Art Talk: Division Staff Member Tim Storhoff

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by Jennifer Hoesing

Tim Storhoff joined the Division of Cultural Affairs staff last month. He works with the Division’s programs for individual artists, including the Individual Artist Fellowship program, Capitol Complex Exhibitions and the Department of State Art Collection. A native of Fargo, North Dakota, Tim is a doctoral candidate at the Florida State University College of Music. He is currently writing his dissertation on U.S.-Cuban musical interaction. Tim took time to answer a few of my questions about his background in the arts, the importance of individual artists and his belief that Culture Builds Florida.

DCA: What’s the first arts experience you can remember?
Tim: The first arts experience I remember was seeing and hearing my grandfather play the harmonica and then playing with him. He’s a self-taught performer who will occasionally play just for fun. It was a great instrument for a three-year-old me to put to my mouth because it’s easy to make a sound and feel like you’re doing something right. Making an early musical connection with someone important in my life that way was a great, formative experience.

DCA: You’re working on a PhD in musicology with an emphasis in ethnomusicology, and I know this work has taken you to Cuba. What was your most surprising discovery researching music outside of the US?

Tim rehearsing drum patterns with a member of the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional in Havana, Cuba. Photo submitted and used by permission of Tim Storhoff.

Tim: One thing that really surprised me was how common it was to hear people listening to pop music from the United States. I heard Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga all over Havana. Cuban music was pervasive too, of course. It seemed like whoever I started a conversation with on the street gave me unique advice when I mentioned I was there to learn about music. Everyone knew different dance instructors (or were instructors themselves), suggested different venues to visit each night, and recommended other musicians that I should talk to. It was almost dizzying trying to keep up. I can’t wait to go back.

DCA: Why have you decided on a career in the arts? What’s your ultimate career goal?
Tim: The arts are a huge part of what makes it worth getting up every morning, and they enrich all of our lives. Because they have always been such a major part of my life, choosing to pursue a career in the arts was easy. I love teaching and writing about music and popular culture, so I hope to pursue a career that allows me to do that. Ultimately, I would like to work with the arts in a university setting.

Tim building a djembe. Photo submitted and used by permission of Tim Storhoff.

DCA: You’re working with the Division’s individual artist programs. What do you believe individual artists contribute to the fabric of American culture? What do you believe is most important about their work?
Tim: Individual artists are very important to American culture, and we have historically celebrated the achievements of the individual with good reason. Not to discount the institutions and collaborators that contribute to artistic work, but we typically look to the individual to give art its definitive voice and make an artistic statement. I’m really happy we have programs to support individual artists and the work they find personally meaningful, because in the end it is those creations that enrich our communities and the world around us.

DCA: The Division of Cultural Affairs believes in the motto “Culture Builds Florida.” What do you think when you hear that phrase? Why do you believe arts and culture are important to our state?
Tim: I think that is a great motto because the arts and culture are really important to our state socially and economically. Florida is extremely diverse, and the arts are the best way to showcase the cultural diversity our state has to offer. At the same time, art is great at bringing people together and building bridges between individuals and groups that otherwise might not interact. Culture makes Florida the vibrant state that it is, and embracing it opens up all kinds of new possibilities.

Spotlight On Artist in Residence Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

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The Creative Center’s Artist In Residence program at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando provides opportunities for patients to learn about and become absorbed in their own creative resources as they meet the challenges of diagnosis, treatment and survivorship. This community collaboration employs three artists and incorporates a range of media, including painting, writing, mixed media and photography.

Image submitted and used by permission of United Arts of Central Florida. Photo by Kellie Warren-Underwood.

The Artist In Residence Program is a partnership of United Arts of Central Florida, Baker Barrios Architects and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando. “Innovative programs and partnerships have always been a part of the Baker Barrios philosophy. As cancer has been a battle for many of our employees and friends of the firm, we take great pride in supporting the creative process as a survivorship tool for people in treatment,” Shanon Larimer, Vice President of Global Marketing for Baker Barrios Architects, said regarding Baker Barrios’ role in the program.

United Arts of Central Florida secured a one-year grant from LIVESTRONG® Community Impact Project in 2011 to pilot the program. The Creative Center’s Artist In Residence program has worked bedside and in small group settings with men, women and children in oncology units, bone marrow transplant units, intensive care/respiratory units, hospice and palliative care programs.

