News Release
Deborah Mitchell
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Contact: Michelle Collier, 305-224-4238
HOMESTEAD, Fla. - Everglades National Park is pleased to announce the outdoor art exhibition Wild Observations in Everglades National Park by conservation artist Deborah Mitchell. Exploring changes in wildlife corridors and combining scientific research with artistic interpretation, the mixed media work is focused on ecological and cultural changes occurring in our wild places.Wild Observations in Everglades National Park presents the viewer with ways to view connections between living things and why they matter to our survival. Mitchell's site-specific exhibition starts at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center and continues along trails and boardwalks at the Royal Palm Visitor Center, Gumbo Limbo Trail, Long Pine Key, Pineland Trail, Pa-hay-okee Overlook Trail and Mahogany Hammock Trail. The exhibition is on view 24 hours a day from Nov. 20, 2021 - June 1, 2022.
“Scientific research and the management of our wild places provide support for the air that we breathe, our food web and our water supply,” said Mitchell, the exhibit’s creator and curator. “National Parks and field stations are like windows to ecosystems, where ecological responses to water, weather, animals and even humans constantly change.”
Mitchell says her goal is to educate and inspire conservation. Her art conveys the critical message that the long-term survival of species facing possible extinction depends on how we respond to an urgent call to action, protect the land and oceans, reduce fossil fuel consumption, slow human population needs and reconnect to the natural world.
The exhibition consists of 42 images on 24" X 24" adhesive decals placed on the ground and on a building in seven locations. The images are of photo-based and mixed media works and include descriptive text describing how the work relates to the habitat. Subject matter related to the theme of how everything is connected includes mammals, birds, botany, landscapes and humans. Visitors can continue the exhibition experience on their mobile phones or at home by scanning the QR code on each location description.
“Deborah's work always inspires us to connect with nature and motivates us to get out in it,” said Everglades National Park Superintendent Pedro Ramos. “Her passion for our natural wonders comes through in every one of her creations.”
Mitchell has deep ties to Everglades National Park as the former Director of AIRIE (Artists In Residence In Everglades) during a time of critical growth for both AIRIE and the Park. The inclusion of her work for the 75th anniversary of Everglades National Park in 2022 presents relevant, contemporary artwork that confronts important regional and global ecological concerns. With over 15 years of facilitating unique outreach projects both in the wilderness and urban core, Mitchell has an unparalleled ability to unify the voices of artists and scientists in the diverse communities of South Florida and beyond.
Wild Observations in Everglades National Park was created and curated by Deborah Mitchell. This exhibition is made possible by partnerships with Archbold Biological Field Station, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Lighthawk, Audubon FL, Miami Dade Department of Cultural Affairs and Love the Everglades Movement.
For more information or directions, please call 305-242-7700.
Last updated: December 22, 2021