Pensacola Magazine, January 2019

the arts issue

Volvicus Radiolarian

by Kristen Regan

On the Market

+Business Climate a real estate section

SHADOW + LIG HT The fine art of photography

January 2019 • pensacolamagazine.com

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Editor’s Note Happy New Year! There’s nothing like a brand new year to make me feel really old. Not because I will actually be a year older, but because I was fast asleep by 10 pm on New Year’s Eve. Yep. Old. My ten-year-old daughter really wanted to rally and stay up until midnight, but we were both out cold long before many of you were counting down, kissing your sweethearts and making noise with your party favor kazoos.

Well, at least I felt pretty good the next morning, so maybe this will be a good year after all.

I always enjoy our January arts focused issue of Pensacola Magazine. Each year, we try to highlight some of the many incredible artists, exhibits and organizations that make our community the arts hub that it has become.

In keeping with our theme, this year we have profiled a few local fine art photographers.

These artists use shadows, light, talent and inspiration to create unique images that often capture both a sense of place and the artist’s unique creative sensibilities. We hope you enjoy reading about these local talents and seeing a few of their inspired works.

In this issue we also revisit what locals call The Big 5—the Pensacola Opera, Ballet Pensacola, the Pensacola Symphony, the Pensacola Little Theatre and the Pensacola Museum of Art. These unique organizations provide countless artistic, cultural and educational opportunities for our community each year. We applaud their efforts and encourage you to support them through attendance and charitable giving whenever possible.

One of Pensacola’s most unique creative assets is the Graffiti Bridge. A cultural icon and touchstone, the Graffiti Bridge offers the community a space for creative and emotional expression that is uniquely Pensacola. Local photographer and arts educator Rachael Pongetti has gathered up a few tips for those who want to try their hand at putting their mark on the local icon. You can also see 365 days of Graffiti Bridge images in Pongetti’s photography book The Graffiti Bridge Project.

This issue also brings news and information on Pensacola’s incredibly successful nerd culture event, Pensacon, art movies available locally through Pensacola Cinema Art and info on the very cool Inside Out Global Art Project currently on display outside of the Pensacola Museum of Art. We hope you enjoy this issue and that it inspires you to make art a part of your Pensacola life in 2019 and beyond!

Kelly Oden Executive Editor

/pensacolamagazine

@pensacola_magazine

Subscription Expiration Date is printed on the address label. Renew your subscription now online at www.ballingerpublishing.com: One year $14.95 and two years $22.75.

Contents GRAFFITI BRIDGE: Tagging an icon

14

INSIDE OUT

16

IT'S A BIRD, IT'S A PLANE! NOPE, IT'S PENSACON!

19

DOWNTOWN NOIR

22

THE BIG FIVE

24

Shadow + light

32

Tips for leaving your mark on Pensacola's most iconic structure.

A global art project lands at the Pensacola museum of art.

Check out why Pensacon just keeps getting bigger and better.

The story of how one retired snowbird is bringing a niche moviegoing experience to Pensacola.

Pensacola's Big 5 arts organizations offer countless cultural opportunities.

32

Local fine art photographers create mesmerizing work.

In Every Issue

Editor’s Letter 6 Page 10 10 Play/Live/Give 43

22

16

Special Sections Business Climate On the Market

49 63

On the Cover: Volvicus Radiolarian

by Kristen Regan

19 8 Pensacola Magazine

24

MAGAZINE

January 2019 Owners Malcolm & Glenys Ballinger Publisher Malcolm Ballinger malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com Executive Editor Kelly Oden kelly@ballingerpublishing.com Art Director Guy Stevens guy@ballingerpublishing.com Graphic Designer/Ad Coordinator Bara’ah Jaraiseh baraah@ballingerpublishing.com Editor Will Isern will@ballingerpublishing.com Assistant Editor Kaitlyn Peacock kaitlyn@ballingerpublishing.com Contributing Writers DeeDee Davis Emily Echevarria Rachael Pongetti Sales & Marketing Paula Rode, Account Executive ext. 28 paula@ballingerpublishing.com Geneva Strange, Account Executive ext. 21 geneva@ballingerpublishing.com

314 N. Spring St. | Pensacola, FL 32501 850.433.1166 | fax: 850.435.9174 ballingerpublishing.com Published by Ballinger Publishing:

magazine

Proud member of the

NW Florida’s Business Climate Magazine and Pensacola Magazine is locally owned and operated. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents herein is prohibited without written permission from the publisher.

Comments and opinions expressed in this magazine represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and/or the person identified as the author of the article, and they are not necessarily those of the publisher. This magazine accepts no responsibility for these opinions. The publisher reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser. Appearance in this magazine does not necessarily reflect endorsement of any products or services by Ballinger Publishing. © 2019

PAGE 10 with DeeDee Davis

O

ne of the things I love best about living in Pensacola is the fact that every month holds something traditionally fun and unique to our region and usually includes food.

January is all about the New Year, which means black eyed peas for good luck.

February usually features Mardi Gras and lots of delicious red beans and rice along with anything else flavored with hot Cajun deliciousness. March/April means Easter with hams and deviled eggs. May brings on summer and introduces Patriotic season on the Gulf Coast starting with Memorial Day weekend, easing into June and summer vacations, blasting into July with the 4th and the Blue Angels and wrapping up with August and back to school. We devour burgers and anything else you can prepare on the grill. September means the festivals go into high gear, beginning with the Seafood Festival. October brings more festivals and fall soups. Thanksgiving through Mardi Gras really define the holiday season on the Gulf Coast and we all know what that means. Even more than all of the other great holidays, festivals and events, during this time we eat too much, exercise too little, imbibe excessively, and stay up way too late. As we review the year, we can’t help but consider some of our disappointments and shortcomings. Some of us are still depressed over the results of the elections. Some of us harbor certain bitterness because our team did not make the national championship playoffs.

But, it’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life. We’re ringing in a new year and the possibilities are limited only by your attitude. No excuses, no delays. And, avoid “New Year’s Resolutions” because everyone knows they are only made to be broken. Let’s call them “New Year’s

10 Pensacola Magazine

of biting your nails or smoking.

Disgusting.

•

Recommendations” and get serious about a year of self-improvement, both inside and outside your physical being.

1. Assess your fitness level honestly and act accordingly.

Now. I am a commercial real estate broker who understands location, location, location. In the world of fitness, this means exercise, exercise, exercise.

• You strengthen vital organs, which means better health and longer life.

• You will lose weight and tone up.

You will look better and feel better.

• The gym is a great place to meet interesting people, far better than any matchmaking service.

2. Further develop your spirituality.

• If you have wronged or been wronged, FORGIVE. This may mean you have to reach out, but anger and resentment will destroy you. Be prepared, however, to be disappointed with your effort. If a person is not responsive to your attempt, leave the door open and move on.

• Do not remain in an unhealthy relationship. It is extremely difficult to walk away from a habit, even when it is a bad one. This year, think of it the way you would think

Choose a new way to get involved in your community. The old cliché about giving is so true. Help others and it’s hard to say who is rewarded most–them or you.

3. Appreciate your family.

• It’s not always easy to be enthusiastic about ALL of your kinfolk, but when push comes to shove, they are probably the only ones who will be there for you, even when you are completely undeserving. You may have to hold your nose when the next holiday season rolls around, but be nice to Uncle Elmer. He drives you nuts with his stupid jokes and fake laugh, but he is married to your favorite Aunt and she will love you for it.

• Decide that you are going to be nice.

Don’t come home grouchy and make everyone around you miserable.

Exert the energy and willpower to adjust your attitude.

• Make a point to call a family member every week. This does not apply if you live with them This year, make a point to be good to yourself, because we are all guilty of beating up on ourselves far too often and too much.

Energy can be used positively or negatively.

Choose wisely. Happy New Year, everyone!

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(Art History)

U n c o v e r i N G

raph this was drawn to photog Rachael Pongetti much more out of something local phenomenon interest. a photojournalistic selfdeeply personal than of commitment and test a as What started subject over raphing a single discipline photog than just a year became more y of the time period of journe a Rachael. It was e creativ a daily ritual for the into ng insight discovery for her, reveali the cast of nity. She got to know spirit of a commu . She learned the trestle the haunt characters who , as well as by the local artists ed practic te to etiquet over the limited space their competitive battles She met grieving families ges. express their messa coming to ones lost too soon and friends of loved

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y from grew up around time we made the journe re of passed under it every unawa to the beach, mostly East Hill on our way nding it. The and culture surrou the rich secret life ti Bridge,” is “Graffi aka , trestle 17th Avenue train spanning landmark in our town a counter-cultural decades. bridge never seen the same In a sense, we have about the nt consta that are twice. The only things re, and that it underlying structu bridge are its plain of paint overlaying layers fresh day, fossils changes every ges of yesterday like and encasing the messa layers of sediment. buried in augmenting

idge Project a Graffiti Br The Pensacol

U n c o v e r i N G T H E l ay e r s

can

to express s have had the desire thic period, human like Giatto, been rare geniuses, s early as the Paleoli g images. There have ts with their themselves by paintin ced original concep d the Picasso, who introdu for patrons who expecte wellCaravaggio and Pablo worked sely, , s, conver in a conservative, formal s and paintings. Most painter nal subjects and work t painter artist to illustrate traditio in addition to the infrequent, truly brillian er, “underground established style. Howev vative painters, there have always been not only was ti conser n graffi lly, commo the more graffiti. Norma not legally informal art called in places where it was painters” who created unsanctioned and painted nally destroyed, informal art, but also it was often intentio ti was unauthorized, allowed. Because graffi slowly weather away. or simply allowed to for years that Florida, there is a venue without the citizens of Pensacola, work Fortunately for the to freely display their round graffiti artists , simply referred has allowed underg the 17th Avenue Trestle year, Rachael tion. That venue is for an entire day threat of legal retribu Every . ty the constant the Graffiti Bridge to by the locals as preserving for posteri this public billboard, ts a segment of Pongetti photographed her book, she presen ing at that time. In ns she was feeling changing graffiti occurr writing both the emotio is both a and also records in ssed. Rachael’s book these photographs s as the project progre of art. proces form l t though entiona and her this unconv fascinating study into visual delight and a

, chance Pensacola, Florida

who you are from Like so many others I fknow the Graffiti Bridge. my family and I the Pensacola area,

idge Project a Graffiti Br The Pensacol

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SO YOU WA Graffiti SET-UP AND SUPPLIES: 1. Four to five gallons of paint for the entire bridge (both sides) including the top.

2. Rust-Oleum, high- performance-, professional 25 percent more, spray cans.

They spray better and dry quicker. Both Home Depot and Wal-Mart carry this brand.

3. Multiple trays to hold paint at the various paint locations (this eliminates having to cross the street) 4. Rollers and brushes for each tray or participant. Extra rollers if you are wheat pasting – See below for more details.

14 Pensacola Magazine

5. An extension handle to reach the top of the bridge.

6. Rubber gloves if concerned about dirty hands.

7. Gallon or two of water plus a towel to wipe supplies and clean hands after painting.

8. A bucket to place wet materials once done.

9. A trash bag.

10. Drinking water, cooler optional.

11. Krispy Kreme donuts and coffee. This is a must!

12. Toilet paper. I think they’ve removed the porta-potty from the site. It was never very appealing anyway.

13. A “blueprint” of the layout for that day. This is especially helpful when a lastminute volunteer shows up to help.

14. A social media plan such as hashtags and main person to do the posting is helpful. It is better to have one great image shared multiple times then several scattered. Please encourage individual sharing, but having one select image that everyone plugs can work better with Facebook’s newsfeed.

15. A shelter canopy and folding chairs.

I’ve seen a few people do this, but I never have.

By Rachael Pongetti

ANNA TAG Bridge?

BRIDGE TIPS: A. Do not use the boat parking spaces.

B. Wear good shoes for climbing and expect to get paint on everything.

C. Bring sunglasses, hat and sunscreen.

D. Cross the street with extreme caution.

There are many blind spots.

E. Early Sunday morning is the best for painting due to less traffic.

F. Painting late in the evening is easier but harder for photography and video.

WHEAT PASTE: Corn starch or flour both work well.

I would also make the paste the same consistency as cake batter.

Use laser ink printing vs. ink jet printing (ink can bleed when wet).

Thicker paper is hard to paste and thin paper tears easier.

STENCILS: Stencils (assembled with painters tape prior to painting) for any long or repeated messages. The stencils need to be durable. I have seen many stencil ideas go bad. Self-adhesive backings don’t stick well to the bridge.

Tips from Shepard Fairey: 1. Use only flat spray paint.

2. Do not let wet paint dry up on the stencil.

3. Chill, let applied paint dry before each application.

4. If reversible, keep rotating sides from which you are spraying front/back.

5. The stencils should be held flat to the surface and painted with a light mist of spray adhesive.

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this information is to share knowledge that I’ve obtained while photographing the graffiti bridge. I don’t support or condone vandalism or illegal activity relating to such. Pensacola Graffiti Bridge Project is not responsible the well-being, health and safety of individuals or groups that use this information.

Photograph and paint at your own risk.

Pensacola Magazine

15

INSIDEOUT

By Emily Echevarria

Commuters driving along Main Street through downtown Pensacola may have noticed a striking addition to the area in recent months. Emblazoned along the facade of the Pensacola Art Museum and stretched across the south-facing side of the building are an array of faces. Ninety-one large format black and white photographs show the expressive portraits of local high school students, some shy, some grinning, some pensive or stoic-seeming. All are expressing an idea of what art is.

“Art is_______________________.” is the title of the local incarnation of a global art project called Inside Out. Spearheaded locally by photographer and Pensacola High School art teacher Rachael Pongetti, along with four other art teachers from two other Escambia County high schools, the project is a large-scale participatory art project that transforms messages of personal identity into pieces of artistic work.

