TALLAHASSEE, FL – Secretary of State Glenda E. Hood announced today an exhibition of watercolor paintings by Tampa artist Taylor Ikin entitled “The Hillsborough Collection.” The exhibition will be on display from August 16, 2004 through November 15, 2004 at the Capitol Gallery, located on the 22nd floor of the State Capitol Building. An opening reception will take place on August 19th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

“The Department of State is pleased to host this exhibition,” said Secretary Hood. “Taylor Ikin’s energetic paintings portray Hillsborough County’s untouched lands in a rich and colorful way, reminding us all of the true beauty of our state’s natural environment.”

Morning at Cockroach Bay
The Hillsborough Collection
26" x 40"

In this series of watercolors, Ikin captures some of Florida’s most pristine natural resources, the protected properties of Hillsborough County’s Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department. She uses an unusual and highly perfected technique of applying traditional watercolor medium to a synthetic paper called Yupo. The result is a personally expressive, vibrant body of work based on the themes of water conservation and natural preservation. “I enjoy preserving the landscapes, which are fast falling to the demand for more development,” says Ikin, “ I search out places of peace and quiet…places for reflection…often with a gentle sound of water washing over a cluster of rocks. I paint reminders.”

Golden Aster
The Hillsborough Collection
26" x 40"

Taylor Ikin is a widely respected watercolor artist who lived in the West Indies for 17 years before settling in Tampa. She is actively involved in a number of watercolor societies and arts organizations, including serving as a board member and past president of the Florida Watercolor Society, on the board of the Hillsborough Arts Council, and on the faculty of the Gulf Coast Museum of Art in Largo. She has been published in many art magazines including American Artist, Watercolor Magazine, and Creativity. She is represented by Nuance Gallery in Tampa and Island Arts Galleries in Antigua, West Indies and her works are included in many private collections, and have been exhibited in numerous solo and group shows. Ikin’s series, “The Hillsborough Collection” has traveled to numerous venues across Florida and to the Florida House in Washington, D.C.

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, visit the Division’s website at
www.florida-arts.org, or visit the artist’s website at www.taylorikin.com.

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