story by
Liesel Schmidt
| photos by
Spring Run Media
and
We Create LIFT
T
hey say that art imitates life—but what if life actually
creates the art? Or, to put a fi ner point on it, makes
an already spectacular piece of art something truly
remarkable and unique in a way that no human hands
and no tool ever could? Such might be said to be the concept
behind the sculptures on display at the Underwater Museum
of Art that that recently opened to the public in Santa Rosa
Beach—and as the very fi rst museum of its kind in North
America, this is one attraction that’s making art lovers dive
deep.
More than just a simple collection of sizeable sculptures
assembled within the designated area of one mile set aside by
the Cultural Arts Alliance’s Art in Public Spaces program in
partnership with the South Walton Artifi cial Reef Association,
the seven pieces that have been installed in the waters of the
Gulf of Mexico off Grayton Beach State Park are also part of a
larger initiative to create an artifi cial reef system where ocean
life can thrive.
Initially an idea presented by local artist and CAA board
president Allison Wickey in inspiration drawn from the
works created by underwater artists across the world, the
museum neatly aligned with the work already in progress
under the direction of SWARA. Simply stated, the mission
of the museum is to expand local fi shery populations while
at the same time enhancing creative, cultural, economic, and
educational opportunities for the residents of South Walton
as well as the many visitors to the area in a truly unique and
visionary way, in addition to providing ecologists, marine
scientists, wildlife management professionals, and students
with an extraordinary opportunity to study marine life and
measure the impact of artifi cial reef systems on the ecosystem
in the Gulf.
“The beauty of the museum is that the pieces become a part
of the natural environment. We have an idea of how they will
transform over time, but some of the fun will be seeing marine
growth that may alter the appearance of the
pieces,” says CAA Executive Director Jennifer
Steele. And fun it will certainly be, as the pieces
are created using a variety of materials such as
metals, concrete, and stone and constructed
in such a way that they naturally allow the
movement and fl ow of water and light. Each
chosen by juried selection after an open call
to artists who presented proposals and were
then awarded the commission, the pieces were
completed in four months’ time before being
permanently installed as a part of the museum.
Lying within a mile of the shore at a depth
of approximately 57 feet, the UMA is open to
74 | VIPDestinMagazine.com
Where the Tides of Art and Life Meet
Grayt Pineapple
by
Rachel Herring
ADVENTURE
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11/27/18 10:00 AM