The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, will present “Common Thread: Photographs by Theresa Segal” from July 27, 2024-Jan. 5, 2025.

Opening in the museum’s Balcony Gallery for Florida Artists, “Common Thread” is a comprehensive anthology showcasing the work of Segal. This career-spanning collection of photographs delves into a subject she knows well: her native state, Florida. The exhibition features a diverse array of subjects, from the formal gardens of Vizcaya in Miami to the storage spaces of the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine. Whether she is exploring historic buildings and neighborhoods, parks or rural landscapes, Segal’s aesthetic remains both intimate and singular.

Also included are black-and-white gelatin silver prints from a collaborative photography project exploring Baracoa, Cuba. Shot on film using a medium format camera, the photos were exhibited in Havana, then traveled throughout the state of Florida in 2005, and are now part of the Appleton’s permanent collection.

Following photography’s progression from film to digital methods, Segal’s images retain a common vision. Much of her influences come from the Southern Gothic genre and she embraces the tropes with a darkly romantic approach. While her photographs are often symmetrically composed within a clinically square composition, they have a timeless, surreal quality. The act of photographing is of particular significance, which she views as “an occasion for quiet contemplation and opportunity to connect and create – it’s as much an expression as it is a meditation.”

Regular admission fees apply to visit. Admission is free on the first Saturday of each month as part of the Free First Saturday program. Join the artist on the Sept. 7 Free First Saturday for two tours of “Common Thread.” Tours will meet at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Balcony Gallery for Florida Artists. Tours are free; no reservation needed to attend.

About Theresa Segal

Segal was born in St. Augustine, Florida, where she attended Flagler College and later taught photography in the same classroom where she had discovered her love of the medium. She studied photography at the Southeast Center for Photography at Daytona State College and the University of North Florida. The artist has received numerous grants for her work including several Individual Artist Grants from the Community Foundation of Northeast Florida, the Florida Department of State and the National Endowment for the Arts. Her work has been exhibited widely across the state of Florida.

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. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit AppletonMuseum.org.

The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, will present “En Pointe: Expressions of Dance in Art.”

In dance, our bodies are the paintbrush and the world is our canvas. Dance is performative, occupying space and elapsing time, and it is a particular challenge to capture motion within one static moment. Yet, it is a challenge many artists have endeavored for centuries.

We dance to celebrate, to commemorate, to commiserate and to initiate. It can be the play of free expression, or impressive and rigidly choreographed physical achievements. Dance can serve as a social function that communicates ideas beyond barriers of spoken language, allowing us to tell stories and say with our bodies what we cannot put into words.

Dance serves ritualistic and religious functions in historic cultures worldwide. We dance to entreat deities, remember our forebearers and to maintain traditions. We dance to celebrate the changing seasons of our world and the changing seasons of life.

On view June 29-Oct. 6, “En Pointe: Expressions of Dance in Art” explores various forms of dance and more through paintings, prints, photographs, sculptures, masks and costumes. Over 60 works from the permanent collection will be on display in the Edith-Marie Gallery, telling the story of this powerful and multifaceted form of expression. Several videos of dance add to the experience, and an interactive station invites visitors to add their own form of art in motion. From poetic paintings and drawings of the Ballet Russes by Ernst Oppler (German, 1867-1929) and prints of Native American dancers depicted by Alice Asmar (American, 1929-2021), to a full Panamanian Diablico Sucio costume (circa 1980) and a golden pair of traditional Thai headdresses (circa 1900), visitors can discover how performative arts have inspired the visual arts in cultures throughout history.

On July 13, 5:30-7:30 p.m., all Appleton members are invited to celebrate the exhibition at a reception. Enjoy summertime hors d’oeuvres and refreshing beverages, while enjoying dance hits throughout the decades by DJ Just Joel. RSVP for all guests is required by July 7 to Colleen Harper, harperc@cf.edu, or 352-291-4455, ext. 1831.

Regular admission fees apply to visit. Admission is free on the first Saturday of each month as part of the Free First Saturday program.

 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. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit AppletonMuseum.org.

The College of Central Florida Foundation was awarded $70,000 from the Edward K Roberts Community College Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to support student scholarships. For more than 40 years, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County has matched donors with causes, creating lasting impact across generations. This is the fifth consecutive year that the CF Foundation has been awarded funding from the Community Foundation to assist CF students. Since 2020, the Edward K. Roberts Scholarship has helped 153 CF students.

“We are honored and thrilled to be selected for the fifth year in a row to receive the Edward K. Roberts scholarship through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County,” said Chris Knife, vice president for Institutional Advancement and CEO of the CF Foundation. “This scholarship is changing lives and creating upward momentum for our students and their families.”

The Edward K. Roberts scholarship is to be used for financial assistance to CF students who may not qualify for other financial aid. The scholarship’s criteria also give preference to students who are parents, working to better themselves and their families through education.

The CF Foundation, founded in 1959, is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation that enhances the college’s programs and services through the development and management of private contributions and community partnerships. To learn more, visit CF.edu/Foundation.

