The 麻豆原创 School of Visual Arts and Design opens each academic year by showcasing an external professional artist in the gallery. These exhibitions enrich the educational experience by exposing students to varying artistic practices, innovative techniques and industry insights directly from established artists and professionals. External artists contribute to the vibrancy of the program through workshops, lectures, exhibitions and collaborative projects, inspiring students to push boundaries and explore new artistic possibilities. It injects fresh perspectives, fosters creative dialogue and expands students鈥� artistic horizons. Their presence enhances learning and strengthens the College of Arts and Humanities鈥� reputation as a hub of creativity and excellence in visual arts education, preparing students to thrive in a dynamic artistic landscape.

鈥淐lary鈥檚 work contains significant content of physical forms representing and openly processing trauma that viewers will engage with and relate to,鈥� says Associate Lecturer and 麻豆原创 Art Gallery Director Shannon Lindsey. 鈥淗is incredible level of craftsmanship and tedious hand-cut paper works have a visceral effect where we can visually connect to his hand on the materials. The salon-style installation includes hundreds of individual works and commands your attention but also invites you to look closely at each hand-cut detail.鈥�

The 麻豆原创 Art Gallery hosts a call for exhibition proposals every two years, providing an opportunity for visual artists and curators to submit their proposals. Out of 145 submissions, Clary鈥檚 proposal was one of four selected by the 麻豆原创 Art Gallery committee.

鈥淲e are passionate about bringing professional artists from outside of Central Florida to 麻豆原创 to expose our university and greater Orlando community to artists they do not have access to regularly. I encourage the artists to embrace the unique physical space of the gallery and consider different layouts of their work,鈥� Lindsey says. 鈥淚n addition to benefiting gallery audiences, this experience provides an opportunity for visual artists to further experiment with their presentations and gain insight into how viewers experience and respond to the work. I frame these exhibitions as a meeting place where the professional artists, students, faculty, staff and greater community members can come together and have a shared impactful experience through visual art.鈥�

In this Q&A, we interviewed Clary to learn more about the inspiration behind the exhibition.

Can you describe the inspiration behind the title Memento Morididdle? What themes or motifs are explored in this work?
I explore the ideas and history of 鈥淢emento Mori鈥� and 鈥淢emento Vivere;鈥� remember, you鈥檒l die, so remember to live, combined with that of Victorian sitting rooms, where one gathers and exhibits their achievements.

In February of 2013, I lost both of my parents to smoking-related cancers. I began to think a lot about my mortality and my highly traumatic childhood. I see this body of work as a collection of traumas, healed over time yet still visible. I pay homage to how they have shaped me as a person and an artist.

What techniques or materials did you primarily use to create the installations? How do these choices contribute to the overall experience for viewers?
I am primarily a hand-cut paper and collage artist who uses found frames to encapsulate each paper sculpture. Paper is a unique material, common and every day, fragile yet resilient, much like the human psyche. Each frame is sourced from antique stores, thrift shops and flea markets. At some point, they held a cherished memory of a loved one or an experience but have been abandoned and forgotten. I seek to re-imbue them with new life and a new purpose.

Could you walk us through conceptualizing and creating one of the installations featured in the exhibition?
Each piece is unique and comes about in different ways. I work consistently, creating four to eight pieces a day. Thinking about the work that goes into a massive installation can become daunting and overwhelming. But dividing it up every day over a year allows me to build an enormous body of work and keep it fresh.

Everything starts with the found frame. How ornate is it? What history or story does it have to tell? How does the wear and tear show its age and life? Once the frame is chosen, the wallpaper will be selected. This can take some time because the paper needs to enhance and work with the chosen style of frame. Color layers are picked next, usually a combination of five going from light to dark. This step is the most exciting as it determines the mood of the work. I then mount the wallpaper to a base layer of illustration board or drywall. If it’s drywall, I will use a hammer and hand to distress the surface, creating the opening. If the surface is an illustration board, I map the opening in pencil and then use a Fiskars ergonomic craft knife to cut out the design. From there, it’s a lot of patience and intuition. I never have a roadmap when I begin. I start with the first layer of paper, laid underneath the initial opening, and then I trace out the shape slightly smaller than the opening. I use that first layer to inform the second, subdividing each subsequent layer until I run out of space between 15 and 20 layers. I then laminate each layer using archival clear glue or illustration board spacers between each layer to assemble the piece. They are then mounted from behind to complete the work.

