During the Monday, August 5, 2024, Oviedo City Council Meeting, a new Public Arts endeavor called “Art in the Chambers” was unveiled to the public.
Art in the Chambers is a way to expand public art and appreciation and was a program developed and recommended by the City’s Public Art board. On April 15, 2024, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 4454-24 approving a recommendation from the Public Art Board for the program, which involves displaying art from an artist or a group of artists in the City Council Chambers once a quarter.
The first Art in the Chambers exhibition displays watercolors from Mr. James Koevenig, who was a talented UCF biology professor, artist, writer, and educational filmmaker who lived in Oviedo for 45 years until his passing at the age of 84 in 2015. Mr. Koevenig was particularly interested in photographing and painting workers in the celery and cabbage fields near his house in Oviedo.
Those fields are long gone now, but he preserved the agricultural history of Oviedo through his watercolors. He also enjoyed painting the old buildings in Oviedo and the nature of "old Central Florida" (St. John's River area, birds, flowers, cypress, and palm trees).
During regular office hours, the free exhibition is open to the public from August 6, 2024, until December 19, 2024.
Mr. Koevenig’s daughter, Kimberley Koevenig, worked with City Staff on the selection of the work to be displayed. Some of the watercolors are for sale, and 20% of the sale amount will be donated to the Public Art Fund. Kimberley Koevenig attended the City Council meeting and spoke about her father’s art and his inspirations.
