AVON PARK — The Museum of Florida Art and Culture (MOFAC) at South Florida State College (SFSC) in Avon Park opens on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 12:30 p.m. with Clyde Butcher’s Cuba: The Natural Beauty.

Commissioned by the United Nations to create a portfolio of the mountainous lands of Cuba, Clyde Butcher set out on three week-long expeditions into unfamiliar lands. He explored the island country’s varied geographic regions, from the Sierra Maestra Mountains in Cuba’s eastern Granma province to the southern coast between Manzananilo and Santiago de Cuba. He ventured to places including Baracoa in the northeast, the southern waterfalls of the Serra de San Juan, and the mogotes of the west in the Piña del Rio region. While taking photographs for the Conference for the Sustainable Habitat of the Mountains, Butcher thought about being part of an event that was changing history for the better and enthusiastically saw an opportunity to make a positive difference. His photography transcends political boundaries, challenging us to work together to protect natural places across the globe.

Valley of the Giants, John Brady.

This collection documents Butcher’s journey through Cuba on three separate expeditions. Discovering the warmth and hospitality of the Cuban people, through his photography he has helped open Cuba’s natural beauty to the world. From mountain waterfalls to lush green jungles and grassy swamps to sandy beaches, his photographs reveal the seductive beauty, subtle grandeur, and majesty of this diverse island. The expedition to Cuba took him to places not seen by visitors in over 50 years.

An Opening Reception will be held at MOFAC on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 1– 3 p.m. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served. MOFAC is open Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 12:30–4:30 p.m. and admission is free. The Clyde Butcher exhibit closes on Dec. 6.

The Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts Gallery opens Friday, Oct. 4 with Florida landscape photographer John Brady’s “Wading Through the Sky.”

An award-winning photographer, Brady’s work focuses on the Florida wilderness. “My goal is to find those remote areas that have been mostly untouched by man. These wet jungles and swamps are my source of inspiration for the types of images that I make,” said Brady. “There is only one Everglades in the world! It is my hope that by sharing the beauty of this fragile region others will become passionate about this beautiful resource that exists in our own backyard.”

A free photography workshop will be conducted by Brady on Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 3:30– 5 p.m. Limited space is available and those interested in attending are asked to make a reservation at culturalperformances@southflorida.edu. Attendees should bring a cell phone or digital camera. “Brady plans to conduct the workshop somewhere on the campus, so there may be a bit of walking,” said Cindy Garren, director of cultural programs at SFSC. Workshop participants are asked to meet at MOFAC.

MOFAC is located on the SFSC Highlands Campus at 600 West College Drive in Avon Park. MOFAC opened its doors in 2001 as a showcase for the art, history, and culture of Florida. Florida Hall of Fame artist Christopher Still, whose work can be found in museums and private collections including the Governor’s Mansion of Florida, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Florida Legislature, has two works on display: “On Sacred Ground” and “Land of Promise.”

MOFAC’s main gallery features changing exhibits from October to May. Permanent exhibits include history and archaeology displays of Florida’s past and eight giclée panels representing 500 years of Florida history created by Christopher Still are installed in the Concourse Gallery. For more information, call MOFAC at 863-784-7240.