The Great State of Florida
Paintings by Christopher Still
The City of Tarpon Springs is thrilled to announce the opening of its highly anticipated permanent exhibition “The Great State of Florida” featuring the extraordinary works of internationally acclaimed artist Christopher M. Still. The exhibition delivers a mesmerizing journey through Still’s masterful depictions of history, culture, and the vibrant spirit of the State of Florida.
“The Great State of Florida” includes several original works of art donated from private collections, large scale giclée reproductions, display cases demonstrating the artist’s process and tools as well as a 30-minute documentary titled “Beautiful Historic Tarpon Springs” and a virtual tour consisting of 22 informative short videos available to view on your smart device via QR code featuring the artist detailing the intricacies of select pieces located throughout the exhibit.
Know Before You Go
Hours and Admission: The Tarpon Springs Heritage Museum is open Monday – Friday, 10:00am to 4:00pm. Adult Admission is $5.00 per person & Tarpon Resident Admission is $3.00 per person (ID required). Group and Military discounts are also available upon request.
Take a virtual tour of the exhibit by using your smart phone to view 22 informative short videos via QR code.
Complimentary Headphones are provided with paid admission upon request as well as cell phone adapters for private listening to the virtual tour. However, we recommend bringing your own headphones for the virtual tour, as not all of our in-house adapters are compatible with every cell phone.
The “Beautiful and Historic Tarpon Springs” documentary plays every 45 minutes starting at 10:30am in the museum’s theatre room with the final screening of the day beginning at 3:45pm.
View the Know Before You Go video below for suggestions on how to navigate the exhibit.
About the Artist
Christopher Still is known for his realistic works of art exploring the history and natural beauty of Florida, captured in landscapes, still lifes, and portraits. His detailed compositions contain multiple levels of symbolism and historic references. Still began formal art training at age 9 at the Dunedin Fine Art and Cultural Center. In his teens, he won a scholarship to train at the Florida Gulf Coast Museum in Bellair, Florida and in 1979 he enrolled in the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, thanks to a full scholarship he won through the National Scholastic Art Awards program.
During his six years in Philadelphia, Still also got to experience the art world in Europe and learn techniques used by the old masters. He completed an independent studies program in Florence, Italy and in 1983 received a European Travel Fellowship. Before he left Philadelphia in 1984, he also studied human anatomy at Jefferson Medical School.
As a youth, Still declared his intention of some day returning to his native state as a fully trained artist “to paint Florida with the dignity it deserves.” In murals, landscapes, portraits and still-life, Still has demonstrated an uncanny ability to capture the small nuances and special flavors of Florida’s tropical environment. He has been compared to such 19th Century artists as Frederic Church and Albert Bierstadt, famous for their epic renditions of the American Northeast and Northwest.
In 1998, Still received two large commissions, one from the City of St. Petersburg for two paintings for the city hall, and another from the Florida Legislature to paint the official portrait of Florida governor, Lawton Chiles, who died that year (1930-1998). In 1999, the Florida House of Representatives commissioned Still for an extraordinary project, the painting of 10 murals for the House chambers. Still completed the project, which emphasizes Florida’s unique history and natural resources, in 2004.
Since then, Still’s commissioned work has included a painting and sculpture for the Tampa International Airport (2005); two paintings for the Sandpearl Resort in Clearwater (2007) and a 7-foot by 14-foot, 25th anniversary painting for Ruth Eckerd Hall at the Baumgardner Center for the Performing Arts in Clearwater (2008) as well as original works at the Opal Sands Resort on Clearwater Beach (2016) and the Belleview Inn (2018) in Bellair, FL. Additionally, many of Still’s paintings can be found in the private collections of museums, including those of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. and the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota.
Click the image below to read an amazing article written by Lynn Whitelaw, posted on Creative Pinellas called, Celebrating Tarpon Springs Artist Christopher Still.