“It’s wonderful to see the community support for a program that is making such a difference for our patients who are facing the biggest challenge of their lives,” added Dr. Clarence Brown, III, President and CEO of MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando.

About United Arts of Central Florida: United Arts of Central Florida is a dynamic collaboration of 164 businesses, 8 governments and school districts, 38 foundations, more than 50 arts and cultural organizations, and 3,188 artists and individuals. This partnership works to enhance the quality and variety of cultural experiences available throughout Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. Since its inception in 1989, United Arts has invested more than $117 million in local cultural organizations and cultural education. United Arts envisions a diverse, well-attended, fiscally sound arts and cultural community that serves residents and visitors to the Central Florida region. For more information, visit the United Arts of Central Florida website.

A Day in the Life: Ultra Runner Steve Wheeler

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by Jennifer Hoesing

This Friday, ultra marathon runner and real estate broker Steve Wheeler will take to the streets in an effort to raise money for arts education. Wheeler’s “Art to Architecture” run will take him 110 miles non-stop from Altamonte Springs to the University of Florida (UF) Fine Arts Building in Gainesville. Donations and pledges supporting the challenge will benefit arts programs in the Seminole County Schools, the UF College of Fine Arts and the UF School of Architecture.

Steve Wheeler. Photo submitted and used by permission of Steve Wheeler.

What inspired the 110-mile challenge to support the arts?

Steve’s daughter, Leslie Wheeler, is a recent suma cum laude graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in architecture. “Her success may not have been possible without the exceptional teachers and art programs available through the Seminole County Schools,” Steve said in a media release. Leslie and Steve also added that the exceptional professors at the University of Florida were critical to Leslie’s achievements.

Leslie Wheeler. Photo submitted and used by permission of Steve Wheeler.

The run will follow the path of Leslie’s schools: Spring Lake Elementary, Teague Middle School, Lake Brantley High School and the University of Florida. One additional stop is planned for Bear Lake Elementary School, where Steve’s sons attend school.

Steve and I exchanged emails about the Division’s belief that Culture Builds Florida. Steve told me culture is vital to Florida’s future. “Great things come from creativity,” he said. “Look at Apple and Facebook. Becoming a creative thinker yields new milestones. Build culture or build prisons.”

For more information about his “Art to Architecture” run, contact Steve at stevewheelerpa@earthlink.net.

Art Talk with Nathan Selikoff

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by Jennifer Hoesing

Nathan Selikoff

I first met Nathan Selikoff when he participated in a Creative Capital Professional Development Program (PDP) workshop for artists hosted by Citizens for Florida Arts, Inc. with support from the Division of Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. His work blurs the lines between art, math and computers and explores their junctions. Nathan is participating in a second Creative Capital PDP in Tallahassee this weekend, and in advance of that experience, I asked him a few questions via email about his work.

DCA: Your work experiments with the overlap between art, math and computer programming. What have you discovered about the intersections between these disciplines?

Untiled Faces at Process & Influence. Image courtesy and used by permission of Nathan Selikoff.

Nathan: This is where all the interesting things happen! Many people think art and math are somehow incompatible, or have nothing to do with each other. While they do represent different ways of thinking, I see beauty in both and many connections between them. Furthermore, I believe both are, in their own ways, seeking to uncover beauty and truth.
I have always been drawn to the polymath or “renaissance man” – another way of saying this is that I am most satisfied when both the left and right sides of my brain are engaged. Leonardo da Vinci is the classic example of a polymath, but there are many, many others that inspire me and let me know I’m in good company as I explore the blending of art, math, science, nature, algorithms, and computers. Just a few examples from the past would include Dürer, Escher, Hofstadter, and Laposky. More recent examples include Mandelbrot, Moscovich, Pickover, the Algorists, Scott Snibbe, Jared Tarbell, Marius Watz, Casey Reas, Ben Fry… the list goes on.
DCA: Speaking of intersections, you’ve collaborated with composers in Orlando, Miami and Brooklyn. What was it like seeing your art set to music? Has that experienced further altered the way you consider your work?

