The Ocean Inspires: Bridging Art, Science, and Humanity

Rotating Art Exhibit

The Ocean Inspires is a platform for artists, poets, authors, and creatives who draw upon the ocean and other aspects of nature as a source of inspiration and reflection. Situated within the ‘Being Human on an Ocean Planet’ area of the Ocean Exploration Center, this exhibit encourages visitors to explore their personal connection to nature, to reflect on the impacts of climate change and shifting seas, and to consider how the ocean and open spaces have shaped human experience through time.

Our mission is to present art that is thought-provoking yet accessible, sparking curiosity and reflection on the intersections of art, science, and conservation. We believe that art is a powerful tool for connection, fostering a collective appreciation for nature’s beauty, complexity, and the urgent need for its preservation. This exhibit aims to engage visitors not only as observers but as participants in a dialogue about our shared responsibility to the ocean and our planet.

Through a combination of visual art, interactive talk-back boards, and reflective spaces, The Ocean Inspires invites visitors to engage with nature in new and meaningful ways, deepening their understanding of the vital role it plays in our lives and our collective future.

 

The Ocean Inspires Exhibition - Paola Mondolfi and Susanne Schirato - Open from Aug. 2, 2026 - June 3, 2027

Artist Statements

Rivers of Grass brings two large-format woven landscapes of the Florida Everglades to the Ocean Exploration Center. Built on custom six-foot-square looms, the works translate a wetland into fiber, plant matter, and stone. The Everglades are not separate from the waters REEF works to protect: freshwater moving south through the wetlands reaches Florida Bay, where, according to the National Park Service, that inflow governs salinity in an estuary holding the largest continuous seagrass bed on Earth. What happens upstream in the grass reaches the reef.

Beneath the Surface by Susanne Schirato
Handwoven mixed-fiber textile with limestone; 79" L x 86" H (6.6 feet x 7.2 feet)

This weaving reflects the layered inner life of the Everglades, a landscape whose deepest structures remain hidden from view. Horizontal bands of color and texture suggest the stratification of water, soil, and sediment that slowly form the wetlands over time. As the eye moves downward, the fibers become denser and more entangled, evoking submerged roots, grasses, and the networks that sustain life beneath the waterline. Loose threads extend like exposed roots, revealing what usually remains concealed. At the base of the work, real limestone appears, referencing the porous rock that forms the geological foundation of the Everglades. The piece invites viewers to consider the wetlands as a layered living system whose most vital structures exist quietly below the surface, beyond what is immediately visible.

Entre Agua y Memoria / Between Water and Memory by Paola Mondolfi
Weaving loom and woven chair; 79" L x 86" H (6.6 feet x 7.2 feet)

This large-format woven loom installation reflects the fragile ecosystem of the Everglades. Through hand weaving, the landscape emerges slowly, waterways, vegetation, and sky forming a delicate network of threads. The work explores the relationship between nature and structure, where weaving mirrors the interconnected systems of wetlands: roots, currents, and living organisms that sustain the territory. A sculptural woven element extends from the landscape into space, suggesting submerged life and hidden ecological structures. Through fiber and time, the piece becomes a meditation on place, memory, and the vulnerability of natural environments.

 

About the Artists

Paola Mondolfi is a Venezuelan artist based in Miami. Her academic background includes studies in graphic design and sculpture, which shapes her three-dimensional approach to both art and objects. The chair is a recurring presence in her work, which she sees not as a functional object but as an extension of the human body: a structure for waiting, for holding, for containing. With over twenty years of experience in graphic design, advertising, and branding, Paola founded 2323 Grupo Gráfico, collaborating with galleries and institutions in Venezuela and abroad. In 2020, during the pandemic, her work shifted toward textile art and recycled furniture, leading to the creation of Paola Mondolfi Design Lab, a space where memory, materiality, and poetic transformation converge.

