January Art Reception
2025-01-23 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States
A Painter’s Diary: Oscar Bluemner and Amy Vigilante

Featuring works by Oscar Bluemner (1867-1938) from the Vera Bluemner Kouba Collection and contemporary artist Amy Vigilante

Exhibition team: Dr. Natália Marques da Silva, Amarige Champion, Reagan Swayze, and Sonia Erzhenina

Sponsored by the Gary R. Libby Charitable Trust

Spring 2025 Faculty Biennale

Featuring Leah Sandler, Matt Roberts, Nathan Wolek, Justin Quaid Grubb, Chaz Underriner, Terri Witek,, Cyriaco Lopes, Brianna Angelakis, Steven Benson, Martha Underriner, Molly Koehn, and Rajni Shankar-Brown. Also featuring a curated space on reproductive justice by Luca Molnar

Arts & Crafts
2025-02-01 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-03-15 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-04-26 12:00 - 16:00 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States

Reading with Luca Molnar
2025-02-06 18:00 - 19:00 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States
Join us for a reading by curator and artist Luca Molnar, Assistant Professor of Art, from the exhibition catalog Moonlight Over Sea Trees: Edgar Heap of Birds and Michael Maxwell (2024) Burrow Press

Moonlight Over Sea Trees

Heritage in Color: A Celebration of Artistry and Black History Month
2025-02-13 00:00 - 2025-02-25 23:59 | Gallery duPont, 134 E Minnesota Ave, DeLand, FL, 32724, United States

Paint, write and be KIND with Stetson HeARTs
2025-02-19 14:30 - 16:00 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States

KINDness Meditation and Art with Dr. Rajni Shankar-Brown
2025-02-21 09:30 - 11:00 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States

She Creates, She Inspires
2025-03-13 00:00 - 2025-03-25 23:59 | Gallery duPont, 134 E Minnesota Ave, DeLand, FL, 32724, United States

Reception and Artist Talk
2025-03-21 18:00 - 20:00
Upstate Camp: Amy Vigilante

Exhibit reception at 6 pm. At 7 pm Amy Vigilante will discuss textile works in Upstate Camp as well as works in the concurrent exhibit A Painter’s Diary: Oscar Bluemner and Amy Vigilante.

Meaningful Museums

Organized by Maddysun Castaneda, Amarige Champion, Callie Dawson, Robbie Gonzalez, Caleb Hasebe, Charlotte Holley, Moira Hughes, Avery Krowl, Emil Rasen, Sierra Rouse, Reagan Shivers, Reagan Swayze, Courtney Wood, and Lily Woolard. Faculty advisor Natália Marques da Silva, PhD.

Juried Show – Call to Artists!
2025-04-01 00:00 - 2025-07-31 23:59
36th Annual Student Juried Exhibition. Stetson students of any major, graduate or undergraduate, can submit up to 5 artworks of any medium for consideration by guest juror Blair Updike. Awards and cash prizes available for participating artists!

Submissions accepted from April 1 to July 31

Note: submissions must be ready to hang. The Hand Art Center does not print, mat, nor frame student artwork.

Exhibit on view September 5 to October 4. Reception on Friday, September 5 from 6-8 pm, 7 pm awards.

How to Hold a Folk Festival in 10 Easy Steps
2025-04-10 18:00 - 19:15 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States
Lecture by Dr. Dominick Tartaglia

State Folklorist and Director of the Florida Folklife Program

Venetian Impressions
2025-04-14 00:00 - 2025-04-30 23:59 | Gallery duPont, 134 E Minnesota Ave, DeLand, FL, 32724, United States
Reception on April 14, 6-7 pm at Gallery Dupont

Stetson Showcase
2025-04-15 10:00 - 15:30 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States
Artist Talks and Research Presentations

Stetson Showcase is open to all – you don’t have to be a current student nor affiliated with the University to attend. Below is the tentative schedule for presentations taking place at the Hand. Click here to view the latest information and all of the programming locations.

STUDIO ART PRESENTATIONS

10:00 – Marina Burgner “Swamps Gaze”

10:20 – Maddysun Casteneda A Family’s Primary Colors

10:40 – Danielle Hunt “The JungleBrunch89”

11:00 – Natalie Thomas “Let’s Go to Wawa”

11:20 – Ian Wu

MUSEUM STUDIES AND PUBLIC HISTORY

1:00 – Amarige Champion From Legal Dispute to Artistic Legacy: The Bluemner v. Garvin Case

1:20 – John Owen Ideology and the Holocaust: How Americanization Manifests in Holocaust Memory

1:45 – Moira Hughes Venetian Impressions: The Making of an Exhibition

2:00-2:15 BREAK

2:15 – Serena Dowling and Reagan Shivers The Stetson 150 Project

2:40 – Charlotte Holley Cataloging Danielle Hunt: Process and Experimentation

3:00 – Reagan Shivers Keeping the Home Hearth Burning: The Historic Preservation of Mount Vernon 1850-1865

3:20 – Reagan Swayze Jewish Architecture in Florida: An Exploration of Identity in the Temple Beth Jacob

Creative Arts Senior Exhibition
2025-04-17 18:00 - 20:00 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States

Arts & Crafts (All Ages)
2025-06-07 12:00 - 16:00, 2025-06-28 12:00 - 16:00 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States
Drop in anytime between noon and 4 pm to enjoy our summer exhibitions, including My Kind of Town: A “Kid-centric” Exhibit and participate in guided and self-guided activities. All ages welcome!

