Florida Native Birds and Plants x Four

Manila Clough, local mosaic artist, is featured in a four month long exhibition of her Art Ventures Grant Mosaics at St Johns County Administration Building’s Rotunda. There will be an Opening Reception June 4, 2019 from 8:15am-9:00am that is free and open to the public. The exhibit will run through September 19, 2019.

St Johns Cultural Council sponsored Manila’s application to the Community Foundation of Northeast Florida for the competitive Art Ventures Grant which is intended to promote an understanding and appreciation of this part of Florida. In the summer of 2018, Manila was awarded the grant for this project.

Each of the four panels depict one of Florida’s Native birds paired with a native Florida plant common to the bird’s habitat; all are specific to northeast Florida. Manila chose the following subjects: Pelican with Railroad Vine, White Heron with Spatterdock, Blue Heron with Yellow American Water Lily, and Roseate Spoonbill with White American Waterlily. Manila uses primarily gorgeous art glass (the same as used in stained glass windows), but she adds crystal beads, hand-made ceramic elements, mirror pieces and fine china broken plates.

This exhibition is sponsored by St Johns County and the St Johns Cultural Council; it is funded in part by the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs.