Get ready for a fun-filled summer of cartoons and comics at the Panama City Center for the Arts!

The main gallery will feature The Art of Florida Cartoonists, which showcases a wide variety of visual treasures created by cartoonists, illustrators, and storyboard artists who have lived or worked in the Sunshine State. Artwork for the main gallery exhibit was selected from the National Cartoonist Society–Florida Chapter’s permanent collection which includes twenty-eight works by thirteen prominent artists like 2013 Inkpot Award recipient, Jose Delbo, and Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, Mike Peters.

The closing of the main gallery exhibition will be marked with a family day, Heroes and Sidekicks, a Creative Con event, on July 20. Families are encouraged to dress up like superheroes—specifically heroes and their sidekicks. The Center for the Arts will have caricature artists and a portrait photographer, so families can bring home art that memorializes their day. Animated cartoons will be playing in the main gallery, and there will be stations where children and adults alike can create their own comic strips, or flip books.

"Flowers, Hearts, and Things That SOAR"
Julie Walton Radtke moved to Panama City shortly before Hurricane Michael and we're so happy she joined our community! Her unique style of paper-cutting, often featuring flowers, hearts, and insects, sets her apart from other paper artists, and even won a Merit Award at the 56th Bay Annual Competition a few months ago.

What's even better than an awesome paper-cutting art show? One that comes to life with projections of flying butterflies and dragonflies courtesy of the Public Eye SOAR team. Come see the projection and paper cutting magic in our Miller Gallery.

MORE ABOUT JULIE
Julie has created art all her life. Traveling and living all over the world to gain inspiration from other cultures, she's dabbled in a lot of mediums. It wasn't until eight years ago that she found her favorite style of art: paper cutting. Paper cutting has the white on white look she loved from her work in fabric art, and it allows her to use her building skills like when she worked in 3D art. In fact, she draws a lot of inspiration from people who do traditional paper sculpture because they use many of the same techniques she does, just on a much larger scale.

You can find her most days at CityArts Cooperative using her training as a creativity coach to help others find their passion, or cutting paper into whimsical things like little baby carriages, ice-cream cones, and cupcakes. Most of her work, though, is floral. And if you look closely, you’ll find little bees and dragonflies hidden among the flowers—like a botanical "Where’s Waldo".

Come see the humor of nature and the serenity of paper cutting in our two newest exhibitions open from 6pm on July 12 to closing on August 9.

Art Designed by Nature"
We first met Staci Doucett when she put her stunning photography in last year's #ArtCityPC exhibit. We're so lucky that she's a part of the Art Center's family now!

Staci specializes in nature photography often featuring birds, alligators, bugs, and flowers. We already have several of her purses and notecards on sale in our gift shop, and we've finally found a spot in our schedule to show her work! Come see her ode to nature in our Higby Gallery.

MORE ABOUT STACI
Staci Doucett is dedicated to her art. So dedicated that she once broke her foot running after a red-tailed hawk to get the perfect shot. She didn’t get that shot, and then she had to wait on the sidelines for a year while her foot healed! But she’s back at it—waiting patiently on beaches and running after birds. Only now she looks down.

That’s just one of the lessons Staci’s learned in her five years of taking photographs as a full-time hobby. Her journey into photography started online, when she began following Destin photographer, Scotty Lisenbe. Scotty soon became her mentor, encouraging her to get a camera and start taking her own photographs. After Staci had been shooting landscapes for a while, Scotty told her to get a telephoto lens and start taking pictures of wildlife.

“I remember thinking, ‘Oh my goodness, how boring!' But I went ahead and bought my first telephoto lens,” said Staci, “and once started doing using it, I realized that I was so wrong!”

Now most of her work features pictures of birds taken with that telephoto lens. “I focus on birds mostly because I need things that are fluid and in motion. I find it challenging. I try to capture things that express a feeling and convey a message. And there's a lot of things birds do that are humorous.”

Come see the humor of nature and the serenity of paper cutting in our two newest exhibitions open from 6pm on July 12 to closing on August 9.

Join us for the opening night of Local Favorites: Chris Calohan, Ray Wishart, Larry and Maureen Joyner on July 6 from 5:30 - 7:30pm!  Also the debut of Nature, a new book of photographs by Ray Wishart, created by the Wishart Family. The exhibit will be on display through July 27.

We will be offering two photography camps during Bay District Schools Summer holidays:

June 11 - 14, afternoons 1-4pm ~ Ages 8 - 12

July 16 - 19, afternoons 1 - 4pm~ Ages 13 - 18

Kids will learn the most important features of their digital cameras, practice photographing a variety of subjects, work with Photoshop to enhance their images, and take home a small portfolio of prints. They will also have the opportunity to experiment with 35mm film, instant cameras, and other "analog" processes!

*Digital camera required. Any type is fine, even a phone will do in a pinch. Please contact us with questions. We have several cameras available to loan out at no extra cost.

