Duke Kraai: Moments in Time

On display through December 9, 2023

Growing up in the Midwest, Duke Kraai was surrounded by fishing, hunting, and boating, inspiring his choice of landscapes and seascapes. A self-taught watercolor and oil painter, his works largely center on scenes from Florida, Michigan, and New England, reflecting what life is like in these diverse environments. As stated by Kraai, “I hope to catch a moment in time that allows viewers to slow down and experience all the wonders that nature provides.” Kraai has worked as a commercial artist for 20 years, receiving a degree in advertising design and teaching himself to paint with watercolors. He entered his first invitational exhibition in 1993, and has since been featured in numerous juried shows around the state of Florida. He received the First Award of Excellence from the Tallahassee Watercolor Society in 2019 and 2020.

Image: Duke Kraai, Apalachicola Red Fish, 2023, oil, 24 x 19 inches 

Gadsden Arts Artists Guild

On display through December 2, 2023

Bates Community Room

Enjoy the fourth Artists Guild exhibition of 2023, on view in the Gadsden Arts Center & Museum’s Bates Community Room through December 2, 2023. On display is artwork by Keith Andrews, Stephen Bennett, Douglas Bondurant, Deborah Bullock, Kathleen Cody-Guastella, Barbara Craig, Kathy J. Ferrell, Debbie Gaedtke, Sal Guastella, Lynn Hollingsworth, Bob Huskey, Sandra L. Lipner, Mary Jane Lord, Claudia Maggard, Hui Chiu McClure, Anna Morgan, Jill Quadagno, Jonette Sawyer, Vera Sorensen, Debra Spitler, Chuck Stannard, Karen Stewart, Jenny Swearinger, James W. Thigpen, Mary Liz Tippin-Moody, Amy von Chamier, and Erika Zambello. The Gadsden Arts Artists Guild offers members the opportunity to participate in quality exhibitions in an art museum setting.

Image: Cypres, Zephyranthes, Needle Palm by Amy von Chamier, oil on canvas, 2016

Eddy Mumma: Compelled to Create

On display through December 2, 2023

Bates Permanent Collection Gallery

Compelled to Create presents spirit-infused work by “Mr. Eddy” Mumma, an individual who was driven to create hundreds of works of unique and powerful art. “Mr. Eddy,” a lonely shut-in due to complications from diabetes, painted hundreds of portraits and then refused to sell them, as they were his “companions.” A master of color and composition, Mumma’s highly stylized paintings vibrate with emotion.

Image: Eddy Mumma, untitled [detail], 1969-1986, acrylic on Masonite, 10 3/8 x 15 3/8 in, Gadsden Arts Center & Museum Permanent Collection, 2018.4.8