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The sound of the lapping sea always soothed my mind. Water sparkling in the sun like diamonds floating out to an infinite horizon that continues around the globe until it laps upon land elsewhere is something that drives us always to be near. Of course, water takes up the majority of this home we call Earth. It has been the subject of many artists and for good reason, the changing face of water allows an artist to utilize it to set moods, reflect the environments surrounding and explore color in unique ways.
The exhibit “The American Journey” at the Orlando Museum of Art explores the sea as part of the show. Joseph Raphael’s work reflects the sun with patches of yellow, pink, and orange within the reflection of a blue sky while a wave slowly forms on the surface all created with what else – watercolor. The paintings and singular photograph by Florida photographer Clyde Butcher explore the various moods of water, including precipitation!
Florida is no stranger to water and its many moods. Florida is a peninsula, meaning it is mostly surrounded by water, only the north part is connected to land. Anywhere in this state you are never more than 60 miles from the nearest body of salt water! There are more than 1260 miles of coastline in Florida, making it the longest in the contiguous United States, with 825 miles of sandy beaches, according to the State of Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection. Florida contains greater than 30,000 lakes, and in the center, the largest lake in one state in this nation, Lake Okeechobee, which can be seen clearly from space. Florida is like a big sponge. Water soaks into the land and flows out through waterways to the surrounding waters. It is part of the pulse of this state. Yet with how calming and restful water can make us feel, it can also be relentless. This last summer saw what havoc water can bring with Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, causing billions in damages. Yet we still are drawn and we rebuild because water is within each of us, where life began.
Call me crazy but humidity does not bother me, instead it drives me to take a swim and throw my body into what was my beginning like floating in my mother’s womb. When looking for a home in Central Florida, my request was a pool and a lake. I compromised with a pool and a pond that flows into the natural Shingle Creek that continues into Lake Okeechobee and onto the Everglades then the Florida Bay! Not much of a compromise, I think. I’m happy here.
There are so many water spots: lakes and rivers, streams and ponds, ocean, bays, and the gulf. If you are driven to water, Florida is waiting for you. I would be honored to help you, as well, to get to your happy place.
