Made In The Sunshine State

There's much to celebrate about Florida, the quirky state we call home.

And the Boca Raton Museum of Art's latest exhibit - "Imagining Florida: History and Myth in the Sunshine State" - takes visitors on an unforgettable journey depicting the state's people, places, flora and fauna.

"The Boca Raton Museum of Art brings together America's leading masters and some of the world's most renowned painters who visited Florida and were spellbound by the exotic beauty surrounding them," notes the museum's website.

The show, which runs through March 24, illustrates the history and diversity of the state through 200 works by artists and photographers like Milton Avry, Winslow Homer, Henri Cartier- Bresson and Robert Frank. It took more than three years to compile and create.

"Visitors will feel transported through Florida's history via the paintings, photographs, drawings and material culture from the 18th to the mid-20th century, from naturalists to modernists," the website explains. "From natural landscapes to frontier outposts to burgeoning towns, the scenes featured in 'Imagining Florida' portray many different aspects of the state, its deep rooted Seminole and Miccosukee heritage, its historic African -American communities and its identity as a tourist destination."

The Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum is offering a special exhibit in conjunction with the show. Dubbed "Imagining Boca Raton," it showcases paintings, posters and other illustrations of the city from the museum's collections.

"Enjoy landmarks past and present as envisioned by local artists," notes the website. O

For more information, call 561-392-2500 or visit bocamuseum.org.