Art + Nature is an annual event celebrating the dynamic exchange between artistic expression and environmental awareness. This year’s artist, Ana Teresa Fernández, wove a constellation of performances to embody the ocean through SOS ; including three large scale sculptures installed on Main Beach titled Ocean in a Drop, dance on land choreographed in collaboration with Laguna Dance, artistic swimming in collaboration with Meraquas, an interactive portrait station titled We Are Water, a paddle out and a massive scale Social Monument in collaboration with community members to dynamically become the embodiment of this urgent message of SOS though light!
Each performance and work spoke in its expressive language for our ocean. Bodies became drops, ripples, ties and waves. The mirrored circle tied all performances to the ocean starting with Ocean in a Drop, which consisted of three large geometric forms : dodecahedron, cuboctahedron, and icosahedron all made out of wood with rods extending outward holding circular mirrors at its ends placed on Main Beach. These angular spheres embody frozen “drops” through the molecular formation of ice drops which are hexagons. I wanted to connect the glaciers melting with sea levels rising. The title stems from the poet Rumi’s line : “You are the entire ocean in a drop.”
On November 9th 2025, 800 community members stood together creating a SOCIAL MONUMENT by holding up mirrors spelling out the international light language of Morse code: SOS, which has long stood for Save our Souls. Here, alongside the ocean, we implored: “Save Our Seas!” We then merged as one swell of energy, flowing back and forth, becoming the tide, creating ripples across the shore. Each person embodied a drop, embodied the ocean, and spoke in the language of light.
“You’re sitting in a universe made of circles. Each has its four directions, and you have your four directions. Find it. You already know it, or maybe you just don’t know how to touch base with that. But it’s like anything about loving the Earth, that means you got to get out there, and touch her, work with her, cultivate life force. Your four directions are to be found in yourself first, and then in concentric circles out. “ Katsi Cook