CF Appleton Museum of Art opens ‘Portraits in Passing: Contemporary Chinese Brush Painting by A.E. Kozeliski

The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, is pleased to announce “Portraits in Passing: Contemporary Chinese Brush Painting by A.E. Kozeliski,” on view Jan. 31-June 21, 2026.

The subjects in “Portraits in Passing” are the people of the street – those encountered in daily life yet often overlooked: the wanderers, the unhoused and the forgotten. Through Tallahassee-based artist A.E. Kozeliski’s brush, these fleeting figures become thought-provoking reflections of contemporary society. Rather than traditional portraits, they capture a moment in time, revealing glimpses of humanity that might otherwise go unnoticed.

“I have embraced an ancient art form,” Kozeliski said. “And through the depiction of contemporary subject matter, I have made it my own while respecting its traditions.”

Opening in the Balcony Gallery for Florida Artists on the museum’s second floor, each work invites viewers to engage personally and to find their own stories within the faces and gestures portrayed. As subtle details reveal themselves, the once unseen become visible, gaining presence and dignity through the artist’s hand.

Rooted in the ancient traditions of Chinese brush painting, Kozeliski’s process draws on the discipline’s four foundational strokes, techniques that require mastery of brush pressure, water-ink balance, and handmade paper selection. Painting in the Mogufa (“boneless”) style, she captures not physical likeness but the energy, or qi, of her subjects. Composed without backgrounds, these minimal yet expressive portraits allow a simple line or gesture to suggest place, emotion and humanity.

Artist Talk and Demonstration
Saturday, April 4, 1 p.m.

Join Kozeliski in the auditorium on the April 4 Free First Saturday for a talk on the works featured in “Portraits in Passing.” Learn about her contemporary Chinese brush-painting techniques and enjoy a live demonstration. Free; no reservations needed to attend.

The Appleton Museum, Artspace and Store are open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. A campus of the College of Central Florida, the Appleton Museum of Art is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on SR 40 (exit 352 east off I-75 or exit 268 west off I-95). Parking is free. Admission is free on the first Saturday of each month. For more information, call 352-291-4455, or visit AppletonMuseum.org.