How does your background or previous work influence the pieces in Memento Morididdle?
I’ve been cutting paper since 2007, but even then, I was a chromophile through and through. Color has always been central to my work. I think it’s because I had such a rough childhood and always saw things as drab, dark and hopeless. My work seeks to acknowledge those traumas and provide hope for those who have been through similar experiences. These 鈥渂eautifully scarifications鈥� remind us that wounds heal, life moves forward, and if we were brave enough, so could we.

Are there specific messages or narratives you hope viewers take away from experiencing your installations?
I want the viewer to come away with a sense of awe and hopefulness. These installations are meant to be overwhelming and all-encompassing, as are the emotions they are mimicking. At the same time, I want the viewer to question the modality of creation. From afar, my work looks laser cut, but once they get up close and personal, they realize the work’s subtle imperfections and handmade quality. In a sense, it’s like viewing the world around us. Everyone at a glance looks as if they know what they鈥檙e doing and put together; it鈥檚 only when we get close that we realize how imperfect we really are and that we are all just trying to get through life the best way we know how.

What challenges or rewards did you encounter while preparing for this exhibition?
I think the constant challenge is not getting stuck in the traumas of the past. My parents passed away 10 years ago, even though it feels like yesterday. I must remind myself that this work isn’t about the sadness and the grief; it’s about growth, healing, forgiveness and hope to enjoy the life I’ve built for myself. The reward is how it touches so many viewers. Once they uncover the narrative behind the work, their collective traumas start to seep out, and there is a palpable connection.

Can you discuss any references that influenced the creation of your artworks in this exhibition?
I’m always looking at everything. When my parents got sick, I was fascinated with the mesmerizing electron microscope images of cancer cells. It was elegant in its construction but deadly in its actuality. How could something so beautiful be so destructive? I read [Charlotte Perkins Gilman鈥檚] The Yellow Wallpaper and was overwhelmed with the narrative and symbolism. I’m very much engaged with contemporary art. I am fascinated by artists such as Sarah Sze, Julie Mehretu, Daniel Zeller, Mars-1, Swoon, Felix Gonzalez鈥揟orres, Pip and Pop, Mia Pearlman and so many others.

How does your work challenge traditional notions of art or exhibition spaces? What effect do you aim to achieve in your installations?
I like to think of my work as organic and ever-changing. You’ll never see one of my installations the same way twice. It grows and morphs to fit whatever space is offered for its gestation. Paper is a material that all artists have a unique connection to, whether they use it as a substrate for wet or dry media, as a collage element, as a sculptural element, etc. To use it as a primary medium challenges the viewer’s notion of what can be considered a “fine art” medium. I hope my installations provide an access point to the arts by using humble everyday material to create fantastical experiences.

Are there any specific stories or anecdotes behind the creation of certain pieces in Memento Morididdle that you’d like to share?
There are over 380 works in this installation, and everyone tells a story, specific or otherwise. Every piece reminds me of my late mother and father, the silent struggles they were forced to endure, how they affected me as a child, and how my reactions to those situations molded me into the person I am today. It is a collection of memories and non-memories that speaks to resilience and our ability to survive.

How does your journey or experiences influence the conceptualization and execution of your art installations?
Without my journey, I don’t think this work would be possible. I often get asked if I could change my trauma. Would I? My rational side says, of course, but without my past, I wouldn’t have my present or future. This resonates within the work and the process of its creation. This, in turn, imbues it with life, allowing it to live on its own and in the minds of my viewers.

痴颈蝉颈迟听 at the 麻豆原创 Art Gallery from Sept. 12 to Oct. 11. Join us for the opening reception on Sept.12 and attend the artist talk during the closing reception on Oct. 11 for more insights into Clary’s work.

鈥淔or me, art has always been about letting go of your preconceived notions of how things should work and just allowing the best of what鈥檚 possible to unfurl naturally,鈥� says Hammack, who will earn a from the within the College of Arts and Humanities. 鈥淭he creative process is about starting with nothing and creating something special. The best artistic experiences I鈥檝e had have all happened when I simply let go of my personal plans and allowed myself to be completely in the moment with my work. So, my art is a lot like my life in that sense.鈥�

Hammack uses traditional oil-painting techniques to create works of art that attempt to elicit subtle, subconscious reactions from the viewer.

