George Inness Jr. (1853-1926) was a good painter who followed his father into the profession but never gained the critical stature of George Inness, the noted landscape artist. It probably didn't help that he shared the same name and chose an academic style that was on the wane as modern movements such as impressionism took hold. But his work was popular with collectors and the public in his time. He and his wife, Julie, had a large winter home in Tarpon Springs where he painted landscapes of the area and became a devoted member of the small Unitarian Universalist Church. He and his wife gave the church a number of paintings that form the core of "An Arts Legacy: George Inness Jr. in Tarpon Springs," which opens Sunday at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, 600 Klosterman Road on the Tarpon Springs campus of St. Petersburg College. Joining them are paintings from the collection of Cici and Hyatt Brown. The show continues through Aug. 31.
Two related exhibitions will also be on view. "Historic Tarpon Springs" is a group of prints by architect Edward C. Hoffman Jr. of historic buildings. "The Legacy Continues" showcases works by Tarpon Springs artists Christopher Still, Kevin Grass, Elizabeth Indianos, Mitch Kolby, Allen Leepa and Joseph Weinzettle.
Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $6 adults, $5 seniors and free to students, kids and military families. Free admission Sunday with suggested donation of $5. Docent tours 2 p.m. Sunday. spcollege.edu/museum; (727) 712-5762.