Comandancia de la Plata by Clyde Butcher
AVON PARK, Fla. – Sept. 25, 2024 – The Museum of Florida Art and Culture (MOFAC) at South Florida State College (SFSC) in Avon Park opens on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 12:30 p.m. with Clyde Butcher’s Cuba: The Natural Beauty.
Commissioned by the United Nations to create a portfolio of the mountainous lands of Cuba, Clyde Butcher set out on three week-long expeditions into unfamiliar lands. He explored the island country’s varied geographic regions, from the Sierra Maestra Mountains in Cuba’s eastern Granma province to the southern coast between Manzananilo and Santiago de Cuba. He ventured to places including Baracoa in the northeast, the southern waterfalls of the Serra de San Juan, and the mogotes of the west in the Piña del Rio region. While taking photographs for the Conference for the Sustainable Habitat of the Mountains, Butcher thought about being part of an event that was changing history for the better and enthusiastically saw an opportunity to make a positive difference. His photography transcends political boundaries, challenging us to work together to protect natural places across the globe.
This collection documents Butcher’s journey through Cuba on three separate expeditions. Discovering the warmth and hospitality of the Cuban people, through his photography he has helped open Cuba’s natural beauty to the world. From mountain waterfalls to lush green jungles and grassy swamps to sandy beaches, his photographs reveal the seductive beauty, subtle grandeur, and majesty of this diverse island. The expedition to Cuba took him to places not seen by visitors in over 50 years.
An Opening Reception will be held at MOFAC on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 1– 3 p.m. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served. MOFAC is open Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 12:30–4:30 p.m. and admission is free. The Clyde Butcher exhibit closes on Dec. 6.
The Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts Gallery opens Friday, Oct. 4 with Florida landscape photographer John Brady’s “Wading Through the Sky.”
Valley of the Giants, John Brady
An award-winning photographer, Brady’s work focuses on the Florida wilderness. “My goal is to find those remote areas that have been mostly untouched by man. These wet jungles and swamps are my source of inspiration for the types of images that I make,” said Brady. “There is only one Everglades in the world! It is my hope that by sharing the beauty of this fragile region others will become passionate about this beautiful resource that exists in our own backyard.”
A free photography workshop will be conducted by Brady on Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 3:30– 5 p.m. Limited space is available and those interested in attending are asked to make a reservation at culturalperformances@southflorida.edu. Attendees should bring a cell phone or digital camera. “Brady plans to conduct the workshop somewhere on the campus, so there may be a bit of walking,” said Cindy Garren, director of cultural programs at SFSC. Workshop participants are asked to meet at MOFAC.
MOFAC is located on the SFSC Highlands Campus at 600 West College Drive in Avon Park. MOFAC opened its doors in 2001 as a showcase for the art, history, and culture of Florida. Florida Hall of Fame artist Christopher Still, whose work can be found in museums and private collections including the Governor’s Mansion of Florida, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Florida Legislature, has two works on display: “On Sacred Ground” and “Land of Promise.”
MOFAC’s main gallery features changing exhibits from October to May. Permanent exhibits include history and archaeology displays of Florida’s past and eight giclée panels representing 500 years of Florida history created by Christopher Still are installed in the Concourse Gallery. For more information, call MOFAC at 863-784-7240.
Front (l to r): Student scholarship recipients Melissa Yisel Soto, Daniela Gaytan-Ruiz, and Vivian Lopez-Martinez. Back (l to r): Scholarship recipients Daniela Rivera-Orduna, Carlisha Redding, Cynthia Gutierrez, and Angela Regalado. Also pictured are Jamie Bateman (far left), vice president for institutional advancement and external affairs, and Asena Mott (far right), dean of off-campus instructional sites.
AVON PARK, Fla. – Sept. 18, 2024 – South Florida State College (SFSC) received a $10,000 grant from the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation, Inc. to provide scholarships for students from DeSoto County who attend classes at any of SFSC’s campuses – in DeSoto, Hardee, or Highlands County. These funds will be matched dollar for dollar through the SFSC Foundation, bringing the total funds for scholarships to $20,000.
Scholarships will be awarded up to $1,500 for full-time students, up to $1,125 for students enrolled between 9 and 11 hours, and up to $750 for students enrolled between 6 and 8 hours.
The criteria for obtaining a scholarship through the Selby Foundation grant are that the application must be based on financial need and the student must be a resident of DeSoto County and a graduate of Desoto County High School, maintain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to be considered for renewal, and be accepted into or enrolled in a degree program at SFSC.
Scholarships from the Selby Foundation grant are available for fall term 2024 and spring term 2025.
“Once again, the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation has stepped up to meet the need of students in our community,” said Asena Mott, SFSC dean of off-campus instructional sites. “This scholarship is especially exceptional because it is renewable each year. Our DeSoto County High School graduation rate is rising and, with the barrier of college tuition and other expenses being covered, our Desoto High School graduates can take classes at any of our SFSC sites and complete their college goals. The foresight and generosity of this donor is turning ‘I can’t’ into ‘It’s Possible!’”
To apply for a scholarship through the Selby Foundation grant, students are encouraged to speak with a student advisor at the SFSC DeSoto Campus at 2251 NE Turner Avenue in Arcadia or the Hardee Campus at 2968 U.S. 17 North in Bowling Green, visit the SFSC Office of Financial Aid on the Highlands Campus at 600 West College Drive in Avon Park, or call 863-993-1757.
| Name: | Callie Phillips |
| Year: | Sophomore |
| Height: | 5’3″ |
| Hometown: | Okeechobee, Florida |
| Name: | Michelle Merida |
| Year: | Freshman |
| Height: | 5’3″ |
| Hometown: | Arcadia, Florida |
| Name: | Wileily Labori |
| Year: | Freshman |
| Height: | 5’1″ |
| Hometown: | Davenport, Florida |
| Name: | Alyssa Keys |
| Year: | Freshman |
| Height: | 5’2″ |
| Hometown: | Avon Park, Florida |
| Name: | Regina Francisco |
| Year: | Sophomore |
| Height: | 5’2″ |
| Hometown: | Immokalee, Florida |
| Name: | Dianey Cruz-Cortez |
| Year: | Sophomore |
| Height: | 5’0″ |
| Hometown: | Immokalee, Florida |
| Name: | Ashlynn Cole |
| Year: | Freshman |
| Height: | 5’4″ |
| Hometown: | Lake Placid, Florida |
| Name: | Genesis Chavez |
| Year: | Sophomore |
| Height: | 5’4″ |
| Hometown: | Wauchula, Florida |
