On Saturday, September 28m Flamingo Gardens presents: Rewild Florida – The Art of Stephanie McMillan, a whimsical exhibit of drawings of South Florida plants and wildlife by Fort Lauderdale artist Stephanie McMillan. Her art portrays iconic species such as the Florida panther, manatee, and alligator, as well as less widely appreciated species like the spiny orb weaver, larraflower, and the ring-neck snake. For McMillan, creating art has become a spiritual practice that opens possibilities for connecting with plants, wildlife, and the human community. The underlying message of this collection is: “Let’s get to know the wild beings around us and participate in the web of life with love and respect for all.”
Stephanie McMillan’s colorful paintings and drawings are inspired by her love for the plants and wildlife of South Florida, where she is a third-generation resident. Her playful style, infused with humor, evolved from 25 years as an award-winning and widely published cartoonist and illustrator.
McMillan received a BFA from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University (1987), and her work has been included in many exhibitions worldwide including at the San Francisco Cartoon Art Museum, the Andy Warhol Museum (Pittsburgh), and SCOPE International Contemporary Art Show (Miami). She is an Artist-in-Residence at the New River Inn History Museum in Fort Lauderdale, in the downtown area where her wildlife art is also featured on utility boxes. She sells her art, prints, greeting cards and more from her studio on the third floor of the museum, as well as on her website.
Created digitally (using Procreate on an iPad) and printed on fine art paper, the artwork in this series features familiar native species such as the white ibis and the gumbo limbo tree, as well as those non-native creatures that have become a part of the background of life in South Florida like the Muscovy duck and bitter gourd. The exhibit is interactive as well; visitors have the opportunity to get creative and color their own copies of McMillan’s art to take home. Additionally, guests will find a QR code in the Gallery, linking to Flamingo Gardens’ Instagram. Like and follow the account where a daily photo will be posted of one of McMillan’s prints hidden within the gardens. Find it and it’s yours to keep! This “scavenger hunt” will take place every day throughout the exhibit.
“Rewild Florida” opens September 28th and runs through December 31st. The Gallery is open from 9:30 to 4:30.
Stephanie’s website, featuring prints, notecards, stickers and more, is www.stephaniemcmillan.com
Follow us on Instagram: @flamingogardens