Full Dimensions rehearsal, a collaboration with Keith Lay, Marc Pinsky, Full Sail University, the Orlando Philharmonic, and Maestro Dirk Meyer. Image courtesy and used by permission of Nathan Selikoff.

Nathan: My recent projects with composers have been really enjoyable and eye-opening, on many levels. Collaborating with musicians is fun, exciting and challenging, and has introduced me to a new source of inspiration and way of working. I listen to a piece of music and just close my eyes and let my imagination go. I think about how the piece makes me feel and the images and shapes it brings to mind, and work to interpret it visually to bring about that same emotion in the visual realm.
Music and sound are always experienced temporally, so in many ways they are more akin to mediums such as video, animation, and performance. I have spent a lot of time working with static images in the past (my fine art prints), and it has been great to get back to the moving image and the element of time, which engages people in a completely different way.
I also want to mention that I find the community of musicians to be very open, welcoming, and supportive of one another. They experience the same kinds of struggles and triumphs that visual artists do, and I believe we have a lot to learn from one another and from collaboration.
DCA: Your website features some stunning images of your work as a part of interior design. How were you inspired to feature your work in interior design settings?

Image from Nathan Selikoff online store. Image courtesy and used by permission of Nathan Selikoff.

Nathan: Most of those images are either staged or simulated with some Photoshop magic, and I created them specifically to target high-end, high-tech, modern and contemporary interior design settings as a market for my fine art. This is based on my research and on conversations with my supporters and collectors. I think these types of spaces would look fantastic with my artwork hanging in them 🙂
DCA: You’ve been a part exhibitions in all kinds of spaces, from the most traditional gallery settings to up and coming collaborative work spaces and even an exhibition at the Joint Mathematics Meetings. What has been your takeaway from being a part of a diverse collection of cultural venues?

Untitled Faces. Image courtesy and used by permission of Nathan Selikoff.

Nathan: Confusion! Just kidding – kind of. As an emerging artist, I have taken opportunities as they come and tried to cast a wide net and see what I catch. Most of these exhibitions have been wonderful experiences. However, I am getting to a point where I need to tighten my focus and pursue the opportunities that will best contribute to the sustainability of my career (financially and otherwise).
DCA: This weekend you will be participating in a Creative Capital Professional Development Workshop. How did attendance at your first Creative Capital workshop help you advance your career? What are you looking forward to in the weekend ahead?
As I have alluded to in the previous two answers, one of my questions at the workshop this weekend will be how to narrow my focus and choose those opportunities and relationships that will be fruitful to my career. I have committed myself to a long-term, sustainable career as an artist, and I need help getting there!
Creative Capital’s Professional Development Workshops have already been instrumental in my development as a fine artist. Specifically, since the previous workshop I attended two years ago, I have been in my first one- and two-person exhibitions; opened up some new sources of income with lectures, performances, and online sales; and perhaps most significantly, left a full-time job to return to freelancing and focusing on my art career. Some of the highlights from the previous workshop were learning and practicing negotiating skills, diving into an analysis of how I actually spend my time, and understanding how to use social media in the context of my art career. I was a Facebook hold-out for a long time, but decided to jump in for the purpose of marketing myself and my artwork, and it has been a good decision.
Being an artist can be a lonely and solitary pursuit at times. Besides providing practical information, I find workshops like this essential for connecting more deeply with other artists who share my journey.
DCA: The Division of Cultural Affairs believes in the motto “Culture Builds Florida.” What do you think when you hear that phrase? Why do you believe arts and culture are important to our state?
When I hear “Culture Builds Florida” it makes me proud. I am so glad that there are organizations like the Division of Cultural Affairs and people like you who understand the importance of the arts and culture to the overall health and strength of our society – emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, and economic. Arts and culture help us see ourselves as we were, as we are, and as we could be.

Spotlight on Technology Integration at Palm Beach Opera

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by Ceci Dadisman, Director of Marketing & PR, Palm Beach Opera

Image courtesy/used by permission of Ceci Dadisman.

Ceci Dadisman is the Director of Marketing & PR at Palm Beach Opera. She manages all aspects of the company’s technology and new media projects, including social media, website, iPhone app, and live web streaming. She has brought Palm Beach Opera to the forefront of the social media and new technology realm proving that companies of all sizes and budgets can do great things in the world of digital marketing. Ceci holds a B.M. in vocal performance from West Virginia University.

