By Donovan Macias
macid14@mail.broward.edu
The Art Gallery Center at Broward College’s Central Campus is located on the first floor of Building 6, officially known as the Fine Arts Building. Named in honor of Rosemary Duffy Larson, the structure preserves access to the fine arts for the students. The outside of the gallery’s entryway describes Larson as “A local resident whose ardent passion for educational opportunities and the fine arts led her to make a significant personal investment at Broward College”. Her contributions fund scholarships, art exhibitions, and programming will be available to students and the public “for generations yet to come.”
A multitude of genres are displayed, featuring paintings, sketches, and sculptures that were constructed with a variety of materials. Ceramic stoneware and a luster overglaze were utilized to craft James Lansing’s product, Lunar Landscape Polyptych, while quilted sheepskin and laser engravings were used for Lisa Rockford’s branded series of patchwork covering the Black Lives Matter movement. The pieces shown had a wide range of topics, spanning from portraits of human anatomy to patterns reminiscent of the work of Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, the co-founder, designer, and former Chief Creative Officer for the Vera Bradley corporation, which focuses on women’s bags and accessories. Intricate sculptures such as Saint George and the Jabberwocky are composed of stoneware while The Sisterhood is comprised of items that were randomly found, such as hand-painted molded plaster, candlesticks, and astroturf. While its composition is unknown, a bold blue rocket ship was also crafted for display.
Beyond the hand-crafted sculptures and paintings, the gallery also offered a glimpse into nature through stunning photographic collections. Maria Fernanda Barriga’s Where Wild Things Are places luscious greenery of overgrown, hanging trees and marshlands at the center of the work, a strong contrast from butterflies at the forefront of another photographer’s work.
Entry to the gallery in the Fine Arts Building is free, and many Broward College students at the Central Campus jump at the opportunity to see the art pieces during the school day. The artists, along with other pupils and professors, have expressed satisfaction with the exhibition. Taking a moment of your day to see everything yourself is strongly encouraged and is an experience not to be missed!