Inside Over at Bob & Margie’s: Janas Smith Durkee’s Interactive Artist Talk in Longwood

Inside a compact gallery on the edge of Longwood, Florida, Janas Smith Durkee’s room-sized installation Over at Bob & Margie’s invites visitors to slow down and listen to the domestic histories that shape identity. Located in Longwood, just north of Orlando and minutes from Wekiwa Springs, the installation folds family photographs, found imagery, and contemporary figurative painting into a lived-in space that reads like a house of memories. For two hours, the artist leads an interactive talk that traces the project from concept to construction, then opens the floor for participants to reflect, write, and share. Durkee’s presentation is as much about craft as it is about recollection. She explains how scale and staging transform ordinary objects into narrative anchors, how a single photograph can pivot a painting’s emotion, and how accumulated fragments—labels, postcards, small textiles—act as proof of lived time. The room itself is a key feature: domestic furniture repurposed as display, walls layered with polaroids and painted figures, and intimate vignettes that reward careful movement. Visitors often notice the tactile surfaces—paper, linen, reclaimed wood—and the quiet way light reveals brushwork and fingerprints. The talk naturally becomes a conversation. Durkee uses gentle prompts to invite audience contributions, offering optional sketching or writing exercises that help translate private memories into public language. Participants leave with more than an artist’s process: they gain a framework for thinking about memory, the architecture of homes, and the ways ordinary objects anchor belonging. The session suits small groups—attendance is capped at twenty—so expect a focused, participatory experience rather than a lecture. Practical details matter: the show runs roughly two hours, seating is limited, and the gallery space is compact, so arrive a few minutes early if you need accessible seating or want to view the installation before the talk. Longwood’s historic downtown, nearby Wekiwa Springs State Park, and quiet neighborhood parks make easy additions to a day of looking and walking. Because the installation foregrounds personal artifacts, visitors are encouraged to bring a small object or a photograph to reference if they’d like to participate. This experience is a special part of the local arts scene because it fuses studio practice with community ritual: a fine‑art encounter that asks viewers to become co-authors. Whether you’re a painter, an educator, or someone curious about how family stories build art, Durkee’s interactive talk offers a rare, attentive space to examine how our homes, images, and memories shape the stories we tell. Tickets are free or low-cost through local galleries; check the referral link for specific booking details and accessibility notes. Bring a small notebook, wear comfortable shoes for walking the nearby streets, and allow time afterward to explore local cafés and bookshops that support regional artists.