Last chance to visit Appleton exhibition ‘Garden Party’ before run ends on April 24

Susan Martin. [Photo supplied]

The College of Central Florida’s Appleton Museum of Art exhibition “Garden Party: Botanical Paintings by Susan Martin” will be ending its five-month run on Sunday, April 24, according to the Appleton’s website. The exhibit first opened on November 20, 2021.

Florida artist Susan Martin’s photorealistic canvasses explore the botanical world by concentrating on small portions of plant life. 

“Her explorations, in exquisite detail, are influenced by the photographs of Russell Lee, of whom she was a protégé,” stated the website. “Lee’s lasting influence can be observed in her sharp, clean examination of the subject, her preference for strong contrast that reveals surface quality and detail, and an emphasis on composition that comes from years of work in black and white.”

Martin received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at Austin. She then continued coursework in Art Education and Art History.

Early in her career, the artist turned to acrylics, developing “super-real” characteristics, creating an image beyond the scope of the camera, according to museum officials. Martin works out of her home studio on Merritt Island, Florida. 

The Appleton Museum, Artspace and Store are all open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

A campus of the College of Central Florida, the Appleton is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on S.R. 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 AppletonMuseum.org. 

Artwork by Susan Martin. [Photo supplied]