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The �������� Foundation will host its annual fundraising gala, “Night at the Farm,” on Saturday, March 2, from 6-8:30 p.m., at the �������� Vintage Farm Campus, 4020 S.E. Third Ave., Ocala.

Presented by Ausley Construction, CAMPUS USA and HCA Florida Healthcare, this party with a purpose raises much needed funds to create scholarship opportunities for �������� students. Since the inception of “Night at the Farm” in 2020, the �������� Foundation has established 11 new scholarships, helping students to pursue their college education.

The event will feature live music and gourmet bites from Eaton’s Beach to align with this year’s theme, “Strings, Wine and Bites.” Attendees are encouraged to don cocktail attire as they enjoy the ambiance of the �������� Vintage Farm Campus. For ticket purchases or inquiries, please visit Nightatthefarm.org or call the �������� Foundation office at 352-873-5808.

About the �������� Foundation:
The �������� Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to providing support for the �������� through fundraising initiatives. The Foundation’s efforts are focused on enhancing the educational opportunities and resources available to students and faculty.

The �������� Ira Holmes International Film Series will continue Tuesday, Feb. 13, featuring the award-winning film “Petite Maman.”

Director Céline Sciamma’s follow-up to “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” transcends time and space to weave a delicate fable about grief, family and connection across generations. In the wake of her grandmother’s death, 8-year-old Nelly accompanies her distraught mother to her childhood home. There, Nelly’s encounter with another young girl brings mother and daughter together in a way neither could have ever imagined. Evoking childhood’s perpetual state of wonder through luminous, richly textured images, “Petite Maman” takes viewers on a journey inward for a quietly miraculous tale of emotional time travel.
A screening will begin at 2 p.m. at the Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., and is free to all museum and film series members; nonmembers pay museum admission. A second screening will begin at 7 p.m. at the �������� Ocala Campus, 3001 S.W. College Road, Building 8, Room 110. The screening at the �������� Ocala Campus is free and open to the public.

For a full series list and more information on the �������� Ira Holmes International Film Series, contact Wendy Adams at 352-873-5800, ext. 1546, or visit www.��������.edu/filmseries.

The Appleton Museum of Art, ��������, presents “Outsider Aviary: Robert W. Smeltzer’s Birds of America,” on view through Aug. 4.

Many are familiar with the Appleton’s 19th century European collection and the exquisite pre-Columbian objects, but visitors can now appreciate a lesser-known part of the world-class permanent collection that celebrates a Florida artist and veteran. “Outsider Aviary” features a selection of hand-carved birds by Robert W. Smeltzer (1906-1997), all inspired by John James Audubon’s (1785-1851) “Birds of America.”

After serving in the U.S. military and working as an electrical engineer, Smeltzer began his artistic hobby in 1966 after discovering Audubon’s renowned tome of bird illustrations, “Birds of America.” Smeltzer then spent over two decades creating 242 bird carvings, along with a handful of snakes, each sculpture reproducing the colors and markings of their real-life counterparts. Smeltzer crafted each piece using an array of woods including mahogany, cypress, cedar and redwood. “Notably, he never purchased any wood for his creations,” said Appleton intern Luke Craig, who provided research on the artist and helped organize the show. “The materials were either gifted to him by friends or sourced through scavenging.”

These carved creatures, rendered in an endearingly crude and expressive style, signal Smeltzer’s status as an outsider artist. His unorthodox approach, unburdened by formal training, yielded art that is both imaginative and deeply personal. In his own words, “I take scraps and leftovers and make birds out of them.” This resourcefulness and ingenuity underscore the essence of Smeltzer’s art. His unshackled creativity, coupled with his lack of a formal art education, impart a slightly primitive appearance to his carvings. As Smeltzer once expressed, “The birds are not meant to be pretty, but instructive.”

In 1993, Smeltzer gifted his complete collection of carved birds to the Appleton Museum of Art. On view alongside 36 of his sculptures are the tools that shaped them and his well-worn copy of “Birds of America,” marked with handwritten margin notes that attest to the depth of his study. Several Audubon prints from the Appleton’s collection are paired with their corresponding carving.