Fascinated by the mechanics of the human mind, Hammack uses traditional oil-painting techniques to create works of art that attempt to elicit subtle, subconscious reactions from the viewer. His unique body of work integrates aspects of surrealism with internet memes and other forms of modern-day, humor.

麻豆原创 Professor has been a mentor to Hammack since he arrived at 麻豆原创 in 2017. She will miss his presence in her advanced painting classes, but she looks forward to his success in the professional art world.

鈥淭here is no doubt that Rex Hammack will succeed as a nationally recognized contemporary painter in the not-too-distant future,鈥� says Poindexter, who has taught at 麻豆原创 since 2000. 鈥淩ex鈥檚 work is unique, intellectually enticing and emotionally provocative. As a student he has been a joy to work with, and I will personally miss his generosity and spirit of engaging conversation during class conversations and formal group critiques.鈥�

With unpredictability being a goal at the start of every project, there is no such thing as a typical Rex Hammack painting. A Hammack painting may contain comedian Jim Carrey playing pingpong while petting an exorbitantly large black cat against the backdrop of a cartoonish collage. It may be a small-faced portrait鈥攖he eyes, nose and mouth purposefully drawn much smaller than the outlining face鈥攐f actor Tom Hanks. A painting may be a surrealist take on the cartoon character Nigel Thornberry from the popular cartoon The Wild Thornberrys, which was popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s during Hammack鈥檚 childhood. Hammack鈥檚 art features a wide variety of paintings that are completely open to the viewer鈥檚 .

鈥淚 want people to have a quiet, personal conversation between themselves and my work. It is important to me that they look at each piece and come to their own conclusions of what my work means to them personally,鈥� says Hammack. 鈥淚 also want them to laugh sometimes, or at least chuckle a bit, and walk away with the same lighthearted feelings that I had while I was working on the painting.鈥�

Hammack鈥檚 work has most recently been displayed at 麻豆原创鈥檚 Allegoria exhibition鈥攖he School of Visual Arts and Design鈥檚 Fall 2019 showcase of works from their graduating undergraduate fine arts majors鈥攈eld at the 麻豆原创 Art Gallery. The gallery hosts the exhibition at the conclusion of each fall and spring semester, and it attracts approximately 800-1,000 visitors each semester. In addition to the Allegoria exhibition, Hammack鈥檚 work has been featured at numerous other local venues, including CityArts, HENAO Contemporary Center, and Faith Arts Village Orlando, among others.

In 2016, Hammack was commissioned to craft a series of mushroom-themed murals at various Mellow Mushroom restaurants throughout Florida. Additionally, Hammack鈥檚 work has a growing social media following on Facebook, Instagram and Reddit.

Following commencement, Hammack plans to spend much of the next year traveling while continuing to focus on his artistic endeavors. He is currently exploring various artist-in-residence opportunities across the nation. Next fall, he plans to enroll in a yet-to-be-determined master of fine arts program on the West Coast, an area of the country where he hopes to settle permanently.

鈥淚 grew up in Orlando and I will always love Central Florida, but I want to spread my wings as much as possible, giving my work a wide audience and gaining visibility in the art world,鈥� says Hammack. 鈥淩egardless of where I am physically, I鈥檓 going to continue to create art that is fascinating to me and makes me happy to look at.鈥�

Becoming a contemporary artist has been a natural evolution for Hammack. Beginning in high school, doodling served as both a creative outlet as well as a means for dealing with the typical anxieties of adolescents. As his skill sets progressed, near daily doodling sessions produced more in-depth images in sketch books and eventually onto canvases.

With a drive to take his craft to the next level, Hammack pursued formal artistic instruction at 麻豆原创. Since coming to the University in 2017, he says his work has flourished under the tutelage of professors who have encouraged him to explore all aspects of his creativity.

鈥淎t 麻豆原创, I鈥檝e been embraced fully as an artist, and I feel as though my creative freedoms have been both acknowledged and celebrated here. I鈥檝e been given the opportunity to simply focus on learning the nuances of creating art and building a body of work,鈥� says Hammack, who in addition to creating and displaying his work widely, aspires to be a visual arts professor at a major university. 鈥淚n my time at 麻豆原创, I鈥檝e felt both challenged and pushed, but I鈥檝e never felt pressured in a disciplinary, parental-type of way. It has always been more like pairs of helpful, watchful eyes, guiding me along my way.鈥�

While there are plenty of beaches, water parks and natural springs in the area to seek out for a refreshing plunge, there are also a variety of indoor activities 鈥� where the AC is blowing strong 鈥� to help you enjoy the summer months ahead.

