On February 3, a special Ocean After Hours evening at the REEF Ocean Exploration Center in Key Largo celebrated the completion of “Textures of the Tide,” a new collaborative installation created with mosaic artist Sonata Kazimieraitiene.

The reception brought together REEF supporters, community members, and partners for brief remarks, a short talk by Sonata, and time to meet the artist and experience the finished work up close.

What made this project especially meaningful was how many people helped shape it. Textures of the Tide—a mosaic made of glazed ceramic, natural elements, and glass—incorporated sea creatures and forms handmade by participants during a community workshop held on campus in December 2025.

Under Sonata’s guidance, those individual pieces came together into one vibrant underwater ecosystem. The installation is now on display in the Center’s The Ocean Inspires exhibit area and will remain on view through August 2, 2026.

The Ocean Inspires is our rotating art-and-humanities exhibit area that offers another way to connect with the ocean.

Alongside REEF’s science and conservation work, The Ocean Inspires invites visitors to explore the feelings, stories, and personal experiences that shape how we care for our blue planet. During the February 3 reception, guests lingered over the mosaic’s textures and details—recognizing that each element carried the imprint of a different hand and imagination.

The project was made possible through REEF’s partnership with Upper Keys BPW (Business and Professional Women). Together, REEF and BPW are building new opportunities to bring arts and conservation experiences to new audiences throughout the Florida Keys.

For REEF members around the world, this project reflects something universal about our community: when people are invited to create, contribute, and gather around the ocean, conservation becomes personal—and connection becomes a powerful catalyst for action.

Support for this project was provided in part by the Florida Keys Council of the Arts; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs; the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; and private donations.

If you find yourself in the Florida Keys, we hope you’ll stop by the Ocean Exploration Center to see "Textures of the Tide" in person—and keep an eye out for upcoming Ocean After Hours programs and other events at the REEF Campus.