A Little Side Trip to Local Art Spots

by Kathy Garvey

On Thursday of this week, Denette, Donna and I got together at the Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts (on the FIT campus) to tour the current Florida in Fabric II exhibit. What a great show! If you haven't been yet and you love fabric art, try to take the time to stop by. The art quilts were so gorgeous that we had trouble trying to decide on a favorite. (You get a little form when you enter the museum that allows you to pick your favorite.) There were only three of us, but the following four shown here were our top picks. The beauty and workmanship on all of the pieces deserve accolades. As the exhibit information states "Art accepted for this exhibition exemplifies innovation in quilting and surface design techniques as well as excellence in artistic composition and craftsmanship."  (Click on any image to view it closer.)

Orange Topiary by Margo Hucklebery Hicks of Palm Bay, Florida

Seagrape Leaf by Barbara Walter of Pembroke Pines, Florida

Sunshine State of Mind by Susan Rienzo of Vero Beach, Florida

Sweet Florida Blue by Lisa-Marie Sanders of Cocoa Beach, Florida

There were actually two exhibits. Besides the Florida in Fabric exhibit, there was a very interesting display of large beautifully made quilts by Eleanor McCain (a practicing Internal Medicine Physician in Fort Walton Beach, Florida) titled Oil Stains. You have to go see it to appreciate the workmanship and the meaning of her unusual quilts.

If you haven't visited the Ruth Funk Museum before, you may not know where to park to access it. The easiest way is to turn into the parking lot on the west side of Babcock Street that is right across the street from University Housing. There are a number of free parking spots over against the wooded area of the Botanical Gardens. The red marked parking spaces are specifically for visitors to the gardens or the Ruth Funk. After parking, follow the long covered wooden bridge that leads directly to the glass doors of the museum. One of the many great things about this beautiful little museum is that it is free to visit - and it's right next to a botanical garden with paved walkways, an old school house, pond complete with fish and turtles, picnic tables and a gazebo.

After leaving Ruth Funk, we went straight to the Eau Gallie Art District to tour the very interesting exhibit "Infinite Mirror: Images of American Identity" currently at the Foosaner Art Museum. (And while all of us are members, the Foosaner is also free to the public every Thursday.) And no matter what they are exhibiting, there is often a marvelous work by local artist Frits Van Eeden that is worth a trip all by itself.

We then crossed the street to check out many of our fellow artists' great work at the Fifth Avenue Gallery and walked down the street to stop in at Ralph's Art Supply where whatever you need to know about anything to do with art media, Ralph can answer. And if there's something you need and can't find locally, Ralph can find it.

If you get a chance, take a visit to all of these places. Click on the name of each in this article to see more information about each.