Pinecrest Gardens
FIU School of Environment, Arts & Society
FIU College of Communications, Architecture + The Arts
FIU Libraries
and
FIU Digital Library of the Caribbean

cordially invite you to join us for

FLORIDA IS…

our monthly Florida is Nature Artist Talk

by

Xavier Cortada

with special guest scientist

Dr. Cara Rockwell
Department of Earth & Environment
Florida International University

on
Wednesday, March 14th, 2018
10:30 am

at
Hibiscus Gallery
Pinecrest Gardens
11000 S.W. 57th Avenue
Pinecrest, FL 33156

305-669-6990

Talk is free with $5 admission to the Gardens.
After the talk, walk the garden and participate in “Florida is Nature.”  

Cara Rockwell Research Statement August 2015

My research integrates the disciplines of tropical ecology, agroforestry, and sustainable forest management within the context of neotropical smallholder and community-based systems. I have pursued these complementary research interests since 1998, when I served as a Peace Corps agroforestry volunteer in Paraguay. I believe that a cohesive approach to natural resource management research will have a positive impact on livelihood development as well as biodiversity conservation and environmental services. To-date most of my research has been conducted in Southwestern Amazonia, principally in the Brazilian state of Acre and the Peruvian department of Madre de Dios. Drawing from my international field experiences, I am interested in mentoring students and allowing them to explore research opportunities in the field, both in South Florida and Latin America.

“Florida Is…” by Xavier Cortada

Through Florida is Nature,”  Pinecrest Gardens artist-in-residence Xavier Cortada portrays Florida’s environment to connect viewers with our state’s natural beauty.  Come see the works on permanent display at the Hibiscus Gallery in Pinecrest Gardens.

You too can participate in “Florida is…”

Help others understand and appreciate Florida’s natural beauty.  Upload an image of your favorite animal, plant or place to www.floridaisnature.com and tell us why we should all care for it and strive to protect it.  We will share it on our website and social media.  We will also ask you to help us spread the word and get others to see that “Florida is… Nature.”

About Florida Is Nature

Conceptualized during Xavier Cortada‘s residency at the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation Artist Residency in Captiva, Florida, “Florida is…” is an evolving body of work that depicts the natural beauty of Florida.  It asks Floridians to define their state by its actual nature, not by things we do and build to displace it.  Some “Florida is…” works hang as public art in public venues, admonishing viewers to find better ways to coexist with nature.

The project invites participants to capture and share their images and perspectives on the project’s online platform.

You can learn more about the artist by visiting www.cortada.com