Aidan Sullivan


Beresford: Life in Grass, Water, and Sound




”This area is such a unique area, and I feel not only a great kinship to 
this place, but to the people that are here.” - Johnny Dame



   Sitting inconspicuously between highways 44 and 17 is a lake, a beautiful blue gem teeming with life, named Lake Beresford. This Lake houses the Sandra Stetson Aquatic Center, but every time I ask one of my peers on Stetson’s campus if they had ever heard of the place, I would usually receive confused stares. During my time at college, I learned to appreciate nature, and through my work I want to share that appreciation. So, In collaboration with Casey Ramey from the Stetson Aquatic Center and local artist John Dame, I set out to document the area. 

   Beresford: Life in Grass, Water, and Sound
is a collection of four audio journals which describe a mural painted by John Dame and student volunteers at the Stetson Aquatic Center, as well as the history and environment of the surrounding Lake Beresford area. The narration of these audio journals are coupled with sound design composed of field recordings and synthesized sounds. The journals combine these elements in order to inform, and to paint a picture of Lake Beresford in sound, done not only through description, or soundscapes, but through the rich history and variety of wildlife too.

   The Beresford Suite
is a series of compositions inspired by the history and natural environments of central Florida. The suite was written and performed by John Dame, and each song title pays homage to different aspects of the the Saint John’s River area and Lake Beresford.