Speaker Series and Book Launch “Doris Leeper: Legacy of a Visionary”

Atlantic Center for the Arts Invites you to join us as we celebrate the publication of Doris Leeper: Legacy of a Visionary

Friday, February 24

4-5 PM: Author Readings

Meet the authors of Doris Leeper: Legacy of a Visionary at a reading and book signing, featuring ACA Trustee Patricia Appleton, Dr. James Murphy, Clay Henderson and Amy Galpin, and Florida Historical Society Executive Director Ben Brotemarkle.

 5-7 PM: Book signing, opening of “ACA 40-Year Retrospective” exhibit, and reception to meet the Artists in Residency #164

Atlantic Center for the Arts, Pabst Visitor Center & Gallery
1414 Art Center Avenue, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168 | 386.427.6975

Patricia Appleton was inspired to capture the history and stories behind Doris Leeper – a woman she never met, yet respected deeply – upon joining the Atlantic Center for the Arts Board of Trustees in 2012. The result is five years of perseverance, along with co-authors Dr. James Murphy and Clay Henderson, and the publication by the Florida Historical Society of Doris Leeper: Legacy of a Visionary.

This publication examines the accomplishments of Doris Leeper and assesses her contributions to Florida’s cultural life and to the preservation of its natural environment.  It contains a chronology of Leeper’s artistic career with photos of her work and a full exhibit list; a narrative history of her environmental work, including accounts of the political battles she waged to achieve the national park designation for Canaveral Seashores and to establish Atlantic Center for the Arts, an internationally-recognized artist residency; and interviews with friends and colleagues who worked with Leeper—and sometimes against her—to achieve these goals. Additional materials include personal letters from Doc and critical essays written about her work.

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Doris Leeper was a visionary artist and environmentalist. She was instrumental in the creation of the
Canaveral National Seashore, established the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna, and was a
celebrated sculptor and painter. Doris Leeper died in 2000, one year after being inducted into the
Florida Artists Hall of Fame.

The new book, Doris Leeper: Legacy of a Visionary, includes remembrances from people who knew
“Doc,” worked with her to help realize her goals, and were inspired by her passion. Together, these
essays, articles, and anecdotes paint a fascinating portrait of Doris Leeper, and describe her outstanding
contributions to Florida, and the world.

A book launch event will be held Friday, February 24, at 4:00 pm, at the Atlantic Center for the Arts,
1414 Art Center Avenue, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168. Book editor Nancy Lowden Norman will
discuss the book along with contributors including Patricia Appleton, James Murphy, Amy Galpin, and
Clay Henderson. A book signing and reception will follow.

ABOUT ATLANTIC CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Atlantic Center for the Arts is a nonprofit interdisciplinary artist-in-residence community and arts
education facility dedicated to promoting artistic excellence by providing talented artists an opportunity
to work and collaborate with some of the world’s most distinguished contemporary artists in the fields
of music composition and the visual, literary and performing arts. Community interaction is coordinated
through on-site outreach presentations, workshops, and exhibitions. www.atlanticcenterforthearts.org.

ABOUT THE FLORIDA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Established in 1856, the Florida Historical Society is dedicated to preserving Florida’s past through the
collection and archival maintenance of historical documents and photographs, the publication of
scholarly research on Florida history, and educating the public about Florida history through a variety of
public history projects. We maintain an extensive archive at the Library of Florida History, publish books
through the Florida Historical Society Press, manage the Historic Rossetter House Museum and Gardens,
and operate the Florida Historical Society Archaeological Institute (FHSAI) at the Brevard Museum of
History and Natural Science. We produce Florida Frontiers: The Weekly Radio Magazine of the Florida
Historical Society and the public television series Florida Frontiers. We publish the academic journal
Florida Historical Quarterly. We maintain a content rich web site at www.myfloridahistory.org, and a
dynamic Facebook page with more than 13,000 daily followers at “Florida Historical Society.” The
Annual Meeting & Symposium is in a different location in May each year featuring paper presentations,
round table discussions, tours of historic sites, awards and more. Our other educational outreach
projects and programs include active participation in events and festivals throughout the state, frequent
public talks on a variety of subjects, workshops for teachers and students, history-based theatrical
presentations, exhibits, and much more.