“Bird lovers and art appreciators alike will very much enjoy Smeltzer’s whimsy and attention to detail,” said Appleton Assistant Director Victoria Billig. “We’re pleased to display this donation to the collection, which you can find ‘nesting’ in the first-floor Preview Gallery.”

Regular admission fees apply to visit. Admission is free on the first Saturday of each month as part of the Free First Saturday program.

The Appleton Museum, Artspace and Store are open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. A campus of the ��������, the Appleton Museum of Art is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on SR 40 (exit 352 east off I-75 or exit 268 west off I-95). Parking is free. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit .

The �������� will receive $4,973,503 to establish a Center for Advanced Manufacturing from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program, which aims to enhance semiconductor-related educational programs across the state. The college will utilize the substantial funding to revolutionize its technology and engineering education offerings.

The new facility at the Ocala Campus will expand access to the Associate in Science in Engineering Technology program, its three specializations and related College Credit Certificates. New programs will include the Rapid Prototyping College Credit Certificate at both Ocala and Citrus campuses, and expansion of the Mechanical Designer and Programmer College Credit Certificate to the Citrus campus. This expansion will also increase the number of dual enrollment students.

“This project represents a massive step forward in ��������’s strategic and ongoing efforts to offer technology programs that are expressly linked to emerging markets and high-skill, high-wage jobs,” said �������� President Dr. James Henningsen. “It also helps ensure our graduates will go to work in our local manufacturing economy as technology leaders for those employers.”

This ambitious project involves a comprehensive remodel of 17,000 gross square feet of Building 9 at the Ocala Campus. The renovation will create new classroom and laboratory spaces, significantly enhancing the college’s Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering Technology and �������� Corporate College services. The entire project will cost an estimated $5 million, with approximately $4 million allocated for the renovation, $853,000 for equipment and trainers, and $15,000 for credential-related expenses.

The CAP Grant highlights the state’s commitment to nurturing a highly skilled workforce in Florida, particularly in the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors. It will provide a total of $35 million to Florida school districts and Florida College System institutions. The initiative is a testament to Gov. DeSantis’ dedication to fostering educational excellence and economic growth through strategic investments in technology and engineering education.

About the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant:
The Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Program was created in s. 1011.801, F.S. Its purpose is to provide grants to school districts and Florida College System institutions to fund some or all of the costs associated with the creation or expansion of career and technical education workforce development programs that serve lead to industry certifications included on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List.

The �������� presents “The 2024 �������� Student Art Exhibition,” an annual event showcasing the talents of students from its Visual Arts and Digital Media programs. The exhibition will be on display Monday, March 25-Tuesday, April 30 at the �������� Webber Gallery, 3001 S.W. College Road at the �������� Ocala Campus.

 

The exhibition provides a platform for students to display their work in a professional environment and highlights the variety of artistic expressions and dynamic skill sets of �������� students.

 

Esteemed artist and conceptual bookbinder Jacob Z. Wan will judge the exhibition. Wan, known for his internationally collected mixed-media books, holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts from the University of Central Florida and currently teaches at the University of North Florida. His work has gained significant acclaim including exhibits in Germany, China, the Florida Biennial and the International Book Art Exhibition in New York.

 

An opening reception and awards ceremony will be held Wednesday, March 27, at 12:30 p.m. in the Webber Center, adjacent to the gallery. Awards include Best in Show, first through third place, honorable mentions and purchase awards. Notably, the People’s Choice Purchase Award, voted on by the �������� student body, will see one student’s work added to ��������’s permanent art collection.

 

Wan will deliver an artist talk on Monday, April 8, 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the gallery, sharing insights into his artistic practice and discussing the UNF Visual Arts Program.

 

The Webber Gallery is open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is free. For further information about the exhibition, visit ��������.edu/Webber or call 352-854-2322, ext. 1664.