Capital Culture Magazine: Spring 2009

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Spring 2009

As the local arts agency for Tallahassee and Leon County, the Council on Culture & Arts works on behalf of the community to support the area’s diverse range of cultural events and traditions. Through innovative partnerships with community and educational groups, COCA seeks to enrich and improve the lives of citizens and visitors alike. Our professional staff and board of directors serve as a community resource to advocate for and support arts and culture in Florida’s Capital Area. COCA members include non-profit and commercial galleries, museums, theaters, music groups, dance companies, festivals, historic sites, film and video companies, educational organizations, and individual artists, as well as businesses and individuals interested in supporting local cultural activities. Council on Culture & Arts Staff Executive Director Peggy Brady Randi Atwood Alex Loftus Andrea Personett Clint Riley Amanda Karioth Thompson Holly Thompson Council on Culture & Arts Board of Directors Chair Anne Mackenzie Vice Chair Ken Winker Treasurer/ Secretary Kay Stephenson Past Chair Michael H. Sheridan Exec. Comm. Margo H. Bindhardt Member At-Large

Ramon Alexander Valliere Richard Auzenne Mickey Brady Alfredo A. Cruz Lydia A. McKinley-Floyd Longineu Parsons Mark Ravenscraft Susan Stratton Mike Vasilinda Johanna Williams

Ex-officios

John Marks, Mayor Bob Rackleff, County Commission Marge Banocy-Payne, TCC Valencia E. Matthews, FAMU Donna H. McHugh, FSU Dick Fallon, Cultural Ambassador

Tallahassee’s new

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816 S. ML King Jr. Boulevard Tallahassee, FL 32301 (850) 224-2500 office (850) 224-2515 fax [email protected] www.cocanet.org

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CONTENTS Cover story........................................... 6 More Than You Thought by Julie Hauserman

The Pulitzer-Prize-nominated Tallahasseean sings the praises of her home town.

Feature Story.......................................... 8 Spring Fever by Andrea Personett

Arts events and cultural happenings reach a fever-pitch as springtime pushes out the winter chill.

MoreThanYouThought.Com............10 Highlights from COCA’s online cultural calendar to help you find fun stuff to do.

Feature Story........................................12 Groundbreaking Ventures: A Creative Capital

Four construction projects, in various stages of completion, are helping to add to the cultural future of the city.

Out and About: Places To Go, Things To Do!

Entertainment. ....................................... 17 Alternative.............................................. 18 Participating........................................... 19 Exploring …............................................ 20 Down the Road........................................ 21 For Kids................................................. 22 Shopping................................................ 24

Capital Culture Interview....................27 by Kati Schardl The music maven and arts critic points her microphone at the dynamic duo of architect David and planner Hilda Gilchrist.

Profiles in the Arts..............................29 Stephen J. Fox

A major career move from environmental consultant to environmental artist has Steve Fox living his lifelong dream.

In Every Issue Letter from the Publisher. ............................................................... 3 News of Note................................................................................... 4 COCA Notes................................................................................. 26 Capital Culture Magazine

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Vol. 4

Spring 2009

Publisher Editor Creative Directors Creative Assistant Editorial Assistant Advertising Manager

Issue 1

Peggy Brady Randi Atwood Nathan & Tony Archer Lorem Ipsum Design Studio Cara Cruce Lorem Ipsum Design Studio Clint Riley Andrea Personett

Capital Culture Magazine is published quarterly by the

Council on Culture & Arts with support from the Leon County Tourist Development Council. Capital Culture Magazine is distributed free of charge to visitors to and residents of Florida’s Big Bend Area. Reproduction of Capital Culture Magazine in whole or in part is permitted only with written permission from the Council on Culture & Arts. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. Editorial, art, and photography submissions to Capital Culture Magazine are considered. Writer’s guidelines are available at www.cocanet.org. However, the publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts or art. Capital Culture Magazine reserves the right to publish any letters to the editor. Although COCA makeseveryefforttopublishaccurateinformation,wemake noguaranteeastotheaccuracy,completeness,ortimeliness of the information in this magazine. All rights reserved. Capital Culture Magazine is available in large print upon request. This publication is available in electronic format at COCA’s website at www.cocanet.org. The opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Council on Culture & Arts, or Capital Culture Magazine’s sponsors or advertisers. SubscriptionstoCapital Culture Magazineareavailable by joining the Council on Culture & Arts. Please visit www.cocanet.org/about/join.html to download an application or call (850) 224-2500. For information about advertising in Capital Culture MagazineandotherCOCApublicationandWebsites,contact [email protected]

Copyright © 2009 Council on Culture & Arts A COCA publication sponsored in part by the City of Tallahassee,Leon County,the State of Florida,Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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CONTRIBUTORS Julie Hauserman is a longtime Florida writer who lives in Tallahassee. She has twice been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize: in 1991 for her stories about pollution in Florida’s Fenholloway River, and in 2001 for her stories about arsenic leaking out of pressuretreated lumber all over America. She won the Scripps Howard National Journalism Awards’ top environmental prize for her work on the arsenic stories. Hauserman was a Capitol bureau reporter for the St. Petersburg Times in Tallahassee for seven years and has been a commentator for Florida Public Radio’s Capitol Report, National Public Radio’s Weekend EditionSunday, and Minnesota Public Radio’s The Splendid Table. Her essays are featured in several Florida anthologies, including The Wild Heart of Florida, The Book of the Everglades, and Between Two Rivers. www.morethanyouthought.com

Capital Culture Magazine

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The recent election has left me feeling full of hope, and not necessarily because of all of the Illustration by Lorem Ipsum Design Studio results. Like everyone, I’m happy with some of those and unhappy with others. It’s because of the massive participation and involvement, the spirit of community that is felt everywhere. I recently attended a conference on Civic Tourism in the Blackstone Valley of Rhode Island. In many places, I was struck by the pride the local residents have in their hometowns. I recognized that pride myself, because it’s what I feel for Tallahassee. We already have an extraordinary community, and its cultural components are growing and improving all the time. Our museums continue to be hosts to exhibits of art, science, and nature that visitors return for again and again. Our dance, music, and theatre companies continue to offer award-winning productions throughout the whole year. New businesses, like the Fermentation Lounge, are opening to complement the growing activity in the Gaines Street area. In these tough economic times, it’s easy to let fear stop all forward motion. It seems to make sense to put off big projects, to wait for “a better time.” But the needs that drive these projects are increasing, not diminishing. These new facilities will bring in revenues, and the economies of scale they will provide are just what the future requires, now more than ever. The projects and people you see highlighted in this issue are part of making our future happen. They will be joining existing cultural components and hand-in-hand will walk into the future prepared for whatever it holds. Despite the difficult times, the future of arts and culture in our community is bright – don’t let anyone tell you differently. See you out and about,

Peggy Brady

Kati Schardl is assistant features editor and arts writer for the Tallahassee Democrat. She is a true-blue North Florida native – born in Panama City and raised in Marianna. She came to the big city of Tallahassee to attend FSU and earned a social work degree before yielding to the scruffy allure of journalism (long hours! low pay! daily screaming deadline panic!) and joining the staff of the original Florida Flambeau. Kati was a backup singer for and founding member of legendary (some might say “infamous”) local band Coldwater Army. Her employment history includes several stints as a lifeguard, five happy but feet-numbing years in service to the public’s musical needs at Vinyl Fever, and twelve years working as the office manager and chief research assistant/go-fer for the St. Petersburg Times capital bureau, where the legendary (some might say “infamous”) Lucy Morgan tried in vain to mold her into an investigative reporter. In 2006, Kati was awarded an NEA Fellowship that enabled her to spend ten days in Los Angeles seeing plays, critiquing them and having her fellow Fellows rip her critiques to tiny bits in writing workshops. It was one of the highlights of her career to date. She lives in Midtown West and loves its eclectic funkitude as well as its proximity to her favorite cultural hotspots. She is a mighty fine cook, if she does say so herself.

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NEWS OF NOTE The Boys’ Choir of Tallahassee and Florida A&M University’s Marching 100 were honored to perform as part of the inauguration festivities for President Obama in January. The Marching 100 played in the inaugural parade, while the Boys’ Choir was invited to sing at the Florida Inaugural Ball, the NAACP Inaugural Ball, Walter Reid Army Medical Center, and several other places.

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Capital Culture Magazine

NEWS OF NOTE On November 8, Theatre A La Carte’s production of the musical Nine won first place in the Florida Community Theatre Festival at the 2008 Florida Theatre Conference, the first time a group from Tallahassee has won. Theatre A La Carte will now be able to participate in the regional competition at the Southeast Theatre Conference.

another Great Year Seven Days of Opening Nights, Florida State’s annual festival of the fine and performing arts, went on the road for its spectacular 2009 season since the university’s Ruby Diamond Auditorium is undergoing renovation (see feature story on page 12. With musical acts that taken together form a celebration of American roots music (including The Blind Boys of Alabama & Mavis Staples, Shawn Colvin, Dr. John & the Lower 911, and the Neville Brothers), plus a tragic-comedy meld of Shakespeare and The Simpsons, flamenco dance, an indie film, Pulitzer-Prize winning authors, and more, Seven Days 2009 delivered on its promise of an eclectic, pulse-pounding mix of events. One last special guest is waiting in the wings—on April 16th, author and commentator David Sedaris at the University Center Club Ballroom on the Florida State University campus.

the need for equine retirement care and to provide assistance for horses after natural disasters, as well as relief from inhumane treatment. Michele Beaudin, also an artist in Tallahassee, was awarded first prize at the Mexico Beach Wine and Art Festival late last year for Lost in the Vortex, a photograph printed on canvas. Her work was also part of the Gadsden Art Center’s exhibition in November.

