The Mind's Eye, 50 Years of Photography by Jerry Uelsmann at the Harn Muesum -- posted by Florida Fine Art Blog

Untitled - Jerry Uelsmann - 1976

Harn exhibition offers glimpse into world of Jerry Uelsmann 
The Gainesville Sun - by Danielle Hipps - June 9th 2011

Imagine a world where trees sprout from hamburgers, where roots are the foundation for a wood-frame home and where man's organs resemble the valves and pipes of mechanical machinery.  

Photographer Jerry Uelsmann has brought those scenes and others to life with his darkroom manipulations, which will be on display when “The Mind's Eye, 50 Years of Photography by Jerry Uelsmann,” opens Tuesday at the Harn Museum of Art.

While most photographers explore from behind their shutters, pre-visualizing what their prints will look like, Uelsmann explores from within his contact sheets, compiling images with elements from different negatives. 

“I don't have a hidden agenda,” he said. “I just want viewers to connect with images on some basis. It's like a naturalist looks at a tree and thinks ‘How beautiful it is,' a lumber man thinks ‘How can I make a home out of that?'”

What: First career retrospective featuring classics and never-released works by the surrealist photographer and retired UF professor.
When: Opens Tuesday and continues through Sept. 11
Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, 1-5 p.m. Sundays
Where: Harn Museum of Art, Southwest 34th Street and Hull Road
Cost: Free
Info: 392-9826 or Harn Museum website

Link to The Gainesville Sun article

Check out the Jerry Uelsmann website

Miami Artist Xavier Cortada joins FIU’s College of Architecture + The Arts at Lincoln Road -- posted by Florida Fine Art Blog

Seedlings - Xavier Cortada - 2007

Via FIU News:  Miami artist Xavier Cortada will serve as founding director of the Office of Engaged Teaching, Scholarship, and Creative Activities (ETSCA) at Florida International University’s College of Architecture + The Arts.

ETSCA will be located at FIU’s new space at 420 Lincoln Road, on South Beach and will offer an extraordinary level of hands-on experience for FIU students. FIU on Lincoln Road will open this fall.

“Xavier Cortada has deep roots in this community and a rich artistic background, which he will put to work for our dynamic students,” said FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg.

 (...)

 “Art has the power to transform society,” said Cortada. “Because our community’s future is so dependent on the success of this public university, FIU’s College of Architecture + the Arts is the perfect place to continue developing my participatory art practice. I am thrilled to join the FIU family and look forward to working with students and faculty to harness the energy of South Beach and use art to build community.”

Link to FIU News Article

Xavier and I are on the Florida Art and Culture Council together and I have appreciated his work over the past year.  Not only a brilliant artist with a great career, Xavier is a real community leader and strong arts advocate.  More from the Article; "The new office is tasked with fully utilizing the talents of the faculty and students in the visual arts, performing arts, and design specialties to engage with the local South Florida community in collaborative problem-solving initiatives."  I can think of no one in Miami better suited for such an undertaking.  Congratulations Xavier!  GL

Check out the Xavier Cortada website

Oldest Art in America found in Florida -- posted by Florida Fine Art Blog

The oldest art in the Americas depicts a 13,000 year old mammoth

Alasdair Wilkins —There are European cave paintings that are 30000 years old, but the art of the ancient Americas remains a mystery. This bone fragment features an engraving of either a mammoth or a mastodon, and is at least 13000 years old.

This bone was discovered in Florida by fossil hunter James Kennedy, who discovered the inscription while cleaning the fossil. Realizing its potential anthropological significance, Kennedy turned the bone over to experts at the Smithsonian Museum and the University of Florida, who have now been able to confirm that this really is authentically ancient, and not just a clever forgery.

Link to Article

Mary Ann Carroll travels to Washington D. C. presents painting to Michelle Obama -- posted by Florida Fine Art Blog

(Tom Benitez, Orlando Sentinel / January 11, 2009)

Highwaymen painter from Fort Pierce presents painting to Michelle Obama   By Joe Crankshaw TCPalm   Posted May 19, 2011 at 10:09 a.m.

