The Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, and a meteor crashing into a building...they're all parts of "Impact Sight," an art exhibition taking place on USF's Tampa campus through May 24. University Beat speaks to artist Cameron Gainer and takes you to the Contemporary Art Museum, the Botanical Gardens and any other surprising locations where the unexpected is making an appearance.

For more information:
David Norr, Curator of Exhibitions & Special Projects, USF Contemporary Art Museum
E-mail: dnorr@arts.usf.edu
or 813-974-4133

USF Contemporary Art Museum Webpage: http://usfcam.usf.edu/CAM/cam_exhibitions.html

Cameron Gainer's Webpage: http://www.camerongainer.com/

Artist Cameron Gainer talks about his piece, "Forest Through the Trees." The almost seven-foot tall Bigfoot is a re-creation of frame #352 from the famous 1967 Patterson-Gimlin film of the creature. The sculpture, made from a steel and fiberglass skeleton covered with faux fur and modeling compound, made its debut at Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens, NY in 2006.

Artist Cameron Gainer says the piece, "IN/OUT," like all of the work in "Impact Sight" is meant to surprise people with a highly unusual event that they're likely to want to take a picture of - thereby "proving" its existence. The piece, commissioned by the USF Contemporary Art Museum, consists of hand-carved EPS foam which was placed over a steel frame, and then coated with a two-part urethane coating and paint.

University Beat is a radio and television program that focuses on research from the University of South Florida and how it benefits the Tampa Bay area, Florida, and the world around us.

Each week, reporter Mark Schreiner looks at the latest USF efforts in medicine, engineering, education, arts and sciences and explores other programs that reach out to both students and the community.