New Ventures Creative People Consulting, a new business venture by Tallahassee artists

Woodward, teaches software classes for individuals and small businesses. The duo also offers classes in arts-related areas to help web designers, photographers and graphic designers gain an edge on their competition. The Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra has announced that its first CD, with highlights from the 2007-08 season, is available for purchase. Call the TSO offices at 224-0461 for details.

Tallahassee’s own Cheryl Hines (an alumnus of Young Actors Theatre) will star in the new sitcom In the Motherhood premiering this month. Cheryl has been a series regular on HBO’s critically acclaimed Curb Your Enthusiasm, and was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Emmy®. She starred opposite Peter Gallagher in the cable feature A Tale of Two Wives, a romantic revenge comedy, and also delivered a hilarious turn in Along Came Polly, playing Jennifer Aniston’s snooty boss.

Congratulations Tallahassee artist Debbie Clark is one of 200 artists chosen to be part of the Glory of Horses Mural. This and other mural projects will be displayed around the world to help create awareness for

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Melinda Patrick Cowen (aka Gitana de la Rosa in the dance scene) and Todd

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FEATURE

FEATURE STORY Tallahassee Ballet

by Julie Hauserman

I

n this leafy green place we call home, music wafts into the fat oak branches. Paint fumes curl out of studio windows. If you are quiet, you can hear people singing, and the rhythmic pounding of dancing feet. Tallahassee doesn’t have the reputation of being an artsy town, but it is. Everybody knows this town is chock full of politicians, lobbyists and bureaucrats. Less evident at first glance is the other Tallahassee: a place crawling with musicians, painters, sculptors, dancers, photographers, choreographers, filmmakers, actors, and writers. You might go to a coffee shop and find yourself sitting two tables down from a Pulitzer Prize winner or the woman who wrote the guest column you read last week in The New York Times. You might hear someone order at a drive through window and recognize the voice as one you’ve heard on National Public Radio. The man picked in a nationwide search to write the

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latest sequel to The Godfather, Mark Winegardner, lives in Tallahassee. So does the icon of the 1970s funk movement, George Clinton, founder of Parliament Funkadelic. He tours all over the world, but he lives and creates here. You might stop in to see a jazz saxophone player from one of the universities play for free, and the next summer you’ll notice he’s touring with the Count Basie Orchestra. Soul singer Patti LaBelle came here for a concert, asked for a volunteer to come up and sing on stage, and left with a new backup singer from Tallahassee. You might catch the great American jazz pianist, Marcus Roberts, playing in Tallahassee the night before he plays in Carnegie Hall. Roberts studied music at Florida State in the 1980s before he joined up with New Orleans jazz master Wynton Marsalis. Roberts lives here now. He’s teaching at Florida State. It is hard to say what draws artists to such an out-of-the way small city. The universities are the initial magnet. But

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FEATURE STORY something else keeps artists coming back here. Even after they’ve left for the big cities, they often come back. We even have a name for it: The Tallahassee Boomerang. It is possible to live here and never witness the arts scene at all. Football tailgaters and political fundraisers can more than occupy the average attention span. Some people only see Tallahassee as a historical footnote: the place where America couldn’t pick its president. The secret is that good art and culture is here in force for those willing to make the effort. It’s still cheap and there’s always plenty of parking. I’m thinking about the astounding diversity of arts here: Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the South African band, giving a concert in an old A&P that’s been converted into The Moon nightclub. The Wu-Tang Clan rap group playing to a standingroom only crowd in a batteredlooking club by the railroad tracks. A Balinese gamelan concert at FSU. The Urban Bush Women dancers, an innovative troupe fresh from New York, who came to settle for a while

Theatre A La Carte

in Tallahassee. Chinese percussionists. Russian Cossack dancers. Scottish Highland games. Whirling Dervishes, Tibetan Monks, Japanese psychedelic rock. African dancers. The Halloween Howl in the cypress swamp. Homegrown short films. The Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra. Traveling Broadway shows. Experimental theatre. Dozens of recitals by emerging classical masters. Opera. The sweet sound of the Boys’ Choir of Tallahassee. Hundreds of rocking shows by fabulous homegrown bands who stay here because…. because why? I think creative people stay in Tallahassee because it is a friendly arts scene. It’s not competitive. We want one another to succeed: You can see it when artists visit one another’s studios at the First Friday gallery art

hop. Or at the literary readings at 621 Gallery and the Warehouse. Or at recitals at Florida State and FAMU. On sweltering summer nights, people pack a metal warehouse in an old railroad yard to watch the homegrown and wickedly bawdy satire of the Mickee Faust Club while fanning themselves with foldedup programs. These are audiences willing to make the effort, to ferret out the happenings, just to experience art and culture. Maybe it is that goodwill that makes us want to create here. Or maybe the summer heat makes us too lazy to go anywhere else. In any case, the city’s richer for it. I can guarantee you that there is more to do here than you can possibly fit into your schedule. For any city, that’s a good thing.

“There is

more to do

here than you can possibly fit into your schedule.”

African Caribbean Dance Theatre

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FEATURE STORY

by Andrea Personett

A

rts events and cultural happenings reach a feverpitch as springtime pushes out the winter chill. There’s no better time than right now to get out and enjoy Tallahassee’s wealth of art, tradition and beauty. . .

March and April let us shake off the winter doldrums with a group of familiar and well-loved events, as well as fresh, exciting offerings. Those who live here anxiously await their favorites and look forward to the new. For our visitors, of course, it’s all a thrill!

OPEN MARKET

For fourteen years, white canopies have graced the walkways of downtown Tallahassee’s Ponce de Leon Park each Saturday from March through November. There, at the Downtown Marketplace, celebrated local artists—from musicians to authors and poets, from photographers to craftsmen of all kinds—exhibit and sell their diverse and original creations.

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Local growers also share their works of art, including homegrown produce, organic items, fresh bread and other baked goods, and exquisite cut flowers. Open each Saturday from 8 am to 2 pm, the Downtown Marketplace is different each and every one of its 40 weeks, sometimes playing host to special art shows, sometimes featuring hands-on activities for the children, and sometimes providing sneak previews of upcoming cultural events.

CHAIN, CHAIN, CHAIN

Join artists and art patrons alike on April 18th-19th for the 9th Annual Chain of Parks Art Festival, presented by LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts. Situated in two of downtown Tallahassee’s loveliest parks, just three blocks from the state capital, the exclusive Chain of Parks Art Festival is one of North Florida’s premier cultural events. The art festival provides a venue for artists from across the country to showcase their work, and gives individuals the opportunity to purchase unique, quality artwork. Perfect for avid

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Capital Culture Magazine

FEATURE STORY art lovers or for people who just want to spend an enjoyable day in the springtime sunshine, this festival, which benefits LeMoyne’s education programs, has become an integral part of the community.

I’VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN

The Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science in Kleman Plaza presents OUR BODY: the Universe Within, an exhilarating, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to encounter firsthand the complexity of the human body.  Visitors may spend hours contemplating what only doctors and scientists are usually allowed to see.  The breathtaking exhibit literally goes “under the skin” to reveal the mysteries of the human anatomy through a riveting presentation of actual human specimens. The exhibit features nine bodies and over 70 anatomical displays preserved to expose the inner workings of human anatomy.  Open through May 25, 2009, visitors are introduced to the body as a whole, then taken through each of the body’s major systems to learn their functions and understand how each system relates to the others.  The exhibit reveals the beauty of the human body in a thrilling new way that keeps viewers of all ages engaged.

ARTISTS CAN COLOR THE SKY RED… ….because they know it’s blue. Those of us who aren’t artists must color things the way they really are or people might think we’re stupid.



– Jules Feiffer,

US cartoonist & satirist

Don’t miss the Council on Culture & Arts’ own contribution to Tallahassee’s spring fever. Creative Tallahassee is an annual juried fine art exhibition showcasing the talented artists of the Big Bend area,

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featuring both novice and professional artists from the Big Bend area. “I love Creative Tallahassee because the artists often use this show to debut something different they’ve been working on—a new style or a new medium,” says Clint Riley, COCA’s Art in Public Places Director. The exhibit opens with a public

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reception and awards ceremony at City Hall Gallery on Friday evening, March 27th at 6:30pm. The exhibition will run through May 7th, Mondays through Fridays from 8am to 5:30pm. Now when there’s a spring in your step and a whistle on your lips, take time and savor all that Tallahassee has to offer!

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ARTS CALENDAR

COCA’s MoreThanYouThought.com is a free, on-line interactive community events calendar. Everyone is invited to post their events (art-related and otherwise) to the calendar for no charge. Here is a small sampling of the events posted for Spring 2009...

ART & EXHIBITS In March, the 621 Gallery reveals the narrative elements of pop-art, deconstruction, and contemporary invention with Spit it Out! In April, the gallery presents Metamorphosis, an exhibition revealing the metaphorical context of images and objects through psychological reactions and association. And in May, 621 presents It Came From Left Field, an exhibition exploring the use of the absurd and American existence through the lens of comic culture. For information about any of these exhibitions, call 224-6163. The paintings of Will Luck, a nationally acclaimed, award-winning visual artist known for his sometimes-whimsical, sometimes-sweet, and occasionally edgy images, are on display at the Artport Gallery at the Tallahassee Regional Airport from March 15 through May 4, as part of the City of Tallahassee’s Arts in Public Places Program. Call COCA at 224-2500 for more information.