Originally created by the French artist and photographer known only as JR, the Inside Out Project has had more 16 Pensacola Magazine

than 260,000 people participate in 129 countries since its inception in 2013, with each version expressing its own theme and idea.

To put the project together, Pongetti worked with another Pensacola High School art teacher Andrea Cain, Escambia High art teachers Alicia Gifford and Carlie Sargent and Washington High art teacher Tanya Broom. Art students from the three schools worked together for the theme and portraits.

“The theme itself is so open ended which I really like, so everybody can kind of come up with their own interpretation,” Pongetti said. “I think it gave the students an opportunity to have that open platform to be able to express themselves.”

The images on the south-facing wall have been printed on vinyl and attached to the building, while the ones on the front of the museum have been pasted onto wooden boards using wheatpaste, a DIY adhesive that is often used to post artwork or fliers. The materials used to install it were simple and impermanent, and seeing it deteriorate over the course of time is part of the wheat paste process, Pongetti said.

“It’s good for students to see that because a lot of times, especially when you’re just getting into art, there’s a sense of perfectionism or of what it has to be,” Pongetti said.

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The project was funded through a Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival grant, something Pongetti said worked well with the community-centric nature of the Inside Out Project.

“There’s community, collaboration, and a celebration of the students themselves; there’s a celebration of three high schools coming together in a noncompetitive way to put on something really great,” said Pongetti.

“Looking at the way we got the funding and looking at how many different forces had to come together to make this happen is really exciting to me. It’s community feeding community.”

Pensacola’s Inside Out Project, “Art is_______________________.” will be on display until January 2019. For more information about the global project and partcipants around the world, visit insideout.net.

Pensacola Magazine

17

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! e n a l P a s ' t I ! d r i B a s ' It , It's...

Nope

February may conjure up images of sweet valentines and chilly, rainy days with the first rays of spring ready to burst through the clouds, but for Pensacola February means crowds of cosplayers, hanging out with celebrities, revamped menus at your favorite restaurants and a whole heck of a lot of fun.

That’s right, it’s time for Pensacon.

Needless to say, Pensacon promises to be bigger and better than last year, and with the expansion of Poseidon’s Bay behind the Pensacola Bay Center, the inclusion of Gallery Night Feb. 22 during the convention, bigger guest celebrities and much more, it’s shaping up to be just that. Kat Bishop, director of marketing and guest services for Pensacon, said they expect around 35,000 attendees at Pensacon this year, continuing its upward growth year over year.

If you’ve been in Pensacola for any amount of time, you know that Pensacon is one

ock

yn Peac

by Kaitl

of the biggest events hosted in the city, having earned a place in league with the Blue Angels air shows and the Foo Foo Fest.

But why is that? Well, according to Bishop, it’s because Pensacola really gets into the spirit of Pensacon, with the renaming of the Pensacola International Airport to the Pensacola Intergalactic Airport during the convention, bars and restaurants featuring geek-themed menus and decorations, a special Gallery Night and an entire city preparing for a weekend of nonstop events at some of the major venues around town, including the

Pensacola Bay Center, the Saenger, the Rex and Pensacola Little theatres and the Pensacola Grande Hotel.

“It’s an amazing, fun spectacle that you don’t get to see in many cities,” Bishop said. “A lot of cons, you go the con, you pay money to see the people, you stand in line, you get their autograph, then maybe go to a panel, then you leave. There’s no involvement from the town or the community. That’s what makes Pensacon stand out both to our attendees and to the celebrities because it’s just a different feel.”

It’s this “different feel” that helps Pensacon get the volume and quality of guests that visit the convention every year. The guest roster this year include more than 100 actors, artists and authors, with the likes of William Shatner, Peter Davison, Kevin Conroy, Paige O’Hara and many more expected to attend.

It seems Pensacola’s little convention has a reputation that proceeds it, with Bishop explaining that many guests ask to attend the Pensacola Magazine

19

convention, rather than having an invitation sent out to them.

“The reason we have so many guests is because celebrities and agents are constantly asking to come to Pensacon,” she said. “They have heard about Pensacon through word of mouth from other celebrities… From the beginning we tried to make sure that every guest felt welcomed, with Southern hospitality. We take really good care of them at the con and they really like that. But they also really, really love the community involvement. From the moment they land at the airport and see the “Pensacola Intergalactic Airport” with all the signs changed and the prop displays in there, they are immersed in Pensacon, and the entire city appears to be embracing the con and welcoming these people to our city, happy to have them here. It just starts it off on a good foot.”

Bishop also said that the team at Pensacon realizes just how lucky they are to have a community that supports them as much as Pensacola does. To help give back to the community, Pensacon last year had a charity livestream on Twitch that ran during the convention which raised donations for the Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital. Between the livestream during Pensacon and another charity event at a sister convention, $22,000 was raised for the hospital in 2018. This year, Pensacon will host another charity livestream during the convention that will again raise money for the Children’s Hospital. The stream will include some Twitch personalities as hosts, including GernaderJake, GSXRClyde and others. Can’t attend? Don’t worry.

This charity livestream will be available for any and all to watch and donate to have a chance to win prizes and maybe even catch a surprise visit from a guest or two.

Interested in volunteering at Pensacon?

Volunteer applications will be accepted in January, so head on over to Pensacon.com and look under the “Applications” tab to sign up. Volunteers will be required to work at least two shifts, each six hours long.

Afterward, the volunteer badges serve as weekend passes, so enjoy the convention.

“We’re really passionate about giving back to the Pensacola community, because the community has done so much for us,” Bishop said. “That’s why we raise money for Manna, for United Way, for Pensacola Children’s Chorus, for Pensacola Little Theatre. We want to make a difference in our community, so we do our best to use our platform for good and to get more attention for them.”

especially when it comes to celebrity signings and the Pensacola Bay Center. This year, to help alleviate some of the crowds, Pensacon will have a large stage for performances behind the Pensacola Bay Center, in Poseidon’s Bay, and more events will be offered throughout downtown Pensacola to help disperse the crowds throughout the city. There will also be a new ticketing schedule for some of the largest celebrity signings, where attendees will be given a ticket with a number. Attendees will be able to go through the convention while waiting for their number to be called for the signing. Still, Bishop suggested attendees give plenty of time for events they really want to go to, as some events have a limited number of seats and added safety measures around the venues will require more time to get into the building. Safety measures will include standing metal detectors and metal detector wandings at most events, especially those events inside venues throughout the city.

Cosplayers be warned that no weapons will be allowed into the convention without first being checked at the weapons check area at the Pensacola Bay Center.

If anything could be said about Pensacon, it’s that it’s almost too popular. A complaint often heard by attendees is that the crowds are hard to navigate,

Even if the crowds are a little hectic, most people who attend Pensacon agree, it’s the best place to be in Pensacola.

While the charity livestream is a central part of Pensacon’s efforts, it’s by no means the only one, with Pensacon donating to several local nonprofits throughout the year. There will also be a charity auction Feb. 24 at the Bay Center, where attendees will be able to bid on special collectors items, including banners signed by Pensacon guests from this year and last year.

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“Ninety-nine percent of attendees had a good time and said they would return, according to the surveyors that Visit Pensacola has come out and survey attendees,” Bishop said. “Obviously that’s just a sampling of the population but you find that stands to reason it’s pretty true.

“At the end of the day, that’s what’s most important,” Bishop continued. “That’s why we lose sleep and, you know, our sanity, so we can provide something for everybody to enjoy.”

Been to Pensacon before and looking for something unique to try? Try collecting all the unique T-shirts offered at Pensacon. Volunteers will be given a special T-shirt for their time and effort and the OneBlood bus will offer a Pensacon shirt for those who donate blood during the convention.

These shirts can only be obtained during the 2019 Pensacon convention.

If you’re new to Pensacon, and even if you aren’t new, the biggest advice Bishop offered is to stay hydrated during the convention and to wear good, comfortable shoes. Pensacon spans across a large portion of downtown, and February can be hot with the Florida springtime not far off.

Bring a refillable water bottle, especially if you are planning to cosplay, and find your best kicks for the weekend. Bishop also recommended downloading the Pensacon app, which will have a convention schedule, guest information, trolley stops and more.

Looking for a list of guests and all the goingson at Pensacon this year? Visit Pensacon.com for all that and more, and stay up to date on cancellations or schedule changes as convention weekend approaches.

Fashion a future that blazes new paths.

DON’T JUST BREAK BARRIERS, BREAK THE MOLD.

What will you accomplish when you decide to live life without fear, without limits?

uwf.edu/NoLimits Pensacola Magazine

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DOWNTOWN

NOIR The story of how one retired snowbird is bringing a niche moviegoing experience to Pensacola.

by Will Isern • photo by Guy Stevens 22 Pensacola Magazine

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n a recent rainy Saturday in downtown Pensacola, a group of about 40 people gathered in the first floor of the Bowden Building behind the T.T. Wentworth Museum to watch a rockclimbing documentary.

The film, Free Solo, has not received a wide release, but the moviegoers that Saturday were able to see it thanks largely to the efforts of one retired snowbird named Jim Norton.

Norton spent a career buying and renovating old theaters, including the Gulf Breeze Cinema 4, which Norton opened in 2004 and sold when he retired in 2012. That theatre eventually closed under new ownership, but Norton stayed in the area.

“In the probably 10 years that I owned Cinema 4, the biggest request I had was will you show movies in downtown Pensacola,” Norton said.

Today, as head of Pensacola Cinema Art, Norton does just that. Norton began Pensacola Cinema Art in 2015, showing art films and documentaries at properties owned by the University of West Florida Historic Trust including the Voices of Pensacola building, the Museum of Commerce and the Bowden Building.

The group is also behind the Pensacola Film Festival and the classic movies series at the Rex Theatre.

Pensacola Cinema Art is a small operation – just Norton and a handful of volunteers – but the project has gained traction in the last year. Soon, Norton will have a permanent home for Pensacola Cinema Art in the newly renovated Studer Community Institute building on Garden Street. With a dedicated screening room

and ample parking, Norton believes the group can achieve a regular schedule showing one film per week.

“To be successful we need to draw people from Pensacola Beach, Gulf Breeze, Navarre,” Norton said. “Now they know we’ll be in one venue and they know they can come downtown and they can park.

Our goal is to show first run art films year-round on a weekly basis. We’ve been operating three to four years but

“That’s one of the reasons I stay at it is that downtown Pensacola has everything else it wants.

There’s a lot of live performance at Vinyl and the Saenger, but it didn’t really have art cinema and now its one additional thing we have that will help the community grow.” we haven’t been able to do that yet but with this new space I think we should be able to.”

fancy projection systems and no online reservations. The audience at an average screening is about 25 people. Tickets are just $5 at the door.

The whole operation is possible because of Norton’s connections in the film industry. He works with small film companies to get custom releases of films that otherwise wouldn’t see distribution in Pensacola. The ticket sales basically cover the cost of getting the films.

“None of us get paid but it’s fun and it’s starting to grow a little bit,” Norton said.

Norton said he was inspired to start Pensacola Cinema Art because he saw that the city had developed a rich cultural scene, but still lacked art cinema.

“That’s one of the reasons I stay at it is that downtown Pensacola has everything else it wants,” he said. “There’s a lot of live performance at Vinyl and the Saenger, but it didn’t really have art cinema and now its one additional thing we have that will help the community grow.”

Pensacola Cinema Art’s next screening will be a partnership with the Pensacola Opera to show the 1968 adaptation of Romeo & Juliet at the Rex Theatre on Jan. 15. You can find more information, including the cinema’s schedule at PensacolaCinemaArt.com.

The movie-going experience at Pensacola Cinema Art is stripped down to the very basics. There’s no popcorn, no

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24 Pensacola Magazine

The Big

Five W

hile Pensacola is renowned for its rich history and breathtaking beaches, this small town’s big art community is also a draw for residents and visitors alike. Boasting what locals call “The Big 5,” Pensacola is the only Gulf Coast city from New Orleans to Tampa to offer a ballet, a symphony, an opera, a community theatre and an art museum.

These cornerstones of the cultural arts community have been bringing their artistic and creative visions to life for decades—all while offering an abundance of educational, philanthropic and cultural outreach programming. We caught up with the Big 5 to better understand how they operate and to find out what’s on tap for 2019.

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pensacolalittletheatre

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ensacola Little Theatre (PLT) is the community’s theatre. For more than 80 years, PLT has thrived as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and staple of the arts community by entertaining, educating and enriching Northwest Florida through volunteer-driven, live entertainment.

Both the quantity and the quality of our work is driven by a dedicated corps of volunteers in our historic setting—the Pensacola Cultural Center.

Executive Director: Sid Williams-Heath Artistic Director: Kathy Holsworth Mission: Pensacola Little Theatre (PLT) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to enrich, educate and entertain the community by providing a diverse theatre experience through volunteer-driven performances and educational outreach.

The Pensacola Little Theatre is dedicated to the maintenance and preservation of its historically significant structure, the Pensacola Cultural Center, which houses the Pensacola Little Theatre, its productions and other cultural events.

Annual Operating Budget: $1.1 Million Number of Employees: 8 full-time Primary Income Sources: Admission, Cultural Center rent and leases, tuition for education classes, grants.

Number of Productions Per Year: 12 to 15 per year under at least three umbrellas: five Mainstage (mix of traditional musicals, comedies, and dramas), four Studio 400 (our blackbox and experimental shows), 2 to 3 Treehouse shows for families and children, plus special productions. Musicals generally run for three weekends and other plays run 7 to 9 shows over two weekends.

Main Fundraising Event: Cabaret is Pensacola Little Theatre’s main annual fundraising event, planned and hosted by the Board of Trustees and staff. Cabaret transforms the theatre and surrounding block into an indoor/outdoor entertainment complex, boasting live performances, music, food, drink and auction for all to enjoy. Touted as “Pensacola’s best party," Cabaret is the perfect fusion of talent and celebration to showcase our art as the life of the party.