Susanne Schirato is a Brazilian artist based in Miami whose practice explores the intersection of art and science through subaquatic research and environmental expeditions. Her work is informed by experiences diving in flooded caves, participating in underwater research, and traveling to remote regions such as Antarctica and the Arctic. Through her art, Susanne explores how invisible forces, both natural and human, shape our environment and behavior. Susanne holds a degree in Visual Arts from the Panamerican School of Art and a postgraduate degree in Contemporary Artistic Practices from the Fundação Armando Álvares Penteado, Brazil.

 

Both works were created for River of Grass, a site-specific project of the Fiber Artists Miami Association featuring 21 artists addressing the ecological and cultural narrative of the Florida Everglades, curated by Jodi Sypher of the Art and Culture Center/Hollywood and named for Marjory Stoneman Douglas' 1947 book The Everglades: River of Grass. 

The Ocean Inspires Exhibition - Sonata Kazimieraitiene - Open from February 3, 2026 - August 1, 2026

Artist Statement

Textures of the Tide is a celebration of marine life and community collaboration. Born from colorful sea creatures hand-sculpted from clay by Ocean Exploration Center visitors along with elements from the natural world, these unique creations were assembled into a cohesive underwater ecosystem, demonstrating the harmonious way organic forms and artistic interpretation can complement one another. Framed by a border of geometric glass tiles, the pieces serve as a tactile sensory tool, inviting viewers to explore the diverse shapes and surfaces of our ocean’s reefs.

 

Sonata Kazimieraitiene is a community-centered mosaic artist and the founder of Sonata Mosaics, where public art is all about connection, collaboration, and creativity. Born in Lithuania, she holds an MFA in Design from the Vilnius Academy of Art and an MBA in Marketing, blending artistic vision with practical know-how. Through hands-on workshops and inclusive design, Sonata brings people together to create large-scale mosaic installations with schools, libraries, and cities across the U.S. She sees mosaic as a joyful metaphor for life—many unique pieces coming together to form something meaningful, beautiful, and shared.

 

 

 

 

 

This project is supported in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the State Arts Agency of Florida. 

The Ocean Inspires Exhibition - Beatriz Chachamovits - June 5, 2025 - February 1, 2026

Artist Statement

My work explores the intersection of marine ecology, mythology, and material transformation. Through sculpture and drawing, I investigate the ways we collect, preserve, and assign value to the natural world. To Have and To Hold reinterprets the historical cabinet of curiosities, reflecting on humanity’s impulse to extract and possess nature, while the drawings offer a glimpse into earlier explorations of form, memory, and organic structures. Together, these works invite contemplation on the fragility of marine ecosystems and our evolving relationship with them.

Beatriz Chachamovits is a Miami-based artist whose practice examines the relationships between marine environments, material culture, and mythology. Working across ceramics, drawing, and installation, they create narratives that merge natural history with speculative storytelling. Their work has been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art of North Miami, Frost Science Museum, Miami Design District, and other institutions. In addition to their studio practice, they have engaged over 1,000 students through Modeling the Reef, a workshop fostering ocean literacy through hands-on making.

 

 

 

Ocean Mural

Sydney Prusso is a muralist and illustrator best known for her elegant, contemporary botanical style. Combining the organic beauty of nature with a modern twist, she reimagines traditional florals into designs that feel both timeless and fresh. Based near Tampa, FL, Sydney draws inspiration from her vibrant surroundings. Her work spans a variety of mediums. From large-scale murals to packaging and publishing. Infused with a unique ability to weave your story, brand, and vision into every piece. With a background in graphic design, Sydney’s distinct flat illustration style and collaborative approach allow her to seamlessly integrate brand identities into her creations. Having completed 50+ murals across six states, including installations as large as 75 feet, Sydney brings a wealth of experience to every project, transforming spaces and products with her natural worlds. We are honored to have her work as the anchor artpiece on the outside of the Ocean Exploration Center.