Conroe artist debuts paintings containing Titanic coal at anniversary exhibition

Conroe-based artist Dirk Strangely is set to debut a new series of portraits titled "Souls of the Titanic" during a commemorative exhibition and dinner in Texas. The artworks are created using a unique process the artist calls "Artifactism," which incorporates authenticated coal recovered from the Titanic wreckage in 1994. By grinding the coal into a pigment through levigation, Strangely has produced watercolor paintings of notable figures such as Captain Edward John Smith and Molly Brown, accented with 24k gold leaf and 1912-era paper.

residual heat: FSU Student Exhibition

The Gadsden Arts Center & Museum is hosting "residual heat," a comprehensive exhibition featuring works by MFA, BFA, and BA students from Florida State University’s Department of Art. Curated by Professor Carrie Ann Baade alongside students Audrey Lendvay and Stephanie Rowe, the show includes a diverse array of media such as painting, sculpture, and photography. The collection specifically explores thematic concerns regarding memory, temporal change, and the concept of what persists over time.

In upcoming thesis exhibition, Bates senior studio art students each have a seat At the Table

Eleven graduating studio art and visual culture students at Bates College are preparing to debut their year-long thesis projects in the professional exhibition "At the Table." Opening April 17 at the Bates Museum of Art, the show features a diverse range of media including charcoal drawing, photography, and sculpture. The students have spent two semesters transitioning from theoretical research and material exploration to the physical production and professional framing of their works under the guidance of faculty and museum staff.

LeMoyne Arts's star-studded exhibition sings nature's songs

LeMoyne Arts in Tallahassee has unveiled "The Nature of Kinship and Its Artful Connections," a major group exhibition running from April 9 to May 9, 2026. The show features the work of four acclaimed painters—Mifflin Hollyday, Lilian Garcia Roig, Alexa Kleinbard, and Mark Messersmith—whose works explore the symphonic and interconnected relationships within the natural world. A unique aspect of the exhibition is its community-driven origin, organized by a group of nearly 30 local art supporters to celebrate the return of Hollyday’s work to the public eye.

Skin deep: Museum exhibit showcases body art

The Chippewa Valley Museum in Eau Claire is concluding its run of “Tattoo: Identity Through Ink,” a traveling exhibition exploring the historical and cultural evolution of body art. To bring the history to life, the museum hosted live tattooing sessions where local artists, including Ed Erdmann of Wintership Tattoo, demonstrated their craft. In a notable moment of institutional engagement, the museum’s executive director, Carrie Ronnander, received her first-ever tattoo during the event to highlight the personal significance of the medium.

First Friday unfolds tonight with free museum hours, art galleries open late

Major cities across the United States are hosting First Friday events tonight, featuring extended gallery hours, free museum admissions, and live cultural programming. A central highlight is the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, which is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its after-hours series with a sold-out evening of live music, DJ sets, and science discussions led by experts.

Donald Trump Endorses Steve Hilton for California Governor

99CENT art exhibition

President Donald Trump has officially endorsed former Fox News host Steve Hilton for the California governorship. Hilton, who previously served as an advisor to UK Prime Minister David Cameron, is campaigning on a platform of repairing the state's relationship with the federal government and has adopted the "Make California Great Again" slogan. This endorsement positions Hilton as a primary front-runner among Republican voters, potentially consolidating the GOP base in a crowded field that includes Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and several prominent Democrats.

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU announces four spring exhibitions

The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Washington State University has unveiled its spring 2026 exhibition program, featuring four distinct showcases that emphasize sensory awareness and embodied perception. The lineup includes a solo exhibition of sculptural works by Montana-based artist Mimi Jung, a site-specific kinetic sound installation by Trimpin titled 'Ambiente432', a curated selection of photography from the permanent collection focused on light, and the annual MFA Thesis Exhibition featuring emerging artists Keegan Baatz, S. Camille Comer, and Kahyun Uhm.

Call for Artists: Join America, Unfinished?! in Providence, RI

WaterFire Providence has issued an open call for artists to participate in "America, Unfinished?!", a major group exhibition scheduled for the summer of 2026. Hosted at the 15,000-square-foot WaterFire Arts Center, the show seeks large-scale installations, multimedia works, and performances that explore the United States as an evolving and unresolved project. The curatorial framework focuses on themes of labor, migration, identity, and material culture within the context of the American landscape.

Next Gen Art Exhibition open at regional gallery

The 2026 Coast Next Gen Art Exhibition has officially opened at the new Gosford Regional Library, showcasing works by 25 high school graduates from across Australia's Central Coast. Organized by the University of Newcastle, the fourth annual showcase features a diverse range of media from HSC students and awarded several top prizes during its opening night, including the Bouddi Foundation of the Arts Award and an acquisitive prize for the university’s permanent collection.

All Florida Exhibition selections explore identity, history and place

The Alliance for the Arts has launched its 40th Annual All Florida Exhibition, featuring 43 artworks selected from over 450 submissions across the state. Juried by Tim Jaeger, the director and chief curator of galleries at Ringling College, the exhibition showcases a diverse range of media including hyper-realist paintings, abstract works, and free-standing sculptures. The selected pieces by 39 different artists explore cohesive themes of identity, history, and place.

