Lauren Buchanan Schlakman, Coastal Escape, oil on canvas, 11" x 14"

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Secretary of State Glenda E. Hood announced today an exhibition of landscape works by Tallahassee artist Lauren Buchanan Schlakman entitled “The Allure of the Florida Outdoors.” The works will be on display from November 23, 2004 through February 3, 2005 at the Capitol Gallery, located on the 22nd floor of the State Capitol Building.

“The Department of State is pleased to host this exhibition,” said Secretary Hood. “Lauren Buchanan Schlakman’s vibrant paintings and drawings truly depict the beauty of our state’s natural landscape.”

In this series of art works, Lauren captures some of Florida’s most pristine natural resources with her own unique and expressive style. Utilizing a variety of artistic media, from oils and acrylics to pastels and charcoals, she creates quiet, picturesque outdoor places such as the untouched coastlines that line the state.

A highly accomplished artist, Lauren has participated in numerous solo and juried shows across the country. Her works can be found in many galleries and private collections and have been exhibited at the White House, the U.S. Department of State, and in Senator Bob Graham’s Florida office. Several years ago, one of her original watercolors was presented to the President of Argentina as an official gift from the State of Florida. She previously worked as the Associate Director of the Florida Art Center and Gallery in Havana and owned a private art gallery, the Southern Art Gallery for two years. She currently works out of her art studio in Tallahassee.

The Capitol Gallery is located in the Capitol Downtown Cultural District, a ten-block district which features twenty-eight cultural sites in downtown Tallahassee. This exhibition is part of the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs’ Capitol Complex Exhibition Program. Gallery hours are Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For general information about this exhibition or the Capitol Complex Exhibition program, please contact Erin Long at the Division of Cultural Affairs at 850/245-6475 or visit the Division’s website at www.florida-arts.org.

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