Saving the Blue Heart: The Ichetucknee River Story
Words by Betsy Schifanella Photos by Tom Schifanella Sacred Waters With early morning mist rising from the crystal-clear run, only birdsong breaks the morning quiet, while spider webs drip with dew. This is a magical paddle over a swirling aquatic garden. Nine named blue-holed springs, frolicking otters, manatees, wading birds, a myriad of fish and maybe even an alligator, make the upper portion of the Ichetucknee an intimate...
The Art of Belonging: Celebrating 10 Years of the Jessie Ball duPont Center’s Mission
As the Jessie Ball duPont Center—known as The Jessie—celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2025, we reflect on how this beautifully restored mid-century modern architectural landmark has become a vibrant engine for community engagement, cultural dialogue, and nonprofit collaboration in downtown Jacksonville. Originally serving as the main public library, The Jessie now stands as a testament to the vision and legacy of the Jessie...
Florida Theatre and Theatre Jacksonville Present A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
By Laura Jane Pittman “Something familiar, something peculiar, something for everyone, a comedy tonight!” This popular refrain, familiar to most people, opens a production that is truly for everyone—the hilarious musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, coming to Jacksonville on August 23 and 24 at the Florida Theatre in its second collaboration with Theatre Jacksonville of a Broadway musical in concert. Last year’s...
City Shapers & World Builders
How Architecture Makes or Breaks Our Built Environment By Sheri Webber The Florida Association of Architects was founded in Jacksonville in 1912 by a group of 42 architects who together laid the groundwork for professional regulation in the state. Three years later, with the association’s backing, Florida established the State Board of Architecture to oversee the profession, and by 1916 the state had administered its first official...
Silver Linings
The Spelman Art Collection at the Harn in Gainesville By Dulce Roman, Chief Curator and Curator of Modern Art When Spelman College, a historically black liberal arts college for women located in Atlanta, Georgia, announced the first-ever national tour of its art collection, the Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida was thrilled to have the opportunity to bring it to Gainesville from February 4 to July 6 this year. The Harn...
Resilient Luxury: The New Coastal Reality
By Marsha Faulkner, President of ICAA Florida Chapter and Founder of Studio M Interior Design As Florida’s coastal communities confront increasingly volatile climate patterns, the conversation around waterfront development is shifting dramatically from “keep me close” to “keep me safe.” Insights from the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art Florida Chapter’s (ICAA-FL) recent symposium reveal how the pursuit of coastal luxury...
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