Major retrospective on display in Ocala

“Untitled,” 2024, by Ummarid “Tony” Eitharong (Thai-born American, b. 1952), acrylic on watercolor paper, 73 ½ x 61 ½ in. [Photo courtesy of the artist]

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Posted February 24, 2025 | Staff report

The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, will offer the exhibit “What If Eye: Fifty Years of Exploration with Ummarid Eitharong,” from Feb. 28 through Aug. 3.

As a young man visiting the Kennedy Space Center with a friend, Ummarid “Tony” Eitharong remarked of an impressive wall mural, “I bet I could draw that,” and winning that bet was the genesis of a long and successful career in art, the news release noted.

Never content, Eitharong consistently asks himself “What’s next?” “What if I try this?” “What if I change that?” Through more than 50 works, visitors can experience his artistic evolution that has resulted in three distinct bodies of work. Beginning in the 1970s and 1980s, realistic yet expressive pencil portraits and figure drawings give way to mixed-media assemblages from his Military Industrial Art (M.I.A.) series from the 1990s and 2000s. Finally, his explosively colorful and magnetic acrylic paintings bring the viewer current with Eitharong’s work from the last 15 years through today, the release offers.

“As a supporter of Florida’s artists for nearly four decades, the Appleton is happy to host a retrospective of Tony’s work,” said Jason Steuber, Appleton director, in the release. “He is very much admired in our community and well beyond and we know that our visitors will be amazed at his expansive artistic range, which is quite special.”

“What If Eye: Fifty Years of Exploration with Ummarid Eitharong” is sponsored by Fine Arts for Ocala and is on display in the first-floor Edith-Marie Gallery.

Museum admission is free the first Saturday of each month. Free First Saturdays are supported in part by CAMPUS USA Credit Union, the Marion Cultural Alliance and the National Endowment for the Arts. Otherwise, regular admission fees apply. Parking is free.

Members of the Appleton Director’s Circle are invited to attend a reception with the artist, with refreshments and entertainment, at 5:30 p.m. on March 8 and must RSVP by March 2 to Colleen Harper at [email protected], or (352) 291-4455, ext. 1830.

The Appleton Museum, Artspace and store, at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, are open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

To learn more, go to appletonmuseum.org