FORT PIERCE — The only female artist in the group of 26 black painters known as the Florida Highwaymen, Mary Ann Carroll, presented one of her paintings to first lady Michelle Obama during the First Lady's Luncheon at the Congressional Club in Washington on Wednesday.

"I feel like a champ," said Carroll Thursday morning after she returned to Fort Pierce. "It was a gracious thing that did not have to happen, but it did. I never expected this to happen and did not look for it."

Carroll said the first lady was gracious and sweet in accepting a painting depicting a royal poinciana tree on the riverfront in Fort Pierce.

Please go read the rest of the article on the TC Palm

Link to TC Palm article

I get to see Mary from time to time and she is always so cordial.  Mary Ann Carroll is still painting and traveling the state selling her paintings with her daughter Kandie. 

With the Highwaymen paintings the saying goes; "You can't have just one." And no proper Highwaymen collection would be complete without at least one painting from Mary.  You can find Mary at many of Florida's outdoor art fairs or contact her through her website.  She is painting better than ever and prices are very reasonable, heck the prices are a steal!  GL

TC Palm Article

Mary Ann Carroll website

Republican Congressman John Mica Battling to Greatly Expand the National Gallery of Art -- posted by Florida Fine Art Blog

Photo by Bill O'Leary/WASHINGTON POST

Congressman Mica’s quest pits FTC against National Gallery
Washington Post - Page 1 Lifestyle
By Ned Martel, Published: June 19

Rep. John L. Mica has what he calls a “weakness,” an obsession with art. He has fulfilled it as any aspiring connoisseur might. He scours odd shops and auction sites for objects treasured only by dust mites but still accruing worth with each passing year. He makes frequent trips to the National Gallery to research what he has bought and what he could buy. One day, while at the museum, he looked across the street and saw something old and undervalued: the Apex building, home to the Federal Trade Commission.

Decades ago, the Florida Republican was a developer. It gave him the means to treasure-hunt as well as a gut for appraisal — the real-estate concept of highest, best use. A question popped into his head: How many more Americans would benefit from the FTC building if the National Gallery were to take it over.
Please follow the link to read the whole article at The Washington Post.
Link to The Washington Post article


I have blogged about this story before and am following the developments closely. The National Gallery has more work in its collection than it could possibly display. Most of the treasures in the collection are only on exhibition periodically. The last time I was up at the National Gallery in 2007 they were having an exhibition of Jasper John's work. Amazingly I learned that it was the first time the Gallery had been able to show all the work they owned of Jasper Johns. In fact not even the artist's famous "Flags" are permanently displayed. When you search the National Gallery website what sticks out most in the descriptions of the paintings is the phrase "Not on Display". It seems that most of the collection, all important works, are stored away hoping for one day to be included in a group show or artist retrospective. We should be proud of this world class collection and more of it should be included on permanent display. Let’s hope Congressman Mica can persuade enough to join his worthy art “Crusade”!
Link to The Washington Post article
Past blog post on same story
National Gallery of Art website
John Mica website

Marcus Jansen Gets Cover of New American Paintings - posted by Florida Fine Art Blog

One of my favorite artists, Marcus Jansen, has been picked for the cover of one of my favorite art publications, New American Paintings.  This is great news for this talented Florida Artist.  It has been my opinion that New American Paintings has been especially stingy when selecting Florida artists in the past.  The publication is a juried collection of regional artist work.  They split the country into four regions and publish four different select collections.  Marcus is the first artist from Florida on the cover that I can remember.  Congratulations!  As I have said before in this blog;  "I can also confirm that many gallery owners, much more than would admit, look toward this publication for new artists to represent."  GL

New American Paintings website
My Artist Interview with Marcus Jansen
Blog post about New American Paintings
Marcus Jansen website

Federal: Oppose Termination of Arts Education in U.S. House Legislation

Federal: Oppose Termination of Arts Education in U.S. House Legislation