Sign your children up (ages 7-14) for Summer Art Camp before it fills up! Children will enjoy two art lessons each day with a snack and movement break in between. Includes drawing, painting, pottery, cartooning, and more! https://www.pccenterforthearts.com/education

Panama City Center for the Arts is holding a summer art camp for six weeks this summer! Three weeks in June starting on June 10, and three weeks in July starting on July 8.

Sign up for one or all of the weeks. Whatever fits into your schedule. Use our online form or call us at 850-640-3670 to sign up.

• June 10 - 14
• June 17 - 21
• June 24 - 28
• July 8 - 12
• July 15 - 19
• July 22 - 26

The Panama City Center for the Arts will host a free family day on July 20, from 10am–2pm, to mark the end of their summer exhibition, The Art of Florida Cartoonists. 

Jayson Kretzer, the director of the Center for the Arts and the founder of Creative Con, created “Heroes and Sidekicks” in 2017, in honor of Father’s Day and hosted it at the Panama City Mall for two years. Now the Center for the Arts is partnering with Creative Con to put on the superhero-themed family day as a tie-in to their current exhibition, which features cartoons and comics from Florida cartoonists.

Parents are encouraged to dress up as a matching pair of heroes and sidekicks with their children. Friends and other family members can also join in. 

The event will have artists stations where visitors can be drawn as superheroes, a face painter who can add the perfect superhero symbols to visitors’ faces, and photo booths and photo stations for the heroes and their sidekicks to create fun mementos of their day.

There will also be costumed heroes to take pictures with, activity tables where visitors can build comic book wallets, or try their hand at coloring comics, a station to learn how to play Magic: The Gathering from the friendly folks at Arena Comics, as well as a game room, free comic books, and more!

The best costumes of the day will be revealed at 1pm during everyone’s favorite part of the day: the costume contest. It’s free to enter the contest and the top costumes will win prizes.

Start from scratch and become familiar with your camera’s most important features, and how they translate into the photograph. This course covers ISO, aperture & shutter speed, metering for light, focus, focal length and more. Lessons include hands-on and outdoor practice (weather permitting). The goal is to trust your choices more than Auto mode! Camera required. *Best for DSLRs, mirrorless or any camera with “Manual” mode but all cameras welcome!

Part 1, July 22 ~ Meet at The Light Room to discuss photographer-model communication, styling, and creative ideas to consider when planning a portrait. See examples for inspiration, then explore downtown Panama City as a backdrop, giving each participant a turn at ‘art directing’ the shoot with a model.

Part 2, July 29 ~ Meet at The Light Room for sharing and critique of your strongest images from the week before.

Once you are comfortable with your camera, learn how to tackle the most common photographic challenges: indoor/low light, night shots, portraits, action and adding in external flash. Along with hands on practice in these areas, we’ll strengthen your eye for composition and light. Build on what you know, and step up to the next level.

We're opening our next main gallery exhibition, "A Mile in Their Shoes," featuring the art of Tallahassee artist, Kollet Probst, with a free, meet-the-artist reception on July 26, from 6–8pm.

"A Mile in Their Shoes" is a collection that celebrates famous artists and their iconic works. Kollet’s paintings feature portraits of 17 famous artists done in Kollet’s signature pop art style, paired with stylized reproductions of some of their most famous works. Artists featured include Andy Warhol, Leonardo Da Vinci, Edvard Munch, Jackson Pollock, and Pablo Picasso. It’s a unique set of work that focuses not only on great works of art, but the artists who created them.

We will be creating fun, educational activities that visitors can complete to learn more about the artists. Visitors will also be able to create their own interpretations of famous artworks and hang them on our wall.

We hope that everyone leaves the gallery having learned something new about the featured artists’ lives and their art.

Get a sneak peak at Kollet’s work and meet her at the Center for the Arts on July 26, from 6pm–8pm. The free reception will have light refreshments and will feature live music from local violinist, Ford Seeuws.

A Mile in Their Shoes will be showing in the main gallery from July 27–August 24.

FUN FACT- Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook photo filters work on these paintings. We encourage visitors who have these apps to try it out and post their creations. Be sure to tag the Center and Kollet, so they can see the results!

MORE ABOUT KOLLET
For the past four years, Kollet has dedicated herself to her painting, and is now doing so as a full-time artist. Her tireless work is paying off, as she has painted dozens of murals across Tallahassee and the Panhandle.

Her work often features famous icons who inspire her as she dedicates herself to her work. It was only recently, though, that she’s reconnected with her passion for art. For most of her life, Kollet has struggled with addiction, but four years ago, she was determined to get clean for her children. After a stint in rehab, she knew she needed something to distract her mind and calm her shaking hands, so she turned to her old love of art.

When Kollet was younger she always knew she wanted to be an artist. Now it’s her second chance and she’s pouring everything into it. Having an addictive brain helps her when it comes to art. The fulfillment of finishing a piece drives her and pushes her to create an array of original pieces. But this line of artwork is special to her.