THEATRE & FILM

FAMU Essential Theatre presents Blue, a comedy with music, centering on how a domineering and miserable matriarch, for

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whom materialism and her youngest son are the sole bright spots in her sad life, is caught up in a family secret exposed. At the Charles Winter Wood Theatre on the FAMU campus, March 25 to 29. Call 561-2425 for tickets. Recommended for children ages 13 and up. Take a tale of dancing sailors, mistaken identities, mismatched lovers and general mayhem, and add a score filled with Cole Porter’s most beautiful and hummable songs, and the result is a hilarious piece of Americana. Don’t miss Theatre TCC’s production of Anything Goes, at the Turner Auditorium on the TCC campus April 2-4 and 9-11. For tickets call 6446500 or order online at theatre.fsu.edu. The New Horizons: Original Works Festival is back for a third year. Experience six original plays written by the School of Theatre at FSU’s MFA professional writing students and directed by MFA directing students and faculty. The Festival includes the opportunity for the audience to become part of the creative process. The legends of tomorrow start at the Lab Theatre on the FSU campus April 2-5 and 8-12. For tickets call 644-6500 or order online at theatre.fsu.edu. May contain adult content and language.

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Take the entire family to travel down the Yellow Brick Road and beyond with Dorothy, Toto, and friends in this lavish production of The Wizard of Oz, featuring breathtaking special effects, dazzling choreography and classic songs. Presented on April 27 as part of the 2008-09 Broadway Series at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center. Call 222-0400 for tickets or order online at www.ticketmaster.com. Cirque Du Soleil – Saltimbanco explores the urban experience in all its myriad forms: the people who live there, their idiosyncrasies and likenesses, families and groups, the hustle and bustle of the street and the towering heights of skyscrapers. Between whirlwind and lull, prowess and poetry, Saltimbanco takes spectators on an allegorical and acrobatic journey into the heart of the city. May 13-17 at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center. Call 222-0400 for tickets or order online at www.ticketmaster.com.

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Dominique Lemieux © 2007 Cirque du Soleil Inc.

(Note: All events are subject to change without notice. Check www.MoreThanYouThought.com, or contact the individual organizations listed for updated information.)

ARTS CALENDAR DANCE In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, the FSU Irish Fiddlers and the Tallahassee Irish Step Dancers will perform at Tallahassee Community College in the Student Union Ballroom. Join the fun with traditional Irish music of reels, jugs and songs that move the feet and stir the soul. On March 17 at 12 noon. For further information, call 201-9604. The FSU Department of Dance presents MFA Dance Concert, featuring Kimberly Holt and Jana Tripp on March 27 and 28, at the Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre on the FSU campus. Call 6446500 for tickets, or go to www.tickets. fsu.edu to order online. Dance for Spring: Tallahassee Ballet Rocks! is a new work blending ballet technique with rock music, reflecting a unique cultural element and style dynamic and energetic dance infused with a shot of adrenaline. Presented by the Tallahassee Ballet at the Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre on the FSU Campus, April 30 to May 3. For tickets call 644-6500 or order online at theatre. fsu.edu.

MUSIC

FSU Opera presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with music by Benjamin Britten and set to a libretto adapted by the composer and Peter Pears from William Shakespeare’s play. Shows are March 26 through 29 at Opperman Music Hall on the FSU campus. For ticket information, call 645-7949 or visit www.music.fsu. edu/tickets. On April 2 and 3, hear the University Symphony, conducted by Alexander Jiménez, perform pieces by Zwilich, at Opperman Music Hall on the FSU campus. Presented by the FSU College of Music. For ticket information, call 6457949 or visit www.music.fsu.edu/tickets. On April 4 and 5, The Tallahassee Museum serves up hot jazz and cool

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Jazz at the Gray is back! The April 15 concert on the plaza at the Museum of Florida History features the All Star Faculty Jazz Ensemble from the University of North Florida, and Tiempo Libre, based in Miami. The audience may purchase food catered by a local restaurant and drinks at a cash bar. Early ticket purchase is recommended; call 245-6396 or go to www.museumoffloridahistory.com.

blues on the outdoor stage, from Dixieland and acoustic jazz to Delta Blues and Zydeco at the Tallahassee Jazz and Blues Festival. This is a rare chance for families to enjoy this great music together, in the fresh air, under the trees of the sun-dappled Tallahassee Museum. For information, call 576-1636 x144. On April 19 at Bradfordville First Baptist Church, join the Tallahassee Community Chorus as it concludes its 21st season with Franz Joseph Haydn’s The Creation. This beautiful piece is written for full orchestra and chorus as well as three soloists and will be performed in English. For tickets call 644-6500 or order online at theatre.fsu. edu, or from Beethoven & Company at 894-8700. The Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra presents its final concert of the season, Majesty and Triumph, a double dose

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Photo Credit: Trudy Hamilton

of Beethoven, featuring his singular violin concerto performed by Augustin Hadelich, young winner of the prestigious International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. Don’t miss an explosive ending to an excellent season on April 25 at the Bradfordville First Baptist Church. For tickets, call 224-0461.

FESTIVALS

The Seventh Annual Florida Wine Festival celebration of fine wine, fine food, and friends will take place on March 20 and 21 on Kleman Plaza and inside the Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science. This year’s festival celebrates the Brogan Museum’s 10th Anniversary. For more information call 513-0700.

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FEATURE STORY

Under the Oaks It is hard to imagine a more beautiful setting for an event or meeting in Tallahassee, daytime or evening, than the Goodwood Museum and Gardens. Sheltered by hundred-year-old oak trees, this estate was assembled in the 1830s, became a cotton and corn plantation, and is one of the finest antebellum plantation houses ever built in the southeast. In 1972, it became one of the first properties in Florida listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

or meeting. But leave your horse at home! Yes, the earliest carriage house was intended for buggies and hunting wagons, with stable wings for the horses, but with the advent of the “horseless carriage,” the main carriage house building became a garage. Staff was also housed there, and by the mid-1920s it had two bathrooms, a shower, and a bathtub. Hurricane Kate demolished the building in 1985, but some of the original materials and fixtures were saved. A charming mix of old and new, the Carriage House features 4,200 square feet of meeting space plus an additional 6,000

Start your visit at what is the heart of all homes, the Old Kitchen, where you will find the Visitors’ Center. The Main House now functions as a museum with plenty of rooms to roam. The Jubilee Cottage (once a party hall), the Old Kitchen, and the Laundry Cottage are all now meeting spaces open to the public. In addition the Rough House, which used to be the pool cabana, is now a restaurant. The latest restoration, the Carriage House, is now one of the most unusual settings you will ever find for an event

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FEATURE STORY square feet of exterior bricked terrace complete with the original salvaged brick pavers. There are now modern conveniences like restrooms, a warming kitchen, a bridal suite for weddings, and facilities for the latest in audio/visual systems and wireless Internet, all cleverly incorporated into the original design. Combined with the ambiance of Goodwood’s historic setting and heirloom gardens, the new space is proving extremely popular, with bookings coming in from all over the world. Whether you visit as a participant of a conference, book your wedding or anniversary, or just stroll through the grounds as a visitor, Goodwood will welcome you with that famous southern charm.

Music in the Air FSU has a pretty famous football program, but it also has one of the finest colleges of music in the nation. That college is celebrating its 100th anniversary. In order to provide the best opportunities for audiences to appreciate the musicians and for the musicians to have the best facilities to perform in, the largest performance hall on the FSU Campus is undergoing a makeover. What is now actually an auditorium was named after a 1905 graduate of Florida State College and a longtime benefactor of the university, “Miss Ruby” Diamond. Soon it will live up to her name and be a sparkling addition to FSU’s performing arts facilities. “The extensive renovation planned for Ruby Diamond will dramatically enhance both sound and sight lines, resulting in the transformation of a typical 1950s auditorium into a first-class, large performance venue,” says Don Gibson, dean of the College of Music. “Both performers and audience members will enjoy a dramatically enhanced experience, and our students will, for the first time, have a concert and opera facility capable of supporting their best performances.” The Auditorium is intended to re-open in 2010 as a finely tuned Concert Hall. In the meantime, most of the College of Music’s events are being held at its other venues: Opperman Music Hall, Dohnanyi Recital Hall, and Lindsay Recital Hall. The Ruby Diamond lobby renovation will incorporate some existing offices to create a generous open space, plus new rooms for pre-function events, and places for people to sit comfortably. In all, the expanded lobby will be able to accommodate as many as 700 people. The John S and James L. Knight Foundation have made a generous contribution to this end, so the next time you enter the new Ruby Diamond you will enter through the beautiful Knight Lobby.

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Images courtesy of Gilchrist Ross Crowe Architects PA

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FEATURE STORY

An Artspace project Dance Place, which will be similar to the Arts Exchange is currently under construction in Washington, D.C.