You may think that opera and technology don’t go together, but the arts are quite perfect for integration with all things digital.  Here are 5 things that we use regularly that enable Palm Beach Opera to get the word out about what we do and further engage our audience.

1.    Website – Everyone knows that having a website is imperative to any arts organization.  However, a website is only as good as how well it is managed and the quality of information contained within. A few years ago, Palm Beach Opera switched from a traditional CMS (content management system) to WordPress, an open-source CMS.  This small change has revolutionized how we are able to manage our website.  You may have heard of WordPress.com which is a free web-based blogging platform but WordPress can also be used to create and manage a website on your own server.   Any website is a kinetic entity that should be updated often to reflect upcoming events and using a web-based open-source CMS like WordPress allows us to do that quickly and easily from any computer or device with an internet connection.

Wordpress site from Palm Beach Opera. Image courtesy/used by permission of Palm Beach Opera.

2.    Website Analytics – Website analytics are nothing new, with most people utilizing the powerful platform of Google Analytics to monitor website activity.  (If you don’t look at your website stats at least a couple times per week, I highly recommend that you do.  What you see will most likely be quite eye-opening.)  In addition to the standard analytics, we use two other sites that give incredibly useful information: Chartbeat and Crazy Egg.  Chartbeat shows real-time analytics so that we can see how many people are on our site at any given time and their activity as it happens.  This ability can be especially useful to track traffic after an enewsletter or other email communication has gone out to ensure visitors are visiting the intended pages.  It also is great for monitoring traffic during any kind of web promotion or contest.  You will be able to immediately see if conversions aren’t occurring as intended and make the necessary changes.

Chartbeat from Palm Beach Opera. Image courtesy/used by permission of Palm Beach Opera.

CrazyEgg is a fantastic site that gives you heatmap data for any page on your website.  In the past, heatmaps were available to only large for-profit companies because of the high cost.  With Crazy Egg, heatmaps are now available to all and the cost is very minimal.  Studies have shown that there is a very high correlation between eye movement and mouse movement and that is how Crazy Egg is able to give this sort of data.  Heatmaps will show you where people are looking (and clicking) on any page of your website.  This is especially useful in optimizing your homepage and landing pages throughout the site.  When used in conjunction with an easily-updatable website, necessary updates can be made quickly and easily to improve performance.

Chartbeat from Palm Beach Opera. Image courtesy/used by permission of Palm Beach Opera.

3.    Social Media Management – At Palm Beach Opera, we use Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube as our main social media platforms.  (It is important to remember to only be on the social media platforms that work for your organization.  Don’t feel pressured to be on too many if they don’t make sense or you don’t have time to manage them all.) It can be tough to keep up with multiple platforms especially if your organization has a small staff or the responsibility falls to one person only.  To help with this, we use Sprout Social to manage social media activity.  Sprout Social aggregates the activity on our social media profiles so that it can be seen in one place making it much easier to manage.  It also gives stats and data so that you can have useful demographic information about your friends and followers as well as statistics about activity and engagement levels.  Sprout Social is very nonprofit friendly as they offer a $9/month plan that will fit most organizations’ needs plus a 50% nonprofit discount.

Sproutsocial Social Media Management from Palm Beach Opera. Image courtesy/used by permission of Palm Beach Opera.

4.    Mobile – When we debuted our iPhone app a few years ago, Palm Beach Opera was one of the first arts organizations to have an app but now being mobile-friendly is becoming more and more important.  We were able to build our app using InstantEncore’s platform and it is very cost-effective.  It may not make sense for every organization to have an app but you do need to make sure that your website is mobile-friendly.  More and more people are surfing the web using a mobile device and, whether it is on a phone or with a tablet, arts organizations need to be ready and keep up with the trend. If you happen to be using open-source CMS to run your website, there are a variety of plugins that will create a mobile version of your site quickly and easily.

Palm Beach Opera app. Image courtesy/used by permission of Palm Beach Opera.

