Local artist Mado Smith explores the Floridian experience, memory and grief in an intimate multimedia exhibition at the Casselberry Sculpture House.
Smith’s Florida Water, a cheeky reference to both the corner-store fragrance and the state’s literal waterways, aims to guide audiences through their own memories and dreams.
Born and raised in Lake Mary, Smith grew up in the greater Central Florida area and has recently returned after leaving to attend the College of Charleston in 2005. After nearly 20 years in Charleston, Smith has found his way back to his Floridian roots.
When he arrived back in Orlando late 2024, Smith applied for an artist grant offered by United Arts Central Florida “on a whim.” And he got it. The road to this resulting residency at the Sculpture House was not an easy one, after losing a few different venues in search of the perfect one. In a strange twist of fate, Smith found his perfect site across the street from his late grandfather’s automotive shop.
“There’s just been a lot of healing and breakthroughs in coming down here,” says Smith. “I feel like it’s in the water and the sun. There’s something really special about Florida.”
Smith’s use of vibrant colors and bold brushstrokes lends itself to the dreamlike imagery he depicts. The exhibition is largely inspired by the experience of natural Florida through the eyes of its residents. Smith hopes to emphasize Florida’s distinctive and untamed identity, something often left out of tourists’ sightlines.
“Florida is just the strangest mix of the oldest, wildest nature that refuses to give up and some of the newest cemented infrastructure of modern living,” Smith explains. “They have a strange harmony down here and neither of them [will] give up.”
With over 100 pieces on display, Smith has been preparing for this show the past few months. After settling into the Sculpture House, he’s been in a flow state, living among his art.
“I painted literally all last night until sunrise and it’s been a dream,” shares Smith. “I cannot stop creating. It’s all in constant fluidity.”
His works in Florida Water often feature bright human figures and animals interacting with bits of nature against lush backdrops. The large-scale, site-specific charcoal tapestries create a humid atmosphere in the Sculpture House as guests explore the exhibition. Other works wield vivid color to playfully portray Florida’s macabre essence through classic monsters.
“When you think of Florida, you think of the Sunshine State but there’s also this charming and kind of goth-like obsession with old Universal monsters,” says Smith. “There’s this weird dichotomy in Florida culture where we’re also cool with the darker side of things amongst all the sunshine.”
In addition to his visual art, Smith will hold a concert at the Sculpture House on the evening of June 21. The compositions he performs are a part of an upcoming album. Smith’s overarching goal is to curate a community space and foster human connection through both visual art and music.
Smith’s music is just as versatile as the visual art in the exhibit. He cites influences from both classic Americana and modern R&B, hoping to find space for innovation between the varying genres. He says that the performances, surrounded by his artwork, will highlight the multidisciplinary goal of his residency.
“I think the whole experience is the installation,” reveals Smith. “Me just being here, creating stuff in the place, making music and writing songs in the place — I’m realizing that might be the biggest piece of it all.”
Smith references Fruits, the weekly gathering at Orlando restaurant Kaya hosted by his fellow artist and friend Boy Kong, as a big inspiration for developing creative third spaces that bring people together.
Smith is a co-founder of the Circle Square Triangle Collective, a project composed of a group of artists that aims to give back to the Central Florida community through the arts. Smith hopes to expand this residency into a yearly show that incorporates other local artists.
“Some of this is me working out my dream, which is just always to be interdisciplinary, both a musician and an artist,” Smith says. “To have people have these transformative, encompassing experiences within a space.”
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This article appears in Jun 11-17, 2025.