An example of our recent revolving Cabaret themes include Midnight in Paris, ColorMe Cabaret and Cabaret Goes Vegas, with entertainment and performances to match each affair.

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But around here, we are not all theatre. As the Pensacola Cultural Center, we are the community.

Whether supporting local visual artists, showcasing diverse dance groups, hosting corporate seminars and festivals, shaping the minds of young talent through our education department, partnering with other local non-profits or providing an opportunity to gather for worship—we’re here to give back the same support that you give us.

Outreach: PLT’s traveling theatre, Beyond Boundaries, takes theatre into underserved communities where children and parents from low-income or minority households can enjoy watching a performance or taking part in a production through our workshops and classes. Beyond Boundaries performances have also been well received by audiences at nursing homes, community centers, libraries, Title I schools and other areas throughout our community.

As the Pensacola Cultural Center, PLT also partners with community events and businesses throughout the year, such as Studer Community Institute’s EntreCon and CiviCon, Pensacon, Stamped Film Festival and countless others. In addition, PLT engages with other non-profit organizations through our performances. Whether helping our furry friends at the Pensacola Humane Society with an adoption day during our run of CATS, collecting winter wear benefitting the Gulf Coast Kid's’ House during our performances of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, hosting one of WEAR’s Communities Caring at Christmas donation locations or partnering with

Temple Beth El to produce diverse performances for their members, we understand that it truly takes a village.

2019 Forecast: Our season runs from July to June, so we are looking forward to our spring shows including the touching comedy, THE CEMETERY CLUB, a hilarious murder mystery madcap show THE 39 STEPS, plus the Broadway and movie hit, SISTER ACT. Kids and families will delight in THE VELVETEEN RABBIT (our school show is already sold out!) as well as ONCE UPON A SHOE, our summer show for very young audiences and actors.

Our Studio400 Series still has a fun night of one acts in our popular SHORT ATTENTION SPAN THEATRE as well as the challenging and sexy VENUS IN FUR. Also on the slate for February is a special collaborative project with Pensacola Opera, MASTER CLASS, based on the life stories of Maria Callas and co-starring this year’s Artists in Residence as well as Artistic Director Kathy Holsworth.

We will announce our new season for ‘19-’20 in the late spring. We have great things coming up next year, too!

ounded in 1983 by community volunteers, Pensacola Opera is the only opera company in NWFL and one of only five professional opera companies affiliated with OPERA America in the state.

Our mainstage productions feature acclaimed artists who regularly appear throughout the world. Pensacola Opera has been fortunate to count some of the most talented industry professionals among its leadership over the past 20 years. In 2000, the company welcomed Kyle Marrero as artistic director, who grew the company into the professional and renowned organization it is today. Upon Kyle’s retirement in 2018, Pensacola Opera saw the fruition of a three-year

Executive Director: Chandra McKern Artistic Director: Jerome Shannon To enrich the culture of Northwest Florida by producing professional opera performances, educational programs and other opera-related community events for people of all ages, interests and backgrounds.

Annual Operating Budget: $1.2 Million Number of Employees: 6 full time, 1 part time Primary Income Sources: Ticket sales, sponsorships and annual giving Number of Productions Per Year: 2 mainstage, 1 smaller venue showcase

transition plan which welcomed Jerome Shannon as artistic director and Chandra McKern as executive director. In 2003, the company established the Artists in Residence program to continue our commitment to the identification, training, and nurturing of promising young singers. More than 200 singers audition each year for the five coveted residencies. Program alumni have won opera’s most prestigious competitions and perform on some of opera’s largest stages. Each year through our education programs, these artists positively impact more than 40,000 children and adults in the community.

Main Fundraising Event: Jukebox Gala in October and Operazzi Ball in April

61% Percentage of schools visited with more than half of their students receiving free or reduced lunch

Outreach: 14,916 Number of K-12 students who experienced a performance last school year

Counties served: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Bay, Baldwin (AL)

46 Number of schools and home school groups who experienced a performance last school year 30,884 Number of audience members who experienced a performance through the education and community programs last year 55 Number of pop-up performances in restaurants, festivals, galleries and community events last year

43 Number of original operas created by students through From Words to Music program since 2007 37 Number of mainstage dress rehearsals open to students since 2000 Most Notable For: World-class professional opera productions and free education programs

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2019 Forecast: Romeo & Juliet - January 25 and 27 Florencia in the Amazon - March 15 and 17 As One - November

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pensacolasymphonyorchestra

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ow in its 93rd season, Pensacola Symphony Orchestra continues to seek ways to fulfill its mission of promoting the well being of the Greater Pensacola community through excellence in live symphonic music and lifelong learning through engaging musical activities. From the stage, PSO’s goal is to provide the Pensacola community

Executive Director: Bret Barrow Music Director: Peter Rubardt Mission: Our mission at the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra is to promote the well being of the Greater Pensacola community through excellence in live symphonic music and lifelong learning through engaging musical activities.

Annual Operating Budget: $1.3 million Number of Employees: 9 full or part-time employees and 120 musicians Primary Income Sources: Contributed income from individuals, businesses and foundations; earned income through ticket sales; governmental support Number of Productions Per Year: We present eight concerts at the Saenger Theatre during our season, which runs from October to April, but there are several additional opportunities to hear the orchestra. There is our annual Music for Families concert, the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival, Mozart Madness and July 4th at the Amphitheater.

Main Fundraising Event: Center Stage | March 29, 2019 Vinyl Music Hall On March 29, 2019, the Pensacola Symphony will present Center Stage: A Benefit Concert. This event will take place at Vinyl Music Hall and feature a swing,

with transformative musical experiences through performances with world-renowned artists. In addition to enlivened performances, PSO’s “Beyond the Stage” program brings musical experiences to the Pensacola community in settings that include schools, retirement communities, healthcare facilities and galleries.

soul and blues-inspired performance by vocalist Dee Daniels. All funds raised at Center Stage will support PSO’s Beyond the Stage program for community engagement and education.

Outreach: Beyond the Stage programming shares music with the Pensacola community in schools, healthcare facilities and neighborhoods.

This program works in partnership with amazing organizations like The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart, Covenant Care, Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, the Pensacola Community Music School, Azalea Trace Retirement Community and three area middle and high schools. Through Beyond the Stage, PSO’s professional musicians teach, mentor and interact with members of the community who are underserved or have limited access to music. All services of Beyond the Stage are provided to our partner organizations at no cost, so we rely on the generosity of individuals and businesses to support this important program.

Most Notable For: Whether it is from the stage at the Saenger or in another setting, meaningful musical experiences are what we hope to be known for within our community.

2019 Forecast: From monumental works to historic guest artists, 2019 promises to be an exciting year for the Symphony. In the largest orchestral undertaking of the 2018-19 season, PSO will be performing Mahler’s Sixth

Symphony on March 9. At times grim and moody, yet relentlessly compelling, this masterwork was born from the composer’s own grappling with fate. Mahler said that “a symphony must be like the world. It must embrace everything,” and his Sixth Symphony does just that.

On April 27, composer Gabriela Lena Frank joins us to share her own work, Apu: Tone Poem for Orchestra, inspired by Peruvian folk music. Frank will discuss others who have inspired her work, including 20thcentury composer Béla Bartók, whose Concerto for Orchestra is also included on the program.

In November, the orchestra will welcome pianist Garrick Ohlsson. There are certain guest artists who elevate the experience that the orchestra can bring to the audience, and Ohlsson is one of those artists. The Seattle Times said of Ohlsson, “There are no histrionics, no flailing or thumping or grandstanding, just an incredible technique with razor-sharp accuracy, producing a sound so lush it almost glistens.” Just last year, Ohlsson appeared with the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and countless other leading orchestras from around the world.

We are thrilled that support from several of our visionary donors has made it possible for an artist of this caliber to join us in Pensacola.

ince its founding in 1978, Ballet Pensacola has served Northwest Florida and the surrounding communities by developing an appreciation and knowledge of the art of dance through excellent dance education, performances and outreach.

Ballet Pensacola’s Academy is in its 40th year of service and provides dance instruction to more than 300 students each year from the main campus at the Pensacola Cultural Center and other branch studios.

Ballet Pensacola’s specially trained artistic staff and faculty teach from Ballet Pensacola’s syllabus to provide challenging and enriching dance education. Ballet is the primary dance instruction provide at Ballet Pensacola

Executive Director: Frank Giammaria Artistic Director: Richard Steinert Mission: To enhance the cultural life of the community by developing an appreciation and knowledge of the art of dance through quality dance education and excellent performances.

Annual Operating Budget: $875,000 Number of Employees: 41 (7 senior staff) (8 teachers) (27 artists) Primary Income Sources: Earned income, mostly consisting of ticket sales and Academy tuition is approximately 70 percent of revenues. Contributed income from sponsorships, grants and gifts makes up the other 30 percent of revenues.

Number of Productions Per Year: Seven to eight depending on the season.

Ballet Pensacola produces four main stage productions every year that include a Fall show, The Nutcracker in December, a Winter production and a Spring production. The company also performs an abbreviated Nutcracker at Seaside, Fl. Ballet Pensacola also performs during Foo Foo Fest, usually in collaboration with another local arts organization.

but students are also offered instruction in contemporary movement, Broadway dance, tap and jazz styles.

Ballet Pensacola is the area’s only resident professional ballet company, presenting a varied repertoire of classical and contemporary works. Performances are choreographed and directed by Artistic Director Richard Steinert with support from Ballet Mistress Christine Duhon. Production Manager Lance Brannon prepares the set/props, lighting, and music. The performing company is led by paid, professional dancers recruited from around the country to live, train and perform in Pensacola.

The company is supported by the top talent of Ballet Pensacola’s Academy.

Main Fundraising Event: Ballet & BBQ | March 10, 2019 Sanders Beach Community Center Outreach: Discover Dance: This educational outreach program features Ballet Pensacola’s professional company performing in elementary schools across a two-county footprint (Escambia & Santa Rosa). The program introduces many children to the art of dance for the first time through a visually exciting dance performance.

Capstone Academy: Ballet Pensacola teaches weekly classes August through May at two Capstone Academy campuses. Capstone Academy is a school for developmentally delayed children or children at risk for developmental delay. These students often have limited mobility and cognitive abilities. While speech, physical and occupational therapy are a regular part of students’ routines, BP saw an opportunity to make this therapy even more engaging with the addition of weekly dance classes. Offered free of charge to the students and Capstone, the classes provide students with the opportunity to enhance their motor skills, build body awareness and improve socialization and communication.

Other: Ballet Pensacola also has many outreach partnerships to provide tickets to local groups that have patrons that might not otherwise be able to afford tickets to a show.

The ballet has toured shows along the east coast and has professional partnerships with organizations like the University of Cincinnati Art Conservatory.

Most Notable For: A professional Children’s Academy teaching ballet in the Pensacola area for 40 years. Original and provocative performances that combine the aesthetics of contemporary work while remaining on a strong foundation of classical training and stagecraft. A full design and build facility with a full time staff of designers and technicians to build sets, props and scenery.

A strong hiring history of professional dancers recruited from around the world to live, train and perform in Pensacola.

2019 Forecast: Ballet Pensacola wraps up it’s 2018-19 season with performances of Divas in February and Cinderella in April. The 2019-20 season hasn’t been settled on as far as artistic performances, but we expect to continue growing the ballet’s ticket sales and fundraising efforts.

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In addition to these performances, the Academy students also perform at the end of every year during Showcase. There is also a special show made for children every year as part of our Children’s Series.

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pensacolaMUSEUMOFART

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he Pensacola Museum of Art is part of the UWF Historic Trust Museums belonging to the University of West Florida. The Pensacola Museum of Art offers engaging cross-disciplinary exhibitions, educational programming, and a growing collection of modern and contemporary art of the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The museum aims to promote the understanding and appreciation Executive Director: Amy-Bowman McElhone is the Assistant Vice President of the UWF Historic Trust Museums and Director & Chief Curator at the Pensacola Museum of Art. Mission: The mission of the Pensacola Museum of Art is to be a bridge to the visual arts for the diverse populations of Pensacola and the surrounding communities by providing an array of exhibitions, collecting and preserving works of art and implementing audiencespecific educational programs to inspire and encourage an appreciation of the arts.

Number of Employees: The UWF Historic Trust has 27 employees, 14 of which work exclusively on Pensacola Museum of Art projects.

Primary Income Sources: Funding through the University of West Florida, corporate sponsorships and citizen donors in the community.

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of art and ideas to audiences in the Northwest Florida region and beyond. We endeavor to create a dialogue between university and community audiences by engendering experiences of joy, discovery and creativity through diverse perspectives and the transdisciplinary interactions of art, culture, the humanities, science and technology.

Number of Productions Per Year: 60 plus events per year are held at the Pensacola Museum of Art which includes educational programs, exhibition openings, lectures, gallery talks, film screenings, performances and symposia.

Outreach: The PMA works closely with Escambia County Schools to present the 65th annual Youth Art Focus. The PMA also partners with Autism Pensacola to program Art Academy for Autism which focuses on nurturing artistic development and abstract thinking skills within a group environment. FSU’s Center for Autism Related Disorders has recognized the PMA as an autism-friendly organization. The PMA also works closely with the PACE Center for Girls to provide development of artistic abilities through a creative learning environment at the center. The promotion of self-expression is supported through the program and the PMA provides an exhibition of the student’s work.

Most Notable For: The museum sits on the corners of Main and Jefferson Street in Downtown Pensacola in a historic Spanish Revival building which previously acted as a jail in the early 1900s and later became an art center in the 1950s by the American Association of University Women.

