Creative Coast Regional Museums Worth the Drive
by Carey Clarkson
Do you love art? Are you looking for a weekend getaway or planning your next road trip? Consider visiting one of the many art museums within a 200-mile radius of Pensacola. Whether you are heading north through Alabama, west to Mississippi or southeast along the Gulf Coast, several museums offer interactive, engaging and inspiring experiences through art. From underwater exhibits to works from contemporary and regional artists, the Gulf Coast offers an array of thought-provoking and creative exhibitions for a variety of art enthusiasts.
Walter Anderson Museum of Art Location: Ocean Springs, MS walterandersonmuseum.org Designed by architect Edward Pickard, the Walter Anderson Museum of Art (WAMA) is a must-see attraction in historic Ocean Springs along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. WAMA is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the work of artistphilosopher Walter Anderson (1903-1965). Anderson's Art ranges from paintings and drawings to murals and writings depicting (or another word) coastal plants, animals and landscapes. Anderson sought to make sense of the world through his coastal lens, engaging themes from transcendentalism and environmental history to foodways and Depression-era labor. WAMA seeks to inspire discovery, imagination, and community-building through guided or selfguided tours that weave through Anderson's mythic story, empowering individuals into moments of self-discovery and contemplation. Outside the museum doors, visitors venture through Art in the Open, a reinterpretation of Anderson's block print designs by sculptor Zachary Harris. Harris bridges the space between the museum and landscape by transforming Anderson's prints into large, sculpted pieces, encouraging visitors to cultivate new perspectives about life by promoting a unique perspective on the interconnectivity of Art and the world it encompasses. PENSACOLA MAGAZINE | 21