1. Bite 30

Orlando is a foodie town, and thanks to June鈥檚 Bite30, we all have the chance to indulge in some of the City Beautiful鈥檚 best restaurants without the worry of a hefty bill at the end. From June 1-30, Bite30鈥檚 participating restaurants offer special prix fixe menus that feature multi-course dinners at a set price of $30. Diners get the opportunity to try multiple dishes on the restaurant鈥檚 menu for about the cost of a single entree, and restaurants get to showcase their specialty dishes.

Visit for a complete listing of restaurants and their menus.

2. Take a Fitness Class at 麻豆原创鈥檚 Recreation and Wellness Center

It may seem a little counterintuitive if you鈥檙e aiming to avoid sweat, but the 麻豆原创 Recreation and Wellness Center offers some low-key such as yoga and guided meditation that provide health benefits while still keeping your heart rate down. If you aren鈥檛 afraid of a little sweat, they鈥檝e also got some more creative exercise options such as hip-hop cardio or trampoline classes.

麻豆原创 students who have paid their activity and service fee can enjoy an unlimited membership to all the RWC facilities and programs at no extra cost.聽Faculty, staff and other 麻豆原创-affiliated members of the community can access the facilities and classes through a membership. Visit the to learn more.

3. Get Schooled in Life Skills

Have you wondered how to negotiate your salary or the best way to nail an interview for your dream job? 麻豆原创 Career Services offers workshops for students and alumni that address those very topics, and best of all, they鈥檙e free. Check out the and make sure you register before attending through . For questions, email career@ucf.edu.

Key Upcoming Workshops

June 20: Salary Negotiation

June 26: Building Your Online Brand

July 11: Interviewing Strategies

4. Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing

Consider taking a day trip to the Space Coast. Located less than an hour鈥檚 drive from 麻豆原创鈥檚 main campus, Kennedy Space Center has several events planned in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11鈥檚 moon landing:

July 15: Grand relaunching of the Apollo/Saturn V Center that will include interactive and immersive exhibits

July 16: Historic launch flashback eventJuly 20: One Giant Leap celebration

July 24: Welcome Home Apollo 11 event in the Rocket Garden

More information about these activities can be found on .

The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation also will host , including an astronaut parade and women-in-space panel.

5. Learn to Craft the Perfect Cocktail (ages 21+)

Make the most of your free time by learning a new skill. The Courtesy Bar in downtown Orlando offers a cocktail class every first and third Saturday of the month. The class will teach the proper way to make classic cocktails, and the $55 fee per person includes the instructions, materials, three full-size cocktails and gratuity. Spaces fill up fast. Email info@thecourtesy.com to check availability and book your date.

6. Race like a NASCAR Driver

Get behind the wheel and race against your friends at either Andretti Indoor Karting & Games or I-Drive NASCAR. The two facilities are located within five miles of each other, so if you鈥檙e feeling really competitive, you can easily check out both tracks in the same day. Andretti (9299 Universal Blvd.) also features laser tag, zip lining and a two-minute coaster. NASCAR (5228 Vanguard St.) offers pool tables, an arcade and bowling.

7. Explore a Museum

No matter your age, you can easily spend hours in any of Orlando鈥檚 award-winning museums.

The 麻豆原创 Art Gallery is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and admission is always free.

Pro tip: If you鈥檙e a Bank of America customer, you can enjoy one free general admission ticket on the first full weekend of every month to any of the following Orlando museums:

• Orange County Regional History Center
• Orlando Museum of Art
• Orlando Science Center
• The Mennello Museum of American Art

And if you鈥檝e got a sweet tooth, you might consider visiting the World of Chocolate Museum & Caf茅 (11701 International Drive), which includes tasting as part of its tours.

Roulette, a senior studying political science at the 麻豆原创, is a contributing photojournalist at Orlando Weekly. Nearly a year ago, in the aftermath of the shootings that killed 49 people, he put his craft to work to document the dark time that struck Orlando.

