"The Fight Doctor" Ferdie Pacheco presents his art

I was honored to meet "fight doctor" and artist, Ferdie Pacheco, at the AC Fine Art Gallery Saturday night for the opening of his show, which will be at the gallery all month. I had actually met Dr. Pacheco more than once years ago, when I covered the social scene with Joan Nielsen and her Social magazine. In fact, Saturday, I saw so many faces from way back then, the old Miami Beach crowd, you know, the Bath Club and Surf Club crowd, who had come out in honor of Ferdie Pacheco. (I'm wet in the photo above because of the rain during Gallery Walk night).





It's a bit melancholy when I enter the AC Fine Art Gallery since I spent so many years there with AnnaMaria when it was the Windisch-Hunt Gallery, so all the ghosts of good times past come out. But Steve Steele has done an excellent job with the place and if you like pop art, this is the place to be. It was nice to see so many people out on Saturday night.





Everyone wanted their photos taken with Dr. Pacheco, that is his wife Luisita, who is a very good photographer in her own right. On the walls, along with Dr. Pacheco's paintings, are really great photos of Mohammad Ali, at the original 5th Street Gym, in Miami Beach. Dr. Pacheco, of course is known as the "fight doctor" for being ringside with Mohammad Ali all those years.



My friend, Ken Drodvillo, at right with Dr. Pacheco, told me that he has a brick that he mounted and framed, from the 5th Street Gym. He found it in the rubble of the gym one day. And ironically, Ken met boxing great Angelo Dundee, the famous corner man, the same day that he met Ferdie Pacheco -- both Angelo Dundee and Ferdie Pacheco in the same day! That's the Universe sending Ken some sort of message.





Cigar rollers did thier thing in the corner and Ferdie Pacheco talked about his art, signed his many books and greeted fans all night. It was a lively crowd and made Gallery Walk night quite special.





The AC Fine Art Gallery (2911 Grand Avenue) is open Tuesday through Thursday, from 1 to 5 pm and on Friday and Saturday from 1 to 9 pm. Stop by any of these times to enjoy the art. Ferdie Pacheco's art will be on display and for sale until August 31, 2011. For info, please call 305-742-7071.