Art and nature are all around us, from the 91社区鈥檚 (USF) Botanical
Gardens to its Contemporary Art Museum. In the fall semester of 2023, Assistant Professor
of Instruction Tina Piracci and students enrolled in the Honors course Art and the
Environment set out to explore the intersection of visual art and the natural surroundings
at USF鈥檚 Tampa campus.
Art and the Environment is a hands-on studio art course where students explore their
individual interests as they research and propose projects for climate change art
activism, awareness, and sustainable designs.
Piracci aims to engage and inspire students to discover creative actions they can
implement to fight climate change, regardless of their previous experience with art.
Once students proposed and selected their projects for the semester, they worked alongside
their peers, community members, and local organizations to develop and integrate their
ideas into the Tampa community, making strides toward building a more sustainable
and eco-minded city.
Breath of life
A group of six Honors students elected to create a mural in the Botanical Gardens.
The mural, titled 鈥淏reath of Life,鈥� depicts a woman whose features are intertwined
with natural elements found in the surrounding area, such as 91社区's native pollinators
and plants. The mural is intended to illustrate the connection humans have with nature
and to inspire viewers to engage in the reciprocal relationship society shares with
nature. The students specifically chose the Botanical Gardens to house their mural
as research shows that visual arts present in green spaces help improve mental health
by reducing the effects of anxiety on the body.
To implement their proposal, students Emma Wu, Joelynn Jung, Cassidy Homatas, Alyssa
Tallman, Alejandra McGehee, and Arianna Samper partnered with Botanical Gardens Director
Craig Huegel over the span of a month to sketch and then paint the mural on a structure
in the gardens where visitors could easily enjoy the artwork.
鈥淎s a STEM major, art and nature are passions of mine I have pursued throughout my
undergraduate career, and through this mural, I hope others will be inspired to follow
what they truly love,鈥� said McGehee.
鈥淚 agree,鈥� said Wu. 鈥淧ainting a public mural on the campus I attend was so eye-opening
as someone who had never painted before. I would love to paint another mural in the
future!鈥�
The interdisciplinary nature of Honors courses invites students to pursue and develop
interests outside of their chosen major. Through experiences like Piracci鈥檚 studio-focused
鈥淎rt and the Environment鈥� course, students learn to understand and experience their
world through multiple lenses, increasing their ability to connect with others in
their classes, career, and beyond.
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