August 29, 2009

Textile arts museum opens at Florida Tech

BY PAM HARBAUGH

FLORIDA TODAY

Ruth Funk was all smiles Friday night. The Melbourne textile artist was the guest of honor at the official opening of the two-story museum that bears her name, the Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts.

"I can't tell you what fun this has been," she said, beaming. "It's a dream come true."

Funk donated $1.25 million to the project.

Nearly 200 invited guests gathered on the campus of Florida Tech to watch Funk and Florida Tech president Anthony Catanese officially open the university's first museum.

"This is a beginning of what we believe will be a period of exciting growth at Florida Tech," Catanese said. "I'd love to get more art museums. MIT's got 11."

Many of those in attendance were Brevard cultural and academic leaders, including Brevard Public Schools superintendant Brian T. Binggeli; Brevard School Board member Andy Ziegler; Brevard Art Museum president Steven Maklansky; Brevard Cultural Alliance executive director Shellie Williams and Craig Suman, the museum's architect.

Arts philanthropist Dee Negroni Hendricks said the new museum is "fabulous."

"We're ready for a second fine art museum," she said.

Former Florida Arts Council member Norma Canelas Roth, a major contributor to the Ruth Funk Center and to the Orlando Museum of Art, said the textile museum is significant because it is the only one of its kind in Florida and, indeed, south of Washington, D.C.

"I'm already beside myself with excitement," she said before entering the museum.

Tom Powers, a Melbourne artist and chairman of the Brevard Art Museum board of trustees, said "the more cultural institutions in a community the better."

Standing beneath the towering banner announcing the museum's inaugural exhibition of work by Ruth Funk, "Coat Couture: Inspiration to Creation," Melbourne stained glass artist John Emery burst out with: "This is like how they do it in the big city."

Catanese said future plans include opening the historic entrance of Florida Tech, taking visitors on a drive through the 33-acre botanical gardens, which lead directly to the museum.

The museum opens at 10 a.m. today Admission is free.