2019 Forecast: On Feb. 8, the UWF Museum Plaza Grand Opening will be held in the green space behind T.T Wentworth Florida State Museum. This multi-use space, owned by the UWF Historic Trust, provides new opportunities for programming through all Historic Trust museums, including the PMA, for educational and event space. Upcoming exhibitions will show off our permanent collection, explore visual culture, and cultivate new, cutting-edge art and cultural experiences to the Pensacola area as we bolster our awareness and support in our local region.

Jonathan Frakes

William Shatner

Star Trek: The next Generation

Star Trek

Summer Glau Firefly

Colin Baker Doctor Who

Star Wars

Doctor Who

Monica Rial Dragonball z

Kevin Conroy

Loren Lester

Batman: The Animated Series

Batman: The Animated Series

Diane Pershing

Batman: The Animated Series

Christopher Sabat

Austin St. John

Joonas Suotamo

Catherine Tate

Mighty MOrphin Power Rangers

Linda Larkin

Irene Bedard Paige O’Hara

Aladdin

Pocahontas

Beauty & The Beast

Dragonball Z

Gil Gerard

Erin Gray

Buck ROgers in the 25th Century

Buck ROgers in the 25th Century

Felix Silla

Buck ROgers in the 25th Century

Tahmoh Penikett Battlestar Galactica

Tricia Helfer

Battlestar Galactica

Ricky Whittle American Gods

Orlando Jones American Gods

Celebrities • Authors • Artists • Gaming • Outdoor Activities Panels • Workshops • Cosplay Contest and so much MORE!

Get your tickets now day and weekend passes on sale!

Pensacola Magazine

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Bush Dweller, Vivian Spencer

32 Pensacola Magazine

Shadow + Light The fine art of photography

compiled by Kelly Oden

M

any in Pensacola are aware of our abundance of commercial photographers—those who shoot weddings, architecture, family portraits and corporate headshots—but what we don’t see quite as often are the works of our local fine art photographers. Fine art photography focuses on the inspiration and vision of the artist, rather than satisfaction of a client or commercial appeal, to create a unique, original body of professional work.

To celebrate our local arts scene, Pensacola Magazine profiled a few local fine art photographers to learn about their backgrounds, inspiration, technique and more.

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K r ist e n R e ga n

by Steven Gray

Describe your work or style: Over the years I have enjoyed working with organic materials to create still lifes to investigate photography with a scientific curiosity. My newest series “Plastisphere” expands on this theme by creating still life sculptures from discarded plastic to question a culture of consumerism and sustainability.

What kind of equipment do you use? What’s your process? Digital?

Analog? Why? I like to experiment with different mediums and methods of presentation to bridge the gap between traditional photography and other forms of artistic expression. I enjoy shooting film but recently my work has transformed into digital composites. Ultimately a body of work will dictate the medium that is used, sometimes evolving throughout the series. My latest series began as sculptural pieces that I photographed and then manipulated in Photoshop.

I recently used the wet plate collodion process to make direct images of the plastic sculptures.

This historic photographic process involves coating a glass or metal plate with a viscous solution and submerging it in silver nitrate to sensitize it to light, exposing the plate and finally hand pouring developer to create a unique tintype. I may incorporate additional analog processes into my work if it fits the concept.

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Kristen Regan received a Master of Fine Art degree at Savannah College of Art and Design and a Bachelor of Fine Art degree in Photography from the School of Visual Arts in New York.

Over the years travel has been a driving force in her work. She has traveled extensively through Europe as well as to India, Egypt and Venezuela and is currently an Associate Professor of

Photography at Pensacola State College. Her work has been published in national publications as well as numerous photographic catalogs. She has had multiple solo and two-person exhibitions and her photographs have been featured in galleries in Puerto Rico, New York, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Colorado and Louisiana.

You use a variety of unique materials in your work.

How are you inspired to incorporate these elements? Does the concept come first or the materials?

I was motivated to create the "Plastisphere" series after watching a video of plankton eating microplastics proving that tiny bits of plastic have been introduced into our food chain through bioaccumulation. After researching plankton, I was inspired by the stunning delicate structures to create my own interpretation of these creatures using plastic. During weekly beach cleanups with Ocean Hour, I collected discarded bottles and used a blowtorch to melt the plastic. The thin translucent plastic looked like liquid glass, and I fell in love with the new delicate sculptural qualities of the transformed bottles.

The resulting pieces were shot on a black background with a ring light to emulate the look of scientific slides of plankton specimens. In the past, I have worked intuitively but recently I started conceptually and allowed the process of working with the materials to inform the final product.

Ctenophora Aquafinas 20" x 20"

Much of your work seems to have a connection to scientific, environmental or political concepts and issues. Tell me how these topics inspire you.

Plastic pollution has become a global epidemic with more than eight million metric tons entering the world’s seas every year and I am passionate about minimizing my impact on the environment. Ocean Hour is a non-profit dedicated to weekly cleanups of local beaches and waterways. I enjoy attending cleanups and I encourage others to

Eviana Aurelia 20" x 20"

SHADOW + LIGHT

Polycystine Heinzia 20" x 20"

on floating plastic. These drifting habitats have the potential to host dangerous pathogens and leach toxic chemicals into their aquatic environments. The "Plastisphere" series was created using discarded plastic to create abstract still lifes to question a culture of consumerism and sustainability.

The images are printed on aluminum and range in size from 20” x 20” to 30” x 30”.

Where can people see your work?

The "Plastisphere" series will be on view through April 7 for PhotoNOLA at Luna Fine Art Gallery @ The Mercantile Hotel in New Orleans. PhotoNOLA is an annual festival of photography currently in its thirteenth year with exhibitions taking place in venues citywide.

get involved to make a difference in our community.

I researched a variety of plankton and attempted to create new ‘specimens’ complete with scientific-like names that incorporate the brand name of the product with a creature it was inspired by. The image Sapphirina Dasania references the type of water bottle photographed, “Dasani” and “Sapphirina," a tiny Crustacean known as a Sea Sapphire. The males of the species flash a brilliant iridescent blue color that scientists think play a role in communication and mate recognition. Another example would be Ctenophora Aquafinas, named for the Aquafina bottle used and the resemblance to a Comb Jellyfish. Ctenophores

(Greek for “comb-bearers”) have fused cilia arranged along the sides of the animal. Many ctenophores, like various other planktonic organisms, are bioluminescent.

In a way, I am inventing my own species of plastic plankton.

Tell me about your use of the circle crop to display your images.

I am drawn to circles, bubbles and spheres for their perfect shape and form. My images that take a circular format often reference the cyclical nature of life. Ultimately the final image dictates the specific aspect ratio.

As an arts educator, do you ever find yourself inspired by your student’s work?

How does teaching art make you a better artist?

Every year I am fortunate to have students of all ages that motivate me with their creativity. It is inspiring to be surrounded with fresh views on photography as a medium to express themselves.

When I started teaching photography it became clear that I would need to study harder than when I was in school so I could keep my material fresh and updated.

Five pieces from the "Plastisphere" series were purchased by Innisfree hotels for their private collection to be displayed in their Executive Boardroom at the Hilton on Pensacola Beach.

My work will be on display for the Faculty Exhibition at Pensacola State College from January 21 to March 13. I am scheduled to give a presentation based on the "Plastisphere" series at the LIDA film festival in New York on Feb. 9. My website KristenRegan.com features several bodies of work.

What are you currently working on?

My current body of work is "Plastisphere," the term was created to reference the ecosystem of microbial organisms that form Pensacola Magazine

35

vivia n s p e n c e r Vivian Spencer is a native of Pensacola and regionally known as an artist, curator, lecturer and professor. She holds a MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland, where she was a Graduate Art Fellow. Spencer has exhibited her photographs extensively and her work is represented in many public and private collections, including the Pensacola Museum of Art, The Cinco Banderas, the West Florida Regional Library, and the collection of the City of Hagawara, Japan.

Recent awards include visiting artist to the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, The Ars Longa, Vita Brevis, artist of the year award

and Edna Rivers Excellence in Teaching award.

Additionally, her work has been published in Contemporary Photographers, Illford Corporation, Florida History and Art Magazine, Florida Division of Historical Resources and several one-person and group exhibition catalogs.

Spencer is Director of the Anna Lamar Switzer Gallery and the Charles W. Lamar Studio, Pensacola State College, where she curates a combination of regional and national exhibitions, publishes catalogs and arranges for visiting artists, workshops and lectures.

You’ve been called a photo artist. What is the difference between that and a photographer?

I approach photography with an artist’s’ sensibility, creating pictorial images in the studio.

That is more aliened with those images of Edward Steichen, Anne Brigman and Alfred Stieglitz in nature. My philosophy is expressed well by John Szarkowski, who was a photographer, curator, historian and critic. From 1962 to 1991 Szarkowski was the director of photography at New York's Museum of Modern Art. He believed that the photographs could be seen either as “mirrors,” which he described as being an expression of the photographer’s sensibilities or “windows through which the exterior world is explored in all its presence and reality.”

The “mirror” strategy, to which I subscribe, focuses on selfexpressive photography more that the “window” element in which photographers like Diane Arbus and Garry Winogrand leave their comfort zone to explore the external world.

36 Pensacola Magazine

Sail Away What kind of equipment do you use? What’s your process?

I photograph with a Fuji X100s digital camera with a fixed 50mm lens. The beauty of this camera is that it emulates a film camera with its exposure controls. The Fuji X100s is intuitive to use which lends itself to preconceived image making. Also I tend to shoot only 36 images in each session; also replicating shooting with film.

In setting up the studio, I have a

variety of hand painted backdrops to choose from. The backdrop sets the stage for the photo shoot; which also provides the painterly element to the final image.

Whether I am photographing animal skulls, antique books or fruit in a larder box, the lighting is the star. Once the still life is composed; all studio lights are turned off. The camera is set for a long time exposure, usually eight to12 seconds. With only a LED

flashlight in hand, I trip the shutter and begin to bathe the scene with this singular light source. The result has a painterly quality that softens the objects and gives a mysterious atmosphere to the overall piece.

What kinds of concepts and inspirations are woven into your work?

My method of working is intuitive.

I will collect objects that I am attracted to that look as if they have a history or a back-story. Organic

SHADOW + LIGHT

Collection from a Morning Walk elements such as branches, vines and flowers are also vast source of inspiration. Often with a personal story or memory in mind, I will just begin to assemble the still life in a way that speaks to me.

Memories of my time in Japan as a visiting artist have been a great source of inspiration. It is amazing to me to start a photographic project with vague notions of what I am creating, to end with a beautiful image that captures the emotions and memories of sitting on the banks of the Kamo River in Kyoto under the light of the full moon.

Why large scale?

Not all, but most of my photographs are printed 16” x 20” or larger. In keeping with the pictorial approach to

photography, I present the images as paintings, relatively large, printed on canvas, with heavy wooden frames.

I believe there is a preconceived notion of what a photograph is and should be. I like to challenge that notion. To expand the thinking of what is considered a photograph harkens back to origins of the history of photography.

Since the generally accepted definition of photography is the method of recording the image of an object through the action of light, derived from the Greek photos (“light”) and graphein (“to draw”), my photographs are the result of drawing with light.

Oranges

Pensacola Magazine

37

J . D . H aywa r d

J.D. Hayward, born 1949, has been shooting photographs since 1969 and has worked out of his downtown Pensacola studio since the late 1990s.

Early on, his commercial portrait style was influenced by the renowned New York photographers Richard Avedon and Irving Penn, who specialized in black and white fashion photography. As he began experimenting with personal landscape work, he developed a surrealistic style influenced by artist Rene Magritte.

Eventually, he began combining multiple negatives into a single print, creating complex images that art critic James Nelson characterized as "charming, witty, sometimes amusing and always provocative." Hayward's work is represented in numerous museum and private collections and was presented by the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs at a oneman show in the Governor's Gallery at the capitol. Amherst Media of New York published a book titled "Dramatic Black and White Photograph," a collection of Hayward's work.

Moon Tracks What attracts you to black and white talk, the subject generally becomes comfortable in front of the camera, and I am able to create photography?

When you look at a color photograph, the eye is attracted the pigments, or simply stated, the color. In a black and white photograph, you are forced to truly look at the image itself.

Your portraits have a lot of texture and seem to tell a story; how do you bring this out of your subjects?

For the studio work, I thank the customer for making an appointment, and then ask "What made you choose our studio?" As we begin to

38 Pensacola Magazine

a portrait that reflects who the person is rather than a staged portrait.

Your photo montage work is very different from your portraiture. How do you develop those concepts and compositions?

In portrait work, I'm doing my best to present the person in the most flattering light and composition possible. My photo montages reflect ideas and concepts that pop into my head. I've been told that my surreal whimsical

landscapes come across with such conviction that the viewer often begins to doubt reality—or the sanity of the photographer.

What are you currently working on?

I'm currently working on new group of executive portraits for Pensacola Christian College.

Where can people see your work?

My work can be seen at my studio downtown, 120 South Baylen Street, by appointment, 438-0416.

SHADOW + LIGHT

Above:

Plantation Bedroom

Below:

Jafee

Pensacola Magazine

39

J e f f Waldo r f f I believe a great photo captures a moment that transcends the sum of its technical elements. It can have a mood that evokes an emotion of peace and tranquility or excitement and exhilaration. It doesn’t have to tell a story in a narrative way; it doesn’t have to have animals or people or be taken in some exotic location. A great photo can convey a moment in time in such a way that puts the viewer

40 Pensacola Magazine

in the present of that moment much like a good book can take a person to places they've never been to before. Or, it may be that one photo out of a thousand that captures a moment of heightened tension between hunter and prey. I believe it is the challenge of searching, capturing and processing a great photo which is the art of photography.

SHADOWS + LIGHT

Describe your work or style: Nature landscape and wildlife photography.

felt that closeness with nature that I use for inspiration when seeking and taking my photos.

What kind of equipment do you use? What’s your process?

Digital? Analog? Why?

What is your most unique story about photographing outdoors or photographing wildlife?

