From Jan. 23 through March 17, local artist Maria Isabel Lazo’s latest gallery exhibit, “Captain is Hollywood”, inspired by the MEEC’s resident green sea turtle, will be featured at ArtsPark at Young Circle Gallery in Hollywood.
The Marine Environmental Education Center at Carpenter House was fostered by a partnership between Broward County Parks and Recreation and NSU. Its main mission is to educate South Florida residents and visitors of the need to conserve and protect the marine and coastal environments. This artistic effort grew from the enthusiasm to unite art with conservation issues.
Lazo’s involvement at the MEEC and the center’s resident green sea turtle, Captain, inspired this artist’s latest gallery. Because of Lazo’s love for the ocean and connection to the center, she has also created artworks that are available for purchase and a percentage of those proceeds will benefit the MEEC.
“We are very thankful for Maria Isabel Lazo’s involvement with the MEEC and her steadfast support of our mission,” said Derek Burkholder, director of Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program and the MEEC.
This is not the first time the MEEC has gotten their feet wet in the arts. Last April, NSU’s Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography in partnership with Free Our Seas, Broward County Parks and Recreation and the City of Hollywood, Florida hosted the Environmental Art Festival at Carpenter House. This event featured art pieces that were not only inspired by the environment but utilized pollution to send a message through art. Art pieces from the event, most notably, a sculpture of a fish created out of about 200 flip flops and many others, took debris and trash found from beach clean ups as materials for the pieces.
This year, Lazo’s exhibit will take centerstage, featuring original acrylics and oil paintings of marine, mangrove and tropical artwork created by the artist.
Along with the month-long showing, an artist’s reception will be held Feb. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Gallery. On the day of the reception, special artwork created from recycled lobster trap wood will be on display as well as conservation discussions that will be given throughout the exhibit.
This exhibit and the artist’s reception are free and open to the general public. Located at 1 North Young Circle, Hollywood, students can visit at any time Monday through Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 9:30.