His photos ranged from press briefings to vigils around the city for weeks to follow. One of his photos, taken from the roof of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, is of hundreds of people who gathered for a vigil on the lawn in front of the arts center on June 13.

鈥淵ou would think when you see a large crowd in the photo that it must have been loud,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n reality, it was silent. You could only hear bells ringing 49 times for each life taken, and Interstate 4 in the distance.鈥�

That photo and more will be part of that is coming June 8-30 to the 麻豆原创 Art Gallery in the Visual Arts Building. An opening ceremony, including remarks from Pulse nightclub owner Barbara Poma, will be 4-6 p.m. June 8.

The gallery is part of Citizen Curator of Central Florida, an effort to engage the community with local museums, libraries and archives. Work from 22 local artists, plus work from organizations such as the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild and the GLBT History Museum of Central Florida, will be featured in the gallery.

鈥淩esilience: Remembering Pulse鈥� is the product of 麻豆原创 earning a nearly $25,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to participate in Citizen Curator of Central Florida. 麻豆原创 applied for the grant before the tragedy at Pulse nightclub.

鈥淲hen Pulse happened, we knew we wanted to do something to commemorate it,鈥� said Keri Watson, curator of the gallery and assistant professor of art history. 鈥淭he purpose of the grant was to increase community outreach and involvement, and we felt like this was a way to do both.鈥�

More than 80 pieces have been submitted, including photographs, paintings, quilts and a replica of the angel wings that were used by the Angel Action Wings project to block protests at victims鈥� funerals. The gallery also will be archived online by 麻豆原创鈥檚 Regional Initiative for Collecting the History, Experiences and Stories of Central Florida, and by the Citizen Curator Project of Central Florida.

鈥淥rlando was a safe space for me to come out when I was in my late teens and early 20s,鈥� said Cassi Alexandra, a 麻豆原创 alumna and photographer whose portraits of Pulse survivors, family and community supporters and their stories will be included in 鈥淩esilience: Remembering Pulse.鈥� 鈥淧hotography has healed myself in many ways during this time, and I hope it helps the people I鈥檝e photographed and helps educate the public.鈥�

Among the art pieces also will be 鈥淭he Lines That Join Us,鈥� a photographic collection and narrative of people who got tattoos to commemorate the victims of Pulse. Photographer Carrie Moran, user-engagement librarian at the John C. Hitt Library, got the idea for the project while reflecting on her own Pulse tattoo she got in July 2016.

鈥淚 remember being in the car and catching a glimpse of my tattoo and thinking it would be great to get portraits of other people with their tattoos,鈥� she said. 鈥淪everal tattoo parlors created designs specific to Pulse and donated all the proceeds. That鈥檚 what I liked about the tattoos. I knew there had to be thousands of people.鈥�

Moran heard from 150 people in just three days who were willing to participate in her project. Participants range from Pulse survivors and their families, to those who lost a loved one that night, to those who weren鈥檛 there but felt Pulse was a safe space for them.

鈥淚 woke up out of town that day and had to call and text a bunch of people to make sure they were alive,鈥� said Moran. 鈥淚 wanted something to capture that feeling and sense of community that came after. It made me feel like Orlando was my home for the first time.鈥�

For more from the artists and a look at some of their work, see .

麻豆原创鈥檚 participation in the Big Read, a program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, will kick off 3-5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27, at the John C. Hitt Library foyer, where complimentary copies of the book will be available. At 5 p.m. there will be a reception and opening of an art exhibit at the 麻豆原创 Art Gallery that will focus on conservation, migration, agriculture, poverty, homelessness, and local food security. 麻豆原创 and the Seminole County Public Library received an NEA grant of $16,000 to host the Big Read in Orange and Seminole counties.

After Monday’s opening events, for several weeks a variety of art exhibitions, books clubs, film screenings, panel discussions, game showcase and other programs will be presented, including the reading from the聽 Tony Award-winning adaptation of the book April 8 at 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

With a cast of more than 30 麻豆原创 guest artists, faculty, staff, alumni and students, the School of Performing Arts will tell the story of the Joad family鈥檚 desperate flight from the dust bowl after the loss of their farm. The festival also will include some tableau vivant 鈥� living art 鈥� student creations inspired by the book.

