As an elementary school student in Miami, Xavier Cortada would visit Pinecrest Gardens, then known Parrot Jungle, to learn about nature. Now he’s back in that green wonderland as its artist-in-residence, exploring the intersection of art and the environment and creating and exhibiting works capturing Florida’s natural beauty.

 

“Florida is Nature,” is an ongoing participatory art project encouraging audiences to care for Florida’s ecosystems.

 

Participants are invited to tour the garden beyond the gallery walls and find inspiration for art they will create and  upload, along with a message, to the project’s online platform: www.floridaisnature.com .

 

Cortada’s hope is that by bringing his engaged practice to Pinecrest Gardens, he can encourage others to explore and become curious about the natural world that captivated him as a child, raise awareness about environmental concerns, and establish a platform for community conversations and actions to protect Florida’s nature.