Fall 2019 class in the School of Art & Art History at the University of South Florida, co-taught with professor John Byrd, focused on coastal ecology, climate change and material strategies – part of a 2019 Kennedy Family Artist Residency at USF. Byrd, TA Maxwell Parker, the students and I formed the Coastorama Cooperative to make the collaborative Coastorama dioramas for the Sponge Exchange exhibition at USFCAM, curated by Sarah Howard.

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Professor John Byrd demonstrates papier-mâche techniques
TA Maxwell Parker assists with diorama assembly
Remotely teaching a session from home in Richmond, VA
Students on field trip to Tarpon Springs, FL to see Spongeorama, the inspiration for the Coastorama diorams
Visiting with sponge diver Captain Taso Karistinos on field Trip to Tarpon Springs, FL
Alejandro Wolf and James Ritman learning papier-mâche techniques
Veronica Brewster and Vivian Fisk working on a manatee prototype
Field trip to the "Coral Arks" at the Florida Aquarium's Center for Conservation
Field trip to the "Coral Arks" at the Florida Aquarium's Center for Conservation
Proof of concept for "Corals: Ocean Warming" diorama
Proof of concept for "Manatee: Harmful Algal Blooms" diorama
Proof of concept for "Sea Snails: Ocean Acidification" diorama
Proof of concept by James Ritman for "Lionfish: Invasive Species" diorama
Drawing by Veronica Brewster for "Manatee: Harmful Algal Blooms" diorama
Remote viewing of manatee-in-progress
Drawings by Leonardo Claudio for "Sea Snails: Ocean Acidification" diorama
Students preparing their custom diorama boxes
Photo: John Byrd