Also, sites utilizing responsive design capabilities will do this automatically for you.  The first step is to view your site using a smartphone or tablet to see what it looks like.  Is all of your content visible?  Does the navigation function?  Is it easy to move around the site?  If the answer to any of these is “no,” you will want to put a plan in place to improve the mobile viewing experience as soon as possible. You never know, your next ticket purchase may come from someone viewing your site on an iPad or Kindle Fire!

Responsive design examples from Palm Beach Opera. Image courtesy/used by permission of Palm Beach Opera.

5.    Tweet Seats  – There has been a lot of attention on tweeting during performances recently giving cases both for and against it.  There is no one way to do tweet seats, and they might not be appropriate for your organization depending on your venue or programming.  We decided to try it out this past season not for our regular performances, but rather for our final dress rehearsals.  We offered a small amount of seats to the dress rehearsal to people who signed up on our website who are active on Twitter with the understanding that they would tweet about what they were experiencing during the show.  They were encouraged to be honest and use their own voice in their tweets and to give any thoughts or feelings that they had.  The first event went very well and word started to spread and soon we had a great number of ticket requests for subsequent dress rehearsals.  We were lucky to attract people who wouldn’t be considered “opera-goers” and many of those who came to tweet had never been to an opera before.  Coincidentally, we also attracted some members of the media at local TV stations, which resulted in additional media coverage for the opera.  Based on the success of the events this season, we plan on continuing to offer tweet seats in future seasons to bring opera to members of the community at large.

Tweet seats at Palm Beach Opera. Image courtesy/used by permission of Palm Beach Opera.

Spotlight on Florida Folklife: Cane Grinding

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by Ken Miller

Cane grinding, circa 1890s. Image from the Florida Photographic Collection

In bygone days rural communities often organized working parties, turning labor into social events. Hog killing, corn shucking and cane grinding were examples of this phenomenon. Music and a meal were standard parts of these rituals. During World War II families and communities were scattered, and these social events started fading away. As we look at our lives now, many of us pine for the days when there was time, energy and desire for the rituals that solidified families and communities, turning necessary work into good fun.

A Southern cane grinding is similar to a New England maple syrup cooking. Maple sap gathering and cooking extends as long as the sap is flowing, from three to five weeks, with syrup boilings whenever the holding tank gets full. Cane grinding now is usually done in one hectic day, making it more suitable for a work party. Here in the Deep South, sugar cane has always been the sweetener. Prior to World War II almost every farm in the South had a cane patch to provide the year’s sweetener and the surplus served as a welcome cash crop. In addition, cane could provide the enhancer for localized liquid corn products.

Cane grinding circa 1911. Image from the Florida Photographic Collection.

Cane is typically harvested around Thanksgiving. Large crops used to take several weeks to be harvested and boiled. First, the freshly cut and stripped cane is crushed in a roller mill to extract the juice. The raw, greenish brown juice tastes somewhat like vaguely sweet “grass tea.” Some folks really enjoy this treat. The mill was traditionally powered by a blind mule walking in a circle at the end of a pole, which directly turned the mill’s rollers. The more modern use of a tractor PTO (power takeoff) for power doesn’t seem to affect the taste but for my memories it is noisy, smelly and out of place. Next, the juice is boiled down to syrup consistency.

Wilmer Cribbs grinding sugarcane for making into syrup - Wellborn, Florida. Image from the Florida Photographic Collection.

On the Grissett farm west of Tallahassee (where I have attended many a cane grinding), thick black smoke from the “fat lighter” fire and controlled confusion were the norm as Roy and Wayne Grissett would keep the fire roaring and the foam skimmed off of the 6-foot diameter cast iron syrup kettle. A chilly November wind keeps the crowd close to the steaming kettle. It is very hot and humid inside the open syrup shed, in stark contrast to the weather outside. Bees of all types are attracted to the sweet juice and smell but I’ve never seen anybody get stung.  When the viscosity is just right the fire is pulled from the firebox and the syrup is poured off and strained into a container so that it can cool enough to be bottled in old style 1/5 gallon glass bottles. This process is repeated until all of the syrup has been cooked.

A traditional cane grinding is always accompanied by a “covered dish” dinner (the noon meal for you non-Southerners), served and eaten outside by the syrup shed. All of this is generally accompanied by home-made music.

Our band “Scrub Oak” has often been asked to play for the cane grindings at the Grissett’s farm west of Tallahassee. We play our version of “Antique Country” or “Pre-Grass” music with fiddle, guitar and mandolin both before and after the meal.

