CURRENTS OF FAITH: Belief at the Beaches

November 15, 2024 – February 16, 2025

Like the currents that shape our scenic coastline, the faith traditions of the Beaches have helped give beauty, meaning, and form to the lives of generations of residents. From the ancient rites of the area’s earliest Mocama and Timucua inhabitants to today’s diverse faith traditions, religion has been a powerful part of the Beaches way of life for centuries.

Faith communities at the Beaches play a crucial role in shaping the cultural landscape. Charitable efforts and celebrations have touched the Beaches beyond each faith community’s congregation, leaving lasting legacies of belief at the Beaches. This exhibit explores the rich and varied ways that religion intersects with Beaches life.

Exhibit Opening Reception

November 15, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Join Museum members, supporters, and patrons for a first look at the Currents of Faith: Belief at the Beaches exhibit.

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All events are free to Museum members with a $5 suggested donation for non-members.

EXALTED SHORES: the work of Clint Burbridge and Tom Schifanella

June 7 – September 29, 2024

Take a visual journey through Exalted Shores, a collaborative exhibit showcasing the beauty of Northeast Florida’s coastal environments through the mediums of photography and art glass. Through a dance of form, color, and light, the series invites viewers to immerse themselves in the natural allure of Northeast Florida’s exalted shores. The exhibition encourages viewers to experience the beaches, marshes, and forests we enjoy every day with a fresh perspective. Whether you are looking to escape for the evening or seeking artistic inspiration, Exalted Shores ignites a deeper connection with nature and a greater appreciation of this region’s complex beauty and diversity.

Exhibit Opening Reception

June 7, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

The community is welcome to join the artists, Museum members, supporters, and art patrons for a first look at Exalted Shores. Artwork will be available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Beaches Museum. 

REGISTER

Gallery Tour

July 27, 11:00 a.m.

For a more intimate opportunity to immerse in their work, techniques, and inspiration, join artists Clint Burbridge and Tom Schifanella at the Museum for a special tour of their exhibit.

REGISTER

All events are free to Museum members with a $5 suggested donation for non-members.

Take a journey through tastes and time to see how Beaches food is as diverse as the people who have called the community home throughout the years.

Many cultures have had an impact on our community’s cuisine, from the early Mocama people who first lived along the shores of the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean, to the Minorcan, Danish, and Filipino residents of the Beaches.

Food is a bridge between centuries and cultures, a language spoken in spices and simmered in traditions passed from cook to cook. From the crackling fires of Timucua villages to the bustling kitchens of modern restaurants, learn how the act of preparing and sharing a meal has bound us together for generations.

Upcoming Events

Exhibit Opening Reception |February 23, 6:00 p.m.

Join Museum members, supporters, and patrons for a first look featuring a tasting and recipes from the exhibit.

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Boardwalk Talk: “Living to Eat” |March 21, 6:30 p.m.

Author Jeffrey Spear of My Life in Gluttony: A Culinary Adventure will provide a glimpse into his lifetime of culinary obsessions. The culinary talk will feature foodie encounters from exotic destinations including Malawi, Lebanon, and Guyana to Jacksonville and the history of its foodways.

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Jax Cooking Studio: Historic Jacksonville Restaurant Recipes

Enjoy a fun and informative evening learning how to serve up classic recipes from favorite Beaches restaurants of the past. Guests will make iconic dishes including fried chicken and biscuits from The Homestead and shrimp gumbo and bread pudding from Strickland’s Restaurant. This is a ticketed event with limited space. Registration is required.

Tuesday, April 23, 6:30-9:00 p.m.- SOLD OUT

RESERVE YOUR SPOT

Wednesday, April 24, 6:30-9:00 p.m.- SOLD OUT

RESERVE YOUR SPOT

Save Room for the Relaunch of the Beaches Museum Cookbook!