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of $489 million in more than 1,580 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $40 million last year in the areas of education, the arts, health and human services, civic engagement, animal welfare and the environment. Since its founding, the Community Foundation has been able to grant more than $435.8 million to area nonprofit organizations in our community, thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families and businesses. For more information, visit www.CFSarasota.org or call (941) 955-3000.

The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, joins museums nationwide in the Blue Star Museums initiative, a program that provides free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families this summer. The 2024 program will begin on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 18, and end labor day, Monday, Sept. 2. Learn more and find the list of participating museums at arts.gov/BlueStarMuseums.

Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaborations with the Department of Defense and participating museums across America.

“We are grateful to the Appleton Museum of Art for participating in this summer’s Blue Star Museums program and we hope military families will take this opportunity to create meaningful lifelong memories,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “Whether you are traveling this summer, getting to know a new duty location or exploring what your community has to offer, Blue Star Museums is a wonderful opportunity to create connection and find inspiration.”

In addition to the Appleton Museum of Art, the Blue Star Museums program includes children’s museums, art, science and history museums, zoos, gardens, lighthouses and more, and hail from all 50 states, the district of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The current list of participating museums will continue to grow as organizations are welcome to register to be a Blue Star Museum throughout the summer.

The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military Air Force, Army, Coast guard, Marine Corps, Navy and Space Force, members of the reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps – and up to five family members. Qualified members must show a Geneva Conventions common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), DD Form 1173-1 ID card or the Next Generation Uniformed Services (Real) ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum.

The Appleton extends free entry to U.S. military Veterans, who receive free admission year-round. Veterans can show a veteran ID Card (VIC), Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) or the Veterans designation on their state-issued driver’s license or ID for entrance.

“Our founder, Arthur I. Appleton, served as a Navy Lieutenant during World War II and the Appleton team is composed of over 30% Veterans. We are pleased to once again join the Blue Star Museums program and extend free entry to Veterans,” said Appleton Director Jason Steuber.

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. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit AppletonMuseum.org

The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, invites the community on the first Saturday of each month for a day of free admission and special programming as part of the ongoing Free First Saturday series. The upcoming June 1 Free First Saturday features two events that focus on Florida’s natural springs.

At 11 a.m. in the auditorium, artist Margaret Ross Tolbert will give a talk entitled, “Canvassing Florida Springs.” Highlighting works on display in her solo exhibition, “Water’s Margins,” hear how the springs continuously attract her to visit and how this influences her work across the mediums of painting, photography and film. Take the opportunity to wander through the “Water’s Margins” galleries, as this weekend marks the final chance to see Tolbert’s awe-inspiring exhibition. The exhibition closes Sunday, June 2.

At 2 p.m. in the auditorium, Matt Keene will make brief remarks before a screening of his film, “Lost Springs.” Keene is an award-winning filmmaker and journalist based in St. Augustine, Florida His 40-minute documentary follows Margaret Ross Tolbert and others as they explore and discuss a grouping of springs that have been temporarily exposed during a drawdown of the Kirkpatrick/Rodman Reservoir.

“The springs are a vital component of Florida’s unique ecosystem, including our own beautiful Marion, Citrus and Levy counties,” said Appleton Assistant Director Victoria Billig. “We extend a warm invitation to all to join us Saturday, June 1 to hear more about Tolbert and Keene’s passionate appreciation for these natural wonders, and to support the final weekend of Tolbert’s exhibition, ‘Water’s Margins.’”

Free First Saturday hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Events are free; no reservations needed. The Donut Express and Brick & Ember food trucks will be on-site from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Free First Saturdays are sponsored in part by Marion Cultural Alliance, National Endowment for the Arts and CAMPUS USA Credit Union.

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. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit AppletonMuseum.org.

Tavis Douglass, associate professor and program manager of the Agribusiness program at the College of Central Florida, has received the prestigious Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty award by the American Association of Community Colleges. This national honor recognizes faculty who support students inside and outside of the classroom, participate actively in college committees and go above and beyond in their commitment to student success.

Professor Douglass, who started as an adjunct at the college in 2012 and became full-time faculty in 2019, has utilized his extensive background in managing agricultural farms to revolutionize the Agribusiness program’s curriculum. At the college’s 103-acre Vintage Farm Campus, he has implemented hands-on, experiential learning with cutting-edge agricultural activities including the use of drones for crop data collection and the application of pesticides, as well as high-tech irrigation systems equipped with remote soil sensors and weather stations.

During the pandemic, Douglass creatively recorded over 140 lectures, significantly enhancing his students’ learning experience. He has also developed several invaluable partnerships with local and state agricultural organizations to enhance the program. As a longtime member of the Florida Farm Bureau, Douglass has leveraged the promotion of the Agribusiness program—the lone of its kind in the Florida College System—to reach more than 300 middle and high school agricultural instructors, along with 60,000 students to emphasize the benefits of state certifications.

Professor Douglass holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Operations Management and a Master of Arts in Agribusiness Management from the University of Florida. His achievements include recognition as one of Ocala Magazine’s “40 Under 40” Future Leaders, Grow Gainesville Speaker of the Year and recipient of CF’s STARS Award for excellence and dedication in the classroom.

For more information about the Agribusiness program and other offerings at the College of Central Florida, visit www.CF.edu/Agribusiness.