New Colorado Springs exhibit features yard art by more than 30 artists

The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College has launched "Where I Learned to Look: Art from the Yard," an exhibition featuring works by more than 30 artists. Curated by artist and art historian Josh T. Franco, the show explores how residential yards serve as creative spaces between the private home and the public world. The display includes a diverse range of objects, from a functional windmill and an oversized cornhole set to a decorated Volkswagen Beetle and sculptures inspired by real estate signs.

Opening reception for Spring Art Show this Friday at Tahoe Art League Gallery

The Tahoe Art League Gallery is hosting an opening reception for its Spring Art Show this Friday, February 27, in South Lake Tahoe. The event features works from 21 local artists and includes a live violin performance by participating artist Mel Smothers. The exhibition is free to the public and will remain on display through May 24.

Roberta Weir and Jerry Garcia exhibit to open at Vallejo Art Walk

The City Arts Gallery in Vallejo will open a special exhibition featuring the work of local artist Roberta Weir and limited edition prints by Grateful Dead musician Jerry Garcia. The show, opening during the Vallejo Art Walk on February 13, highlights Weir's four-decade career in oil painting and Garcia's lesser-known visual art, stemming from their mentorship and friendship that began when Garcia visited Weir's Berkeley gallery in the late 1980s.

Opening reception for Eastside 11 Art Crawl planned for Valentines Day

Artist Chris Moss is organizing the Eastside 11 Art Crawl, a free, multi-venue art event in Savannah, Georgia, with an opening reception scheduled for Valentine's Day. The event aims to showcase local artists across various businesses and includes a map for self-guided tours.

Trinity’s Widener Gallery Hosts First Fully Student-Curated Art Exhibition

Trinity College's Widener Gallery is hosting its first fully student-curated exhibition, 'Reshaping Tradition: Contemporary Explorations in East Asian Art.' The show, open through April 2026, was produced by students from the 'Art History 205: East Asian Art, Now to 1850' course, who selected the artists, refined the theme, chose the works, conducted artist interviews, wrote catalogue essays, and designed the exhibition layout, all under the guidance of gallery director Lisa Lynch and professor Michael J. Hatch.

Guatemala’s Museo de Arte Colonial shut down by authorities

Guatemalan authorities, acting on a court order, raided and closed the Museo de Arte Colonial in Antigua, forcing the emergency relocation of 287 artworks from their home of 89 years. The collection, including fragile 17th- to 19th-century paintings and sculptures, is now in temporary storage in Guatemala City, though six large-scale works deemed too delicate to move remain in the shuttered, unsecured building.

Zona Maco 2026

Zona Maco, Latin America's largest art fair, has concluded its 2026 edition in Mexico City, reporting strong sales and significant international attendance. The fair featured over 200 galleries from more than 25 countries, with a notable focus on contemporary art from Latin America and a robust program of curated sections.

Gallery 50 hosts opening reception for new art exhibition on February 6

Gallery 50 in downtown Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, will host an opening reception for its new exhibition “Faces and Places” on Friday, February 6, 2026, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The event features free refreshments and live music from Reckless Mo & the Backseat Drivers. Ten local artists—Joan Carroll, Jonathan Frazier, Paul Gallo, Katrina Hoopes, Eric Hyne, Penny Knobel-Besa, Melissa Libertini, Laurie McKelvie, Paula Saneaux, and Steve Wetzel—contribute works in oil, colored pencil, acrylic, pastel, and photography, depicting people, animals, and landscapes. The gallery, operated by the Arts Alliance of Greater Waynesboro, also offers fine art and crafts such as pottery, wood carvings, jewelry, and stained glass. The exhibition runs through April 18, 2026, and will be available for online purchase.

Two exhibits trace the origins of the Sarasota Artist Colony

Two exhibitions in Sarasota trace the origins of the Sarasota Artist Colony, which flourished between 1945 and 1965. One is at Ringling College of Art and Design, titled “Origins: Sarasota Artist Colony, 1945-1965,” co-curated by Tim Jaeger and Bill Hartman. The other is at the downtown offices of Michael Saunders & Co. The Ringling College show features 36 works by colony artists, including Jon Corbino, Ben Stahl, Syd Solomon, and Craig Rubadoux, and places them in the context of post-World War II America, when the GI Bill and cheap rents attracted hundreds of artists to the small beach community.

Visit these four amazing (and free) new art exhibits in downtown St. Pete

Four new free art exhibits have opened at the Morean Arts Center in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. The shows include Rebecca Sexton Larson's solo exhibition "Where Leaves Remember," featuring soft paintings and hand-colored photographs; "Day Dreams," a collaboration with SARTQ Artist Collective exploring dream imagery; "A Journey Through My Imagination," a juried exhibition by the National Association of Women Artists; and the Morean Center for Clay's Artist in Residence program show. The first three exhibits run through March 26, while the clay residency show closes February 16.