About mid-day folks start bringing in covered dish food, salads and desserts.  The blessing and eating can start as soon as Gayle’s fresh biscuits arrive. Then one of the essential rituals is to see how much syrup one can pour into a fresh cooked biscuit and still be able to get it into your mouth without sticky tragedy. Kids are the most skilled at this sport. Every kid old enough to have a pocketknife is carrying his or her own stick of fresh cane. They deftly peel and cut off chunks to chew, swallowing the juice and then spitting out the empty pulp. They may also cut off a chunk for a smaller, as yet uninitiated kid.

The two brothers are now only one. Last year’s grinding was a memorial for Wayne Grissett, a beloved husband, father, brother and friend who passed on just a few weeks before this years grinding. The crowd is huge as the community comes together to remember Wayne and pay its respects to the family. We see again the many benefits of families and communities coming together for work and fun, for grieving and healing.

Spotlight on Ricou Browning

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by Jennifer Hoesing

Ricou Browning as the Creature From the Black Lagoon

Ricou Browning in his movie costume during the filming of Creature From the Black Lagoon at Wakulla Spring, Florida. Image from the State Archives of Florida.

An early icon in Florida films, Florida Artists Hall of Fame inductee Ricou Browning wrote, acted, directed and designed many of the most popular movies and television series shot in the Sunshine State. These films included Creature from the Black Lagoon, Flipper, Seahunt, Gentle Ben and others. A penchant for underwater stunt work came from his years in the 1940s as a “merman” swimmer at Wakulla Springs, Weeki Watchee, and Silver Springs.

He pioneered the field of underwater motion picture photography, beginning with his work at the legendary Ivan Tors film studio in Miami — the only major studio to have originated in Florida. Among his many honors, Mr. Browning became President of Ivan Tors Studio and in 1968 was elected to head up the newly created Florida Motion Picture and Television Producers Association.

Once he began working in film, he never stopped. From directing some of the most daring underwater scenes ever filmed in James Bond’s Thunderball in 1966, directing underwater scenes in Caddyshack in 1980, to coordinating marine stunts in an episode of Boardwalk Empire in 2010.

Art Talk: Margaret Cardillo

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by Jennifer Hoesing

Today’s Art Talk is a conversation with Miami author Margaret Cardillo. Margaret’s book, Just Being Audrey, was the recent winner of the 2011 gold medal for Children’s Literature in the Florida Book Awards. Margaret took a moment from her busy schedule to chat with me, via email, about her love for Audrey Hepburn and the Sunshine State, as well as her work with First Lady Ann Scott.

Margaret Cardillo headshot

Margaret Cardillo

DCA: You were just honored with a gold medal in the Florida Books Awards for your book, Just Being Audrey. How did you decide to write about the iconic Audrey Hepburn as a young girl?

I fell in love with Audrey when I was 10 years old when I watched Roman Holiday for the first time. When I read more about her life outside of the screen, I loved her even more. She survived war-torn Holland during World War II. She built a movie career anyone would be proud of. She created a whole fashion movement with the Audrey Look. She was always kind and she was always herself—she never tried to be anyone other than Audrey. And then she did something that not many actors did at that time: she chose to use her fame to help others. She dedicated her life to UNICEF and traveled the world bringing aid to children in need. This was long before Angelina Jolie and Bono. She saw the opportunity to help children and she took it in a big, life-changing way.

Whether it was her acting, her style or her activism with UNICEF, Audrey is famous for all the right reasons. She inspired me as a young girl and I wanted to inspire a new generation of fans.

Just Being Audrey. Image courtesy/used by permission of Margaret Cardillo.

DCA: You hold an assistantship at the University of Miami, where you are working on a Masters in Screenwriting. How does screenwriting differ from writing for children and from short stories?



On the one hand it is completely different and on the other it is very similar. Whether it is a children’s book, a short story or a screenplay you have to figure out what the story is and tell it in a compelling and emotional way. In that way it is very similar. However, each craft is different. There are many more parameters for a screenplay than a written narrative—it is a more structured medium. It is a gift to be able to think about real people acting out your words. Children’s books are just beasts unto themselves. The cardinal rule is not to talk down to children. They can sniff it out like a dog and a bone. When you have three or so pages of text, every single word is precious. Short stories are freeing while at the same time very constrictive. Weaving a narrative in order to leave it up to the readers’ imagination is as once frightening and fascinating. And novels, well, the possibilities are endless. That’s why I love writing: there are so many ways of doing it. The only consistency is the challenge of producing good writing.

