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Out of Order | Let Down is a two-person exhibition by Kristen Letts Kovak & Grace Mikell Ramsey. This exhibition explores complex visual language of abstraction, naturalism, and fantasy to engage in dialogue on the nuances of female perseverance. Through visual storytelling, the two artists reflect and represent ongoing issues of female bodies, gender roles, societal expectations, and biases. The intuitive and formal experimentations engage visceral emotions and encourage active consideration and questioning of expectations and consequences for women through our lived experiences. Kovak's paintings investigate harmonious states of disequilibrium, reverberating between representation and abstraction. Her works reflect her experiences living with a hidden and unpredictable disability. She resists clarity and swims head-first into uncertain waters. The cumulative effect of her work is of vibrance and animation that welcome the viewer to embrace unexpected detours of creative discovery. Ramsey's paintings explore the complexities of nurturing in depictions of motherhood, pregnancy, and the female body--a reflection on intimacy, both its toils and possibilities through storytelling. The paintings function in a dreamlike narrative space between fantasy and reality, but they are rooted in the artist's personal experiences as a mother: feeling at the mercy of forces beyond one's control, the way that ordinary choices can be freighted with epic stakes, a notion of being observed and needed that is undercut by feelings of isolation.Join us for the Opening Reception and Artist Talks on Thursday, January 9, 2025 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. with Artist Talks by Kristen Letts Kovak and Grace Mikell Ramsey at 6 p.m. | [Register](https://www.ticketsource.us/ucf-art-gallery/opening-reception-out-of-order-let-down/e-mbyjzb)Additional information and programming coming soon! ________________________________________________________Exhibition dates: January 9, 2025 - February 7, 2025 | Opening Reception and Artist Talks: Thursday, January 9, 5-7pm | [RSVP](https://www.ticketsource.us/ucf-art-gallery/opening-reception-out-of-order-let-down/e-mbyjzb)Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Closed on major holidays Admission is FREE _________________________________________________________The UCF Art Gallery at the University of Central Florida serves as a catalyst for visual art experiences and education, culture, and community engagement. Our mission is to encourage dialogue and engagement between students, faculty, members of the community, and artists by providing a framework for intellectual and creative inquiry. The gallery hosts exhibitions and programming that examine cultural and social contexts and support contemporary art practices.Free parking is available in Garage F next to the Addition Financial Arena. Parking lot H4 or Garage I requires purchasing a $5 daily virtual visitor permit Purchase Here. Please note that visitors should park in green student spaces ONLY, as the $5 daily virtual permit does not cover red and blue spaces. After 5:30 p.m., daily virtual visitor permits are allowed to park in faculty, staff, unreserved, or student spaces. Visitors can register their vehicle's license plate information into the online parking system. [Purchase](https://parking.ucf.edu/permits/visitor-permits/) Registration Link: https://www.ticketsource.us/ucf-art-gallery/opening-reception-out-of-order-let-down/e-mbyjzb Registration Info: Admission is free and open to the public

Dr. Jason Alder is a low clarinet and new music specialist, improviser, and researcher, working with composers to develop and premiere new works for clarinets of all sizes. He is often found performing, lecturing, teaching, or on panel discussions worldwide, and also works as a recording session musician. His contrabass clarinet playing is particularly sought after by soundtrack composers, and he can be heard on films and TV shows from Paramount, BBC, ITV, RTL+, and Apple TV+. Jason authored the widely-used Quarter-Tone and Altissimo Fingering Chart for soprano, bass, and contrabass clarinets and recently released a solo album Milieu Interieur of works by collaborative composer Thanos Chrysakis. He has also authored numerous articles and resources about clarinets for The Clarinet and Clarinet and Saxophone magazines and is on the ICA New Music Committee, Low Clarinet Festival Artistic Committee, and was Co-Artistic Director of ClarinetFest 2024 in Dublin. Jason is an artist for Henri Selmer Paris clarinets, and D'Addario reeds.