In post-'revolution' Bangladesh, a photography festival questions how to rebuild after ruin

The Chobi Mela, a Dhaka-based international photography festival, is taking place in Bangladesh amid political upheaval following the 2024 'Monsoon Revolution' that toppled the authoritarian government of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Co-organized by photographer and curator Munem Wasif with Sarker Protick, the festival explores themes of revolution, rebuilding, and historical repetition through themed exhibitions and solo shows by international and Bangladeshi artists, including Bani Abidi, Myriam Boulos, and Mong Mong Shay. The event occurs at a tense time, with mob violence targeting arts groups in December 2024 drawing UN condemnation, yet organizers insist on addressing the region's current crises.

Festivals and local art: Museum of Goa showcases three exhibitions

The Museum of Goa is presenting three new exhibitions that highlight local art and cultural festivals. The shows feature works by regional artists, exploring themes of tradition, community, and contemporary expression through various media.

Robert Smith & José Bayro C.’s “Parallel Origins” Exhibition to Open at Barton Art Galleries

Barton Art Galleries in Wilson, North Carolina, will open "Parallel Origins: From Distant Roots to Shared Worlds" on February 5, 2026, featuring works by Robert Smith and José Bayro C. The exhibition runs through March 13 and pairs two artists who share a studio in Puebla, Mexico, but present distinct bodies of work exploring memory, material, and personal history. It marks Barton College's first dual-artist residency, during which Smith and Bayro will collaborate with students in the "Studio Concepts" course, lead community workshops, and engage in open studio sessions and interdisciplinary conversations.

Artist Mashkoor Raza celebrated with posthumous exhibition at Karachi’s Mainframe Gallery

A posthumous retrospective of Pakistani modernist painter Mashkoor Raza (1948-2025) was held at Mainframe Gallery in Karachi, showcasing his prolific output from the 1970s and 1980s. The exhibition featured abstract and semi-abstract works, equestrian paintings, and a recreation of his studio, drawing from his family's collection. Raza, a graduate of the Karachi School of Art and later a teacher there, was known for decorative abstractions in oils dominated by whites, reds, and blues, as well as cubist-style horse and figure compositions. The show also included a display of press clippings and art books, highlighting his influence and the critical reception of his era.

Check out a multi-sensory experience at Hong Kong’s first large-scale art dome

Hong Kong's first large-scale art dome, FutureScope, has opened at Kai Tak Sports Park, running from December 19, 2025 to January 4, 2026. The dome features 'Perpetual Records', an immersive exhibition co-created by local media art studio XCEPT and Japanese artist Daito Manabe. Visitors can interact with 360-degree projections using facial recognition technology that translates their expressions into geometric patterns and alters an adaptive soundscape. Ticketed performances from January 2 to 4 offer deeper engagement with the artwork through live audio-visual sessions guided by XCEPT's artistic director Chris Cheung (h0nh1m).

Lynn University celebrates the future of art and design

Lynn University hosted the Lynn NFT Art Museum 2025 Opening and All Hands on Deck Skateboard Deck Design Competition at the Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC). Organized by the College of Communication and Design under Dean Cesar Santalo, the event featured a panel titled "Collecting Culture: How Toys and Comics Shape Our Stories" moderated by Michael Williams, with participants including toy designer Matt Nuccio, illustrator Mark Sparacio, and others. Exhibitions included Digitalism 2025, curated by Pixar RenderMan specialist Leif Pedersen; Stolen Data, featuring net-artists Vuk Ćosić, Rodolfo Peraza, and Rhea Myers; and the Fugitive Commons AI Animation and Video Art Contest, won by Tery Spataro. The skateboard deck competition showcased over 450 boards from students across eight countries.

Paphos gallery owner received threats over Gavriel exhibition, painter says

An art exhibition by painter George Gavriel was removed from the Blue Iris Gallery in Paphos after the gallery’s owner received death threats. The threats began following a social media post by a candidate for the far-right ELAM party, escalating through Saturday. Gavriel withdrew the works, which often address political and religious themes, to protect the owner, who chose not to file a formal complaint. Three young people briefly entered the gallery’s basement and removed some pieces, which were later restored.

Art, jazz, and history merge for Lindsay Adams’ new exhibition, ‘Ceremony’

Lindsay Adams has opened a new exhibition titled 'Ceremony' that merges art, jazz, and history. The show explores the intersections of visual art and musical improvisation, drawing on historical narratives to create a multi-sensory experience for viewers.

‘People didn’t believe it was real’: Indigenous artists push to shut the Everglades migrant-detention facility Alligator Alcatraz

Miccosukee and Seminole artists, culture-bearers, and youth organizers are protesting the opening of a migrant-detention facility nicknamed Alligator Alcatraz at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida. In July, a communal action coordinated with the collective Unidos Immokalee included ceremony, dance, sign-making, and distribution of supplies, with participants like Kendal Osceola and Maeanna Osceola speaking out against the facility, which they see as colonial violence on ancestral lands. The facility, run by Florida’s Division of Emergency Management in partnership with the US Department of Homeland Security, opened on 3 July and has faced legal challenges, including a temporary halt to construction by a federal judge in August, though a September appeals panel stayed the shutdown order.