DCA: I know you’ve studied in Boston and worked in New York City. What is the best thing about returning to Florida?



Socks. I don’t have to wear socks anymore. Or wash them and wonder where they all go. Seriously though, I miss Boston and New York all the time, but when I thought about moving back to Florida I knew it meant two things: 1) being close to my family (I was born and raised in Naples and my parents still live there) and 2) being able to write outside. That is the best thing about moving back to Florida. Living here, on the other hand, is a collection of a million “best things”. Among them: sunshine, walking with my husband through the jungle of Coconut Grove, the Everglades, mangroves, key lime pie, the seven mile bridge, University of Miami, Plant City Strawberry Festival, outdoor movies in March, people watching on Lincoln Road, the Naples beach, finding my dog Zampano through a dog rescue center.

DCA: You have teamed up with First Lady Ann Scott to read your book to kids. What was your takeaway from that experience?



That kids are so smart and ask the funniest questions and are shorter than me…and I love them for all of those reasons. The reading was a fantastic experience. First Lady Scott is a big reader herself and is dedicated to encouraging the young people of Florida to pick up a book. And you know what? They do. The participating kids were well versed in a myriad of books and topics. They were also very curious about the writing process, as many of them love to write on their own. And while the kids were the highlight, the teachers that brought them to the mansion are heroes. I could tell just by watching their interaction with the kids: the students look to their teachers for guidance and, in turn, the teachers are encouraging them to ask questions and speak up. Speaking to children is definitely one of the best parts of being an author. They have unparalleled clarity and great curiosity. On my class visits we’ve written whole stories together or we will sit and talk for over an hour about Audrey, life, books and writing. Their imagination is inspiring.

DCA: The Division of Cultural Affairs believes in the motto “Culture Builds Florida.” What do you think when you hear that phrase? Why do you believe arts and culture are important to our state?

I think that when you have a state as diverse as Florida, culture makes itself important. It really is a melting pot of hundreds upon hundreds of different cultures coming together and living amongst each other. When they blend and collaborate and celebrate each other is when the good stuff happens. Florida’s history lends itself to being a cultural haven. We’ve been inhabited by so many walks of life over the years that there was never a set-in-stone way of life. Sure there are some drawbacks to that, but having that kind of open-door policy on culture creates a safe zone for people to express their heritage, their history and their voices.

It bothers me when people say Florida is devoid of culture. Their preconceived notions are getting in the way. I am an Italian American who will go to the opera at the performing arts center as soon as I’ll go to the Miami Book Fair as I’ll go to Shark Valley in the Everglades or the lake district in the middle of the state. There isn’t any one thing that defines Florida, which is what I love so much about it.

In a modern sense, arts and culture are important to Florida because recognition of culture keeps us relevant. The minute we rest on our laurels and stop paying attention to culture, in whatever form it presents itself, is the minute we stop progressing as a state. Books and art and film and museums, among other things, are what keep our collective heart beating. We can’t forget that. Our unique culture is what sets us apart.

Spotlight On Robert C. Broward

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by Jennifer Hoesing

Robert C. Broward

The work of architect and Florida Artists Hall of Fame inductee Robert C. Broward has literally changed the face of Florida.

He began his career in 1949 as an apprentice to Frank Lloyd Wright during the construction of Florida Southern College, and his work as an author continues to this day. In sixty-one years of architectural practice in Florida, Broward has produced diverse designs including small homes and chapels, as well as large warehouses, office buildings, churches museums, movie theaters, high-rise buildings, oceanfront residences and corporate headquarters.

His love of nature, particularly in Florida (where has been a lifelong resident), inspired his organic architectural methods. In his work, design and sustainability parallel a commitment to environmental stewardship. Methods of building, materials, site conditions, orientation to the sun, rain and other natural phenomena were major considerations in Broward’s work. In just one example, he often designed rainwater collection to create spilling effects as a decorative and sonic element, celebrating frequent rainstorms in Florida.