So that’s how they do that! Harmonies fine tuned, dances choreographed, actors creating characters, musicians composing new masterpieces—all as you watch. Home to internationally traveled Boys’ Choir of Tallahassee and 30-year-old Tallahassee Ballet, the Arts Exchange will be filled on a daily basis with the more than 20 active performing arts groups who will be creating their next play or concert in the multiple rehearsal spaces on site. Musicians

theatre. It will also be available to rent for meetings, banquets, and other events. The large rehearsal and meeting spaces along with the black box theatre can provide a one-site unique location for small to mid-size conferences and conventions. The Arts Exchange is in the heart of the Gaines Street District, equidistant from the campuses of FSU and FAMU, as well as Tallahassee’s downtown area and Capitol Complex. Gaines Street is the entrance to the city for visitors coming from the Tallahassee Regional Airport, particularly for those traveling to the Capitol Complex. For those who want to have a more permanent connection to the Arts Exchange, another component of this project is to provide housing that’s affordable – space to both live and work - for qualifying artists and creative professionals. You might even meet some of the visiting actors, dancers, singers and writers who are special guest artists for universities and local arts groups, staying in the guest quarters of the housing development. The Arts Exchange is entering the architectural design phase and ground breaking is planned for sometime in late 2010. Leading the project are the Council on Culture and Arts (COCA) and Artspace Projects, Inc. of Minneapolis, MN, the nation’s leading non-profit arts developer. For more information or to make a donation to the Arts Exchange, please visit www.thearts-exchange.com.

will come and go and maybe even stop a while to play for the gathering crowds. Actors, waiting for their scenes to be run in rehearsal, might provide some improvisation for the crowd as they wait. Not only will visitors be surrounded by performing artists but restaurants, shops, galleries, music clubs, a coffeehouse, and a wine bar are all part of the vision for the retail component of the Arts Exchange project. The Arts Exchange will be that place you always look for when are visiting a city. Here you will want to spend hours shopping for one-of-a-kinds, dining in unique settings, having a cup of coffee while an author reads from his or her latest book, or just enjoying the artful atmosphere. Right next door, visitors can head for more art into the Railroad Square Art Park where they’ll see visual artists at work in their studios and galleries, offering more one-of-a-kind pieces of artwork to take home. Back at the Arts Exchange, a black box theatre space is abuzz, hosting small performances of all kinds from comedy to musical to dinner

14 | Spring 2009

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Capital Culture Magazine

FEATURE STORY

Curtain Rising The Florida Center or Performing Arts and Education is a long-time dream of many Tallahasseeans. Where the Arts Exchange will give performing artists a place to create their work, the performing arts center will provide the larger format performance spaces, perfect for the symphony, opera, and ballet, as well as Broadway and other traveling shows, rock concerts, comedy, and just about everything in between. Right now, Tallahassee’s university partners have been providing the spaces for these kinds of events, along with the Civic Center. Even with the addition of the new concert hall at FSU, the universities are programming their spaces to meet their growing needs for student performances, and will no longer provide for the kinds of events presented in a performing arts center. The center will be located at the corner of Gaines and Bronough Streets, near the gateway to the Gaines Street District. Just recently the Florida Center held a “Demolition Celebration” as the Johns Building began to be torn down as the first step in preparation of the site. Looking to the future, the work must start now. Over a thousand residents have signed up to make that happen, so that in the future visitors will be entertained by the best of the best, adding to their impression of our capital culture. The staff and board of the Florida Center were joined by Tallahassee Mayor John Marks, City Commissioner Debbie Lightsey, County Commissioners John Dailey,

For further updates and information about joining, visit www.theflcenter.org.

Capital Culture Magazine

Ed DePuy, and Bryan Desloge, and Florida Representative Curtis Richardson. These attendees made ceremonial “thumps” with golden hammers before heavy equipment began to tear down the buildings.

www.morethanyouthought.com

Spring 2009 | 15

Advertisement

VisitTallahassee.com GET OUT AND SEE! Spring is in the air, and many residents in our community are starting to make their weekend pilgrimages to nearby beaches and theme parks. Before you pack up the towels and sand buckets, you might want to consider a weekend getaway a little closer to home. Did you know that the Tallahassee area is home to 63 recreational parks and over 306 miles of hiking/biking and walking trails? Quickly becoming known as one of Florida’s most eco-friendly cities, Tallahassee has much to offer visitors and residents alike. You could easily fill the spring and summer weekends with great outdoor activities for any age and interest.

Suggestions... 1. Stroll through the magnolias and azaleas at Maclay Gardens or Goodwood Museum. 2. Spend the afternoon at the Tallahassee Museum watching the bears, panthers and alligators. 3. Enjoy a romantic picnic and kite flying at Tall Timbers Research Station. 4. Take a leisurely drive along the Big Bend Scenic Byway, which winds its way along two-lane roads through rural communities and open countryside. 5. Plan an afternoon at Mission San Luis - Tallahassee’s best kept secret! You’ll love the costumed interpreters and the historic buildings. 6. Spend an entire day at Wakulla Springs - swim, walk along the nature trails, take the scenic river boat tour and have lunch in the lodge. 7. Explore downtown Tallahassee by walking to the various museums, memorials and historic sites. Make sure you take a lunch break outside at Andrew's. 8. Take up geocaching. If you don’t know what it is, check it out online at VisitTallahassee.com. 9. Go kayaking down the St. Marks River. To make it more interesting, call The Wilderness Way for a guided trip. 10. Try bird watching at the Ochlockonee River State Park - biologists have marked trees where the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpeckers live. 11. Take a hike along the Florida Trail that runs through the Apalachicola National Forest down through the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. 12. Grab a rod and reel and take the kids fishing on Lake Talquin. When you’re finished, stop by the Whippoorwhill for dinner.

For more information call or stop by the Tallahassee Visitors Center Located at 106 E. Jefferson Street, Downtown

850.606.2305 or 800.628.2866

ENTERTAINMENT FSU Department of Dance

From classical to contemporary, from downtown to midtown, on campus or off, these concerts, plays, musical theatre, film, and dance events will entertain, amuse, and inspire you. There’s something new to do almost every day of the year. Stick with the arts, and you’ll never be bored.

The Artist Series

Tallahassee Symphony Youth Orchestras (TSYO)

FAMU Music Department

Voces Angelorum

MUSIC

224-9934, www.theartistseries.com Florida A&M University, 599-3334

Florida State Opera

FSU College of Music, 644-5248, box office 644-6500, www.music.fsu.edu/opera.htm

FSU College of Music

224-9232, www.tallahasseesymphony.org 942-6075, www.vocestally.org

DANCE

African Music and Dance

508-2127, www.africanmusicanddance.org

Florida State University, 24-hour concert line 644-4774, box office 645-7949, www.music.fsu.edu

Arabian Flair

www.tallahasseebachparley.org

Essence Dance Theatre

Tallahassee Bach Parley

Tallahassee Leon County Civic Center

505 West Pensacola Street, 487-1691, box office 222-0400, www.tlccc.org

The Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra

season tickets 224-0461, individual concert tickets 644-6500, www.tallahasseesymphony.org

Mahogany Dance Theatre

Florida A&M University, 561-2318, [email protected]

Orchesis Contemporary Dance Theatre Florida A&M University, 599-8678

The Tallahassee Ballet

224-6917, box office 644-6500, www.tallaballet.com

World Ballet Academy

228-2064, www.worldballetinc.com

445-7462, www.arabianflair.com

THEATRE & FILM

Florida A&M University, 412-7525, [email protected]

The Comedy Zone

FSU Department of Dance 644-1023, dance.fsu.edu

Kollage Dance Troupe

Florida State University, 645-1385, kdtfl.tripod.com

Capital City Shakespeare 386-6476, [email protected] 401 E. Tennessee, St. 575-4242, www.comedyzonetally.com

Dysfunction Junction Improv Troupe www.dj-improv.com

(continued on page 18) Capital Culture Magazine

www.morethanyouthought.com

Spring 2009 | 17

ENTERTAINMENT, cont.

Alternative Tired of the tried & true? Expand your horizons with independent music, experimental theatre, avant-garde art, or offbeat poetry readings. Expect to be surprised and delighted when you venture off the beaten path to the world of the alternative.

Tallahassee Little Theatre

FAMU Essential Theatre

Florida A&M University, Charles Winter Wood Theatre, 599-3430, box office 561-2846, www.essentialtheatre.us

FSU Film School

Florida State University, 644-7728, filmschool.fsu.edu

FSU Student Life Cinema

Student Life Building, FSU Campus, 113 S. Wildwood Drive, 644-4455, movies.fsu.edu

IMAX Theatre at the Challenger Learning Center 200 S. Duval Street, 645-STAR, www.challengertlh.com

The Laughing Stock

Florida’s Musically Correct Political Cabaret, 841-4063, [email protected]

The School of Theatre at Florida State Florida State University, Fine Arts Building, 644-6500, theatre.fsu.edu

Tallahassee Film Society

386-4404, www.tallahasseefilms.com

Denotes First Friday participant (see page 17 or back cover for more information)

621 Gallery

621 Industrial Drive, 224-6163, www.621gallery. com. Hours: W-F 11 am-2 pm, Sa-Su 12-4 pm

Anhinga Press Poetry Readings 442-1408, www.anhinga.org

American Legion Hall

The Moon

Atlantis Club & Grill

2712 Mahan Drive, 224-9711

Back Talk Poetry Troupe

459-7399, www.blackonblackrhyme.com

Bannerman’s

609 Glenview Drive, 386-6602, www.youngactorstheatre.com

Railroad Square Art Park

567 Industrial Drive, 224-1308, www.railroadsquare.com

7152 Moses Lane, 906-0766, www.bradfordvilleblues.com

The Warehouse

Bradfordville Blues Club

The Engine Room (formerly The Beta Bar)

Young Actors Theatre

1105 E. Lafayette St., 878-6900, www.moonevents.com. Box office hours: Tu-F 12-6 pm

Tallahassee Little Theatre Coffeehouse Series

Theatre A La Carte

Tallahassee Community College, 444 Appleyard Drive, 201-8608, box office 644-6500, theatre.tcc.fl.edu

623 McDonnell Drive, 224-3089, www.mickeefaust.com

6800 Thomasville Road, 668-8800. Hours: M-Th 11am-midnight, F-Sa 11 am- 2am, Su 12 noon-7 pm

Club Downunder

Theatre TCC!

