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