A Creative Campus

Maclay is Decorated With Unique Pieces of Art From Local Artists

Florida Wildlife: Shown is a painting by Mark Messersmith. Messersmith includes various types of Florida animal and plant species, including some that are extinct. In Lee Norment's Southern Literature class, his students studied the painting with clipboards and wrote down their observations. The painting is a permanent piece at Maclay representing Florida that allows students to learn. There is a gallery including more of Messersmith’s works on the Maclay Andalusian website.

Langfords Live Display: The large fish tank in Langford hall has many different types of fish. Head of School James Milford feeds them every day, including on weekends.

Student Pride: This display, called the Inspiration Gallery, is hung in the Upper School front office. It is a display of students' photography and digital design.

At Home: Artist and educator Leslie Anderson describes the intent behind her paintings. She presents a new perspective on what home means and why she believes home can be tangible or intangible.

Creative Collection: These nine small paintings are named “Mini Casitas I-IX.” They are created using acrylic paint, assorted paper, ephemera and pencil. Ephemera are collectible items that typically last for a limited amount of time. Examples include items such as tickets or postcards.

Peaceful Isolation: This artwork is called “Release.” It is made from acrylic paint and pencil. “Release” shows a sense of serenity and peacefulness in isolation on rural lands, but the deeper colors on the right represent the drawbacks.

Neighborly Connection: Made with acrylic paint, pencil and oil pastels, “Under the Wire I, II, and III” are under a literal wire, seemingly telephone lines, to demonstrate the urban setting. The wire and similarity of the paintings evoke a feeling of connection between these pieces in the observer.

Inspirational: Anderson crafted “Itty Bitty Casitas I-VI” using wood, assorted paper and ephemera. These three-dimensional houses on display bring her art to life. Some of the papers used have positive encouraging phrases such as “Be Brave.”

Sharing Curiosity: This shell collection was put together by Louise Allderdice Travers. She called her process “Shell Decoupage.” "One of the most warming and satisfying results of exploring the treasure world of shells was finding so many new friends, both in and out of books.” Travers said. “All shared with us, generously and cheerfully…their great knowledge of the sea and its mysterious and varied creatures.”

Beautiful Beaches: Travers brings these shells to life by emphasizing the beauty of each different shell. She collected these shells from Sanibel Island, Florida, which is regarded as one of the best places in the world for shell collecting.

Photos by Kayleigh Mitchell / Maclay Andalusian