CF Appleton Museum of Art unveils new lobby mural project

The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, announces a new installation of “Art on the Up and Up,” featural astrophotographs by Phil Rosenberg.

Installed beneath the east and west staircases in the museum lobby, this project series invites Florida artists to create original artworks that are transformed into oversized vinyl graphics, bringing life to otherwise unused spaces. The vibrant images of space by Phil Rosenberg now replace Tyrus Clutter’s permanent collection-inspired images featuring work by artists William Adolphe Bouguereau and Elizabeth Jane Gardner.

Rosenberg’s astrophotographs are composites of images taken from his personal observatory using a large 36 cm Rowe Ackerman Schmidt Astrograph (RASA) and a Canon EOS Ra camera. Rosenberg has been an avid stargazer since childhood. His Marion County home is unique for its domed observatory, where he actively observes and photographs the wonders of the night sky. Along with his watercolorist wife, Charlotte, he has donated 34 computerized, robotic telescopes to elementary and middle schools. Additionally, they have provided large observatory-class telescopes to the College of Central Florida and Broward College, encouraging students to share in his passion for astronomy.

Regular admission fees apply to visit. Admission is free on the first Saturday of each month as part of the Free First Saturday program.

The Appleton Museum, Artspace and Store are open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. A campus of the College of Central Florida, the Appleton Museum of Art is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on SR 40 (exit 352 east off I-75 or exit 268 west off I-95). Parking is free. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit AppletonMuseum.org.