Back by popular demand, the Beaches Area Historical Society Cookbook is returning with an updated edition in 2024! Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a kitchen novice, the cookbook will feature 140+ recipes from iconic local restaurants and community members that will appeal to every skill level. Pre-order your copy today. Local pick-up only, no shipping.

RESERVE YOUR COPY

All events, except Jax Cooking Studio, are free to Museum members with a $5 suggested donation for non-members. For additional information and to pre-register for events visit our website www.beachesmuseum.org or call 904.241.5657.

Special thanks to: 

Golden Hour Dwelling

November 10, 2023 – Feb 4, 2024

In a continued celebration of local artists, Beaches Museum is proud to present the work of Rebecca Lemmon.

About the Artist: Discover the art of Rebecca Lemmon, a local painter whose work celebrates “the faithful simplicity of daily life.” A graduate of Flagler College, Rebecca taught painting and drawing for 10 years at Episcopal School of Jacksonville. Her latest work highlights how “ordinary days have their own glory,” celebrating the light-dappled beauty of domestic and botanical scenes. Lemmon’s immersive artistry invites the viewer to experience how the simple evokes the sublime. 

Exhibit Opening Reception

November 10, 6:00 PM

The community is welcome to join the artist, Museum members, supporters, and art patrons for a first look at Golden Hour Dwelling. Artwork will be available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Beaches Museum. 

Gallery Tour

January 13, 11 AM

For a more intimate opportunity to immerse in their work, techniques, and inspiration, join the artist at the Museum for a special tour of her exhibit.

All events are free to Museum members with a $5 suggested donation for non-members. For additional information and to pre-register for events, visit our website www.beachesmuseum.org or call 904.241.5657. Special thanks to the GFWC Jacksonville Beaches Woman’s Club for making this exhibit possible.

Caitlin Flynn has exhibited in galleries from Chile to New York, and now calls the Beaches her home. She draws inspiration from the Abstract Expressionist movement, Wolf Kahn, and the Bay Area Figurative Movement. In her most recent series, she reflects on the American Dream, starting with writing hundreds of words on the canvas, and painting over them playing with their visibility in the painting’s context. Join Caitlin for a journey through memory of daydream, fog, and the abstract in American Dream: Steps Toward Abstraction.

Exhibit Opening Reception

August 11, 6:00 PM

The community is welcome to join the artist, Museum members, supporters, and art patrons for a first look at American Dream: Steps Toward Abstraction. Artwork will be available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Beaches Museum. 

Gallery Tour

September 23, 11 AM

For a more intimate opportunity to immerse in their work, techniques, and inspiration, join the artist at the Museum for a tour of her exhibit.

All events are free to Museum members with a $5 suggested donation for non-members. For additional information and to pre-register for events, visit our website www.beachesmuseum.org or call 904.241.5657. Special thanks to the GFWC Jacksonville Beaches Woman’s Club for making this exhibit possible.

Wish You Were Here: Tourism at the World’s Finest Beach

Take a journey through history to see the growth of the Beaches, with the combination of tradition and innovation that has been the hallmark of Beaches tourism.

Since the 1800s, tourism has brought people from all over the United States and beyond to the Beaches, and many visitors now call the Beaches home. These visitors helped create employment and prosperity that caused the Beaches to grow.

Learn how tourism has supported the Beaches and made this community the inviting and beautiful destination it is today.   

Exhibit Opening Reception

March 3, 6:00 p.m.

Join Museum members, supporters and patrons for a first look at the exhibit. Pre-register to attend HERE.

Boardwalk Talk: Golf’s Florida History: The First Coast Shines for Over 130 Years

March 23, 6:30 p.m.

Author Billy Dettlaff will present on the captivating history of golf on the First Coast. Dettlaff researched and wrote the first definitive history solely dedicated to the golf profession including tournaments that drew visitors to the area. Pre-register to attend HERE.

Boardwalk Talk: Lost Restaurants of Jacksonville with Dorothy Fletcher

May 18, 6:30 p.m.

