Dive into WMODA this summer and cool off to beat the heat of the blazing Florida sun and humid rainstorms. Have fun with our mermaid tail photo opportunity on loan from Ocean Rescue Alliance International as part of their 1000 Mermaids Project, restoring the coral reefs off Hollywood Beach. Discover how the Fired Arts support ORAI in restoring ecosystems and conserving the beauty of Florida’s coastline by serving as a bridge connecting art to the ocean.
Monday, June 8th, is World Oceans Day, and since WMODA is closed that day, we encourage you to celebrate at Hollywood Beach instead, to experience firsthand how ORAI is protecting our blue planet. The Guardians of the Sea, their first nearshore artificial reef accessible to snorkelers, is easily reachable 300-500 feet offshore in 8-15 feet of water, no scuba tanks needed! There are four specific access points along Hollywood Beach, each marked by orange buoys. Walk right off the beach for a dip to experience 36 underwater fish-habitat modules and 14 artistic reefs regenerating coral, including a mermaid, manatees, and seahorses.
Florida has the third-largest coral reef in the world, and sadly, it is in drastic decline. In the last few years, 90 % of stony corals have gone. Fortunately, later this summer, Lindsay Humbles, Educational Outreach and Program Coordinator at ORAI, will be back at WMODA with family-friendly programs in our Splash! exhibition, demonstrating how we can all do our part to help save these precious ecosystems.
Many local artists featured in Splash! use the Fired Arts to draw attention to the fragile beauty and plight of our oceans. Rob Stern has sculpted gorgeous corals and giant shells from molten glass. Chadd Lacy has contributed a pod of dolphins in flameworked glass. Josh Fradis has created ethereal jellyfish, sea turtles, and foam-crested waves in translucent glass. Their work is on display in the Splash! exhibit and offered for sale in our WMODA Museum Shop and Studio Collection.
Nini Montanez from Candle Nerds is making waves at WMODA with her award-winning wax sculptures inspired by the ocean. Lori Brown has also captured the energy of the waves in her beautiful fused-glass panels. Scherry Donato uses fused-glass techniques to craft nautical flags that spell out “I Love You,” “Peace,” and “Love.” These make great gifts for Father’s Day on June 21st or to celebrate an important man in your life who enjoys maritime pursuits. Scherry’s glass sailboats are also popular gifts for ocean enthusiasts. Most recently, Scherry has been weaving with glass, a very challenging technique, and has delivered her latest designs to the WMODA Museum Shop in time for Father’s Day gift giving.
From June 17th to 21st, our Father’s Day sale offers 10% off all purchases at WMODA, and members receive an additional 10% off.
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World Oceans Day
Nautical Glass
Listen to Dr. Shelby Thomas talk about the nearshore reef off Hollywood Beach