A Canon 5D Mark IV, a large assortment of lenses and a Gitzo tripod. I currently shoot digital because of the many advantages over film (i.e. image quality, cost, weight and convenience).

While photographing Navarre Beach one morning, I almost stepped on a ghost crab where he appeared to be napping…or daydreaming. I got on my stomach to take some photos when he suddenly jumped up. With my camera only inches from him, he rushed at my lens cover and grabbed it with no intentions of letting go! Fortunately, he didn’t get my finger! Eventually he settled down so I spent a few moments taking his picture and then we both went our separate ways.

How did you go from engineer to photographer?

After 20 years working in the engineering field, I decided to take up photography as a hobby. I soon discovered the creative potential that digital photography offered and combined my new-found skills with my passion for nature. Ten years later I retired from my "regular" job as an engineer to become a fulltime nature photographer.

What draws you to shoot landscapes and wildlife?

As a child, I was fascinated by nature and the native wildlife of NW Florida where I spent most of my time outside chasing bugs and lizards. I've always

What is it about the Gulf Coast specifically that draws you to photograph it?

I was born in Fort Walton Beach and the Emerald Coast is my home and the only place I want to be. I enjoy finding and photographing the hidden natural beauty that others may have overlooked.

Pensacola Magazine

41

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play/live/give Pensacola Beach Marathons January 12

Run along a fast and flat race route along the beachfront shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico in the Florida panhandle area at the Pensacola Beach Half Marathon, 10K and 5K Jan. 12 starting at 8 a.m.. The marathons features a course that is open to both runners and walkers (in the 10K and 5K races) and takes participants along this city’s scenic waterfront along paved roads between the Gulf of Mexico and the Santa Rosa Sound.

The race is also a flexible one for participants who aren’t sure exactly which race they want to run – if you’ve registered for the 10K and decide you want to run the half-marathon in mid-race or vice versa, you’re welcome to do so. For more information, visit marathons. ahotu.com or call 435-9222.

Pensacola Mardi Gras Kick Off

Beautiful Beginnings Bridal Expo

January 5

January 6

The Historic streets of downtown will host Pensacola Mardi Gras Kick Off Celebration Jan. 5 starting at 5 pm. This celebration is free to everyone. Come join the celebration at the 2018 Mardi Gras Kick Off along with the Krewes; their King and Queens for the upcoming season, King Cake and the town crier. For more information, visit pensacolamardigras.com.

Getting married in 2019? Join other birdes-tobe for the 16th annual Beautiful Beginnings Bridal Expo, Jan. 6 from 11 am to 4 pm at the Pensacola Bay Center. More than 100 wedding professionals will be on site with displays, information, samples and more. Children 12 and under are free and do not need a ticket.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 the day of the event. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit pensacolabaycenter.com.

Improvable Cause Show January 5

Pensacola Little Theater will host an Improvable Cause (IC) show Jan. 5 at 10:30 pm and will continue to have shows the first Saturday of every month. IC is Pensacola's only professional improv comedy troupe.

Everything is created in the moment with audience suggestions, so each show is different.

IC shows are edge-of-your-seat theatre where anything can happen, and usually does. For more information or to buy tickets, visit www. pensacolalittletheatre.com.

Kinky Boots January 9

Pensacola’s Saenger Theatre will host a production of Kinky Boots Jan. 9 at 7:30 pm.

Kinky Boots is Broadway’s huge-hearted, highheeled hit. With songs by Grammy and Tony winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper, this joyous musical celebration is about the friendships we discover and the belief that you can change the world when you change your mind. Ticket prices start at $58. For more information, visit www.pensacolasaenger.com or contact the Saenger Theatre Box office at 595-3880.

Black Jacket Symphony presents: Queen’s Night at the Opera January 11

Pensacola’s Saenger Theatre will host the Black Jacket Symphony which will be preforming their concert Queen’s Night at the Opera, featuring Marc Martel, Jan. 11 at 8 pm.

The Black Jacket Symphony offers a unique concert experience through recreating classic albums in a live performance setting. The performance is separated into two sets. The first set features the album being recreated as a true symphonic piece. The second set, which features a selection of the album artist's "greatest hits," opens in full contrast to the first set with an incredible light display and the symphony being much more laid back.

The tone is set very quickly that the show will feature the high level of musicianship of the act being covered and will also be accompanied by all the bells and whistles of a major rock and roll show. Ticket prices start at $25. For more information, visit www.pensacolasaenger.com or contact the Saenger Theatre Box office at 595-3880.

Pensacola Magazine

43

play/live/give Kane Brown January 11

Kane Brown, along with special guests Granger Smith and Raelynn, will be performing at the Pensacola Bay Center January 11 at 7 pm.

Breakout artist Kane Brown’s Platinum-selling critically acclaimed No.1 debut album instantly topped the Billboard Top Country Album chart and debuted Top 5 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Known for his fiercely loyal and passionate fan base, Brown’s debut album has celebrated the most weeks at No.1 of any album since December 2016 and earned him accolades as one of “31 People Changing The South” by Time Magazine. Ticket prices start at $31. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit pensacolabaycenter.com.‬

Kevin Hart January 13

Kevin Hart is returning to the Pensacola Bay Center after having to cancel his previous stop due to inclement weather. Hart’s last multicity domestic and international “What Now” comedy tour sold out large venues all over the world, including being the first comedian to sell out an NFL stadium, selling more than 50,000 tickets in one show at Lincoln Financial Field. Internationally, he sold out more than a dozen arenas in the European market, selling more than 150,000 tickets, and sold out arenas across Australia, selling 100,000 tickets. Hart’s hit comedy tour grossed more than $100 million worldwide. Ticket prices start at $42.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit pensacolabaycenter.com.

Global Trivia Night at Brew Ha Ha January 14

Show off your worldly knowledge at the Global Trivia Night Jan. 14 at 5 pm while you enjoy brew and pub fare at Brew Ha Ha Pensacola.

Tickets support The Global Corner's mission of providing opportunities for the children of Northwest Florida to learn about world languages, cultures and geography through their elementary school passport experience program. Tickets are $48 per person or $90 a couple. Visit www.theglobalcorner.org to purchase tickets or call 332-6404 for more information.

44 Pensacola Magazine

Glen Miller Orchestra Concert January 15

The Glenn Miller Orchestra will be performing at the National Naval Aviation Museum Jan. 15 from 7 pm to 9 pm. The world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra, a fully self-contained 19 member group, is the most popular and sought after big band in the world today. Since 1956, the band has been consistently performing an average of 300 live dates each year world wide.

Come hear one of the greatest bands of all time as they bring unique jazz and big band sounds to Pensacola. For more information, visit navalaviationmuseum.org.

Evita

Evolve ’n Thrive Kick Off Weekend

Pensacola’s Saenger Theatre will host a production of Evita Jan. 17 at 7:30 pm. Eva Peron enthralled a nation and enchanted the world. Her story unfolds in Evita, the Tony award winning Best Musical, a high flying theatrical experience that adored the world over. Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's groundbreaking musical captures the rise and fall of one of the world's most glamorous first ladies in this classic Broadway and London hit. Ticket prices start at $58. For more information, visit www.pensacolasaenger.com or contact the Saenger Theatre Box office at 595-3880.

January 18 through 20

January 17

Evolve 'n Thrive presents its inaugural Kick Off Weekend: Friday Night Meet 'n Greet/Party at Caberet, the Gay...la Masquerade Ball and Sunday Brunch Bash at The Vineyard. For the ball, wear your favorite mask (or pick one up on site) and formal attire (black tie optional).

Tickets include heavy hors d'oeuvres and two drink tickets, and of course, the show. Allies welcome. Times will include Jan. 18 from 6 pm to 9 pm, Jan. 19 from 9 pm to midnight and Jan. 20 from 10 am to 5 pm. Discounted hotel accommodations are available. For more information, visit evolventhrive.com.

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play/live/give The Cemetery Club January 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26 and 27

Pensacola Little Theater will host productions of “The Cemetery Club” throughout January.

This production is Ivan Menchell's story of love and loss, directed by Mark Core-Noel. Three Jewish widows–Ida, Lucille and Doris –meet once a month for tea before going to visit their husband's graves. The show is described as sweet, funny and poignant. For more information or to buy tickets, visit www.pensacolalittletheatre.com.

spectacle of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture.” The program also features Robert Sheena, Principal English Horn of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and arguably the best English Horn player in America today. Sheena will perform Two Sonnets After Shakespeare, a work commissioned for him and only performed once before. Casual attire is welcome as we enjoy these works and others by Bach and Daugherty. Ticket prices start at $23. For more information, visit www.pensacolasaenger.com or contact the Saenger Theatre Box office at 595-3880.

Pensacola Symphony Orchestra presents: Beethoven and Blue Jeans

Pensacola Symphony Orchestra presents: The Envelope, Please

January 19

Pensacola’s Saenger Theatre will host the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra which will be preforming their concert The Envelope, Please Feb. 2 at 7:30 pm. From Broadway to Hollywood, this concert features award-winning music that has captured our imagination.

Tony-nominee and film star Susan Egan joins the PSO for this high-energy evening featuring

Pensacola’s Saenger Theatre will host the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra which will be preforming their concert Beethoven and Blue Jeans Jan. 19 at 7:30 pm. Known for musical variety and surprising soloists, Beethoven and Blue Jeans continues that legacy with Beethoven’s Symphony No.8 and the rousing

February 2

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favorites from Hamilton, My Fair Lady, The Way We Were and Beauty and the Beast, where Egan had her most high-profile Broadway role as the original “Belle.” Ticket prices start at $23. For more information, visit www.pensacolasaenger. com or contact the Saenger Theatre Box office at 595-3880.

Double Bridge Run February 2

The Pensacola Double Bridge Run Presented is one of the premier 15K races in the country and it will be held Feb. 2 from 7:30 am to noon.

The 15K carries runners over two bridges, across Pensacola Bay and Santa Rosa Sound. It will run from downtown Pensacola with a tour that includes the historic district and picturesque Bayfront Parkway, a run through Gulf Breeze and onto Pensacola Beach. The 5K invites both runners and walkers to travel from Gulf Breeze to beautiful Pensacola Beach on Santa Rosa Island and the Gulf Islands Seashore. For more information, visit pensacolasports.org.

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Ice Flyers Schedule The ice is heating up as the 2018/19 Pensacola Ice Flyers season continues. It’s already cold outside, make sure you have some fun this chilly winter season. Below are all currently scheduled games for the month.

Any game with a ‘vs.’ will be hosted at the Pensacola Bay Center. For game updates, to buy tickets or for more information, visit www.pensacolaiceflyers.com.

• Jan. 4, 7:35 pm: vs. Fayetteville Marksmen • Jan. 5, 7:05 pm: vs. Fayetteville Marksmen • Jan. 11, 7 pm: @ Huntsville Havoc • Jan. 12, 7 pm: @ Huntsville Havoc • Jan. 18, 7:30 pm: @ Birmingham Bulls • Jan. 19, 7 pm: @ Birmingham Bulls • Jan. 25, 7:35 pm: vs. Peoria Rivermen • Jan. 26, 7:05 pm: vs. Peoria Rivermen • Jan. 27, 4:05 pm: vs. Peoria Rivermen

Vinyl Music Hall Schedule The historic Vinyl Music Hall is now open with groovy new renovation and a new lineup of musicians and performers. Come check out the newly renovated hall and enjoy some great performances. Below are all currently scheduled shows. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.vinylmusichall. com.

• Jan. 11, 7 pm: Sabotage – Tribute to the Beastie Boys • Jan. 12, 7 pm: Chris Thomas King, King of Nola Blues • Jan. 16, 7 pm: JJ Grey and Mofro, with the Commonheart • Jan. 17, 7 pm: Aaron Watson, with Carlton Anderson • Jan. 18, 7 pm: The SteelDrivers • Jan. 19, 7 pm: Maiden Immortal – Tribute to Iron Maiden, with Coastal Fire • Jan. 21, 7 pm: Lake Street Dive, with Mikaela Davis • Jan. 23, 7 pm: The Devil Makes Three, with Lost Dog Street Band • Jan. 24, 7 pm: Drive-By Truckers, with Erika Wennerstrom • Jan. 25, 7 pm: Fruition, with Daniel Rodriguez of Elephant Revival • Jan. 26, 6:30 pm: Tonight Alive, with I The Might and Doll Skin

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58. Technology of the Future UWF and IHMC partner for new robotics and AI Ph.D. program

· OTHER STORIES ·

51 Residents Agree, Pensacola is Still a Great City

Two thirds of residents happy with city's direction in latest satisfaction survey.

53 New Faces at City Hall Chris Holley, Jared Moore and Ann Hill bring new leadership to Pensacola.

60 Around the Region Find out what is happening in business, government and cultural news in the greater Pensacola area and Northwest Florida

Business Climate 49

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Residents agree, Pensacola is still a great city

by Kaitlyn Peacock

The 2018 City of Pensacola Resident Satisfaction Survey has revealed that more than two-thirds of Pensacola residents are happy with the direction the city is taking. The survey was conducted by the University of West Florida Haas Center, which has been involved in the last three surveys conducted by the city. The survey was conducted over a few weeks in October and November, with 522 people out of approximately 42,000 eligible adults surveyed.

“The Haas Center administered the survey across each of Pensacola’s seven city council districts over a four-week period that began in October 2018,” the city announced in a recent news release. “In total, 522 people completed the survey.

Those responses coincide with an approximate 4.27 percent margin of error (+/-) at a 95 percent confidence level. In other words, a sample of City of Pensacola residents will differ no more than +/-4.27 percent from a survey that included all City of Pensacola residents.”

infrastructure throughout the city. One-third of all respondents indicated they were dissatisfied to very dissatisfied with stormwater infrastructure. These results show that Pensacola residents continue to have flooding and stormwater concerns, with stormwater being the lowest rated area every year the survey has been conducted.