The April 7-14 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts festival will present more than 1,000 university students, 100 faculty members and some collaborative programs with outside partners to showcase theatre, dance, orchestra, choirs, big band, chamber music, cabaret, concert bands, opera, visual arts, studio art, gaming, animation, photography and film at the festival.

鈥淭his is a great opportunity for 麻豆原创 to engage the community in a discussion of art and literature,鈥� said Keri Watson, an assistant professor of art history, who secured the grant to support the Big Read. 麻豆原创 is one of 77 nonprofit organizations around the nation to receive a grant to host events related to The Grapes of Wrath, this year鈥檚 book chosen for the project.

鈥淲ith this grant, we join a select few 鈥榬epeat readers鈥� who have received the grant more than once,鈥� Watson said. Last year 麻豆原创 celebrated Zora Neale Hurston and聽her book Their Eyes Were Watching God.

The art exhibit, In the Eyes of the Hungry: Florida鈥檚 Changing Landscape,聽focuses on demographic, geographic and ecological shifts, with an emphasis on human relationships and the environment. The art to be shown explores ideas ranging from agriculture and industrialization to migration and tourism to ecology and conservation.

The exhibit will be on view at the 麻豆原创 Art Gallery Feb. 27-March 3, and then at Terrace Gallery in Orlando City Hall March 13-April 23.

Watson, who curated the exhibition, will present a talk about the show 1-2 p.m. Feb. 28 at the art gallery.

Ticketing and full schedule details for 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts are posted at . All events are free, but tickets are required for performances and entrance into the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave., Orlando. A limited number of reserved seats at $20 will be available March 1-8.

鈥淔usion: A STEAM Gallery鈥� is the name of the new gallery space on the science center鈥檚 third-floor mezzanine that will be filled with artwork from the university. The STEAM name combines the STEM acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics with the 鈥淎鈥� to represent Art.

鈥淚t is so important that our students do not separate the sciences and arts in their learning experience,鈥� said art professor Carla Poindexter and curator of the exhibits. 鈥淪cience and the arts have always been interwoven. Our students in the SVAD gain so much when they know more about science, and the reverse is true聽with the STEM students.鈥�

Yulia Tikhonova, 麻豆原创 Art Gallery director, worked with the science center to develop the idea of hosting paintings, sculptures, animations, graphic designs and other 麻豆原创 artworks among the center鈥檚 dinosaur bones, telescopic views of the stars and hands-on exhibits.

There will be four planned exhibits a year to engage visitors with visual interpretations of scientific concepts, Poindexter said. Artists also will show how STEM has influenced their work and showcase the similarities between art and science.

鈥淚magination and creativity are at the heart of both art and science,鈥� said Jeff Stanford, vice president of marketing at the science center. 鈥淚t is very important to use art to provide a new perspective on science. Artists and scientists use several of the same skills in pursuit of their goals, including critical thinking and problem solving, communication and collaboration, flexibility and adaptability, and social and cross-cultural skills. These skill sets are essential for success in both fields.鈥�

Both institutions hope that exhibit visitors leave with a better understanding of the synergy between art and science. More than half of the 535,000 who visited the center in 2015 were under 17 years old, Tikhonova said.

鈥淏oth 麻豆原创 and OSC play key roles in creating the next generation of STEM professionals鈥斅槎乖� in higher education and OSC through youth engagement in hands-on science, technology and engineering activities,鈥� she said.

Stanford added: 鈥淲e hope the gallery ignites the scientific curiosity in art lovers and stimulates a newfound respect for art in the science-minded. For the science center, it鈥檚 a very exciting opportunity to work with artists on exhibitions that display how science and technology have influenced their work while bringing to light the similarities between these two disciplines.鈥�

The artists whose works will be featured through June 24 are Clayton Dunklin, a bachelor鈥檚 of fine art major, and Forrest DeBloi, who is working on his master鈥檚 of fine art. Both contributed art on the themes of animals and Earth Day. Some of DeBlois鈥� work can be seen on public and private buildings in Florida showing endangered and extinct animals.

Fusion: A STEAM Gallery is included with admission to the Orlando Science Center, 777 E. Princeton St.

Grant recipients around the country pick their own books to feature. To celebrate the 125th anniversary of author Zora Neale Hurston鈥檚 birth, beginning in January the college will partner with the Seminole County Public Library to host six weeks of events focusing on her book 鈥淭heir Eyes Were Watching God.鈥� Events will include an art exhibit, lectures, film screenings, theatrical performances and other programs.

