Past Exhibits

Friday, June 27 through Saturday, August 30, 2025

The exhibition explores how the creation of art is used to promote mind, body and spirit in various forms of meditation. This exhibit is open from Friday, June 27 through Saturday, August 30.

Opening Reception

Friday, June 27
7-10 p.m.

Join us for the opening reception during Artwalk Gainesville for live music with Bill Rogers and the opportunity to meet the artists.

Featured Artists

India Brooks – Caren Hackman – Melody Lozano
Trude Spillane – Joon Thomas

Image: “Ancient Oak Tree” by Caren Hackman

May 2 – July 23, 2024

SOFT features the fabric, fiber, and filament work of 40 artists from the Gainesville arts community and beyond. The curators of this exhibition have taken a broad approach in their selection of objects, creating an experience of gentle immersion in textile arts for the viewer. From tradition to rebellion, the artists of SOFT mix media in surprising ways. They are connected through their emphasis on materiality, intentionality and tactility.

SOFT will be presented at the Galleries at the Historic Thomas Center in collaboration with Gainesville Fine Arts Association. This exhibition is free and open to the public.

Opening reception: May 2, 7–10 p.m.

Live music by Friends of Bronwyn of Tallahassee, FL.
Light refreshments offered.

Curated by Katy Lemle and Anne E. Gilroy.

Reception sponsored by Mike Hastings, Realtor, Arista Realty.

Produced by the City of Gainesville’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department and Florida Division of Arts & Culture.

Image: Detail from “Buddies Club for Men” by Michael Espinoza

February 16 – March 16, 2024

The Black Space art exhibition explores the works of art local and regional Black artists, from oils, acrylics, sculptures, wood and fashion. Black Space is dedicated to giving place to emerging and community-based artists the opportunity to showcase the beautiful and creative art.

Featured artists include Antoine Williams, Localhotboy, Theophilus Annor, Dayanna Peek, Goldie Moretti, FARO Ebenezer Nketsiah-Mensah Samuel Aye-Gboyin, Benedicta Opoku-Mensah, Jeneice Ware, Alyne Harris, Rubin Gabeau, Yasmin Naji, Casey Jones, Yvonne Ferguson, Bella Rootz and Nina Yagual.

Curated by Lexus Giles, a M.F.A. student at the University of Florida’s College of Art.

Exhibition runs February 16 through March 16.

Opening Reception

February 16, 2024 7 – 11 p.m. Reception sponsored by Palomino.

Brought to you by Moisturizer Gallery in partnership with the City of Gainesville’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs.

October 2023–January 2024

The Galleries of the Historic Thomas Center now features an imaginative new exhibition, “Sign Up Here” in the Doris Bardon Mezzanine Gallery.

The exhibition features artworks that manifests as signage. Letterpress, digital design, silkscreen, linoleum block prints, and neon are some of the materials to be seen among the colorful works.

The exhibition features the works of nine local and emerging artists: Jim Harrison, Lisa Iglesias, Molly Kempson, Ellen Knudson, Jason Rockhill, Marina Sachs, Paul Short, Diana Tonnesson, D. Hunter and Justo Luis Rodriguez. The works of Panhandle Slim and acclaimed urban artists will also be included.

Exhibition curated by Angela DeCarlis.

March 24 – September 8, 2023

John Ward with Jack Beal, David Campbell, Laura Denzer, Abigail Dudley, Christopher Otto and Elise Schweitzer.

In the first-floor gallery, works by American realist painter, art historian, and UF Professor emeritus John Ward, including large paintings, rarely seen pieces, and new work for this exhibition. Ward’s mastery of painting will be contextualized with the work of six other artists who explore the dynamic relationship between representation and abstraction. Select works for sale.

Curated by Anne E. Gilroy and Angela DeCarlis.

This exhibition is brought to you by The City of Gainesville, The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs and State of Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, Culture Builds Florida.

A Common Thread

March 24 – September 8, 2023

In the mezzanine gallery, the streetwear of contemporary clothing maker Joss Ramirez aka last call presented in parallel with the multi-media collage art of the late Gainesville artist Lennie Kesl. Across cultures, generations, and time, the two artists mirror the process of transforming found materials into art. Select works for sale.

Curated by Anne E. Gilroy and Angela DeCarlis.

This exhibition is brought to you by The City of Gainesville, The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs and State of Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, Culture Builds Florida.

June 17, 2021–March 19, 2022

The newly-acquired visionary and memory paintings of Between Heaven & Earth – The Paintings of Alyne Harris are part of the City of Gainesville’s Of This Place permanent art collection. This remarkable community cultural asset is on exhibition has been extended until June 4, 2022.

The exhibition features 200 paintings by Gainesville native Alyne Harris, who paints to express both her lived experiences and her profound spiritual life.