The news release from the City of Pensacola indicated that while stormwater is the top concern for citizens, the city continues to work on the infrastructure and that many people are happy with the recent improvements to stormwater control.

“Responses to questions in this year's survey show that City staff should continue to focus While two-thirds of residents agree on stormwater infrastructure,” the city stated in the release. that the city is going in the right “Stormwater infrastructure has direction, this number is down been a longstanding topic of significantly from last year, where discussion in the last two years.

77 percent of survey participants Overall, residents seem to be said the city was moving in the satisfied with recent upgrades the right direction. Residents who City has completed over the last completed the survey cited issues two years in response to citizen with streets and sidewalks as concerns.” areas of dissatisfaction, with the lowest rated area being stormwater

High points of the survey included the fire and police departments, which took the number one and number two top-rated spots respectively. The fire department has remained the top-rated service of the city since the survey’s start and the police department has risen from the number four position to the second, which it maintained going into 2018. This falls in line with residents’ priority ranking for the city, putting the police department as their top priority for area of focus and the fire department as their second choice for all five years of the survey.

Other high points of satisfaction included the sanitation services and parks, which the survey indicates are areas of strength for the city.

To see the 2018 City of Pensacola Resident Satisfaction Survey results in full, visit cityofpensacola.com.

Former Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward, whose administration has overseen the city for the entirety of the survey’s five years, gave his thoughts on the survey during his last days in office.

“Pensacola continues to be on the right track and these survey results validate that what we have been focusing on during my administration matches what is important to the community,” he said. “There is always room for improvement and we take these results very seriously. Public safety and stormwater infrastructure have been a major focus the last few years and it shows in the survey results.”

Business Climate 51

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NEW FACES AT CITY HALL

Chris Holley brings decades of experience to City Hall

by Will Isern Chris Holley could be retired on his boat trolling for redfish and sheepshead from Apalachicola Bay to the Alabama state line, but he’s not. Instead, Holley is on the seventh floor of Pensacola City Hall, taking the helm of Mayor Grover Robinson’s new administration and the nearly 800-employee organization that is the city government.

Holley was tapped by Robinson to replace former city Administrator Eric Olson and to oversee the transition to Robinson’s new administration. Holley agreed to take the job on the understanding that it will be a short-term position. Holley, 66, first retired at 62 after a bout with cancer and to care for his mother before she died. He said “I’ll help him as long as I can and he wants me, but we will be looking to recruit and hire someone to follow me in the year or so,” Holley said.

Holley comes to the city with decades of experience in local government.

He spent 10 years as the executive director of the Florida Association of Counties and 13 years as county administrator in Okaloosa County.

It was at the Florida Association of Counties that Holley met Robinson.

Robinson served on the board of the Florida Association of Counties and as its president beginning in 2014.

“He and I really got know each other through the oil spill,” Holley said.

Holley was president of the Florida Association of Counties throughout the entire Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the beginning of its cleanup, and worked closely with Robinson to advocate for the Gulf states to receive money resulting from the fines BP incurred for violating the Clean Water Act. “We did what people said couldn’t be done; we got the RESTORE Act passed,” Holley said. “We had to go

to Congress and testify and Grover did that … After the RESTORE act was passed we formed the Gulf Consortium – that’s 23 counties from Monroe to Escambia – and Grover was chairman of that group for the last eight years. So his leadership there and his leadership on my board (at FAC), we pretty much were linked the whole time and I got to know Jill, his wife, and his family.

Even though he’s a Gator and I’m a Seminole we just work well together.

So when he called and said 'Will you come do this?' I said sure.

Holley’s said his priorities at the city will be to assemble a team and set the tone for the city to function effectively after he is gone.

“It’s all about setting a tone and an expectation and a level of professionalism and then identifying talent and structuring your organization to take advantage of the talent that you have so you have a team that functions well,” he said.

“It sounds complicated, but if you’ve done it a few times it’s kind of an old hat. And obviously you set an example. You get to work, you work hard. I like to tell people, ‘We’re hear to work hard but you have to enjoy what you’re doing.’ If you don’t like what you’re doing you need to go find something else to do. And it filters down from the managers to the supervisors to the front line people.

That attitude filters throughout the organization, but it can take five years to put a team in place. I wont be here for the whole thing, but I’ll hopefully help to get things started.”

he said. “So I’ve got to create a structure where people can get access to the leadership and communicate their issues and get responses and feel comfortable that they’re supported in heir mission, and having 22 folks look to me for that is too many. So we’ve got to do some adjusting to our organizational structure.”

Holley also said he’ll work to quickly reinstate personnel rules and performance reviews that were abandoned under former Mayor Ashton Hayward’s administration.

The city has not conducted written performance evaluations of its employees since 2012.

One of the issues Holley has already identified as needing change are the number of managers that report directly to the city administrator.

Currently, 22 managers report to Holley, a number that he called “inefficient.”

“People need to feel that this is a fair place to work; they know what’s expected of them and they now what the rules are," he said. "We need to have a good, fair performance appraisal system at least on an annual basis if not more often. Employees should be communicated with about how they’re doing. If you don’t talk to someone about how they’re doing, then they don’t know how they’re doing and that’s not good.”

“An average span of control for a good manager is five, plus or minus,”

As for why he would agree to do the job at all when he could have just as

easily retired, Holley described local government as passion that he finds fulfilling and, occasionally, fun.

“You have to want to do this work,” he said. “There’s politics involved, obviously, so there are challenges, but it’s serving a community. I’ve never done anything else, so I don’t know how real estate agents feel, or how bankers feel. I don’t know how they feel about going to work and who they’re serving, but when you go to work for a city or a county, you know who you’re serving. You’re serving residents. And when you deal with hurricanes and when you deal with economic development that creates jobs for people and you’re running police departments and fire departments; those are the essentials of society. In America, we love it because our garbage is picked up in the morning, our toilets flush, the ambulance comes when you call 911.

There are a lot of places in the world where that doesn’t happen. This is what we do. Its sounds corny to say, but it’s fun, doing this. Does it pull me away from fishing? Yeah, but you can only fish so many days of the week.”

Business Climate 53

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NEW FACES AT CITY HALL

marine wildlife such as dolphins after decades of poor water quality.

While he pinpointed these as issues he wants to see improved, Moore said he hopes to take a holistic approach to representing

Pensacola, where the company incubates its oyster before moving them to the bay to grow to full size.

“Any opportunity to facilitate businesses like that, I just love that model,” he said. “That it’s

“I have some very specific ideas about what those neighborhoods need because they are distinct. But then also I think it’s important to be able to draw back and not just become a guardian of District 4 because I’m voting on stuff for the whole city.” the different parts of his largely residential district including parts of East Hill, East Pensacola Heights and Cordova Park.

Jared Moore has a vision for District 4

by Will Isern

Jared Moore is a busy man.

The 37-year-old father of four works a 9-to-5 at his family-owned business and was just elected to represent District 4 on the Pensacola City Council. These days it’s rare that he doesn’t take meetings over his lunch break or after hours.

education from the University of West Florida and taught in the Escambia County School system before joining the family business, J&M Valve, Inc.

“It’s beautiful though, that’s just the chapter of things,” Moore said on a recent lunch break.

“There will be a chapter to sleep in, right now is the chapter to get work done.”

Moore’s campaign to fill the District 4 seat vacated by former councilman Larry Johnson didn’t make headlines the way other local races did. He and opponent Chris Phillips ran a low-key, doorto-door style campaign. Moore ran on a platform of improving stormwater infrastructure, walkability throughout the district and water quality in Bayou Texar.

Moore is a Pensacola native whose first forays into local government were as a member of the city’s planning and zoning boards.

He holds a master’s degree in

Cordova Park, where Moore lives, was ravaged by the April 2014 floods, and Bayou Texar, which divides District 4 in half, has only recently begun to see the return of

“I have some very specific ideas about what those neighborhoods need because they are distinct,” Moore said. “But then also I think it’s important to be able to draw back and not just become a guardian of District 4 because I’m voting on stuff for the whole city.”

Moore is a proponent of the East Cervantes Corridor Management Plan that would slow traffic and add bicycle and walking paths to the stretch of Cervantes Street in his district, and at his first city council meeting was appointed to the Florida-Alabama Transportation Organization where he can advocate for the plan’s implementation.

Moore is passionate about the potential for the public-private partnership model to address local issues and better the community.

He was excited to discuss the Pensacola Bay Oyster Company’s partnership with the Port of

addressing some of our ecological issues, that it’s a private sector business that is just being enabled.

We’re not subsidizing anything; it’s able to exist and carry its own weight in the private sector and at the same time its solving problems.

I love that.”

Outside of his job and work on the council, Moore trains and competes in triathlons with Pro Cycle and Tri out of Fairhope, Alabama and runs with the Running Wild team in Pensacola.

He said getting elected to represent his neighbors is both an honor and a privilege.

“It really is an honor to think that there are 6,000-plus people (that I represent) that are my neighbors,” Moore said. “I feel the weight of the responsibility. These are my neighbors. When I walk out to my truck, there’s a line of people waiting to get into Cordova Park and it’s a litany of different people and I’ve got to represent them and represent them well.”

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NEW FACES AT CITY HALL

A Q&A with Councilwoman Ann Hill

Ann Hill, a former newspaper editor, spent years participating in community groups and attending local meetings before announcing her candidacy last year to replace Brian Spencer on the Pensacola City Council. Despite spending less than her opponent, Hill was elected on Nov. 6 by margin of roughly 600 votes. Hill’s District 6 includes the core of downtown Pensacola, the historic Belmont-DeVilliers neighborhood, the I-10 corridor and Old East Hill.

We asked Hill what it was like to get elected and how she plans to represent her diverse and growing district.

by Will Isern What was your reaction when you found out you had been elected to the City Council?

I had campaigned believing that every vote counts. People in poor neighborhoods especially have felt ignored, and I am elated and honored that they chose me to be their voice.

At the same time, I am eager to champion our historic neighborhoods and our thriving downtown. This is an amazing opportunity, and I am extremely happy to represent such a diverse district.

Your district is basically ground zero for a lot of the redevelopment that is taking place. What are your thoughts on the soaring prices of property and the balance between redevelopment and historic preservation?

When I first purchased an abandoned historic house that was up for auction in BelmontDeVilliers in 1991, Palafox was lined with vacant, deteriorating storefronts; graffiti and boarded houses were common in my neighborhood, and we heard rounds of gunshots rather than Wahoos fireworks on the weekend.

The Downtown Improvement Board was established 20 years earlier to bring back commerce to the 44 core blocks of Downtown, and the strategies implemented at those meetings by leaders like Jennifer Fleming and Louis Maygarden in the 1990s and by all the pioneer business owners gradually helped turn this blighted area around and pave the way for Palafox becoming one of the most admired streets in the country.

In a similar way, the BelmontDeVilliers Neighborhood Association, first under local activist Dolores Curry and later under 56 Business Climate

architect Eddie Todd, has worked tirelessly to encourage infill housing and development that reflects the historic character of the Blocks.

Affordable housing is essential for our growing workforce population, but the price of most of the new downtown housing is beyond the means of those we want to help. I’m not so pleased when whole blocks of historic homes are torn down. These older or “used” homes are often the only “affordable housing” left.

People want to know what is being planned in their neighborhood and have some say in it. I am committed to increasing public input. As CivicCon speaker Ed McMahon said: “Why go anywhere if it all looks the same?”

District 6 is arguably the most diverse district in the city. How will you try to balance the needs of your constituents including those living on the west side, downtown, the I-10 corridor and East Hill?

The diversity of District 6 is what I have loved about living here.

The desire to preserve our city’s historic character runs through every neighborhood, whether it’s a colonial in North Hill, a treasured barbershop in Belmont-DeVilliers, an early “skyscraper” downtown, a quaint cottage in East Hill, or a shotgun in the Tanyard. Recently, we have had some success stories for preserving the fabric that makes each neighborhood unique, including moving the D’Alemberte house in the Belmont, saving the Ella Jordan House on the Blocks, and opening or the Chappie James museum in the East Side neighborhood. I am especially focused on continuing to emphasize the important AfricanAmerican contributions to the history of Pensacola.

I was at both the demolition of the San Carlos Hotel in 1993 and the John Sunday House in 2016.

It was like attending a funeral.

Those losses are strongly felt and deeply mourned in this district.

Residents want a voice in protecting important historic structures and our architectural diversity.

We all also love our heritage trees, and most residents I’ve talked to want to make sure they remain for the next generation to appreciate.

Other common interests are almost a motto in Pensacola now: walkability, bike-ability, skate-ability.

Those interests call for improved street lighting, ADA accessible sidewalks, and safer traffic flow for pedestrians. Residents along 6th near Tarragona say their street lamps are dangerously dim, while some in the downtown historic district complain the wrongly installed halogen lights are blinding people. Many want Martin Luther King and Davis to return to being two-way streets because of wrong-way accidents.

Part of the Cervantes corridor road diet plans run through D6.

Of course, not every neighborhood has the same priorities, but they are usually not in conflict with each other. The main thing is that the all deserve city attention.

During the campaign, you talked about reconnecting the diverse neighborhoods that make up District 6. What's your vision for unifying Belmont-DeVilliers, Downtown and Old East Hill?

What shared interests do those neighborhoods have?

Connectivity of streetscapes is one way – reuniting the I-110 corridor through the proposed Hollice T. Williams Park, adding pedestrian crossovers on Cervantes and along the Bayfront, adding bike paths that connect the north and south along Palafox or Ninth. We need to encourage our community centers to be more focused on youth activities and education, especially on the weekends, when many of these centers are closed.

Making people feel safe traveling through every neighborhood is another way to unite us all. A visible police presence is paramount, and I would like to see more officers on bikes and just walking through the neighborhoods. Adding perks that various neighborhoods suggest, such as more dog parks, skateboard and bike features, community gardens, art sculptures, splashpads or public restrooms will encourage more use and bring neighborhoods together.

