For a midmorning respite, and because it was nearby, I stopped into the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens.

The Art of War exhibit was fascinating. Posters as big as me promoted war bonds, labor committees, and women in industry. One poster showed a woman happy to find her best-fit job; she was perfectly pretty and made up in her machinist jumpsuit. The images brought a swell of conflicting emotions: pride in how the country came together, distaste for the use of propaganda.

Now I’m in the Italian Garden soaking up the sun. There’s a pleine air artist near the river capturing the museum building and the mighty Cummer Oak. This week is Paint the Region, an event to promote the North Florida Land Trust. Painters are all over Downtown, Riverside and Springfield, creating images of this beautiful place. I look forward to the gala event this weekend. There’s also a quick-paint competition, tonight I believe, at the central gallery at the Landing.

And let’s not forget the premiere monthly event that showcases Downtown, Art Walk. That starts tonight at 5 PM. I will visit an exhibit called The Metropolitan and Yvonne Lozano’s new studio space at 229 N. Hogan, as well as regular haunts on Hemming Park and the ultra-modern nullspace on E. Adams.
Art has overtaken the Bold New City, and there’s no reason not to enjoy it.