{"id":371572,"date":"2026-08-14T18:56:09","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T18:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/371572\/"},"modified":"2026-08-14T18:56:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T18:56:09","slug":"art-department-installs-sculpture-garden-on-florida-gulf-coast-university-campus-wgcu-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/371572\/","title":{"rendered":"Art department installs sculpture garden on Florida Gulf Coast University campus | WGCU News"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cTree of Debris,\u201d \u201cCelestial Convergence\u201d and \u201cBloom\u201d are the names of the three sculptures in FGCU\u2019s new sculpture garden behind the Arts Complex. They were created through a collaborative design-build project by students enrolled in the Sculpture Techniques courses held the past two years by Professor Steve Hughart.<\/p>\n

\u201cTree of Debris\u201d is a mixed-media sculpture of a mangrove tree.<\/p>\n

\u201cCelestial Convergence\u201d explores the relationship between Earth and the Moon.<\/p>\n

And \u201cBloom\u201d incorporates a metal flower with geometric forms to symbolize growth through the interplay of contrasting elements.<\/p>\n

\"Farrah<\/p>\n

WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n

\/<\/p>\n

WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n

Farrah Alkadra’s two-panel stainless steel, glass and epoxy resin mural ‘Diamonds in the Light’ is also part of the new sculpture garden. <\/p>\n

MORE INFORMATION:<\/p>\n

Students participating in the design-build project were divided into two teams and tasked with developing concepts for potential additions to the sculpture garden located between the Arts Complex and the library. Each student initially proposed an individual concept, which was then presented to their team for discussion, evaluation, and selection. Through this process, students gained valuable real-world experience similar to that of commissioned public art projects, including collaboration, compromise, project development, and shared accountability.<\/p>\n

\"'Tree<\/p>\n

WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n

\/<\/p>\n

WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n

‘Tree of Debris’ <\/p>\n

The collaborative process that resulted in \u201cTree of Debris\u201d began during the summer 2025 semester with Professor Steve Hughart and the students enrolled in his FGCU Sculpture Techniques course: Daria Acri (senior, Art), Anthony Alexander (\u201926, Art), Mason Carey (senior, Art), Caitlin Dellamo (senior, Art), Joshua Holt (senior, Art), Emily Leeper (senior, Art), Natasha Lunski (senior, Art), Eva Petrovski (\u201926, Art), Ava Schimitsch (senior, Art), Soph Shikes (\u201926, Art), Abbigail Steward (\u201926, Art), Diana Talavera (senior, Art), Anna Vertrees (senior, Art), and Madison Wilcox (\u201926, Art). Partnering with the Healthy Earth Organization and the FGCU Service Learning Department, they created the mangrove tree sculpture as a representation of the clutter and debris humans cause in the environment of Southwest Florida. This piece was also a part of EagleX, which took place in April 2026.<\/p>\n

\"'Celestial<\/p>\n

WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n

\/<\/p>\n

WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n

‘Celestial Convergence’<\/p>\n

\u201cCelestial Convergence\u201d was created during the summer of 2026 by Kayley Collins (senior, Art), Victoria Farinas (senior, Art) and Kelsey Flores (senior, Art). It consists of welded steel, paint and polystyrene.<\/p>\n

\"'Bloom'\"<\/p>\n

WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n

\/<\/p>\n

WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n

‘Bloom’<\/p>\n

Rei Correa (senior, Art), Breanna Fielding (senior, Art), Gabby Garcia (senior, Art) and Cierra Smith (senior, Art) created \u201cBloom,\u201d which is made of welded steel.<\/p>\n

Each of these pieces can viewed in the mall between the Arts Complex and Bradshaw Library, along with pre-existing public artworks that include Farrah Alkadra\u2019s two-panel stainless steel, glass and epoxy resin mural \u201cDiamonds in the Light,\u201d Dennis Gallagher\u2019s untitled ceramic figurative statue and murals located in the Arts Complex courtyard.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n

\/<\/p>\n

WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n

The FGCU Arts Complex also houses the college’s black box theater. <\/p>\n

For full disclosure, FGCU holds the broadcast license for WGCU. WGCU is a member-supported service of FGCU.<\/p>\n

Support for WGCU\u2019s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.<\/p>\n

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