Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ 2026 Orchid Show brings art, light and color to life with hometown artist

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - A kaleidoscope of colors, dancing light and vibrant orchids are transforming Marie Selby Botanical Gardens into a living work of art.The gardens’ latest exhibition, “The Orchid Show 2026: Christian Sampson,” combines nature, science and contemporary art, with a special hometown connection.Bradenton native and Ringling College of Art and Design graduate Christian Sampson returned to the Suncoast to help bring the immersive experience to life.“I think my vision was executed perfectly. This is like walking into a dream. I’m super happy,” Sampson said.A hometown artist brings his vision to lifeSampson, who grew up in Bradenton and now works out of Los Angeles, collaborated with Marie Selby Botanical Gardens to create an exhibition that transforms the way visitors experience its orchid collection.But the project didn’t happen overnight.“This took actually a couple years of dialogue between me and the Selby team to come up with these ideas,” Sampson said.The result is