By Louise Irvine

As summer temperatures soar outside in Florida, we are keeping cool inside as we reset the WMODA galleries. We have started unpacking the Chihuly collection and we are arranging his giant Ikebana and Macchia vessels into a new garden of glass. We marvel at Chihuly’s brilliant colors all over again as they emerge from hibernation. We have also been struck by the vibrant colors of René Lalique’s glass as we rebuild our new Art Deco galleries.

Every box that is unpacked reveals old favorites and inspires new ideas. We are “chasing the rainbow” with the iridescent designs by European potters during the Art Nouveau era. The vibrant rouge flambe designs by ceramic artists from the early 1900s have come together for a new “red hot” exhibition. We are also creating a new gallery featuring Flappers, Vamps and Divas from the Roaring Twenties to celebrate the centennial of the Art Deco movement and the City of Hollywood.

Our new Peacocks & Dragons themed displays are taking shape thanks to ideas from Fran and Eddie from the Nessen Group who are providing beautiful Sanderson fabrics and wallpaper. One of the most demanding tasks was moving the Doulton lion king into his new enclosure. Luis enlisted the help of his son and his experienced team of movers to lift the massive Victorian terracotta lion sculpture up onto its pedestal.

Flipper, our intrepid volunteer, starts gardening at 8am before it gets too hot and removes debris from the daily thunderstorms. Of course, not everything goes smoothly inside either and we continually rise to new challenges as we strive to convert an office building into a museum. Thank you to the WMODA team of staff and volunteers for all their hard work. Many are taking a well-earned vacation during the next couple of months and we look forward to showing you the results of our efforts at the end of the summer. In the meantime, you can see how we are getting on with the Great WMODA Buildup in the latest photo selection.

Read more about the Great WMODA Build-up