The Museum of Florida Art and Culture (MOFAC) at South Florida State College (SFSC) will open “Earth and Ocean,” an exhibition by the Morean Center for Clay, today. The exhibition features works by Artists in Residence Charles Morrison and Nina Samuels and will be on view through Jan. 25.
“Earth and Ocean” brings together two distinct yet complementary artistic voices rooted in nature, ancestry, and material exploration through clay.
With deep reverence for those who came before us, Morrison’s work serves as a reminder of ancestral traditions, folktales, and belief systems. His clay vessels and Ancestral Totems are layered with textures, designs, and hand and fingerprint markings that reference original civilizations and Indigenous cultures across the globe.
In a time when humanity searches for direction and meaning, Morrison’s works function as primordial messengers, carrying the spirit of ancient wisdom and urging viewers to give thanks and travel wisely.
Nature has always been at the center of Samuels’ work. Often sculpting with wild clays and natural materials sourced directly from the earth, Samuels draws inspiration from her upbringing near the ocean and her life as an artist in coastal Florida.
From microscopic organisms to revered marine species, the sea provides endless inspiration. Her ceramic sculptures range from anatomically accurate sea creatures to abstracted forms that capture the fluidity of ocean life.
Through her study of marine biology, Samuels has expanded her practice by submerging ceramic sculptures underwater to serve as artificial marine reefs, creating habitats for the very creatures that inspire her work and adding a living, interactive dimension to her art.
The Museum of Florida Art and Culture is on the Highlands Campus of SFSC at 600 W. College Drive in Avon Park.
Florida Hall of Fame artist Christopher Still is represented in the museum with two works on display: “On Sacred Ground” and “Land of Promise.” Still’s work is held in major museums and private collections, including the Governor’s Mansion of Florida, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Florida Legislature.
MOFAC is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday thru and Friday. Admission is always free. MOFAC’s main gallery features rotating exhibitions from October through May. Permanent exhibits include history and archaeology displays of Florida’s past, as well as eight giclée panels by Still representing 500 years of Florida history, installed in the Concourse Gallery.