Keri Watson, an assistant professor in the School of Visual Arts & Design, wrote the NEA matching grant for a total of $30,000 to support the project.

鈥淏ecause of our location and the anniversary, it鈥檚 a good tie-in for the community,鈥� said Watson.

Hurston was born in 1891 in Notasulga, Ala., but her family moved to Eatonville when she was a child. She later lived a brief time in Sanford, where she wrote her first book, “Jonah鈥檚 Gourd Vine,” published in 1934.

Of her four novels and more than 50 short stories, plays and essays, her best known work was the 1937 “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” The author, folklorist and anthropologist died in 1960.

Watson said the 麻豆原创 project will be complementary to the annual Zora! Festival in Eatonville on Jan. 23-31, which also is also celebrating the author鈥檚 125th birthday in January.

Only three other grants were given in Florida for different books to be featured in The Big Read 鈥� Broward Public Library Foundation in Fort Lauderdale, Miami Dade College, and Volusia County Public Library. Participants pick one of 35 featured novels for their programs.

Kicking off the Hurston series will be a reception and art exhibit in the 麻豆原创 Art Gallery featuring the work of Boston conceptual artist Eric Gottesman and the students and faculty of the 麻豆原创 School of Visual Arts and Design and their colleagues at Rollins College. The exhibit, 鈥淭he Encounter: Baalu Girma and Zora Neale Hurston,鈥� will be Jan. 11-Feb. 18 and present a fictional encounter between the two writers. Girma was an Ethiopian novelist and journalist who died in 1984.

鈥淭hough the two writers overlapped in time, but not in place, Gottesman was inspired to create a work of art that would imagine a meeting between these two important African diaspora public intellectuals,鈥� said gallery director Yulia Tikhonova.

A reception at the gallery to kickoff the series will be 6-8 p.m. Jan. 14.

The other events in the free series are:

Events are still being added to The Big Read. For the up-do-date schedule, check back at http://bigread.cah.ucf.edu/.

Watson said she plans to apply for another grant next year for The Big Read with a different book.

Lee is considered one of the foremost interpreters of minimal music. His CD, Eva-Maria Houben: Piano Music, was chosen by Alex Ross in The New Yorker as one of the Top 10 classical recordings of 2013. In his tenure with the Irritable Hedgehog label, he has recorded eight albums, including the premiere recording of Dennis Johnson鈥檚 five-hour minimalist epic, November, which was selected by Time Out New York as the best classical recording of 2013.

The 麻豆原创 program will include William Duckworth鈥檚 The Time Curve Preludes, Book I, a post-minimalist work and Adrian Knight鈥檚 Obsessions, a 50-minute work that explores stubborn habits, routines, patterns, and obsessions.

Lee has dedicated himself to the performance and recording of new music. He has premiered or released the recording of compositions by many composers whose work lies on the boundaries of minimal music. Current projects include a three-plus hour commission for piano and live electronics from Randy Gibson and a disc of music by Paul A. Epstein, whose is at the intersection of total serialism and minimalism.

The intersection of minimal music and temporality is a primary research interest for Lee. He has presented papers and lecture-recitals at several international conferences, most recently the Fourth International Conference on Minimalist Music (California State University, Long Beach) and Time’s Excesses and Eccentricities in Music, Literature and Art (Universit茅 de Caen Basse-Normandie).聽聽

Performance at a glance:

Collide Contemporary Music Series presents R. Andrew Lee, piano

Featuring works by William Duckworth and Adrian Knight

Tuesday, November 10, 2015; 7 p.m.

颁辞蝉迟:听Free and open to the public

Location:聽麻豆原创 Art Gallery, Visual Arts Building

Just like the oversold promises of carnival barkers of the past, these midway icons of yesteryear may not actually be present, but you can see images of them at the 麻豆原创 Art Gallery’s聽鈥淪tep Right Up: Art of the Sideshow鈥� exhibit of original painted banners, photographs, sculptures and films.

Featured in the July 16-Aug. 29 exhibit in the Visual Arts Building are some of the huge signs used to entice spectators to see whatever was inside, whether an anatomical wonder, scientific anomaly or colorful carnival character.

