Sun, Sand, Surf: The Art of Living by the Sea

Featured artwork: “Sunset Serenade,” oil on canvas, by Pamela J. Ayres.

There’s something about living by the water that changes the way we see the world.

Perhaps it’s the shifting colors of the Atlantic, the golden light stretching across the shoreline, or the familiar rhythm of waves meeting sand. Here in Palm Beach County, the coast is more than a beautiful backdrop. It’s part of our collective identity, woven into the way we live, the stories we tell, and the art we create.

This November, the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County invites us to experience that connection through Sun, Sand, Surf, a new exhibition celebrating the extraordinary influence of South Florida’s coastal environment on our local creative community.

Opening November 6 and continuing through December 31, 2026, the exhibition brings together works by 32 Palm Beach County creative professionals in the William R. and Joyce A. Kruger Family Gallery at the Council’s historic headquarters in downtown Lake Worth Beach.

And like the coastline itself, the artistic perspectives promise to be wonderfully varied.

More Than a Day at the Beach

What does the ocean mean to you?

For some, it represents freedom and adventure. For others, it’s a place of contemplation, childhood memories, family traditions, or simply the pleasure of watching the sun disappear into the horizon.

Sun, Sand, Surf explores these connections through artistic interpretations of coastal landscapes, atmospheric skies, changing light, surf culture, and the environments that shape our everyday lives.

Rather than presenting a single picture of paradise, the exhibition encourages visitors to discover the many ways our relationship with the coast informs our sense of place.

“South Florida’s beaches are among the most beautiful and defining features of our area, offering endless inspiration through their colors, textures, changing light, and connection to the natural world,” says Jessica Ransom, the Council’s director of artist services and curator of the exhibition.

For Ransom, the opportunity is also about rediscovery: seeing familiar surroundings through the eyes of artists whose creativity reveals something unexpected in the landscapes we may take for granted.

It’s a compelling invitation, particularly for those of us fortunate enough to call this remarkable stretch of coastline home.

A Celebration of Local Creativity

One of the most appealing aspects of Sun, Sand, Surf is its emphasis on the artists who live and create right here in Palm Beach County.

The exhibition features an eclectic collection of creative voices, including Jon Allen, Pamela J. Ayres, Ayesha DeLorenzo, Autumn Kioti Horne, Joe and Sarah LaPierre, Manon Sander, Billy Selesnick, and many others.

A special collaboration with the Surfing Florida Museum adds another dimension, connecting contemporary artistic expression with the history and culture of surfing in the Sunshine State.

Together, these perspectives celebrate something that makes The Palm Beaches distinctive: a thriving creative community shaped by its relationship with the natural world.

“Artists are essential to the cultural vitality of Palm Beach County,” says Dave Lawrence, president and CEO of the Cultural Council.

That philosophy lies at the heart of the Council’s mission: supporting local creative professionals while making meaningful cultural experiences accessible to residents and visitors alike.

And accessibility is particularly welcome here. Admission to the exhibition is completely free.

When Art Meets Performance

The exhibition also extends beyond the gallery walls through a special theatrical presentation, The Necessary Monster and the Sea Itself, featuring artists and actors Autumn Kioti Horne and Suzanne Ankrum-Harris.

Presented in connection with Horne’s installation, the 20-minute performances will take place Thursday, December 10, at 6 p.m. and Saturday, December 12, at 2 p.m.

Both performances are free and will be followed by conversations with the artists, offering audiences another way to engage with the exhibition’s creative ideas.

It’s a reminder that artistic expression doesn’t exist in isolation. Visual art, storytelling, performance, and our personal experiences can all enrich the way we understand the world around us.

Rediscovering Our Own Backyard

Perhaps the greatest pleasure of Sun, Sand, Surf is the invitation to look again at something we think we already know.

We live in a place celebrated around the world for its natural beauty. But through art, that beauty becomes something more personal—a reflection of memory, community, imagination, and belonging.

The next time you find yourself watching the waves, walking the shoreline, or admiring the extraordinary colors of a South Florida sunset, consider how many different stories might exist within that single moment.

Thirty-two local creative perspectives offer us a place to begin.

And sometimes, seeing home through someone else’s eyes is the best way to fall in love with it all over again.

Plan Your Visit

The Culture Circuit is presented by the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County. Discover more of the people, places, and experiences shaping our cultural landscape at culturecircuit.art.