Unitarian Church, Jacksonville, 1965. Image courtesy/used by permission of Robert C. Broward.

As a teacher, mentor and author, Broward contributed to architectural scholarship by influencing the careers of two generations of architects. He taught for four decades in academia as Adjunct Professor of Design at the University of Florida. He wrote the definitive scholarly work on Henry John Klutho’s Jacksonville structures. Now in its second edition, the book features of 500 photographs of the early twentieth century architecture that revived a city ravaged by fire. Broward published in numerous magazines, books and newspapers, and an entire issue of a national architectural journal was devoted to his work.

In 2011, Broward was elevated to the prestigious American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows, the highest designation in the architectural profession. In February 2012, he was inducted info the Florida Artists Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Jacksonville Historical Society. His prolific career has produced a legacy of outstanding architecture throughout Florida and beyond.

Art Talk: Jackie Brice

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by Jennifer Hoesing

Florida native Jackie Brice has been painting since 1967. Jackie, who lives in Jupiter, has focused on painting remote wetlands, rivers and forests, preserving their natural beauty with a rare blend of artistry and accuracy. She has studied painting with A.E. Backus and Vela Boss, and is collected by offices of government officials, as well as schools, libraries and museums. Her work has been accessioned to the permanent collections of The White House, U.S. Senator and Mrs. Bob Graham, U.S. Congressman and Mrs. E. Clay Shaw and Burt Reynolds. Jackie is active in her community, encouraging young people in art and ecological preservation. She has been honored with awards and recognition for her art work, and last week was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame. Jackie took time, via email, to discuss the honor and the ways that art and culture are important to the state she loves.

Fahahatchee Moon, oil on canvas, by Jackie Brice. Image courtesy/used by permission of Jackie Brice.

DCA: Do you remember as your first experience with art? Have you always had a love of painting?

Jackie Brice

When both of my children started school, I was looking for a hobby. I mentioned this to my friend, an art teacher, and she urged me to come by her garage studio to see what her students were doing.  When I walked in and saw all the easels and paintings something moved me.  I thought, “you know, I believe I can do this!”  I don’t know if it was the smell of the mineral spirits and oils, but I was sold on the idea of trying my hand at it.  I never had an inclination at all that I had any talent. I’ve certainly had a love of painting over the 45 years I’ve been painting the Florida landscape.

DCA: What is the most valuable lesson you learned from your teacher, the legendary A.E. Backus?
The first thing Beanie taught me was that in order to paint an authentic landscape, you must study your subject.  When I was on location painting, he said to always observe the scene for several minutes. That meant to observe which way the light was coming, how it was hitting a palm frond or the side of an oak tree.  He was very willing to share his knowledge, and to this day if I’m in a slough in the Everglades or in a cove on a creek, it’s the light that directs me.  That includes moonlight.

Jackie with A.E. "Beanie" Backus. Image courtesy/used by permission of Jackie Brice.

DCA: What does induction into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame mean to you?
I am so humbled by this honor.  To think that with the many wonderful artists in this beautiful state, I was chosen to receive this honor… It is like a dream and I haven’t woken up.  I’ve painted Florida for more than 45 years, from the Keys to the St. Marks Refuge, from the Tomoka River to the Gulf Coast where the Gulf Pines grow down to the water’s edge. It’s truly a dream come true to receive this honor. I’m very grateful.

Jackie painting on location. Image courtesy/used by permission of Jackie Brice.

DCA: The Division of Cultural Affairs believes in the motto “Culture Builds Florida.” What do you think when you hear that phrase? Why do you believe arts and culture are important to our state?
I love this state.  It’s my home state.  I was born and raised here.  I am a firm believer in encouraging children to appreciate the arts at an early age.  Over the years, I’ve had the privilege to be invited to schools during their “Art Week.” I always choose to introduce the first or second grade to painting. They are so bright.  I once asked the little second graders if anyone knew what the word “focal” means.  This little girl raised her hand and said “Is it kinda like “focus?”  The children are the future and should be introduced to the arts.  I believe arts and culture are important to our state because they give our state new life.

Jackie at work with children. Image courtesy/used by permission of Jackie Brice.