Arts & Crafts
2025-06-10 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-06-17 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-06-24 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-07-01 14:00 - 15:00 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States
Join us at 2 pm for a special Arts & Crafts session related to My Kind of Town: A “Kid-centric” Exhibit. Suggested age group: 5 and above.

Babies @ the Hand
2025-06-11 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-07-02 10:00 - 11:00 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States
This event is co-hosted with Full Circle Midwifery. We will focus on babies and caregivers with singing, a guided art activity, and opportunities to socialize. Also see: My Kind of Town: A “Kid-centric” Exhibit.

Off The Beaten Path: Exhibit Reception
2025-06-12 17:00 - 19:00 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States
Opening Reception on Thursday, June 12, 5-7 pm (Panel discussion at 6 pm)

Closing Reception on Saturday, July 5, noon-4 pm

Off The Beaten Path Florida Arts Tours are grass roots events created by a federation of practicing artists and community patrons with shared purpose and vision. Namely, to showcase and increase awareness and appreciation of Central Florida’s finest professional and emerging artists, as well as cultural institutions that are “off the beaten path.”

Each year, participating artists across Volusia County and Lake County open their private working studios to the public. Art patrons, collectors and curators, as well as families and children, follow a self-guided map. They are welcomed into the studios to meet the artists in their work environments, watch demonstrations, enjoy light refreshments, and shop for unique original works of art. The West Volusia Tour is a program of the Fall Festival of the Arts – DeLand.

Organized by John Wilton and co-sponsored by West Volusia Tourism, this exhibit features West Volusia artists who participated in the 2025 edition of the tour. In the museum setting, the works invite closer inspection and the opportunity to view artists side by side.

Exhibiting artists: Alison Burnett, Bobbi Baugh, Cal Ledy, Carly Gibran, Courtney Canova, David Bryan, David Fithian, Douglas Alexander, Jack Hill, Jaivis Carolina Rojas, Jorge Fernandini, John Wilton, Judi Bradford, Karen Tweedie, Kelly Canova, Laura Bohn, Mary Holtz, Nancy Esther Livingston, Sherrill Schoening, Tess Blum, Tom Burns and Hi Octane Jewelry.

Visit artstours.org for information on upcoming tours

Toddler Time
2025-06-13 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-06-27 10:00 - 11:00 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States
Join us at 10 am for singing, art making, and fun sensory activities in a room adapted for kiddos and caretakers. Also see: My Kind of Town: A “Kid-centric” Exhibit.

Drag Storytime with Volusia Pride
2025-06-14 16:00 - 16:45 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States
Volusia Pride is thrilled to announce Drag Storytime at the Stetson University Hand Art Center on June 14, 2025, at 4:00 PM.

This family-friendly event is open to the public and free of charge, welcoming individuals of all ages to join in a celebration of diversity, creativity, and community.

The event will feature captivating performances and readings by drag artists Kirk T DaVinci, Ginger Beer, Stella Boheme and Remini Mogul. These talented performers will bring stories to life with their unique flair and engaging presence, fostering a love for reading and a spirit of inclusivity among attendees.

Drag Storytime aims to create a joyful and welcoming space where everyone can feel accepted and valued. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience the magic of storytelling through the dynamic and entertaining lens of drag performance, highlighting the importance of self-expression and embracing differences.

We are excited to host this event at the Hand Art Center, providing a vibrant and inclusive experience for our community. Drag Storytime is more than just an event; it’s a celebration of diversity and acceptance, core values that Volusia Pride stands for.

Join us on June 14th at 4:00 PM for an unforgettable afternoon of stories, laughter, and community. No cover charge is required, so bring your family and friends to enjoy this special event.

Toddler Time
2025-06-18 14:30 - 15:30, 2025-07-03 14:30 - 15:30 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States
Join us in the afternoon for singing, art making, and fun sensory activities in a room adapted for kiddos and caretakers. Also see: My Kind of Town: A “Kid-centric” Exhibit.

Oscar Bluemner's Birthday Party
2025-06-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Hand Art Center, 139 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL, United States
Celebrate Oscar Bluemner’s 158th birthday at the Hand Art Center! Snacks and cupcakes will be available while supplies last.

All ages (adults welcome!)

Julius Oskar Blümner (Oscar Florianus Bluemner) was born June 21, 1867, in Prenzlau, Prussia (now Germany). In 1997, his life’s work was generously donated to Stetson University by his daughter, the late Vera Bluemner Kouba.

Image of Oscar Bluemner adapted from Portrait of Oscar Bluemner by Arnold Genthe. Vera Bluemner Kouba Collection, Homer and Dolly Hand Art Center. 2000.01.01.016
