placed in Related’s projects are by local artists or purchased from local galleries, so I try to visit a studio or gallery at least once or twice a week .

6:00 PM The start of my second job as a mom. I pick up my girls from dance and go home to check homework, study for tests and quizzes, read with my little one and get them ready for bed.