645-2449, www.mancc.org

222-1181, www.apalacheebluessociety.com

Apalachee Blues Society

Tallahassee Little Theatre

385-6700, www.theatrealacarte.org

Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (MANCC) Mickee Faust Club

Tallahassee Leon County Civic Center

1861 Thomasville Road, 224-4597, box office 224-8474, www.tallahasseelittletheatre.org

FSU Oglesby Student Union, 644-3898, www.union.fsu.edu/artcenter. Hours: M-F 8 am-10 pm, Sa-Su 12-10 pm

229 Lake Ella Drive, recorded event information 222-3382

Cafe Cabernet

505 West Pensacola Street, 487-1691, box office 222-0400, www.tlccc.org.

FSU Oglesby Gallery

1019 N. Monroe St., 224-6158, www.cafecabernet.com. Hours: M-Sa 5 pm-2 am

1861 Thomasville Road, offices 224-4597, box office 224-8474, www.tallahasseelittletheatre.org 706 W. Gaines Street, 222-6188

Waterworks

1133 Thomasville Road, 224-1887. Hours: M-F 5 pm-2 am, Sa 8 pm-2 am, Su 9 pm-2 am

Oglesby Union, Florida State University, 644-6673, www.cdu.unionproductions.org 809 Railroad Avenue, 222-8090, www.engineroomsounds.com. Hours: M-Su 5 pm- 2 am.

Mickee Faust Club

Fermentation Lounge

113 All Saints Rd., 727-4033, www.thefermentationlounge.com. Hours: Tu-Th 5 pm – 12 am, F 5 pm – 2 am, Sa 4 pm – 2 am, Su 4–11 pm

Floyd’s Music Store

666-1 West Tennessee St., 222-3506, www.floydsmusicstore.com

FSU Big Bend Contemporary Gallery

629 Industrial Drive in Railroad Square, www.bigbendcontemporary.com. Hours: F 6–9 pm, Sa-Su 12 – 4 pm

Unless otherwise indicated, all area codes are 850. For other performing group, see page 19. This may not be a complete listing of all organizations. To see if your organization is eligible to be listed, please contact [email protected].

18 | Spring 2009

www.morethanyouthought.com

Capital Culture Magazine

PARTICIPATE

Write, Create, & Perform While in Tallahassee, discover the artist or performer in yourself. Learn to paint, sculpt, bead, carve, or quilt. Tango the night away – bring your own partner, or meet someone new. Want to make music? Here’s your chance to play in the string section or sing with the tenors. You’d rather work backstage or write the script? There’s something for you in here, too.

CREATE ART

Brush and Palette Studio 893-1960, www.brushandpalettestudiocom

FSU Museum Artists’ League 644-1299, www.billhumphries.com/ artistsleaguehome.html

Capital City Carvers

562-8460, carvers.mytalweb.com

In Step Studio 421-5151, www.instepstudio.com Killearn Performing Arts 443-7512 or 894-9364, www.killearnpa.com

Prophecy School of the Arts

Voces Angelorum

386-1263, www.clogforfun.com

222-8085, www.prophecyarts.net

Lafayette Park Arts & Crafts Center

Tallahassee Community Friends of Old Time Dance 421-1559, www.tallydancer.com

FSU Film School

443-7512, www.killearnpa.com

Mickee Faust Club

212-0431, [email protected]

Quincy Music Theatre

459-0371, www.tribalwallah.net

Tallahassee Irish Society

562-1224, homepage.mac.com/mweininger/ tallusabda

Tallahassee Little Theatre

Oglesby Union Art Center

Tallahassee Zydeco & Cajun Association

Quilters Unlimited

Tribal Wallah Dance Troupe

Ribits Enchanted Cottage

USA Dance

www.quilttallahassee.com

671-5859, www.ribitsenchantedcottage.com

Swamp Buddha Sumi-E

386-5041, [email protected]

Wildwood Ballet

656-2887, www.polymerclayart.org

World Ballet Academy

Tallahassee Polymer Clay Art Guild Tallahassee Senior Center for the Arts 891-4006, www.talgov.com

Tallahassee Watercolor Society

942-6075, www.vocestally.org

ACT UP

Tallahassee Irish Step Dancers

644-4737, union.fsu.edu/artcenter

562-3639, www.tocamos.com

224-6917, www.tallaballet.com

LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts 222-7622, www.lemoyne.org

567-6336 or 201-8360

Tocamos, Railroad Square Art Park

Florida Society of Goldsmiths, NW Chapter 891-3945, www.talgov.com/parks/commcenter/ lfartscrafts.cfm

668-7109, tallahasseewinds.org

TCC Jazz Band

Mountain Dew Cloggers

The Tallahassee Ballet

984-9938, www.fsgnw.com

Tallahassee Winds

891-1400, www.wildwoodpca.org 228-2064, www.worldballetinc.com

MAKE MUSIC

Curious Echo Radio Theater 228-2473, www.curiousecho.org 644-7728, filmschool.fsu.edu 224-3089, www.mickeefaust.com Quincy, 875-9444, www.qmtonline.com www.irishtallahassee.org

www.tallahasseelittletheatre.org, 224-4597

Theatre A La Carte

385-6700, www.theatrealacarte.org

WRITE

Apalachee Press

942-5041, www.apalacheereview.org

Barbershop Harmony Society

Back Talk Poetry Troupe

Big Bend Community Orchestra

LeRoy Collins Public Library

Tallahassee Chapter, Nashville Songwriters Association

Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators

539-4087, www.fadf.org

Tallahassee Civic Chorale

Tallahassee Contemporary Poets Society

www.arabianflair.com

Argentine Tango Society of Tallahassee

Tallahassee Community Chorus

FSU Ballroom Dance Club

Tallahassee Pipe Band

385-9517, www.tallahasseewatercolorsociety.com

Talleon Independent Artists 386-7176, www.tfn.net/Talleon

562-3104, www.capitalchordsmen.org 224-9934, www.bbcorch.org

DANCE

African Caribbean Dance Theatre Arabian Flair, 445-7462 222-2211, www.tangotallahassee.com

Florida State University, www.fsuballroomdance.com

Capital Culture Magazine

509-3002, www.nashvillesongwriters.com 878-2711, www.civicchorale.org 668-5394, www.tcchorus.org

459-7399, www.blackonblackrhyme.com 606-2665, www.leoncountylibrary.org

656-3410, [email protected]

1-888-248-3495, www.myspace.com/ tcpoetssociety

Tallahassee Writers’ Association 671-3731, www.twaonline.org

576-0708, www.saintandrewtallahassee.org

www.morethanyouthought.com

Spring 2009 | 19

EXPLORE Goodwood Museum & Gardens

Don’t just sit on the couch watching reruns! Get up, get out, and explore Tallahassee’s incredible variety of art galleries, museums, historic sites, and more. You never know what you’ll discover – all you have to do is look.

Denotes First Friday participant (see page 17 or back cover for more information)

621 Gallery 621 Industrial Drive, 224-6163, www.621gallery.com. Hours: W-F 11 am-2 pm, Sa-Su 12-4 pm

Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park

3540 Thomasville Road, 487-4115, Ranger Station 487-4556, www.floridastateparks.org. Hours: Daily 8 am-sunset

Ars Magna @ the NHMFL, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at FSU 1800 E. Paul Dirac Drive, Innovation Park, 644-1933, www.magnet.fsu.edu. Hours: M-F 9 am-5 pm

Art Galleries at Tallahassee Community College

444 Appleyard Drive, 201-8713. Hours: M-F, 12 noon-4 pm

ArtPort Gallery

Tallahassee Regional Airport, 224-2500, www.cocanet.org. Hours: Daily 8 am-11:30 pm

The Black Archives Capitol Complex at the Historic Union Bank 219 Apalachee Pkwy., 561-2603, www.taltrust.org/blkarchv.htm. Hours: M-F 9 am-4 pm

20 | Spring 2009

Capitol Complex Galleries 245-6480, www.florida-arts.org

Character & Heritage Institute 450 St. Francis St., 224-0372, www.TheCHinstitute.org. Hours: M – F 9 am–5 pm

City Hall Art Gallery

City Hall, 300 South Adams Street, 224-2500, www.cocanet.org. Hours: M-F 8 am-5:30 pm

Downtown Marketplace

Ponce de Leon Park, Monroe Street at Park Avenue, 224-3252, www.tallahasseedowntown.com. Hours: Sa 8 am – 2 pm, March-November

The Florida Historic Capitol and Legislative Research Center

400 South Monroe Street, www.flhistoriccapitol.gov, 487-1902. Hours: M-F 9 am-4:30 pm, Sa 10 am4:30 pm, Su 12-4:30 pm

Foster Tanner Fine Arts Gallery

Florida A&M University, Foster Tanner Fine Arts Building, 599-3161. Hours: M-F 10 am- noon, 1-4 pm

www.morethanyouthought.com

FSU International Center Art Gallery 107 South Wildwood Drive, FSU Campus, 645-4793, www.internationalcenter.fsu.edu. Hours: M-F 8 am-5 pm

