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The Webber Gallery at the College of Central Florida is excited to present “Seeing Christ in the Darkness: Georges Rouault as Graphic Artist,” an exhibition featuring a variety of graphic works by Georges Rouault (1871-1958), the 20th century master expressionist painter and printmaker. The exhibition will be on display Jan. 8-March 17 and features 18 original etchings from the artist’s renowned Miserere Series, as well as additional etchings, lithographs and wood engravings from the Fleurs du Mal (I and II) and the Passion Series.

“Georges Rouault was one of the few modern artists whose work was clearly religious,” said Bill Dyrness, senior professor of Theology and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary in Los Angeles. “But the graphic art in this exhibition, done at the height of the artist’s powers, shows how deeply the artist identified with people’s sufferings and, indeed, saw within this darkness the salvation that Christ brought.”

On view during the religious season of Lent, this exhibit allows viewers to consider and contemplate the twin sufferings of humanity and Jesus. Rouault’s work is often darker and complex, unlike the typical imagery one might connect with Christianity, making the exhibit perfect for this reflective season within the church calendar.

The works on display are from The Bob and Sandra Bowden Collection of Chatham, Massachusetts, a substantial collection built over many years and many trips to Europe. Sandra Bowden will visit the Webber Center and Gallery on Wednesday, Jan. 17, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. She will participate in a question-and-answer forum with Professor Tyrus Clutter about the content and style of Rouault’s work. There is no fee to attend this session.

Admission is free. The Webber Gallery’s hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday. For additional information, call the gallery at 352-854-2322, ext. 1664. Additional tours of this exhibition will take place on select Sunday afternoons during the exhibition. Visit for more details.

The Appleton Museum of Art, ��������, announces the new Winter/Spring 2024 schedule of studio art classes. Adults, teens and children can choose from a variety of classes and workshops suitable for all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned artists. Classes are taught by professional artists and educators who will guide participants through various mediums, techniques and styles.

“The Appleton is the perfect place to immerse yourself in a creative environment,” said Appleton Assistant Director Victoria Billig. “Whether you are just getting started on your artistic journey or are more advanced, there is truly something for everyone.”

Highlights from the upcoming schedule for children include the Museum & Me Pre-K Program for ages 2-5, offered bimonthly on Tuesdays from 10:30-11:30 a.m.; Art Adventures for ages 5-7 that meets on three consecutive Saturdays in April to introduce young Picassos to working in a studio environment; several six-week Art Explorations sessions for ages 8-12 that focus on drawing, painting and clay; and portrait drawing and wheel throwing just for teens to gain new skills or build their portfolios.

New, and geared toward independent and homeschool groups, the Museum Happenings program meets once a month on Jan. 23, Feb. 27 and March 26, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Led by a museum educator, this program includes an activity in the galleries and the Artspace.

For adults, the Art 101 workshop series offers low-commitment opportunities to try something new. One-day workshops include Watercolor on Jan. 9, Surrealist Landscape Painting on Feb. 13, Silk Scarves on March 12 and Pastel Sunflowers on April 9.

Multiweek classes for adults include three, six-week Dig into Clay sessions. Wheel Throwing begins Jan. 20 and again on March 23. Hand Building begins May 4. Classes meet on Saturdays and are open to potters of all skill levels. Artist Lisa Russo will lead a painting workshop in February, teaching participants to paint the soft and subtle skin tones of Bouguereau’s exquisite “Young Shepherdess” using acrylic paint.

The Master Class Series welcomes back Sue Primeau to lead a multiweek watercolor class in February and March, and Tyrus Clutter for a cyanotype workshop on May 18.

Registration is now open and advance registration is required for all classes and workshops. Visit AppletonMuseum.org for the full schedule of classes and to register. For inquiries, please contact AppletonEducation@cf.edu.

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 �������� has launched a new Fire Science Technology program, offering current firefighters, fire officers or fire protection professionals the opportunity to advance in their career.

The fully online Fire Science Technology Associate in Science degree is designed to give students a scientific understanding of fire and emergency hazards, with an emphasis on effective prevention, control and management. The program will prepare students for employment in firefighting and prevention supervision, to supervise or manage firefighters who control and extinguish fires, protect life and property, and conduct rescue efforts.

“We’re proud to offer our Fire Science Technology program and look forward to preparing both current and future fire service professionals for an expanded managing fire officer role,” said Daniel Garcia, Fire Science Technology program manager. The program includes a curriculum tailored to certifications in Fire Officer I, Fire Officer II, Fire Safety Inspector I and Fire Instructor II.

For prospective students interested in learning more about the program, �������� is hosting virtual information sessions on Tuesday, Dec. 5 and Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 11 a.m. Viewers will meet with Garcia, as well as an academic advisor, to learn details about the degree and program goals.

To register for the information sessions, please visit /events/category/health-sciences/list/. To learn more about this new program, visit .

The Appleton Museum of Art, ��������, presents “Water’s Margins: Paintings of Florida’s Springs by Margaret Ross Tolbert,” on view Jan. 27-June 2, 2024.

Over the last four decades, Gainesville-based multimedia artist Margaret Ross Tolbert has traveled extensively throughout areas of Florida and many international destinations that boast exceptional springs, waterways and caves. “Water’s Margins” brings together a selection of Tolbert’s paintings created following visits and plunges into these waters, including some in Marion, Levy and Citrus counties. The idea of the margins between humans and water reflects the interactive fluidity of the crystal-clear waters that flow from the Floridan aquifer.

