Student art show at Sertoma

By Gian Louis Thompson | gthompson@flagler.edu

The St. Augustine Sertoma Club is providing for the community yet again, this time by hosting an art exhibit Feb. 18 for Flagler College’s Sculpture I class. Titled “Touch Not the Cat,” the exhibit will be held at Sertoma’s Second Time Around Store.

The display will feature works of art created by students from various items throughout the thrift store.

“People are using all sorts of stuff. Kitchen utensils, old lamps, children’s toys. You name it, we’re using it,” Alison Murphy, a senior Flagler student enrolled in Sculpture I, said.

According to Murphy, each student submits a work of art that is site related and “a piece which has its meaning based on its location, and can take meaning from that place.”

Murphy and her classmates have big expectations for the turn-out at this year’s exhibit.

“We’re trying to beat last year’s record of, I think, 80 people showing up,” Murphy said.

Michael Mitchell, a third-year adjunct professor at Flagler, is the Sculpture I instructor, and refers to his class as the “Sculpture I coffee club.” He expects his students to gain valuable experience at their art showing.

“I think they will get a real life professional art experience of what its like to show art,” he said.
Debbie O’Connor-Bowe, better known as “DOC,” is the lead volunteer at the Second Time Around Store. She believes that “Touch Not the Cat” benefits both the community and the students of Mitchell’s Sculpture 1 coffee club.

“I’m hoping that we will draw more people out to view what we call, “recycled art,” and to introduce people to what recycling can do,” O’Conner-Bowe said.

Sertoma is an acronym for Service to Man Kind. Founded in 1912, the program mainly deals with acquiring aid for individuals with speech and hearing impairments, but is in no way restricted to these, says O’Conner-Bowe.

The Second Time Around Store is located at 1690 US 1 South, between the World Gym and the Home Depot. Light refreshments will be available at the exhibit, held from 5 to 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.sculptureonecoffeeclub.blogspot.com.