FSU Museum of Fine Arts

Florida State University, Fine Arts Building, 644-1254, www.mofa.fsu.edu. Hours: M-F 9 am-4 pm, Sa-Su 1-4 pm, closed weekends during the summer

Goodwood Museum & Gardens

1600 Miccosukee Road, 877-4202, www.goodwoodmuseum.org. Hours: Main House Tours M-F 10 am-4 pm, Sa 10 am-2 pm; Garden M-F 9 am5 pm, Sa 10 am- 2 pm

John G. Riley Center / Museum of African American History and Culture 419 E. Jefferson Street, 681-7881, www.rileymuseum.org. Hours: M- F 10 am-4 pm

The Kirk Collection of Antique Radios

The Public Broadcast Center, 1600 Red Barber Plaza, www.wfsu.org. Hours: M-F 9 am-5 pm

Capital Culture Magazine

DOWN THE ROAD Knott House Museum 301 East Park Avenue, 922-2459, www. museumoffloridahistory.com. Hours: W-F 1-4 pm, Sa 10 am-4 pm; closed August

Lake Ella Art Gallery

1621 North Monroe St., 521-0091. Hours: Tu – Sa 11 am– 6 pm, Su 12–4 pm

LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts

125 N. Gadsden St., 222-8800, www.lemoyne.org. Hours: Tu-Sa 10 am-5 pm

The Mary Brogan Museum of Art & Science 350 South Duval Street, 513-0700, www.thebrogan.org. Hours: M-Sa 10 am-5 pm, Su 1-5 pm

Mildred and Claude Pepper Museum & Library 636 W. Call Street, FSU Campus, 644-9311, www.claudepepper.org/museum. Hours: M-F 9 am-5 pm

Mission San Luis

2021 W. Mission Road, 487-3711, www.missionsanluis.org. Hours: T-Su 10 am-4 pm

Museum of Florida History

R.A. Gray Building, 500 S. Bronough Street, 245-6400, www. museumoffloridahistory.com. Hours: M-F 9 am-4:30 pm, Sa 10 am-4:30 pm, Su and holidays 12-4:30 pm.; extended hours the 3rd Thursday of each month

Old Armory Gallery

Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 N. Monroe St., 891-4000, www.talgov.com. Hours: M - F 9 am – 9 pm

Tallahassee Automobile Museum

6800 Mahan Drive, 942-0137, www.tacm.com. Hours: M-F 8 am-5 pm, Sa 10 am-5 pm, Su noon-5 pm

Tallahassee Museum

3945 Museum Drive, 575-8684, 24-hour info line 576-1636, www.tallahasseemuseum.org. Hours: M-Sa 9 am-5 pm, Su 12:30

Tallahassee Trust for Historic Preservation

Think you’ve seen and done it all in Tallahassee? Well, there’s another world waiting just a few miles in every direction. Check out the arts in Quincy, Havana, Monticello, Apalachicola, Bainbridge, and all the rest, right down the road. Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts 527 N. Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA, 229-247-2787 (84 miles from Tallahassee), www.turnercenter.org. Hours: M-Th 10 am-6 pm, F-Sa 10 am – 4 pm, Su 1-4 pm

Bainbridge Little Theater

220 Troupe Street, Bainbridge, GA (42 miles from Tallahassee), 229-246-8345, www. bainbridgelittletheater.com

Dixie Theatre

21 Avenue E, Apalachicola (75 miles from Tallahassee), 653-3200, www.dixietheatre.com

First Street Gallery

204 First Street NW, Havana (15 miles from Tallahassee), 539-5220, www.firststreetartgallery.com. Hours: F-Sa 10 am-5 pm, Su 12-5 pm

185 W. Washington Street, Monticello (30 miles from Tallahassee), 997-4242, www.monticellofloridaoperahouse.com

Pebble Hill Plantation

U.S. Highway 319, Thomasville, GA (30 miles from Tallahassee), 229- 226-2344, www.pebblehill.com. Hours: Tu-Sa 10 am-5 pm, Su 1-5 pm

Quincy Music Theatre

118 East Washington St., Quincy (25 miles from Tallahassee), 875-9444, www.qmtonline.com

San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park 148 Old Fort Road, St. Marks (20 miles from Tallahassee), 925-6216, www.floridastateparks.org/sanmarcos. Hours: Th-M 9 am-5 pm

Gadsden Arts Center

Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park

Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratories

Swamp Gravy

13 North Madison, Quincy (25 miles from Tallahassee), 875-4866, www.gadsdenarts.com. Hours: Tu-Sa 10 am-5 pm, Su 1-5 pm Panacea, FL (30 miles from Tallahassee), 850-984-5297, www.gulfspecimen.org. Hours: M-F 9 am-5 pm, Sa 10 am-4 pm, Su 12 pm-4 pm

423 E. Virginia Street, 488-7100, www.taltrust.org. Hours: M-F 9 am-4 pm

It’s a JEM Fine Art

561-0317 or 212-2063, www.toursintallahassee.com

Light N Up Artist Cooperative

Tours in Tallahassee

Monticello Opera House

307 North Main St., Havana (15 miles from Tallahassee), 539-0335, wwwitsajem.com. Hours: M-Sa 10 am-6 pm, Su 12-6 pm 208 NW 1st St., Hvana (15 miles from Tallahassee), 539-0006, www.lightnupartcoop.com

US 129 north of Live Oak (80 miles from Tallahassee), 386-364-1683, www.musicliveshere.com

Cotton Hall, Colquitt, GA (64 miles from Tallahassee), 229-758-5450, wwwswampgravy.com

Thomasville Cultural Center

600 E. Washington St., Thomasville, GA (35 miles from Tallahassee), (229) 226-0588, www.thomasvilleculturalcenter.com. Gallery hours: M-F 9 am-5 pm, Sa-Su 1-5 pm

Thomasville Entertainment Foundation Thomasville, GA (35 miles from Tallahassee), 229-226-7404, www.tefconcerts.com

Unless otherwise indicated, all area codes are 850. This may not be a complete listing of all organizations. To see if your organization is eligible to be listed, please contact [email protected].

Capital Culture Magazine

www.morethanyouthought.com

Spring 2009 | 21

CHILDREN Tallahassee Museum

Give your kids a break and get them away from the video games with these fun and educational activities. Dance classes, theatre, music, or art for vacations, after school, weekends, and more. There are some great birthday party ideas here, as well.



- Classes and/or Private Lessons



African Caribbean Dance Theatre 539-4087, www.fadf.org

Boys’ Choir of Tallahassee

528-2403, www.boyschoirtlh.org

Bradfordville Fine Arts Academy 6494 Thomasville Road, 205-1821, www.b-fbc.org

Brush and Palette Studio

1379 Timberlane Road, 893-1960, www.brushandpalettestudio.com

Challenger Learning Center 200 S. Duval Street, 645-STAR, www.challengertlh.com

Character & Heritage Institute 224-0372, www.TheCHinstitute.org

Community School of the Performing Arts and Culture 614 Osceola Street, 574-2237

22 | Spring 2009

- Birthday Parties



- Performances & Events to Attend

- Summer Camp

Florida Arts and Community Enrichment (F.A.C.E.)

Lafayette Park Arts & Crafts Center

Gadsden Arts Center

LeMoyne Art Foundation

Gordon’s String Music

LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library

644-8533, [email protected]

13 North Madison, Quincy, 875-4866, www.gadsdenarts.com 1903 N. Monroe Street, 386-7784

Home Music Educators

403 Ingleside Drive, 891-3945, www. talgov.com/ parks/commcenter/lfartscrafts.cfm 125 N. Gadsden St., 222-8800, www.lemoyne.org

200 West Park Avenue, 606-2665, www.leoncountylibrary.org

Jim’s Pianos

The Mary Brogan Museum of Art & Science

Killearn Performing Arts

Mason’s School of Music

Knott House Museum

Mission San Luis

656-7613, www.homemusiceducators.com 2695-A Capital Circle N.E., 205-5467, www.jimspianos.com 4500 W. Shannon Lakes #20, 443-7512 or 894-9364, www.killearnpa.com 301 East Park Avenue, 922-2459, www.museumoffloridahistory.com

www.morethanyouthought.com

350 South Duval Street, 513-0700, www.thebrogan.org

19 North Calhoun Street, 412-0102, www.masonsmusic.com 2021 W. Mission Road, 487-3711, www.missionsanluis.org

Capital Culture Magazine

CHILDREN Montgomery Schools of Dance

Thomasville Road Academy of the Arts

Museum of Florida History, R.A. Gray Building

Wildwood Ballet

1369 E. Lafayette Street, 877-4874

500 S. Bronough Street, 245-6400, www.museumoffloridahistory.com

Music Center

1221 E. Lafayette Street (next to The Moon), 942-0626

Musikgarten

3131 Thomasville Road, 422-7795 x210 or x216, www.thomasvilleroad.org/academy.htm 891-1400, www.wildwoodpca.org

Wind & Grace

3620 Shamrock West, 894-2888, www.windandgrace.homestead.com

World Ballet Academy

228-2064, www.worldballetinc.com

Young Actors Theatre

609 Glenview Drive, 386-6602, www.youngactorstheatre.com

Note: the preceding listings are for programs designed especially for children. Many places in other sections, like the “Get Up, Get Out, & Explore” section, are great for kids, too. Unless otherwise indicated, all area codes are 850. This may not be a complete listing of all organizations. To see if your organization is eligible to be listed, please contact [email protected].

