The Florida Museum for Women Artists is pleased to announce they have named Crystal Recktenwald, Director. Ms. Peterson formerly served as the Administrative and Marketing Director for the Museum of Florida Art in DeLand. She is a graduate from the University of Central Florida and has over 15 years in Non-Profit Management.

The Florida Museum for Women Artists is the only venue in the state of Florida, and the southeast United States, to provide art and other artistic disciplines exclusively by women artists.

The new museum will open its doors to the public on November 14, 2009. The 7,300 square foot space will include three galleries, a gift shop, Cafe, meeting / lecture space, and curatorial area. Exhibitions will include contemporary art, collections and traveling exhibits from quality institutions.

“Our first museum Director, Crystal Recktenwald, brings a rich myriad of life, professional and business skills to the Florida Museum for Women Artists. Her enthusiasm for this mission permeates throughout her creative planning and problem solving for this new unique Museum honoring women’s contribution to the arts,” Sylvia Cashion Saul, FMWA Board member.

The Museum’s first exhibition will feature over 40 women artists from across the state. Pieces chosen for “The Florida Museum of Women Artists inaugural Juried Exhibition” will include works by: Kristin A. Anderson of Apalachicola, Beth Appleton of Eastpoint, Barbara Balzer, Leslie Anne Chanove of St. Petersburg, Terrie Corbett of Tallahassee, Jaimie Cordero of Pinecrest, Joelie Dietrick of Tallahassee, Nancy Baur Dillen of Melbourne, Mary Erickson of Marshville, M.K. (Mary) Foltz of St. Petersburg, Lilian Garcia Roig of Tallahassee, Kathleen Giddens of Lake City, Jean Goddeau of West Palm Beach, Julie Guyot of Tallahassee, Holly Hanessian of Tallahassee, Mary Klein of St. Pete Beach, Grace Leal of Cocoa Beach, Susan Martin of Merritt Island, Luisa M. Mesa of Miami Beach, Melissa Miller Nece of Palm Harbor, Lesley Nolan of Tallahassee, Terry Norris of Mims, Florence Putterman of Sarasota, Becki Rutta of Tallahassee, Jacquelyn Modesitt Schindehette of Ocala, Joan Brechin Sonnenberg of Naples, Jennifer M. Surgent of Daytona Beach, Kathleen Wilcox of Tallahassee, Charity Wood of Tallahassee, M. Laine Wyatt of DeLand, Valeria Yamamatoof Miami, Donne Bitner of Orlando, Gwyndolyn Fryer of Sarasota, Kathleen Erickson of Punta Gorda, Bettina T. Edwards of Bonita Springs, Emily Arthur Douglass of Atlantic Beach, Constance Bransilver Barrow of Naples, and Florence A. Roghaar of Boca Raton.

The Florida Museum of Women Artists is located at 100 N. Woodland Blvd. in DeLand Florida. Beginning November 14, 2009, the galleries and gift shop will be open: Tue-Thursday: 11am to 6pm, Fri-Sat: 11am to 7pm, Sundays: 1pm-5pm Closed: Mondays and major holidays. Travel time is approximately 1 hour from Orlando, 1.5 hours from Jacksonville, 4 hours from Tallahassee, and 3 hours from South Florida areas.

The Florida Museum for Women Artists is a 501(c)(3) organization. The mission of the Florida Museum for Women Artist is to inform the public of accomplishments by women artists in all artistic disciplines; identify and promote exceptional Florida women artists, both emerging and established; and reveal important efforts by women artists throughout history.

The Florida Museum for Women Artists in Deland, Florida