Part of being an equitable city also relates to stormwater and other infrastructure. We’ve made some gains in this area.

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Technology of the Future UWF and IHMC partner for new robotics and AI Ph.D. program History is being made at the University of West Florida (UWF), as the university is teaming up with the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) to offer a new doctorate program in Intelligent Systems and Robotics.

This program will be the first Ph.D. program centered around artificial intelligence (AI) in all of Florida, and will be among only a handful of other similar programs offered throughout the nation. IHMC, a nationally-recognized robotics and AI engineering research institute based in Pensacola, will provide the expertise for the program and UWF will provide academic and research support for the students. While the program is expected to be small, only 58 Business Climate

five to eight students for the first class, it will pioneer the first steps in Florida toward the development of graduate level and higher educational programs centered around AI. Progress toward this Ph.D. program started when UWF President Dr. Martha Saunders found an old proposal with IHMC two years ago.

She and Dr. Ken Ford, CEO of IHMC, decided it was the right time to start developing the program, and in November the Florida Board of Governors approved the joint proposal for the Ph.D. program.

Now, all efforts are going toward preparing for the first classes in the 2019 Fall school semester, set to start in August.

Saunders said they chose this program in particular because it takes advantage of the strengths of both UWF and IHMC. “As we were putting together our strategic plan, one of the things we realized would be best for us is to build on our strengths and to leverage regional resources,” she said.

“We have a very strong engineering and robotics program already, so that’s a strength of the university.

When you add IHMC, which is certainly a regional resource, you get something that’s greater than the sum of its parts.”

The Interim Dean for UWF’s Hal Marcus College of Science and

by Kaitlyn Peacock photos courtesy of IHMC Engineering (HMCSE) Dr. Jaromy Kuhl added that although it might seem strange for UWF to have a program such as this, the university’s proximity to IHMC makes it a perfect place to offer the program.

“A university like us wouldn’t normally have a Ph.D. program, but our location with IHMC makes us sort of a natural fit,” he said.

The Ph.D. program will focus on the research and development of robotics and AI in a wide range of fields.

Students will spend the first 18 hours or so in classrooms and afterward will be assigned a mentor at IHMC and will begin their research soon after. When developing the program,

would be one of the pioneers who graduated from this program.”

“I think it’s going to be fun,” Sheppard continued. “Since it’s a small program, I would say that the students in this program will have really one-on-one opportunities. As a student today with universities that are large, I don’t think you normally get the opportunity to have that hands-on, one-on-one contact with people who are top in their field.

That will be the experience for a student in both the UWF faculty and from the IHMC research scientists.”

Saunders said they tried to keep it very flexible to better serve the inspiration and discipline of many different students.

“This program is so multidisciplinary and it’s very much tailored to the students we get,” she said. “So you don’t know where it’s going to go until you get the student in front of you. I really think it’s going to be a model for the state. This is a program where the students don’t spend two years in class before they get into a lab. They start out figuring out what they want to do, then we assign them to the appropriate research lab and they’re on the job the moment they start. This is very different from the traditional doctoral programs.”

Executive Vice President of IHMC Julie Sheppard said IHMC had an important role in developing this curriculum with HMCSE, and will continue to take a joint role in the program’s continued development.

“What we’ve done is try to keep the curriculum really flexible while

emphasizing intelligent systems and robotics,” she said. “You could envision someone wanting to be in the program that currently works in agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, the defense industry, cyber security, transportation, almost any hightech industry. Right now, intelligent systems are dominating those fields. So it’s very timely.”

Kuhl echoed Sheppard’s thoughts

technical positions at big companies like Amazon or Google, ones that are in the forefront of artificial intelligence and machine learning.”

UWF’s partnership with IHMC and the size of the school will offer a unique take on this new field of education, as the smaller size classes will allow for more quality time with the UWF instructors and the IHMC scientists. Even as more programs like this are expected to appear throughout the nation and Florida,

“I think it’s going to be fun.

Since it’s a small program, I would say that the students in this program will have really one-on-one opportunities." on this program being timely, as students who graduate from the program will be going on to develop some of the newest technology for some of the largest industries and companies.

“The other part of this is that robotics is key when it comes to technology of the future,” he said.

“We’re preparing students to be able to participate in that. They will be highly qualified for those very

UWF’s program will remain as a pioneer to a very different take on how Ph.D. programs are supposed to progress.

“I don’t think you would find this specific program, certainly not in Florida,” Sheppard said. “I doubt you would find this specific program in the U.S. Students who are really into this field, I think they will find it a really exciting time to be a part of what I would call an interdisciplinary, elite, small Ph.D. program where you

While some may be skeptical of UWF’s ability to offer a quality program in such an expansive and evolving field, Saunders explained that the university won’t be offering a typical Ph.D. experience because UWF does things differently, and by doing things differently they can offer something new in a field that continues to grow, such as robotics and AI. “We know we’re not the biggest, we’re certainly not the oldest, but we can be the most agile,” she said. “We can recognize a good idea and act on it very quickly. I’m excited on the innovative nature of this program, that we’re trying something that is a little bit different. That is a signature of the university. I don’t know if it was an early president or not, but someone at the university said we are different by design. We don’t do things like everybody else… There’s a spirit in the place that is different.”

As the 2019 fall semester of UWF approaches, Sheppard said this accomplishment not only indicates the drive and quality of UWF and IHMC, but also reflects the spirit of the community in Pensacola.

“We should be very proud locally that one, we put in all the work to do this and two, that we got it approved and three, that it’s going to be successful,” she said.

Business Climate 59

AROUND THE REGION Robinson selects Woolf to serve as City Attorney Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson has selected Susan Woolf to replace Lysia Bowling as City Attorney for the City of Pensacola. Robinson released the following statement announcing his selection: “It is my great pleasure to inform you that I will be appointing Susan Woolf to serve as City Attorney. I will seek the consent of the City Council at their meeting on January 17, 2019.

Public Law. She served as a law clerk to a federal appellate judge, worked in the local State Attorney’s office as a prosecutor for 4 years, and was partner in the local firm of Shell, Fleming, Davis & Menge for 9 years before joining the City Attorney’s office as Assistant City Attorney in 2008. She then became the Pensacola Police Department’s General Counsel in 2011 until Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller Pam Childers appointed her as General Counsel for the Clerk of Court in 2013.

Current City Attorney, Lysia H. Bowling, will remain with the City of Pensacola and beginning January 11, 2019, she will serve as the City’s Contract & Lease Counsel.

In short, she has a well-rounded background and is very familiar with the City of Pensacola and its employees, departments, boards, and procedures. I expect to be working closely with Ms. Woolf in order Susan is well qualified to serve as City to restructure the City Attorney’s Office Attorney. She is a native Pensacolian and reduce the reliance on outside counsel and graduated from Emory University undergraduate and Cornell Law School with where possible.” a Juris Doctorate with a concentration in

Inaugural class of distinguished honorees to be named to PSC Athletics Hall of Fame Pensacola State College will celebrate the Pirates’ rich athletic history with a ribbon cutting and induction ceremony for the ten-member inaugural class of the Pensacola State College Athletics Hall of Fame on February 16, 2019. The event will be held on the Pensacola State campus, 1000 College Blvd, Pensacola in the Hartsell Arena. An observance will take place between the women’s and men’s basketball games against Gulf Coast Community College, with a banquet for inductees and their guests immediately following the end of the game. The Lady Pirates game will begin at 5:30.

“Pensacola State has a long and storied sports and athletic tradition,” said Bill Hamilton, who was the head baseball coach at Pensacola State from 1990-2010 and has since served as the College’s Athletic Director. “This Hall of Fame will stand as a reminder for all time that these awesome individuals got their start here.”

Hall of Fame inductees may include student athletes, participants, advisors, coaches, directors, administrators, contest officials,

60 Business Climate

media personnel, sports medicine personnel, athletic trainers or distinguished volunteers who exemplify the highest standards of sportsmanship, moral character and ethical conduct.

Inductees are individuals who have raised the level of awareness in Pensacola State College Athletics through their distinguished achievement and excellence in one (or more) Pensacola State College Athletic programs sponsored by the College; or through their contributions to Pensacola State College Athletics.

“The Hall of Fame has been a long time coming with such rich heritage,” said Hamilton.

Inductees were chosen from a long list of qualified nominees selected by a private committee comprised of athletic staff and coaches as well as other faculty members, former players and former coaches.

PSC president named to DeSantis education, workforce advisory group Pensacola State President Ed Meadows has been tapped to join Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis and Lt. Gov.-elect Jeanette Nuñez transition education and workforce advisory committee.

Meadows who has served as Pensacola State’s president since 2008 will join more than 40 others on the Transition Advisory Committee on Education and Workforce Development. The committee will be co-chaired by State Board of Education Chair, Marva Johnson and University of Florida Board of Trustees member, Mori Hosseini.

The committee is comprised of a diverse group of education experts, including traditional K-12 public school system leaders, education advocates, elected school board members, academics and current and former leaders of Florida’s higher education system.

Committee members will advise the transition team as they develop a plan to implement Gov.-elect DeSantis’ vision of ensuring that every student in Florida has the chance to get a world-class education and develop the skills they need to get a great job and pursue their dream.

Former Florida Senate member Don Gaetz is also a member of the education and workforce advisory committee.

Several other Florida College System leaders are a part of the committee as well ─ Polk State College President Dr. Angela Garcia Falconetti, Broward College president Greg Haile, Tallahassee Community College Board of Trustees member Eugene Lamb, and former Chancellor of the Florida College System Chancellor Dr. Madeline Pumariega.

Ascension Florida has named Henry Stovall as the new president and CEO of Sacred Heart Health System

Women in Leadership Conference returns to UWF on March 1, 2019

Stovall has served as the president of Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola since 2012. In his expanded health system role, he will continue to lead the Pensacola hospital and the Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart. He also will work closely with Roger Hall, president of the Sacred Heart’s hospitals in Miramar Beach and Port St. Joe, in guiding those hospitals.

The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with check-in from 8 to 9 a.m. in the UWF Conference Center and Auditorium, Building 22 on the UWF Pensacola campus. It will offer opportunities to hear from and connect with prominent women leaders who have achieved both personal and professional success.

Sacred Heart is a member of Ascension, the nation’s largest, nonprofit healthcare system. In Florida, Ascension operates Sacred Heart Health System based in Pensacola and St. Vincent’s HealthCare based in Jacksonville.

In addition to hospital-based services, Sacred Heart also provides physician services, rehabilitation services and outpatient imaging and lab services across the Florida Panhandle between Pensacola and Apalachicola.

The University of West Florida College of Business Executive Mentor Program will host the 2019 Women in Leadership Conference on Friday, March 1, 2019.

you need to know yourself—your strengths and weaknesses—as well as your impact on others. Moreover, just as important, you need to understand what's required for success. As a lifelong learner myself, I have realized over the years how important it is to invest continually in your personal and professional development."

For more information about the Women in Leadership conference, visit uwf.edu/ womeninleadership.

Registration will open on Jan. 7, 2019. The event, which is free and open to the public, has grown in popularity since it was started in 2014.

"I encourage everyone to attend,” said Dr. Sherry Hartnett, director of the UWF Executive Mentor Program. “Knowledge is power. For women in business in particular,

Join - Connect - Grow

Stovall has held many leadership positions in health care for more than 30 years. Prior to being named president of Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola, he served as senior vice president of special projects for Sacred Heart Health System. In past roles, Stovall served as a division president for PHNS in Dallas, Texas, a partner in the national healthcare practice of the Hay Group in Dallas, and as a corporate vice president at Presbyterian Healthcare System in Dallas. He also served in a number of senior leadership roles at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.

WWW.PENSACOLACHAMBER.COM 850.438.4081 SUPPORT@PENSACOLACHAMBER.COM Business Climate 61

On theA Real Market Estate Section

In This Section By the Numbers: A look at November's Market Highlights page 64 5 Questions to ask when hiring a decking contractor page 70

Home Safe Home Page 71

Clever Kitchen Upgrades: Fresh colors and textures for a functional kitchen style page 74

On the Market 63

BY The NUMBERS

a look at november's Market Highlights

655 65

Monthly Sales

Avg. Days on Market

2600 $195k

Quarterly Sales

Median Sale Price

Market Highlights November sales slipped five percent from October, but were up five percent compared to last November.

Information courtesy of Pensacola Association of Realtors

64 On The Market

Median sale price was $195,000 for November.

November days on market (DOM) remained at 65, unchanged from October

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Some of the homes Sherlyn sold in 2018...She can sell yours in 2019!