Best Beginnings, 1415 Timberlane Road in Market Square, 668-2119, www.best-begin.com/musikgartensignup.html

Performing Arts Center of Tallahassee

562-1430, performingartscenteroftallahassee.com

Prophecy School of the Arts

222-8085, www.prophecyarts.net

Ribits Enchanted Cottage

215 Lake Ella Drive, 671-5859, www.ribitsenchantedcottage.com

The School of Theatre at Florida State Florida State University, Fine Arts Building, 644-6500, theatre.fsu.edu

Sharon Davis Schools of Dance 893-5900

Southern Academy of Ballet Arts 222-0174, www.sababallet.com

Stubbs Music Center

1260 Timberlane Road, 893-8754, www.stubbs.org

The Tallahassee Ballet

224-6917, www.tallaballet.com

Tallahassee Girls’ Choir of C.H.O.I.C.E. 576-7501

Tallahassee Leon County Civic Center

505 West Pensacola Street, 487-1691, box office 222-0400, www.tlccc.org

Tallahassee Museum

3945 Museum Drive, 575-8684, www.tallahasseemuseum.org

Tallahassee Symphony Youth Orchestras (TSYO) 1345 Thomasville Road, 224-9232, www.tallahasseesymphony.org

Reach Out Place your ad here. Contact [email protected] for information.

Tally Piano & Keyboard Studios

2933 Kerry Forest Parkway, 386-2425, www.tallypiano.com

Capital Culture Magazine

www.morethanyouthought.com

Spring 2009 | 23

SHOPPING

Cover your walls with fine art­, accentuate your wardrobe with handmade jewelry, or put on some new dancing shoes. Rent an obscure documentary or a musical instrument, or buy what you need to create your own art. And, of course, there’s no place better to find the perfect gift than at one of these arts-related businesses.

FSU Big Bend Contemporary Gallery

Fine Art and Gifts 1123@Midtown

1123 Thomasville Road, 562-8696

Glassworks by Susan

1661 North Monroe St., 222-5095. Hours: Tu-F 10 am-6 pm, Sa 10 am-4 pm

Almost Exclusive

Guinevere’s Gallery

Bali HI Trading Company

Historically Florida: Florida’s History Shops

1460 Market St., Suite 2, 894-3925, www.almostexclusive.com. Hours: M-Su, 11 am – 8 pm 617 Industrial Drive in Railroad Square, 776-7175, www.balihi.us. Hours: W-Sa 11 am-6 pm, Su 12-5 pm

Depot Agent Gallery

1034 Commercial Drive in Railroad Square, 363-3674, www.railroadsquare.com/glaser.html. Hours: M-F 10 am – 3 pm, Sa 12 – 5 pm

Gadsden Arts Center Gift Shop

12 North Madison, Quincy (25 miles from Tallahassee), 875-4866, www.gadsdenarts.com. Hours: Tu-Sa 10am-5pm, Su 1-5pm

Glasshopper

The Gallery at Market Street, 1419 Market Street, 668-5007, www.glasshopperonline.com. Hours: M-F 10 am-5:30 pm, Sa 11 am-3 pm

24 | Spring 2009

3645 Hartsfield Road, 877-7650

Museum of Florida History, R.A. Gray Building, 245-6396, Old Capitol, 922-2432, The Capitol Plaza Level, 487-2044, www.floridashistoryshops.com

Humidity Gallery

1355 Market Street, 222-0380, www.humiditygallery.com. Hours: Tu – Sa 10 am–6 pm

Images of Tallahassee

1355 Market St., #A10-2, 894-5596, www.russellgraceimages.com. Hours: M-F, 10 am-6 pm, Sa 10 am-4 pm

LeMoyne Gifts and Art Supplies

133 N. Gadsden St., 222-2234, www.lemoyne.org. Hours: T-Sa 10 am-5 pm, Su 1-5 pm

www.morethanyouthought.com

Linda Clark Watercolor Studio & Gallery 676 Industrial Drive in Railroad Square, 386-3171, www.LindaClarkWatercolor.com. Hours: Tu, Th, Sa 12 – 4 pm

M Gallery

2533 Greer Road, Suite 1, 531-9925, [email protected]. Hours: M-F 9 am5:30 pm, Sa 10 am- 2 pm

Pyramid Studios

1770 Thomasville Road, 513-1733, www.pyramidinc.org. Hours: M-F 8 am-5 pm

Railroad Square Art Park

567 Industrial Drive, 224-1308, www.railroadsquare.com

Sally Rude Antiques and Fine Art Gallery

1123Thomasville Rd., 222-4020, www.trocadero.com/mctc. Hours: M-Sa 11 am- 6’ish

Signature Art Gallery

2779 Capital Circle NE, 297-2422, www. signatureartgallery.com. Hours: M-F 10 am-5:30 pm, Sa 10 am-2 pm

Capital Culture Magazine

SHOPPING Simply Artistic

602 McDonnell Drive in Railroad Square, 402-0073, www.simplyartistic.net. Hours: M – Sa 10 am – 6 pm

South of Soho Co-op Gallery

Handmade Jewelry Blue Abaco Trading Company

1690 Raymond Diehl Road, 325-2323, www.blueabaco.com. Hours: M-Sa 10 am-6:30 pm, Su 12-5 pm

563 Industrial Drive in Railroad Square, 508-0871, www.southofsohogallery.com. Hours: Sa 11 am5 pm

EtCeterocks Gallery

4500 Shannon Lakes Road, 504-0555, www.southernscenesgallery.com. Hours: Tu–F 10 am–6 pm, Sa 10 am– 2 pm

Quincie’s Art Jewelry

Southern Scenes Gallery & Frame

Ten Thousand Villages

1415 Timberlane Road, Suite 322, 906-9010, www.villagesoftallahassee.org. Hours: M-Sa, 10 am – 6 pm

Textures Handmade Market

825 Railroad Avenue, 329-6569, www.textureshandmademarket.com. Hours: Tu-F 11 am – 6 pm, Sa 10 am – 4 pm

Turtle Island Trading Post

1707 N. Monroe St., 425-2490, www.turtleislandtradingpost.com

Wild Women Art Gallery

567 Industrial Drive in Railroad Square, 224-1308, [email protected]. Hours: M-F 11 am-2 pm

Music

Beethoven and Company

1415 Timberlane Road in Market Square, 894-8700, www.beethovenandcompany.com. Hours: M-F 10 am – 6 pm, Sa 10 am-4 pm

1038 Commercial Drive, Railroad Square Art Park, 222-1630, www.et-ceterocks.com. Hours: Th-Sa, 11:30 am-4:30 pm or by appointment 1325 Thomasville Road, 222-8411, www.quinciehamby.com. Hours: Tu - F 11 am – 5 pm, closed Sa during summer

Books & Video

Historically Florida: Florida’s History Shops

Museum of Florida History, R.A. Gray Building, 245-6396, Old Capitol, 922-2432, The Capitol Plaza Level, 487-2044, www.floridashistoryshops.com

Paperback Rack

1005 North Monroe St., 224-3455. Hours: M-Sa 9 am-9 pm, Su 12 noon - 6 pm

Dance & Theatrical Supplies Halimeda’s Oasis

2609 Glover Road, 421-5151, www.halimedasoasis.com. Hours: M-F 6:30 pm-9:30 pm or by appointment

Head Over Heels Dancewear

1621 N. Monroe Street, 224-5140. Hours: Tu-Sa 10 am - 6 pm

Magic & Fun Costume Shop

1787 W. Tennessee Street, 224-6244, www.magicandfuncostumeshop.com. Hours: M-F 11 am-7 pm, Sa 11 am-5 pm

Art Supplies

LeMoyne Gifts and Art Supplies

133 N. Gadsden St., 222-2234, www.lemoyne.org. Hours: T-Sa 10 am-5 pm, Su 1-5 pm

Utrecht Art Supplies

1350 East Tennessee Street, 877-0321, www.utrecht.com. Hours: M-F 9 am-5 pm, Sa 10 am-6 pm, Su 12-5 pm

Video 21

1449 E. Lafayette St., 878-3921. Hours: M-F 10 am - 11 pm, Sa-Su 11 am - 11 pm

Denotes First Friday participant

For other places to buy local art and souvenirs, see pages 18, 20 & 21. Unless otherwise indicated, all area codes are 850. This may not be a complete listing of all organizations. To see if your organization is eligible to be listed, please contact [email protected]

Gordon’s String Music

1903 North Monroe Street, 386-7784. Hours: M-F 10 am-6 pm, Sa 12-4 pm

Jim’s Pianos

2695-A Capital Circle N.E., 205-5467, www.jimspianos.com. Hours: M-F 10 am–6 pm, Sa 10 am – 5 pm

Music Masters

1114 N. Monroe St., 800-848-6158, www.musicm.com. Hours: M-F 9 am-6 pm, Sa 10 am- 6 pm

Music Center

1221 E. Lafayette St., 942-0626. Hours: M-Sa 10 am-6 pm, Su 12 pm-5 pm

Music Xchange

221 East Third Ave., 681-7443, www.themusicxchange.com. Hours: M-Sa 10 am- 6:30 pm

Stringfest

4352 Charles Samuel Drive, 222-7467, www.stringfest.com. Hours: M-F 5-10 pm, Sa –Su 1-10 pm

Vinyl Fever

2256 W. Pensacola St., 580-2480, www.vinylfever.com. Hours: M-Sa 10 am-9 pm, Su 12-7pm

Capital Culture Magazine

Shop at the Hop! On the first Friday of every month, museums and galleries stay open from 6 pm until at least 9 pm with no admission charge, often featuring openings, receptions, and special events for the public. Check the Tallahassee Democrat’s Limelight or the COCA’s Web site (www.FirstFridayTallahassee.com) for a complete list of who’s open each month.

www.morethanyouthought.com

Spring 2009 | 25

NOTES Recent COCA Events

There’s No News Like Good News

Arts Exchange Update

On October 27, along with the United Partners for Human Services, Kelly Otte, Executive Director of the United Partners for COCA coHuman Services & Peggy hosted Allegro, Brady, Executive Director of COCA with Mike Pate of the sponsored by Knight Foundation. the Knight Foundation. This speed-networking event attracted representatives of both arts and cultural organizations and human services organizations to share ideas to connect, collaborate and combine vital and limited resources. Congratulations to LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts and The Alzheimer’s Project, Inc., winners of a Knight Foundation grant for $500 each to continue their good work in the community.

