UT’s Scarfone/Hartley Gallery Celebrates 40th Anniversary

The Scarfone/Hartley Gallery at The University of Tampa will mark its 40th anniversary with a special exhibition of works from the University’s permanent collection and the inaugural Art on the Boulevard cocktail party and silent auction fundraiser.

Since Aug. 18 and running through Sept. 23, the UT Permanent Collection: 40th Anniversary Show will display highlights from the last 40 years of art-making at the University by notable alumni and current and former faculty. The exhibition will also highlight unique works by internationally and nationally renowned contemporary artists — including Judy Chicago, Salvador Dali, Zachari Logan, Robert Rauschenberg, Kara Walker and Audrey Flack, whose paintings are currently on display at the Tampa Museum of Art in the Photorealism exhibit — that were either created while on campus or donated to the University. An additional display of artist prints in the newly dedicated Meridian Gallery takes visitors on a tour of contemporary art’s important movements.

To close the exhibition, on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 7–10 p.m., the gallery will host the inaugural Art on the Boulevard, a cocktail party with a silent auction. Each year at this event, the University will honor one of the gallery’s most valiant supporters. This year’s honoree is Joe Testa-Secca ’50, who was instrumental in the creation of the gallery at UT.

Tickets are $40 for one attendee and $100 for two. Each ticket includes an annual membership to the Scarfone/Hartley Gallery. The two-ticket package also includes a special-edition 2018 Friends of the Gallery print made by Chris Valle, chair of the Department of Art and Design. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

All Art on the Boulevard ticket sales and auction proceeds will support the gallery’s exhibitions and educational programming. Proceeds will also count toward the gallery’s 40th Anniversary Year Challenge Grant. A generous local donor has challenged the friends and patrons of the gallery to raise $15,000 by the end of 2017 and pledges to match all funds raised, dollar for dollar, up to $15,000.

“We are very grateful our anonymous donor chose to invest in the gallery in a way that encourages others to deepen their support, and provides the gallery with an incredible opportunity to broaden our art educational reach into the Tampa Bay community,” said Jocelyn Boigenzahn, gallery director. “Their generosity will help support our exhibitions and help us launch new educational programs, such as our elementary student Spring Break Art Immersion Camp with VSA Florida and the UT Art Therapy program.”

Generous sponsors for this year's inaugural Art on the Boulevard event are ART® (Art Recovery Technologies) of Tampa and Orlando, Dick Blick® art materials, Fintech®, PAR Inc., U.S. Trust®, Dr. William and Karen Dalton, Bruce and Jan Ely, Jack and Kathleen King, and Audrie Ranon.

For more information, go to www.ut.edu/scarfonehartleygallery or contact Boigenzahn at (813) 253-6217 or jboigenzahn@ut.edu.

About the Honoree

Joe Testa-Secca was instrumental in the creation of the Scarfone/Hartley Gallery at UT, and his vision and drive helped shape the fine arts program at UT. A member of the UT class of 1950, Testa-Secca returned to UT for a 30-year tenure during which he rose to chair of the art department and finally chairman of the division of fine art.

Testa-Secca believed it was vital for the art department to have an exhibition space, which would serve as both a place for students to share and celebrate their work with the public and for students and the public to meet and experience the work of renowned national and international contemporary artists.

“Testa-Secca worked diligently with other members of the art department, such as Gil Demeza, Harold Nosti and Lew Harris, and with the support of architect Lee Scarfone, Douglas and Maureen Cohn and many other donors this vision became a reality,” said Boigenzahn.