Dorothy Fletcher will speak about the history of the Jacksonville and Beaches area’s lost restaurants and reflect on the wondrous array of restaurants with fine cuisine and unique atmospheres. Some of the greatest of those now exist only in memory. Pre-register to attend HERE.

All events are free to Museum members with a $5 suggested donation for non-members. For additional information and to pre-register for events visit our website www.beachesmuseum.org or call 904.241.5657.

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Beaches Museum is proud to host a Spotlight Exhibit honoring the 50^th year of the Beaches Fine Arts Series (BFAS). The exhibit features photos and memorabilia from past performances, the BFAS legendary triathlon, as well as their more recent fundraising event, “First Coast Dancing with the Stars.”

When founder Jim Johnson moved to the Beaches in 1967 he noticed a lack of local fine arts programming. Founding BFAS in 1972, Johnson worked to bring musical guests from around the world, as well as artists from all disciplines “to enrich the community through the power of music and art.”

Please join us for the Beaches Fine Arts Series Spotlight Exhibit, on display at the Beaches Museum from October 6th to November 6th.

In a continued celebration of Jacksonville based artists Beaches Museum has partnered with artists Dustin Harewood, Hiromi Moneyhun and Jennifer Lail to present 6 Beaches, a collaborative interpretation of the history of our Beaches communities.

About the Artists:

Dustin Harewood draws inspiration from his familial lineage and the 21st century world of desire for immediacy in all aspects of life and seeks to find nuance within vanishing moments in order to capture a narrative between histories.

Hiromi Mizugai Moneyhun is a papercut artist, her pieces are consistently praised for their intricacy and their exacting standards.  Weeks and often months in the making, each one is a demonstration of an astounding level of skill and a mastery of the medium.

Jennifer Lail’s paintings are deeply inspired by working in an environment dedicated to healing. Her work is an ongoing exploration of the way color-centric abstract art impacts environments and emotions.

This exhibit will bring together the diverse backgrounds, inspirations and techniques of the artists in a celebration of Beaches history.

Exhibit Opening Reception: October 14, 6:00 p.m.

The community is welcome to join the artists, Museum members, supporters and art patrons for a first look at 6 Beaches. Artwork will be available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the Beaches Museum.

Gallery Tour: January 28, 11:00 a.m.

For a more intimate opportunity to immerse in their work, techniques and inspiration, join the artists at the Museum for a tour of their exhibit.

All events are free to Museum members with a $5 suggested donation for non-members. For additional information and to pre-register for events visit our website www.beachesmuseum.org or call 904.241.5657.

Take a walk through Coastal Forest, a collaborative exhibition highlighting Navy veteran Kristin Cronic and Master oil painter Theresa Rykaczewski. This series will transport viewers into a world full of vibrant color reflecting a tropical paradise.

Through this unique experience the viewer will have the opportunity to reflect on detail while being lost in the beauty that represents our Florida home.

Whether you are looking to escape for an evening or find the perfect work for your space, this exhibition is for everyone that longs for sensational serenity.

After all, when we come together in the Coastal Forest, there’s plenty of sunshine for everyone.

Exhibit Opening Reception:  

November 19, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

The community is welcome to join the artists, Museum members, supporters and art patrons for a first look at Coastal Forest. Artwork will be available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the Beaches Museum.

Gallery Tour: 

January 15, 11:00 a.m.

For a more intimate opportunity to immerse in their work, techniques and inspiration, join the artists at the Museum for a tour of their exhibit.

About the Artists:

Theresa Rykaczewski: Celebrated for her contemporary impressionistic style of bold impasto landscapes and occasional figurative works, Theresa’s artwork transfixes the viewer through a dynamic sense of color and atmosphere that explores what it means to connect to nature during the highly saturated digital age.

Kristin Cronic: Kristin approaches painting with an eye for the personality and rhythm of the subject, typically nature forms, abandoning reality in favor of color and pattern. She embraces exploration, intuition and expression in her work.