COCA’s Executive Director Peggy Brady was named a “Woman of Distinction” in the category of Arts, Culture and Humanities by the Girl Scouts Council of the Apalachee Bend. These awards recognize women in our community who have distinguished themselves through service and leadership.

On October 7, the Arts Exchange project took a giant step forward. The City of Tallahassee approved the option agreement for the land on which to build the Arts Exchange, near the corner of Railroad Avenue and Gaines Street. This two-year option has several milestones for Artspace and COCA to meet, at the end of which the city has committed to either donate or lease the property for $10.

On November 6, COCA held the first of a new series of “Rush Hour Workshops.” The workshop, Before the Fur Flies, was led by Sharon Press, Director of the Florida Dispute Resolution Center, and taught arts and cultural participants how to use conflict resolution in their organizations.

You may have noticed the giant blue sculpture in Doug Burnett Park on Gaines Street. It’s part of Drawing in Space: The Peninsula Project, a seven-city exhibition throughout the state of Florida by award-winning sculptor John Henry, who is known throughout the world for his large-scale steel sculpture. COCA organized the Tallahassee arm of this exhibit, which will be on display through May.

26 | Spring 2009

www.morethanyouthought.com

Capital Culture Magazine

D

avid and Hilda Gilchrist made a

promise to each other to share a creative experience every day. As designers involved in some of the community’s high-profile cultural building and design projects, they offer that same promise to area arts supporters. David is a principal in the firm of Gilchrist Ross Crowe Architects. His handiwork includes the Montgomery Hall renovation for FSU’s School of Dance and the university’s Johnston Dining Hall renovation. His current projects include the expansion of Ruby Diamond Auditorium, the FAMU student commons renovation and the Arts Exchange project spearheaded by the Council on Culture & Arts. Hilda is a landscape architect with the city’s Public Works Engineering Department whose recent work includes the MLK Greenway design concept, Governor’s Square Boulevard and the Gaines Street Revitalization project. In 1984, the couple moved to Tallahassee from Gainesville, leaving positions in one of the biggest planning and engineering firms in the world. They share an aesthetic that’s as eclectic as their backgrounds. David is a fourth-generation Florida Cracker from Lake County, the son of a

genteel Southern belle and a English-educated father. Hilda was born in Cuba and moved to South Florida at the age of nine with her mother after the Bay of Pigs incident. They met in Gainesville while working for the same firm and celebrated their their 30th wedding anniversary in February. Hilda is five days older than David (a fact he likes to remind her of playfully), and both celebrated their 56th birthdays in the fall. You’ll see them around town at wine-tastings, art openings and other cultural events. And you’ll also find them on the dance floor wherever there’s a milonga, or gathering of Argentine tango enthusiasts. One soft fall evening at their Betton Hills home, the dynamic designing duo sat down to talk about Tallahassee’s unique cultural identity, their design philosophy and the tricky business of juggling the overlap of hunting season and tango season. KS: What vision do you bring to the table for the cultural building projects you’re working on now? DG: We’re not high-end, publish-us-in-a-magazine type of people. We want to give good design, solid design, practical design, something the clients can appreciate years later. HG: My true love is very regional and broad in scope and scale, so it’s more about land planning and accommodating what we need in the most sensitive way on the landscape. That’s what I like about working for the city – I can work on regional projects and higher impact projects, things that will make a difference in an entire street-scape. DG: We are generalists. We look at the bigger picture. KS: That’s a perfect viewpoint to bring to such projects as Gaines Street Revitalization, the Arts Exchange and Ruby Diamond. DG: Exactly! A lot of times, even my partners at work view my opinion as somewhat pessimistic, but I have a viewpoint that’s practical and do-able. (continued on page 28)

Capital Culture Magazine

www.morethanyouthought.com

Spring 2009 | 27

INTERVIEW With COCA and the Arts Exchange, we’re defining what it can be and everybody is being very energetic about it. You need to establish the infrastructure and that takes money. Before you start designing and coming up with images that are really zippy and nice, you need to think about how this is going to move forward, given the economic constraints. KS: What are some of the elements that factor into the timeline of the Arts Exchange project? DG: There’s the 50-unit housing element, and COCA has to generate some retail elements as well, so that it’s a self-sustaining entity. You want pedestrian activity and retail has to have frontage along the major (traffic) corridor. They want to get the Boys’ Choir of Tallahassee in there, the Tallahassee Ballet, a black box theater. Integrating this whole mixed-use model is novel. You’re looking at building a sort of urban village. You don’t want to make things overly slick. Anytime you create something, you should leave some room for accidents. Don’t over-plan or overdo. Just leave a blank space and it will fill itself in. By not forcing a solution in that community, you give it room to adapt. KS: How would you describe Tallahassee’s architectural style? DG: We think Tallahassee has its own unique architecture – we borrow style and continue to borrow it. HG: Or we conserve what we already have. We don’t like to see the new. Look at Chicago – they don’t want anything unless it’s going to really make a statement. That’s a different edge they’re exploring. We’re more conservative. DG: We’ve got existing buildings that are 95 percent of what we want. Those are the buildings we’re going to be renovating and rehabbing. I wouldn’t call it recycling so much as re-creating. KS: OK, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. Let’s talk tango! HG: We started dancing in 2002. I had gotten David to take some dancing lessons and we weren’t crazy about them. David used to play the drums, and he heard some Argentine music and the rhythms grabbed him and he

28 | Spring 2009

said the dance he really wanted to learn was the Argentine tango. They didn’t teach that at the studio where we were taking lessons, so he researched it on the Internet and we got a CD and did “10 Easy Lessons.” We loved it! We started playing the music all the time. We’d wake up in the morning and drink our coffee to it, and we started practicing. Then the Argentine Tango Society of Tallahassee sort of appeared out of nowhere, and we went to a tango festival in New Orleans. It was fabulous! People came from all over the country. It’s a very high cultural experience. We’d see people in their seventies from New York, really connecting and enjoying each other and dancing all night, and we thought, “All right!” DG: The Argentine tango is a very intimate dance. As a couple, you move together on the same axis. In American tango, you moved around each other doing figures, and it’s more detached. HG: So, we’ve been dancing ever since.

There’s a wonderful (Argentine tango) community here. There are people from Croatia, Germany, Greece, Cuba, Venezuela, Russia. It’s the most cultural kind of thing we participate in. KS: I understand it poses some planning problems at certain times of the year for you, David. DG: Well, hunting season and tango season do overlap. There’s a spring tango festival in March, which is right in the middle of my spring turkey season. I spend a lot of my time up in South Georgia during hunting season, when I’m not out dancing with Hilda. I’ll drive across the state line to go hunting and I’m probably the only guy in South Georgia who’s listening to tango music. I go to a gas station to gas up and get a bag of boiled peanuts and one of those cheap orange sodas (you gotta have that) and I leave the music playing, and everybody comes out and hears it and says, “What the heck is that??” Then I switch it over to my country station.

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Capital Culture Magazine

PROFILES IN THE ARTS

F

or most of his life, Steve Fox worked in the environmental field. With degrees in Fisheries Biology and Environmental Planning, he was the director of environmental permitting for the State of Florida, and a partner in an international environmental and engineering consulting firm. In 1997, he retired to pursue a lifelong dream to work in art, constructing art furniture and sculptural objects. Since then, he has completed commissions for hall tables, coffee tables, end tables, desks, beds, jewelry boxes, and cutlery chests. His work is in collections all over Florida and Georgia, and as far away as Germany. In fact, two of his furniture pieces were shown in the John Travolta film The Punisher (and one of them was even purchased by the film company). Fox’s most recent work has shifted to non-functional wall sculptures of steel and wood (he prefers cherry because of its rich color, but also uses walnut, oak, Chinaberry, and holly) that incorporates maps and aerial photography of Florida landscapes – the same tools he used as an environmental regulator. “As an artist rather than an environmental consultant, I have luxury of appreciating the shapes and colors on the aerial photographs, not just as the physical features,” he explains. Fox is also actively involved in the community, working on the Obama campaign, sitting on the board of the local chapter of Florida Craftsmen, and serving on the committee that created the Arts Exchange. “My participation in the committee was a singular honor. Since my family and I came to Tallahassee in 1972, the city has grown into a fine place to live. Projects like the Arts Exchange will make a good place better.”

Stephen J. Fox

Capital Culture’s profiled artists are selected from the many visual, performing, literary, and media artists featured on COCA’s online Artist Directory. Listings in the Artist Directory are free, with enhanced listings available for COCA members. Visit the Directory online at www.cocanet.org.