{"id":348314,"date":"2026-07-22T08:39:29","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T08:39:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/348314\/"},"modified":"2026-07-22T08:39:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T08:39:29","slug":"miami-dade-paid-4780-for-3-portraits-of-oliver-gilbert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/348314\/","title":{"rendered":"Miami-Dade paid $4,780 for 3 portraits of Oliver Gilbert"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Records<\/p>\n

Records show Miami-Dade County paid for three paintings of County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert ahead of the hanging of the least expensive one in the commission chambers for a new portrait wall honoring past board chairs. The first portrait, pictured on the left, cost $2,000 and came from artist Rahiem Milton. The second portrait, center, cost $2,500, according to an invoice, and was painted by artist Sitki Dogan. The third portrait, right, cost just $280 because it was a print of a portrait that Miami Gardens commissioned five years ago to honor Gilbert for his time as that city\u2019s mayor. Milton and Dogan shared photographs of their nearly finished work with the Miami Herald, as pictured here. The photograph of the framed print of the Miami Gardens portrait was taken at the County Commission chambers.<\/p>\n

Left to right: Courtesy of Rahiem Milton, courtesy of Sitki Dogan, photograph taken by Douglas Hanks<\/p>\n

dhanks@miamiherald.com<\/p>\n

Before Commissioner Oliver Gilbert\u2019s likeness became the inaugural installation of a new portrait wall in the Miami-Dade County Commission chambers this month, the county paid $4,500 for two other paintings of him that weren\u2019t used, according to records and interviews.<\/p>\n

When fellow commissioners and Mayor Daniella Levine Cava gathered July 13 for the unveiling of a portrait wall<\/a> to honor former board chairs, a painting of a smiling Gilbert was revealed to applause in the chambers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a very special occasion today,\u201d Commission Chair Anthony Rodriguez said during the ceremony. \u201cThe Chairman\u2019s portrait collection will serve as a lasting tribute.\u201d<\/p>\n

The portrait, a print of a painting commissioned by Miami Gardens five years ago to honor Gilbert\u2019s time as mayor of that city, only cost Miami-Dade $280, according to an invoice provided to the Miami Herald through a request for public records.<\/p>\n

But other invoices tell the story of a pricier artistic process that was undertaken in pursuit of getting a portrait of Gilbert, who served as board chair between 2022 and 2024 and who is now running in the Democratic primary<\/a> to succeed Rep. Frederica Wilson in Congress.<\/p>\n

\"Miami-Dade Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert III speaks before Mayor Daniella Levine Cava delivers her 2026 State of the County address on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n

Records show county staffers commissioned two paintings that did not end up being hung on the portrait wall, for a total of $4,500. Gilbert\u2019s office did not address questions from the Herald regarding why the county ordered the two portraits that weren\u2019t hung in the commission chambers, or why neither was used. The Herald sent similar questions to the commission\u2019s media office, which works under Rodriguez, but got no response.<\/p>\n

The first artist to give it a shot, Rahiem Milton<\/a>, got hired in November. Within a month, the artist out of Miami produced an acrylic painting of a smiling Gilbert in a blue suit, based on a photo sent to him by a commission staffer in Rodriguez\u2019s office, Milton said in an interview.<\/p>\n

Miami-Dade paid him $2,000 for the work, according to county records. Milton said he delivered the portrait to County Hall in December but soon heard the painting didn\u2019t meet expectations.<\/p>\n

\u201cI honestly don\u2019t know what the issue was,\u201d Milton told the Herald. \u201cI was dumbfounded.\u201d<\/p>\n

He sent the Herald a photo of his Gilbert work while it was still on the easel. A county staffer sent Milton a photo of Gilbert with the instruction \u201cPlease use the attached photo for the portrait. Thank you,\u201d according to a screenshot of the exchange that Milton shared with the Herald. The text message included the photo of Gilbert in a light blue suit and a striped red necktie.<\/p>\n

A few weeks after Milton delivered his $2,000 Gilbert portrait, a commission staffer signed a different artist to paint a second Gilbert portrait for $2,500, according to a pair of invoices provided to the Herald through the records request.<\/p>\n

Sitki Dogan, an artist out of Lake Worth<\/a>, sent an invoice for a $1,250 deposit to Gilbert\u2019s office on Dec. 26. A second invoice for the final $1,250 payment was dated July 17 and also went to Gilbert\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

Dogan said he was sent the same photograph as Milton for his painting of Gilbert. He also shared a photo of his completed work with the Herald. It appears similar to the Milton portrait, but with an American flag and the Miami-Dade County seal added to the background. Dogan said he delivered the painting and was paid full price for his work.<\/p>\n

Gilbert, who represents the Miami Gardens area as Miami-Dade\u2019s District 1 commissioner, declined an interview request.<\/p>\n

Every other year, commissioners elect one of their own to serve as chair of the board. Rodriguez chose Gilbert\u2019s likeness to inaugurate the new portrait gallery honoring former chairs.<\/p>\n

In response to the Herald\u2019s questions, Gilbert\u2019s office issued a statement that said in part: \u201cThe Office of Chairman Anthony Rodriguez contacted the District 1 office with regards to a new tradition of hanging the portraits of past chairpersons of the county commission in the Commission Chambers. Portraits were produced from pictures that were submitted to artists.\u201d<\/p>\n

This story was originally published July 21, 2026 at 5:00 AM.<\/p>\n