Meet John William Bailly | Artist, Professor, Public Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with John William Bailly and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John William, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
My career trajectory has taught me to be ready the unorthodox and embrace opportunity when it arises. I have been an artist since I was 15. I have been a professor in the FIU Honors College for 30 years. But I have been a speaker on cruises for less than a year. How did this third career come to be?

As I sat in an apartment in Rome last year, the Zoom began. On the other end was a person from across the Atlantic pitching to me to live and lecture on a cruise ship between semesters. As an artist and professor with two dynamic careers, I was suspicious because the ask was completely unanticipated. But I agreed to give it a try-to attempt something I had never done before and never imagined myself doing. I was diving into the unknown. It is a year later, and I have now worked with Emily Miller of Blackburn International (person on the Zoom) to complete 10 Celebrity Cruises, been to four continents, and 20 countries. It was reiterated to me that day that we should never shy away from the new and unknown; embrace the fact that rewarding careers evolve in unpredictable ways. Nothing is linear; be ready for the unexpected and seize the moment. Carpe diem.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a painter. I am a professor in the Honors College at FIU. I am a public speaker. For me, as an artist and lecturer, my work is not separate from the other parts of my life-nothing is compartmentalized. The concept of work does not exist. All three careers involve a similar creative process. Firstly, I research the people, culture, and history of the world: reading, podcasting, living life. Secondly, I share my reflections on what I learned with others either through artworks or lectures. Whether I am talking to strangers on the Metrorail or hiking in the Norwegian fjords, every experience is part of the process of learning-the process of making art. When working becomes living and living produces work, the concept of working as a compartmentalized task no longer exists-the most enriching autonomy is achieved.

There are two methods to my artistic practice. I make large oil paintings that involve complex planning and execution; they take years to make. The second involves the gathering of material for the large paintings. I will focus on the latter here. I make quick sketches everywhere I travel to, from South Beach to Santorini, by way Morocco and Türkiye. The drawings do not only document the appearance of a place but, more importantly, my experience of being there-meaning they are specific to time and place. Did I need to finish the drawing quickly because it started to rain? Did I speak to a local while making the drawing? Was it so cold that I needed to pause to warm my hands? One day, the guards in the Colosseum let me stay after closing and that generosity transformed my drawings. I never rework these “In Situ” drawings and I title them with the date I made them. They serve as a documents of a lived experience. I have made hundreds of these drawings; they are a subjective atlas of the world.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Miami can only be compared to Miami. I teach a class entitled Miami in Miami for the FIU Honors College. In addition, I present talks on the culture, history and nature of Miami to guests on Celebrity Cruises. Miami is one of the most diverse cities in the world and any proper journey here must involve a deep dive into the authentic Miami. I will limit my ramblings due to space limitations

In order to understand the landscape of Miami, three destinations are a must-all unique. Everglades National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the only true way to comprehend the reality of the Everglades is to undertake a Slough Slog (wet hike) with a Park Ranger. My favorite beach in Miami is Bill Baggs State Park on Key Biscayne, where you can snorkel and go up to the top of the Lighthouse. The third place is the Deering Estate, where you can hike out to a Tequesta Burial Mound and go kayaking on Biscayne Bay.

To witness the history of Miami, visit Overtown, Coconut Grove, and South Beach. In Overtown, visit the Lyric Theatre, Greater Bethel Church (MLK spoke there in 1958), and eat at Jackson’s Soul Food. In Coconut Grove, visit Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the Barnacle, and walk down Charles Avenue to the Bahamian Cemetery. Along the way, make sure to ponder Miami’s oldest home still in its original location, Mariah Brown’s house. On South Beach get a guided tour of the Art Deco district and visit The Wolfsonian and the Jewish Museum of South Florida, which is a repurposed Art Deco synagogue.

To immerse yourself into the culture of Miami, these destinations are a must. No visit to Miami is complete without a visit to the contemporary art collections that are the Margulies Collection and Rubell Museum. These two institutions feature world-class contemporary art. If you can manage it, visit Miami in early December for Miami Art Week, and go to UNTITLED Art Fair, which features art being made today from all over the world. Lastly, visit artists in their studios at the Bakehouse in Wynwood, Oolite Art on South Beach, and Bridge Red in North Miami.

Do yourself a favor a treat yourself to an arepa at Pepito’s in Doral, a pan con lechon at the Butcher Shop in Palmetto Bay, and most definitely a colada at any ventanita (small window counters) throughout Miami. And remember every interaction in Miami is social rather than transactional. Surrender to the flow of Miami, and Miami will embrace you.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate this to my dear friend and idol, Joseph Weismann, as well as the men and women that died on the beaches of Normandy to make him free. We have shared excellent wines, as Jo taught me to never tolerate the intolerable.

Website: https://johnwbailly.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnwbailly/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-bailly-0987a2aa/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnwbailly

Image Credits
Photos by Zachary Balber