From large-scale paintings to more intimate works created underwater on pieces of slate, Tolbert uses an array of kaleidoscopic blues and earth tones to express her passion for and understanding of these unique subaquatic environments.

Tolbert earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts in painting at the University of Florida and shortly thereafter began exploring the springs. She said, “The paradisiacal Springs of North Florida are my paintings’ subject and metaphor. The springs paintings begin onsite at the water’s edge and often in the water. I swim in the springs; I sketch underwater; I am inspired to write when I am beside them.”

Since the 1980s, Tolbert’s springs paintings have been featured in exhibits and collections in the U.S., Europe and Turkey. Appleton Director Jason Steuber, a longtime appreciator of Tolbert’s work, said, “Water is key to our existence and inspires awe and wonder. Margaret literally submerges herself in her work and her paintings offer us a new appreciation of Florida’s natural resources available at parks and springs that bubble up across the Sunshine State.”

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

Events with the Artist

Director’s Circle Reception

Saturday, Jan. 27, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Appleton Director’s Circle members are invited to celebrate the opening of “Water’s Margins” with hors d’oeuvres and wine in the café, and a meet-and-greet with artist Margaret Ross Tolbert. RSVP is required to Colleen Harper, harperc@cf.edu, or 352-291-4455, ext. 1831.

Gallery Tours with Margaret Ross Tolbert

Saturday, Feb. 3, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Take a tour of “Water’s Margins” with artist Margaret Ross Tolbert. Learn more about the work directly from the artist with opportunity to ask questions. Tours will meet in the first-floor Edith-Marie gallery and are free as part of Free First Saturday. Free First Saturdays are sponsored in part by Marion Cultural Alliance, National Endowment for the Arts and CAMPUS USA Credit Union.

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

�������� alumnus and current Engineering Technology Instructional Assistant Chris Kromke was recognized by the National Science Foundation and the American Association of Community Colleges at the 30^th National ATE Principal Investigators Conference in Washington, D.C., in October. Kromke received the nationally recognized 2023 Advanced Technological Education Award of Excellence for a series of projects he developed during his time as both a student and employee at the college.

According to the AACC, the conference brings together more than 850 NSF ATE grantees and their project partners to focus on the critical issues related to advanced technological education. Conference participants represent community colleges, business and industry, secondary school systems, and four-year colleges covering projects in a wide variety of areas, such as information technology, engineering technology, micro- and nanotechnologies, chemical technology, biotechnology, and others.

Kromke received his Associate of Science in Engineering Technology with a specialization in Advanced Manufacturing from ��������, and is currently attending Daytona State College, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.

The �������� was recognized by Statista, in a collaboration with Newsweek, as one of America’s Top Online Colleges 2024. In a ranking that highlighted only 200 top colleges in the nation based on institutional indicators and student feedback, the outstanding achievement was a result of over 9,000 individuals who were surveyed about their online college experience.

Respondents were asked to indicate their satisfaction with the organization through which they obtained an online degree, including hybrid programs, and to what extent they would recommend the organization to others. The title serves to reinforce ��������’s standing as an online college that provides great value and excellent opportunities to its students on a national level.

“Recognition by Statista and Newsweek reinforces the strength of ��������’s online programs,” said Dr. Jim Henningsen, �������� president. “Whether a student chooses to attend in person, online or in combination, we know that they are receiving a quality education at an affordable price. This award is testament to the satisfaction of their experience.”

�������� offers fully online courses, degrees and certificates, as well as hybrid programs, allowing students to obtain a high-quality education on a flexible schedule. To learn more about ��������’s Online Learning, visit .

�������� alumna Mary Sue Rich was recognized with the LeRoy Collins “Hometown Hero” Distinguished Alumni Award at the Association of Florida Colleges Annual Conference held in Orlando. The award was conferred to Rich at the conference’s Presidential Gala Dinner on Thursday, Nov. 2.

Mary Sue Rich is a graduate of Central Florida Community College (now the ��������) and the University of Central Florida. Born and raised in Ocala, Rich was the first African-American woman elected to the Ocala City Council and served for 24 years. In 2019, the “Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place” was named after Rich and community activist Ruth Reed, honoring their community service. Throughout the years, Rich has received many honors, including the �������� Foundation’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2001.

“We are so proud that the Association of Florida Colleges recognized the outstanding qualities, service and leadership Mrs. Rich possesses with this statewide recognition,” stated Chris Knife, Vice President of Institutional Advancement and CEO of the �������� Foundation. “She truly exemplifies what it means to be a �������� alumna.”

Named in honor of former Governor LeRoy Collins, a champion of the state’s college system, the LeRoy Collins Distinguished Alumni Awards are held every two years to give the Florida College System the opportunity to recognize those that inspire and excel in our communities.  Each college is eligible to submit one nominee, but only four alumni across Florida receive the distinction of being a LeRoy Collins Distinguished Alumni. Award recipients must have achieved success within their college service district and demonstrated notable community involvement.

For more information about the Association of Florida Colleges, visit .

�������� Communications Professor Lori Witkowich was honored with the Outstanding Educator of the Year Award by the Florida Association for Student Success. The award was presented to Witkowich at the FASS annual conference on Oct. 20.

“I am very appreciative to FASS for this great honor and it is truly an honor, but I think the greatest honor for all of us is when our students succeed,” said Witkowich. “It is amazing to help our students achieve their highest potential, and I am grateful to be able to help them.”

Each year, the FASS Outstanding Educator award is granted to someone who demonstrates excellence in teaching and exemplifies the philosophy of service and support for student success.

Witkowich has been teaching English and reading courses at the �������� since 2011.