Press Release, March 1, 2010
Contact: Robin Berrie, Marketing Manager
(407) 671-1886, ext. 14; rberrie@crealde.org
Attached imagery: Carvings_Requesting Miracles; Painting_ Requesting MiraclesAlice & William Jenkins Gallery

WINTER PARK, FL — Visit the Alice & William Jenkins Gallery at Crealdé School of Art from March 26 to June 5, 2010, for an extraordinary exhibition of heartfelt handmade pieces from far-flung places. Requesting Miracles: Votive Offerings from Diverse Cultures is presented in partnership with UCF’s Cultural Heritage Alliance and the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida. Many offerings have been created for deities as thanks for a miracle. They include votive paintings from Mexico, metal ex-votos from Italy, prayer tablets from Japan, and wooden sculptures from Brazil. The installation, reminiscent of religious spaces in Mexico and Brazil, also features offerings gathered from the Central Florida community. This exhibition is co-curated by Kristin Congdon, Natalia da Silva, and Rima Jabbur. Funded by a grant from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs.

The opening reception for Requesting Miracles is Friday, March 26, from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. with a performance by Capoeira Brazilian Pelourinho and a short gallery talk at 8:00 p.m.

An educational panel will take place on April 23, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. with Dr Kristin Congdon, Natalia da Silva, Dr. Claudia Schippert, and Dr. Harry Coverston, who will discuss the cross-cultural significance of votive offerings.

Crealdé School of Art is a community based non-profit arts organization established in 1975. It features a year-round curriculum of over 90 visual arts classes for students of all ages, two galleries, the Contemporary Sculpture Garden, and award-winning outreach programs. Crealdé’s second campus, the Hannibal Square Heritage Center, opened in 2007 in partnership with the City of Winter Park, offers innovative programming in the arts and humanities with a focus on local history, cultural preservation, and southern folklore. Through the award-winning Heritage Collection, the center pays tribute to contributions of Winter Park’s historic African American community. For more information, call:

Crealdé School of Art: (407) 671-1886 http://www.crealde.org; open M-Th. 9-4, Fri. & Sat. 9-1.
600 St. Andrews Boulevard, Winter Park, Florida 32792

Heritage Center: (407) 539-2680 http://www.hannibalsquareheritagecenter.org , open Tu.-Th. 12-4, F 12-5, Sat. 10-2.
642 W. New England Ave., Winter Park, Florida 32789