Blown-Glass Beauty By the Bay With the First City Art Center
Date Posted: Sep 07, 2023
First City Art Center to celebrate the coastal landscape of Pensacola at Foo Foo Fest
A top draw to Pensacola has historically been its beautiful blue waters and sugar-white sand. First City Art Center is putting the spotlight on the city’s idyllic setting in its art installation for this year’s Foo Foo Fest—Poseidon’s Garden. “There are so many different aspects of the sea, from the beach to the seafood it produces to the recreational opportunities, all of which can be enjoyed here in Pensacola,” explains Bart Hudson, executive director of First City Art Center.
In Greek mythology, Poseidon was the god who presided over the sea. The nonprofit organization’s art installation at the pond at Maritime Park will portray the narrative of Poseidon’s garden washing up on shore. To create the installation, a group of talented glass blowers from First City Art Center are creating 300-plus pieces of various-sized glass orbs, all of which will be mouth-blown. “It will look like the glass is just washing up from the shore,” Bart says. “It will be extraordinarily colorful and feature all different shapes,” Bart adds. “Visually it’s going to be quite spectacular, and it will be illuminated at night as well.”
Poseidon’s Garden will be available for viewing the entire run of Foo Foo Fest, and in addition to drawing people downtown for the festival, Bart hopes it also inspires visitors to learn more about glass blowing and perhaps even take a class or two and explore the unique medium. “We plan to have a mobile glass-blowing studio at the installation to let the public see glass blowers actually doing their craft,” he says. “We’re excited about exposing the public to the art form.”
First City Art Center is also excited about once again not only being part of Foo Foo Fest but being a grant recipient as well, particularly on the 10-year anniversary of the festival. “The fact that Foo Foo Fest has hit 10 years speaks volumes to the community and its appreciation of creativity,” Bart says. “Art is integral to the culture of Pensacola, and nothing illustrates that better than Foo Foo Fest. We are so excited to be part of its 10th anniversary. We’re coming into it with a totally unique offering to add to the mix, and we’re excited to share it.”