MORE ABOUT FORD SEEUWS
Before he was a YouTubing, surfing musician, Ford Seeuws was a student at Covenant Christian School who fell in love with violins. He went to Gulf Coast and saw the orchestra perform. He loved the violins and asked Arlene Conrad, one of the players, to teach him. She didn’t usually take students as young as him, but she made an exception and started Ford on a lifelong love of violins. In addition to music gigs and documentary filmmaking, Ford teaches a violin program at University Academy and gives violin lessons to people who were bitten by the violin bug, just like him.

We're opening our next main gallery exhibition, "A Mile in Their Shoes," featuring the art of Tallahassee artist, Kollet Probst, with a free, meet-the-artist reception on July 26, from 6–8pm.

"A Mile in Their Shoes" is a collection that celebrates famous artists and their iconic works. Kollet’s paintings feature portraits of 17 famous artists done in Kollet’s signature pop art style, paired with stylized reproductions of some of their most famous works. Artists featured include Andy Warhol, Leonardo Da Vinci, Edvard Munch, Jackson Pollock, and Pablo Picasso. It’s a unique set of work that focuses not only on great works of art, but the artists who created them.

We will be creating fun, educational activities that visitors can complete to learn more about the artists. Visitors will also be able to create their own interpretations of famous artworks and hang them on our wall.

We hope that everyone leaves the gallery having learned something new about the featured artists’ lives and their art.

A Mile in Their Shoes will be showing in the main gallery from July 27–August 24.

FUN FACT- Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook photo filters work on these paintings. We encourage visitors who have these apps to try it out and post their creations. Be sure to tag the Center and Kollet, so they can see the results!

MORE ABOUT KOLLET
For the past four years, Kollet has dedicated herself to her painting, and is now doing so as a full-time artist. Her tireless work is paying off, as she has painted dozens of murals across Tallahassee and the Panhandle.

Her work often features famous icons who inspire her as she dedicates herself to her work. It was only recently, though, that she’s reconnected with her passion for art. For most of her life, Kollet has struggled with addiction, but four years ago, she was determined to get clean for her children. After a stint in rehab, she knew she needed something to distract her mind and calm her shaking hands, so she turned to her old love of art.

When Kollet was younger she always knew she wanted to be an artist. Now it’s her second chance and she’s pouring everything into it. Having an addictive brain helps her when it comes to art. The fulfillment of finishing a piece drives her and pushes her to create an array of original pieces. But this line of artwork is special to her.

This workshop will give you tips on seeing creative composition and good light, exposure, how to get the highest quality image, settings to tweak and those to avoid, along with apps for quick editing and sharing. We’ll discuss the strengths and limitations of a phone camera for portraits/people shots, close-ups, action, and low light. Open to all ages!

As a follow up to our Intermediate class, continue to experiment with challenging subjects to expand your skill set. We’ll do an interior/exterior architectural shoot, a portrait shoot with emphasis on lighting and posing, a long exposure landscape shoot, and set up and practice off-camera flash. In the final meeting, bring your most important photos and get feedback and direction from an in-depth critique.

*You do not have to take the Intermediate class before taking the Advanced class, but you will want to be comfortable shooting in manual mode and familiar with flash. Please get in touch if you have questions about which class is the best fit!

An exciting niche that comes alive with experimentation and photographic “rule breaking!” Practice the techniques and camera settings that make great night shots. Try hand-held, long exposures, and painting with light in a variety of local spots. Tripod and camera required.

The learning environment is fun and stress-free while offering diversity, insight, and wisdom.

Fee:  $92

Creating an incredible Allman Brothers Band tribute show that includes fan-favorite songs in their original format, former members of that band, David Goldflies and Johnny Neel have joined forces to launch A Brothers Revival. Hear the iconic sounds of one of the most influential bands of the '70s, combining rock, country, R&B and blues performed by a six-piece band backed by the orchestral sounds of the Panama City POPS.

The event is free, Saturday, October 5, 6:00pm at the Founders Pavilion at SweetBay, 1980 Discovery Loop, Panama City, FL  32405

Historic Downtown Panama City is the canvas for the sixth annual international projection art festival, Public Eye Soar. From November 8 and 9, the streets of Panama City come alive with light, sound and art. Featuring live performances, hands-on activities, short films, art and photography from across the globe, Public Eye Soar is a unique opportunity to see art on a whole new scale.  Northwest Florida’s largest outdoor art exhibit spotlights the work of more than 150 artists from across the country as well as from places such as South Africa, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Belgium, and India. Interactive and hands-on activities include a larger-than-life pinball game,  shadow puppets, and perennial favorite – sand art. Enjoy live art demonstrations and musical performances. This event is free for the whole family, handicap accessible, pet friendly and surrounded by ample parking and fantastic restaurants and bars.  Because the festival is held at night on the streets of PC - flashlights and folding chairs are recommended.  The Public Eye Soar mission is to share art of all forms in unexpected places to delight, surprise, educate and inspire our community.