“Preserving Florida’s Past” Brian Call

Fine Art Photography Exhibit: "Endangered"
Opening night reception Wednesday, July 23 at 7:00 pm
Visitor Center Auditorium & Exhibit Hall
Exhibit runs through September 30

Brian’s third and final fine art photography exhibition “Preserving Florida’s Past: Endangerd” chronicals Florida’s rich flora and fauna and man’s interaction with and preservation of it. Florida has 111 threatened and endangered plant and animal species. Through our own education and awareness of these species, we learn that one of the most important ways to help threatened plants and animals survive is to protect their habitats permanently in parks, reserves or wilderness areas. The Deering Estate at Cutler’s protected natural area is home to many endangered and threatened species of plants and animals.

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Brian’s first exhibit, “Wilderness” opened to the public at the Deering Estate Visitor Center and Exhibition Hall on November 14, 2007. At one time, game like deer, bear, turkey, and quail were so abundant in the area that now represent the main grounds of the Deering Estate at Cutler that most maps of the area simply referred to this hammock as “the Hunting Grounds.” Today, native species like the Gumbo Limbo, the Strangler Fig, Snowberries, and the Great Horned Howl are protected with effective use and implementation of the Estate’s Natural Areas Management Plan. In Florida, our wilderness is our home. Brian captured images from his visits to many of Florida’s protected natural areas as part of his statewide study and photographic documentary on Florida’s declining resources.

Brian’s second exhibit, “Preserving Florida’s Past: Bay Side” highlights Florida architecture in and around Biscayne Bay. Stiltsville has a colorful history that dates back to the 1930s, when "Crawfish Eddie Walker" built the first shack on stilts above the water. Over the years more buildings were constructed, and at its peak in 1960, there were 27 structures on the flats. Today, only 7 remain. Hurricanes and the harshness of the environment in which the structures stand, have taken their toll on the stilt houses. Now, protected by the National Park Service and the Stiltsville Trust, Brian captured many of houses architectural uniqueness.

 Thank you to our exhibit partners for their participation in Brian’s Artist in Residency and three part exhibit program: The South Florida National Parks Trust, the Stiltsville Trust, and the Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Brian’s exhibited works went to benefit their charitable organizations.

The South Florida National Parks Trust was established in 2002 as the non-profit partner for South Florida’s national parks. The Trust is dedicated to winning friends and raising funds for its four partner parks – Everglades, Biscayne and Dry Tortugas National Parks and Big Cypress National Preserve. For more information on The South Florida National Parks Trust, please visit www.southfloridaparks.org.

The Stiltsville Trust is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising money and public awareness for an historic collection of homes supported on giant stilts above Biscayne Bay's shallow waters. Some of the distinctive architectural features of the homes include their bright colored facades, wood frame buildings resting on a foundation of steel reinforced piling submerged in the Biscayne Flats and surrounded on all sides by Biscayne Bay. Their unique design and engineering features have been adapted to meet the rigors of a maritime and hurricane prone area. For more information on The Stiltsville Trust, please visit www.stilstville.org.

The Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge is the official support organization created to promote a better understanding and appreciation of the National Wildlife Refuge System and, in particular the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. Their mission is to be an active advocate of the of the refuge and support its program, to promote a better understanding and appreciation of the endangered Florida panther and how the existence of this animal can enrich our lives, and to strive to support and improve the status of the approximately 100 Florida panthers in the wild. For more information on The Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge, please visit www.floridapanther.org.