LAKELAND, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2007) — Florida Southern College will present “Downing Barnitz – Retrospective Exhibition” at the Melvin Art Gallery on the Florida Southern campus beginning March 2 and running through March 27. An opening reception will take place March 23 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

When Downing Barnitz retired in 1999, his distinguished career at Florida Southern College had spanned thirty-eight years. He was a master draftsman, painter, and sculptor who had studied in Philadelphia in the American Realist tradition that began with Thomas Eakins.  In addition to doing fine naturalistic work throughout his career, he experimented with abstraction, including some exceptional “Op Art” work. The college is pleased to honor him and his outstanding legacy of artistry and teaching with this comprehensive, retrospective exhibition of over fifty years of his work.

The Melvin Art Gallery is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and during intermissions of many performances of the FSC Fine Arts Series.  For more information, please contact the gallery at (863) 680-4743.

About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1885, Florida Southern College is a private, comprehensive, United Methodist college with a liberal arts core. The college maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 38 undergraduate majors and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, and nursing. Florida Southern has a 13:1 student/faculty ratio, provides strong student/faculty mentorship programs, boasts 25 NCAA Division II national championships, and is ranked by U. S. News and World Report as one of the top ten Southern Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelor’s institutions and by the Princeton Review as a “Best Southeastern College.” Located on scenic Lake Hollingsworth, Florida Southern is the home of the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.