SFSC MOFAC Announces Exhibition Season 2019-20

The South Florida State College (SFSC) Museum of Florida Art and Culture (MOFAC) announces its 2019-20 season of exhibitions and programs.

MOFAC, in addition to its permanent collection of contemporary Florida regional art, provides an exhibition venue for established and emerging regional artists and preserves Florida’s history and heritage through art. The Museum also features artifacts and historical replicas from archeological sites, such as Blueberry and the Goudnow Mound as well as other sites throughout Florida.

MOFAC is located adjacent to the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts, SFSC Highlands Campus, 600 W. College Dr., Avon Park. The Museum is open to the public Oct. 2 – May 6. Visitors can visit the museum on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 12:30 – 4:30 p.m., or by appointment for group tours. Admission is free. Patrons of the Wildstein Center may visit the Museum one hour prior to matinee and evening performances. 

For more information about SFSC MOFAC and its programs or to request a museum tour, contact Megan Stepe, curator of MOFAC, at 863-784-7240 or email stepem@southflorida.edu. Visit the MOFAC website at mofac.org.

MOFAC 2019-20 Exhibition Season

“The Stories Within: Alvaro Labanino and Miguel Saludes” will be on display Oct. 2-Nov. 20, with an opening reception on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 1 p.m. at MOFAC. The exhibition features paintings that evoke the life experiences and collaborations of two life-long friends who continually seek to represent their memories in reciprocally inspiring and inventive ways.

“Relics, Reliquaries, and Objects of Desire” can be seen Dec. 4 – Jan. 28, with an opening reception to be held on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020 at 1 p.m. at MOFAC. Various artists consider the function, symbolism, power, and relevance of relics — cherished objects of sentimental, religious, historical, or political value via an interdisciplinary and multimedia exhibition.

“Breaking Free. Dark Matter, Dark Energy: Paintings by Margaret Schnebly Hodge” will be on exhibition Feb. 5 – March 26, with an opening reception to be held Thursday, Feb. 13 at 1 p.m. at MOFAC. The large-scale works depict the beauty and mutable energy of our universe. They are inspired by images from the Hubble telescope and other advanced space telescopes.

The SFSC annual Juried Student Art Show will be held April 8 – May 6, with an opening reception and award ceremony held on Thursday, April 16, 5 – 7 p.m. at MOFAC. The annual exhibition features outstanding artistic achievements from the academic year. On display are selected works created by SFSC art students and include mediums such as painting, drawing, ceramics, photography, and sculpture. Students co-organize the exhibition and assist with the framing, installation, and promotion of their work.  

Lobby Gallery Exhibits and Workshops

MOFAC invites the public to a series of special exhibits and programs throughout the year. 

Richard Thomas Reep presents artwork that uses concrete as a sculptural medium to express feelings about contemporary society and our built environment. Reep’s work will be on display Sept. 19 – Jan. 23 in the Lobby Gallery of the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on the SFSC Highlands Campus in Avon Park. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 1 p.m. in MOFAC. 

Robert “Bobby” Tally will display touchable 3D works, allowing people both with and without sight to experience and enjoy each scene with their fingers from Jan. 24 – May 7, in the Lobby Gallery of the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts. An opening reception will be held Thursday, Feb. 13, 1 p.m. in MOFAC.

A workshop, “Gourd Artistry featuring Oil Lamps with Jacqueline Andrews,” will be held on Saturday, Oct. 12, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., in the Art Department, Room A-15, on the SFSC Highlands Campus. This workshop will include a presentation on the history of gourd decoration, demos, and a hands-on project designing a fall-themed gourd oil lamp. The cost of the workshop is $40.

A workshop, “Bead Embroidery with Claire Miller,” will be held on Saturday, Feb. 1, in the Art Department, Room A-15, on the SFSC Highlands Campus. Learn the basics of bead embroidery and create your own work of art using found objects. The cost of the workshop is $25.

To reserve your spot for either of the workshops, contact Stepe at 863-784-7240 or email stepem@southflorida.edu.

Photo: Stellar Drift by Margaret Schnebly Hodge