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

11 LA CARIBE DR-PENSACOLA BEACH 5BD / 5.5 BATH, 4,254 SF SOLD ON 10/5/18 $1,490,000

4441 SOUNDSIDE DR-GULF BREEZE 4BD / 4.5 BATH, 4,240 SF SOLD ON 6/12/18 $1,195,000

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

236 NORTHCLIFFE DR-GULF BREEZE 4BD / 3.5 BATH, 4,454 SF SOLD ON 2/12/18 $1,100,000

1016 STORMY TERRACE-PENSACOLA 3BD / 3 BATH, 2,424 SF SOLD ON 1/25/18 $355,000

SOLD

SOLD

211 CEVALLOS ST-PENSACOLA 3BD / 3 BATH, 2,314 SF SOLD ON 2/12/18 $694,000

23 E GALVEZ CT-PENSACOLA BEACH 6BD / 4 BATH, 4,543 SF SOLD ON 6/29/18 $ 1,450,000

SOLD

25 MAR VISTA CIR-PENSACOLA 3BD / 3.5 BATH, 3,657 SF SOLD ON 3/26/18 $965,000

334 DEER POINT DR-GULF BREEZE 4BD / 3.5 BATH, 3,188 SF SOLD ON 3/1/18 $525,000

SOLD

213 S ALCANIZ ST-PENSACOLA 3BD / 1.5 BATH, 1,950 SF SOLD ON 7/31/18 $475,000

2 PORTOFINO DR #1204-PENSACOLA BEACH 3BD / 3.5 BATH, 2,034 SF SOLD ON 1/16/18 $765,000

SOLD

7 PALAO RD-PENSACOLA 3BD / 2 BATH, 2,185 SF SOLD ON 9/26/18 $327,500

SOLD

2739 MANOR CIR-GULF BREEZE 4BD / 3 BATH, 3,258 SF SOLD ON 6/1/18 $635,000

SOLD

318 N SUNSET BLVD-GULF BREEZE 4BD / 6 BATH, 4,435 SF SOLD ON 6/25/18 $2,290,000

SOLD

1125 SUNSET LN-GULF BREEZE 5BD / 3.5 BATH, 3,484 SF SOLD ON 9/21/18 $675,000

SOLD

1401 PLAYERS CLUB CIR-GULF BREEZE 5BD / 3.5 BATH, 3,532 SF SOLD ON 7/25/18 $569,900

SOLD

1600 VIA DELUNA DR-PENSACOLA BEACH 3BD / 3 BATH, 1,590 SF SOLD ON 11/28/18 $499,900

On the Market 65

Home Safe Home Some home upgrades are aesthetic, and some are for function. These ideas, all with better home safety in mind, show there’s no reason you can’t have both.

If you tend to think of home safety in strictly functional terms, you may be relieved to know you don’t have to abandon your designer sensibilities when it comes to improving your home’s overall safety. In fact, these tips from the decorating experts at JCPenney show just how easy it can be to make safe look sensational.

Appliances Outdated appliances aren’t just an eyesore and drain on your home’s energy resources; they can actually be dangerous. Over time, electrical components and other mechanical functions can wear down, which may result in a higher risk of fire or water damage.

A new suite of appliances can give a tired kitchen an instant facelift, and with the wide range of options available, you can create just about any look you desire, from an ultra-modern sleek motif to a farmstyle design that blends modern convenience with yesteryear charm.

If replacing your home appliances isn’t in the budget, it’s important to ensure they’re being properly maintained. This applies to the kitchen, of course, but also other appliances throughout the house, such as the climate control system, water heater and water filtration system. Regularly cleaning and assessing operations can help you keep on top of potential concerns. Also keep up on regular service schedules so an expert can evaluate problems that may not be immediately apparent and ensure your appliances are operating at peak efficiency.

Window Treatments Windows, and more particularly window treatments, can often play a significant role in a room’s ambiance.

Custom-made drapery and other window treatments are ideal for giving any living space a personal feel.

However, upgrading your window treatments isn’t just about creating a delightful new space. Cords on window treatments pose a significant risk, especially in homes with small children and pets who may become tangled in the cords.

A new window covering safety standard by the 66 On The Market

American National Standards Institute requires a vast majority of window covering products sold in the United States to be cordless or have inaccessible or short cords. By early 2019, corded window coverings will only be available on custom-order products, as corded products are still needed by a wide range of consumers, including the elderly and those with disabilities, those short in stature and those with windows in hard-to-reach locations.

To ensure your window treatments meet both your safety and functional needs, it’s a good idea to work with a certified window treatment expert who can meet in your home to find the perfect window treatments to complement your style, decor and budget. From energy-efficient shades and cordless shutters to blackout draperies, privacy blinds and decorative hardware, a JCPenney Decorating Consultant can work one-on-one with you to bring your vision to light. For added peace of mind, their professionally installed window treatments include a one-year guarantee.

Window Treatments That Work There are a wide range of window treatments available today, including blinds, draperies, valances and shades. With more than 9,000 unique patterns and colors, plus countless more textures and materials available, a JCPenney Decorating Consultant can recommend window treatments that are attractive, well-constructed and suited to transform nearly any window into a functional and inspirational view.

Style Many window treatments serve dual purposes, such as adding visual beauty while controlling light flow, which can greatly impact the overall feel of the room.

Treatments with a horizontal orientation create a casual feel, while a vertical orientation adds height and stature. Treatments with patterns or diagonal lines draw attention to the window, but they can be distracting if not defined by another style element.

Doors An attractive, inviting door is an important element of your home’s exterior facade, but it’s also an

important safety feature. For the door itself, a solid wood door is both aesthetically pleasing and functionally sound, but if your budget can stand it, steel is even better. Avoid pretty window panes that can be easily broken, giving access to the locks. Be sure the frame is in good order, as well, as even the sturdiest door can be forced off a weak, rotted or poorly installed frame.

A deadbolt that extends at least an inch into the doorframe is a basic must. It’s also a good idea to forgo the push-button knobs and opt instead for a more secure keyed doorknob, which is more difficult for an intruder to manipulate. Also remember the same principals apply to every entry point to the house, not just the front door.

Color Warm colors like reds and oranges can be used to make a room feel cozier, while greens and blues can make a room feel cooler. Colors that contrast with your walls can be used to fill the space in a room while other colors can be selected to blend with the walls. The amount of natural light in a room also plays into color selection, as changing light alters the colors’ appearance throughout the day.

Texture The material can also factor into the overall look and feel of the room, ranging from more formal to more casual. Patterns or shapes can create depth and invoke a feeling of formality or fun.

Cords New safety standards dictate that the majority of window treatments be cordless or have short cords.

However, depending on the placement of the window covering or your personal needs, you may require special accommodations that are available through custom orders. A certified window treatment expert can help you determine what cord style best meets your needs and order custom treatments with the features you require.

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2008 Plantation Oaks Dr Navarre • New Construction 4 BD/3 BA 2,850 SF $544,500 MLS# 522823

30 Sugar Bowl Ln Pensacola Beach • Peaceful Retreat 3 BD/3 BA 2,632 SF $849,500 MLS# 532610

1100 FT Pickens Rd A-26/A-28 5 Sugar Bowl Ln Pensacola Beach • Condos Pensacola Beach • Upscale Beach Beauty 2 BD/3 BA 1,420 SF 3 BD/2.5 BA 1,850 SF $329K-$349K MLS# 541662 $699,000 MLS# 535493

218 Le Starboard Dr • Pensacola Beach

Capturing the best of all worlds, rare opportunity to own a dock side pool home located on a deep water canal. Luxury 3 story estate with living at its finest.

4 BD/3.5 BA 3,200 SF • $1,070,000 MLS# 535327

509 Ft Pickens Rd • Pensacola Beach

Gulf side builders dream home with panoramic views of the Gulf and Sabine Bay. Fully furnished, 4 car garage, excellent rental history.

3 BD/2.5 BA 2,370 SF • $899,900 MLS# 541718

28 Years Experience •Over 21 Million in Closed Sales 2018

For 27 years, Adams Homes has built a reputation based on exceptional quality at an unbeatable value. Contact us today to learn more about communities in your area and see what makes the Adams Homes Difference!

Find your dream home in these areas served by locally managed offices!

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68 On The Market

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3125 ROBINSON POINT RD, BAGHDAD, FL 32583

4 BD / 2.5 BA | 3743 sq. ft. | 12+ Acres | $620,000 | MLS # 545043 9149 WOODRUN CIR. PENSACOLA, FL 32514

6852 DALISA RD MILTON, FL 32583

The Guthrie Team Steve 850.450.4639 Annie 850.748.6659 My Home@TheGuthrieTeam.com

4 BD / 2 BA | 2321 sq. ft. $275,000 | MLS # 545043

4 BD / 2 BA | 2165 sq. ft. $210,000 | MLS # 545664

1313 Creighton Road Pensacola, FL 32504

TheGuthrieTeam.com

5

Questions to Ask When Hiring a Decking Contractor

When it comes to tackling a backyard makeover, there is no time like the present to start planning.

Unless you’re planning to build your own deck, one of the first items on your “to-do” list should be hiring a contractor.

vetting contractors. To help ensure you find the right professional for your project, consider these five often overlooked questions:

Quality deck builders can book up quickly and often have waiting lists by early spring. By doing your research in advance, you can ensure a spot in the project queue and have a brand new deck in time to make the most of outdoor living season.

1. Are you and your company licensed and insured? Make sure the contractor you choose has insurance and the required licenses to obtain permits by calling his or her insurance company for verification.

Without such coverage, you could be held accountable for property damage or injuries that occur on your property.

While many questions are obvious, such as costs and timelines, homeowners sometimes overlook other key considerations when

2. How will the permit process be handled? Nearly every deck building project requires a permit.

If you build without the necessary

70 On The Market

permits, you may have issues with paperwork or have to pay a fine when you try to sell your home.

Most deck builders handle the permit process but be sure to obtain a copy for your records.

3. What decking materials do you work with? Your deck is a permanent addition to your home that affects its value, so it’s important to choose a contractor who is skilled and comfortable working with your preferred material. If you want to build with composite, for instance, Trex Company, a leading brand of wood-alternative decking, has an international network of pre-screened and hand-selected contractors, known as TrexPros, who have completed specialized training in working with high-performance, low-maintenance composite decking.

4. Can you provide references?

It’s one thing to read online reviews, but to personally speak

with a previous customer offers another level of reassurance.

Once your preliminary questions have been answered and you feel comfortable with the contractor, take the time to contact a few references to ask questions about the quality of work and overall experience to help ensure you are making a good hiring decision.

5. Do you offer a warranty?

Typically, contractor warranties only cover structural damage related to the construction of the deck. Reputable builders should provide a written statement that spells out the type and length of time they will guarantee their workmanship. Be sure to also inquire about any manufacturers’ warranties on the products being used. For example, Trex decking is backed by a 25-year limited fade and stain warranty.

Find more information and other common questions at trex.com.

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LUXURY LIVING 4+ br / 3 ba 3,326 Sq. ft.

$899,900 Gulf viewS

9 West Galvez Ct, Pensacola Beach 940 Paradise Beach Circle, Pensacola

4 br / 5.5 ba 6,023 Sq. ft.

$899,000

waterfront

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Clever Kitchen Upgrades

Fresh colors and textures for a functional kitchen style For avid cooks, seasoned hosts and busy families, the kitchen is likely the center of daily life and a place where both form and function are of the utmost importance.

This high-traffic space generally influences the design of the rest of the house, especially if the home has more of an open-concept layout. The colors and materials used in the kitchen normally set the tone for the rest of the home.

When it comes to considerations like finish and materials, kitchen cabinetry trends are shifting toward colored cabinetry and a mixture of exposed textures and materials.

Colorful allure White kitchen cabinets have dominated the market for years; white is constant, safe and classic. While white kitchens are likely to remain a popular option for homeowners, buying trends are showing a shift in painted cabinetry design from classic white to eye-catching colors.

Natural colors, burnt orange, shades of gray, blue hues and green tones are likely to be the leaders in painted cabinetry colors in 2019, and all are offered through an option like Wellborn’s ColorInspire program.

For those with a visionary and creative approach to design, the blue tones for cabinetry reach atmospheric wisps of colors and capture the unique space between technology and spirituality.

The unbridled adventurer may use burnt orange to soak in the blue of an endless horizon and the subtle earthy colors of the high plains and desert.

For the naturalist, green earthy tones can bring the wonder of the world into your kitchen. For the cozy home-body, dark warm tones of gray on cabinetry add a rich and modern scope that spans space and time.

74 On The Market

Trends in texture From classic to modern and from farmhouse to high-tech modernistic styling, designers work to make surfaces make a statement. With cabinetry, there’s no shortage of options: matte and glossy, dark and light, with and without handles.

Technology has played a major role in the improved quality of laminates in the kitchen; many of today’s laminate options have a more realistic appearance and texture than their ancestors. For a more authentic wood look, an option like Wellborn Cabinet’s Decorative Laminate Veneer Door Collection is filled with color choices in a range of materials spanning embossed and textured melamine, acrylic, laminates, metal and more.

Another option is cabinetry featuring timber with exposed grain for a balance between embracing nature and exuding sophistication.

This trend celebrates imperfections and allows you to bring nature into your home. Defined or rustic woods are made from materials such as walnut, oak and cherry. For nature enthusiasts or those seeking the rustic farmhouse style, you can find beautiful organic finishes in Wellborn’s Aspire Full Access Frameless line. The standout feature is heavy graining.

Hand sanding, along with hand-rubbed finishes, provide a quality product with varied textures that minimizes the need for a lot of color.

Explore more trendy looks for your new kitchen at Wellborn.com.

Focus on Function A beautiful kitchen may please the eye, but when it comes down to it, a kitchen’s function is its greatest value. Integrate these ideas for a kitchen that offers maximum function for one of your home’s most-used spaces.

Declutter the countertops. Consider incorporating pull-out and roll-out trays into your cabinetry to maximize your storage space, as well as dressing your cabinets with appropriate inserts and organizational kits. Eliminate wasted space by adding corner cabinets to utilize all your available space.

In addition, an option like Wellborn Cabinet’s Aspire Full Access Frameless cabinetry makes it simple to create diverse design styles with better storage options than traditional cabinet framing allows. Without a face frame on the front of the cabinet box, this style provides more room for storage and easier accessibility. You can create a modernistic kitchen, a rustic farmhouse kitchen or a nature-styled kitchen.

Determine the island’s function. The island is often the visual centerpiece of the kitchen, but determining its function can maximize its benefit. Fully functional cabinetry around the island can provide added storage space. For example, custom cabinetry appliance panels let you not only conceal bulky appliances, they also give your wall cabinets more space and functionality.

Make recycling easy. Place the recycle and garbage bins in a drawer near the sink to allow for easier accessibility and keep them out of sight.

KATHY TANNER 850.982.0755

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• Janet Moore • RealtoR, GRI, SFR

850.982.3985 Janet.Moore@FloridaMoves.com

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