The most common size of the era鈥檚 historic sideshow banners was 10 feet wide and 8 feet high, but one exhibited 50-by-22-foot painting of funhouse clowns will take up one whole wall at the gallery.

鈥淚 bought it many years ago and believe it or not have never seen the whole thing. I never had a place large enough to display it,鈥� said Howard Marks, a local attorney and art collector whose banners are on loan for the show.

Marks鈥� banners date back to the 1920s and all have a Florida connection because Gibsonton near Tampa was the summer home of circus performers and painters.

鈥淭he clown banner is stunning because of its size, the number of characters, and its condition,鈥� said Keri Watson, a 麻豆原创 assistant professor of art history who curated the show. 鈥淚 also am a fan of the Bearded Lady; she is quite fetching.鈥�

The banners in Marks鈥� collection by some of the leading painters of the 20th century 鈥� Fred Johnson, Snap Wyatt, Jack Sigler and Johnny Meah 鈥� are an important part of Americana, she said.

鈥淐ircuses, state fairs and sideshow attractions were popular forms of leisure and entertainment from the 1840s through the 1950s. Offering the ultimate escape from the day-to-day, the sideshow was an area of the fair where for an additional five or ten cents viewers could see extraordinary people billed as exotic wonders.鈥�

The brightly painted signs of this disappearing art style generally were created by commercial artists working for tent and awning companies.

鈥淭hese artists used their imaginations, fine art, and popular culture for inspiration,鈥� Watson said, 鈥渁nd they employed a variety of techniques to emphasize and exaggerate the contrast between the unusual and the normative.鈥�

But today with printing companies and digital technology, signs are rarely painted by hand, and with the decline of traveling circuses and sideshows there is little commercial demand for sideshow banners.

Other works in the exhibit are fair photographs by Reginald Marsh, Marion Post Wolcott, Jack Delano, Russell Lee, Ben Shahn and 麻豆原创 photography professor Layne Wyatt; contemporary paintings by Arnold Mesches; sculptures by Rigoberto Torres and 麻豆原创 students; and a video/sculptural installation by Carl Knickerbocker of Oviedo. Two documentary shorts (鈥淛ohnny Meah, The Czar of Bizarre鈥� and 鈥淲ard Hall, King of the Sideshow,鈥� made by 麻豆原创 film students Milos Ajdinovis and Yson Dickson) will be on a continuous video loop at the gallery.

The free exhibit will have an opening reception from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, and will then be open during the gallery鈥檚 regular hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Yulia Tikhonova, gallery directory, has lined up some additional free collaborations for the six-week exhibit:

• Aug. 25, 6 to 8 p.m. 鈥� Film screening of the 1932 cult classic聽鈥淔reaks,鈥� featuring Harry and Daisy Earles, Daisy and Violet Hilton, Johnny Eck, Prince Randian, and Frances O鈥機onnor.聽In the film, the carnival “freaks” are inherently trusting and honorable people, while the real monsters are two of the “normal” members of the circus who are part of a conspiracy. The film will be screened next door to the gallery in Visual Arts Building Room 132.
• Aug. 26, 6 to 8 p.m. 鈥� Film screening of the 1999 documentary聽鈥淪ideshow:聽Alive on the Inside.鈥漈his film looks at the world of the circus and carnival sideshows, and how the headliners found happiness in their careers. Also shown in VAB 132.
• Aug. 27, 6 to 8 p.m. 鈥� Closing reception in the gallery with guest appearances by Johnny Meah, one of the last banner painters and a veteran sideshow performer, and impresario Ward Hall, both featured in the documentary shorts to be shown at the gallery. There will be cotton candy, corn dogs and catering by 4Rivers Smokehouse.
• Aug. 29, 4 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淎 Look at the Sideshow,鈥� a performance piece in the gallery written and directed by 麻豆原创鈥檚 Be Boyd and John Shafer. The play portrays the challenging lives of real sideshow performers such as John Merrick, The Elephant Man; Annie Jones, The Bearded Lady; Francesco A. Lentini, The Three-legged Wonder; and Grady Stiles, Lobster Boy.

The exhibition will showcase installation and performance art, sculpture, mixed media and photography from Dominic Dipaolo, Gary Dufner, Marina Robbins and Masami Koshikawa.

A free opening reception will be 6 to 8 p.m. March 5. The exhibit will be on display through March 20 during the gallery鈥檚 regular hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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